This acoustic guitar is one of the finest for under $1,000. The factor that determines a great acoustic for an intermediate or beginner guitarist is tone. Alot of guitars within this price range say they have it, but they simply don't. I own all three different versions of the Masterbilt DR-500 models. They all are great in their own rights and depending on the player, determines alot about which wood should be chosen, wheither it be the Mahagony (DR-500M), Maple (DR-500P) or Rosewood (DR-500R) versions. I have owned these guitars for over a year now so i'm not like some of the other reviewers that just recieved them in the mail and are caught in the moment of how awesome their new purchase just was. I have played these three DR models for quite some time and have tried thousands of techniques and styles with each of them. I also own other instruments that cost two and three times what these guitars cost from big names like martin. Here is what I have found:

DR-500M - My personal favorite of the three DR models. Volume is pleasing but not harsh and the tone is great for almost any style. The notes are clear and concentrated towards the midrange frequencies of the instrument. Palm muting, along with DADGAD tuning sounds best with this version of the DR line. Great for people who would like to play open chords and practice in their rooms or with groups of people without being overpowering.

DR-500R - This version has awsome tone. Quite a bit louder than the DR-500M. Brighter high notes and lower bass notes than the DR-500M. This makes, in my opinion, alternate tunings not quite as pleasant than with the Mahogany bodied DR. This guitar has gold hardware rather than the nickel hardware as found on the 500M. I would recomend this guitar to people who want a more traditional sounding acoustic guitar (majority of songs on the radio use Rosewood bodied guitars - not all, but alot). This guitar sounds best of the three versions to do lead guitar work on. Great for recording and or playing for others.....but if people are trying to talk, like at a party, this Rosewood version is pretty overpowering and they might get peaved because it's too loud.

DR-500P - This version is a little tricky to find at times and I don't think Musician's Friend even carries this version, but they should. The 500P is about as loud as the 500R and is a very clear sounding guitar. It's a bit brighter than the other two but this contributes to a very unique sound. The high strings are bright but are less "tinty" sounding than the 500R's high strings. I don't know how else to describe those high strings, but after playing the 500P, going to the Rosewood sounds kind of funky. The 500P is great for making a song your own, because it sounds very different from the other two more traditional sounding versions. It has great clarity and makes lead guitar, open and bar chords sound great. This is a very versatile version but, it dosen't really sound like anything else. I would recommend this version for recording because of it's natural compression of notes. Like the rosewood model, it's great for playing with others but be careful because it can get pretty loud.

In a nutshell, all three versions of the Masterbilt DR models are great. Tone and playabilty are fantastic. This review is supposed to be for the DR-500M but i figured some of you might not be sure on which version to buy and since I have them all, I figured I might be of some help for those of you still deciding. I have recomended these Masterbilt guitars for my friends who also play guitar and they have all tried, fell in love with and then bought their own Masterbilt guitars.

I own several acoustic guitars including Gibsons, but I can't justify buying anything other than an Epiphone Masterbilt in the future. I own both a DR-500M and an AJ-500M and am still amazed at the quality, sound, and playability of these instruments regardless of price. You have to spend three to four times as much to get a comparable guitar from the "name" manufacturers like Martin, Gibson, or Taylor. Martin and Taylor insist on pasting their names on inferior products using laminate materials that can't hold a candle to the Masterbilt in terms of tone, projection, and sustain. These are truly solid wood guitars; backs, sides, top, and neck. Don't be fooled by claims of "solid" from other companies int this price range when in actuality only the top is solid. I gave a 4.5 in features only because these are straight forward guitars with no frills, just beautiful wood, Grover open-gear tuners, and superb workmanship. Buy a Masterbilit before Epiphone figures out they are selling them too cheap!

I bought this from MF a week ago, looking for a second guitar to take to play with friends. I was hesitant, but after reading more good reviews than bad, I decided to take a chance. I'm glad I did. The overall build quality is very good, like a tank! The finish isn't bad, a couple of darker patches on the sides, but overall nice. The bone nut and saddle on a lower priced guitar are a very nice touch. I don't like the way the slots are cut in the nut, (just a hair too deep) but there is no problem tuning the guitar. The neck is a very comfortable low profile, and the action from the factory wasn't bad, a slight buzz on the B string which I fixed with a tweak of the truss rod. The sound that eminates from this guitar is better than I expected. I've read reviews that have stated it's sonically as good as a Martin and/or other high end guitars. I also own a Martin OM21 Special, and this just isn't true. It does not have the fullness, depth or richness of sound that my Martin has, but it is stiil very good. The volume, sustain and balance across the strings is excellent for a guitar in this price range. It is a mahogany (sapele) guitar, and therefore has a drier, woodier sound than a rosewood, not as much bass response, but like I said before, very balanced. The trebles do not have that tinny cheap guitar sound. The forward shifted X bracing is a nice touch also. The strings it came with in my opinion were not very good. Don't know the brand. A little too light I think. I put a set of John Pearse PB lights on and they improved the volume and tone by leaps and bounds. Overall, I'm very impressed with the build quality and tone of this instrument. If you're looking for an excellent lower priced guitar, you can't go wrong with the Masterbilt collection from Epiphone.

I was saving up for a more expensive acoustic when I happened to come across one of these in a retail store...by the feel and sound it seemed like it should have been in the price range I thought I was planning to spend. This is a very high quality instrument, extremely well made. If you can find a solid wood guitar in this price range somewhere else, I've never seen it.

was looking for a'beater' 2nd guitar/ looked at the epiphone hummingbird and el 00. was hesitant because i wasn't sure i'd be satisfied with just a wood top but had a budget. found anoverstock,b-stock whatever you call it DR 500M. not a thing wrong with the guitar. just a stamp in the back of the headstock. great tone. the sound just bounces out. easy to play and looks pretty sharp. my favorite design is the headstock. cool retro feel with really cool open gear grover tunerrs. love looking down the neck and seeing them.