Epiphone MB-250
submitted 6/24/2009
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Submitter |
CadCar |
Where Purchased |
First Quality Music |
Year Purchased |
2008 |
Price Paid |
599 ($US) |
Sound
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Nice bluegrass banjo for the money. As with any banjo, a proper setup will give you the best sound. But the tone ring gives it a nice bright popping sound. Plenty loud enough. |
Sound Rating |
9 |
Setup
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First Quality Music setup my banjo for me. But, the one thing that was wrong was the way the strings wrap on the tailpiece. I fixed this issue and it put more downward force on the bridge causing the banjo to be a little louder. Other than that, the setup was perfect. Murrell at FQM did a nice setup job setting the action, adjusting everything and got it sounding great. |
Setup Rating |
10 |
Appearance
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Everything on this banjo is shiny. It has a mahogany neck and resonator, a multi-ply maple rim, and rosewood fingerboard. All wood is good quality and the finish is nice and clear and shiny. Inlays are placed great and fit nicely. The hardware is chrome and looks great.
It has the headstock like a Gibson RB-250 and hearts/flowers inlay like on a Gibson Earl Scruggs Standard. |
Appearance Rating |
10 |
Reliability
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The hardware does seem like it will last. The finish appears to be pretty durable. Only hardware that seems like it would need attention first would be the tuners. Seems like the tuners on Asian banjos is always the cheapest part. But, the are more reliable than what I thought they would going to be. Just have to tighten up the screw on the button every now and then. No biggie. |
Reliability Rating |
9 |
Customer Service
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Epiphone is a subsidiary of Gibson. Even though this banjo has many similarities as an Earl Scruggs Standard, it is NOT A GIBSON. But, you would contact Gibson for factory customer service. Epiphone banjos have a Limited Lifetime Warranty to the original purchaser (non-transferable). I haven't had any issues with this banjo that needed customer service. But, I have called Gibson to ask them about the Epiphone banjos and they are nice to work with. |
Customer Service |
10 |
Components
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There really isn't any component on this banjo that stands out among the rest. All components appear to be good parts (tailpiece, flange, head, armrest, tension hoop, heavy brass tone ring). The only cheap part that could use a good upgrade would the the bridge and the tuners. Stock ones are fine, but a good bridge would produce better sound and a quality set of tuners would be great. The rim on this banjo is a multi-ply rim meaning it has more than 3 plys of wood. Most expensive banjos have a 3 ply rim yielding in better sound. But, a good 3 ply rim is expensive.
Note on components: for some reason Epiphone doesn't list on their website in the specifications that the MB-250 comes with a tone ring. And, by default, retailers don't list it either. But, for your information, this banjo does come with a BRASS TONE RING that is Chrome-Plated. |
Components Rating |
9 |
Overall Comments
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I would recommend this banjo to anyone that wants a quality bluegrass banjo for around $600. You really are getting alot for the money. Number one, you are getting a real tone ring banjo. Not a tone hoop or any other device. This banjo does have a tone ring (it's a heavy banjo!). Fit and finish are nice and neat. It isn't a Gibson (though you may have people reminding you of that if you buy an Epiphone) but is does look much like one. It does all I need to do to pick a few Scruggs tunes. Comparing this banjo to my Goodtime 2 is like daylight and dark. The Goodtime didn't have a tone ring so the tone was more mellow whereas the MB-250 has a nice pop and more sustain. There are a few things that could be upgraded on this banjo like the tuners and bridge, but these are things people normally replace anyway on any banjo. It is nothing that tuned me away. The Epiphone MB-250 is a bright, crisp banjo that has plenty of volume. I also bought the Epiphone EH60 hardshell banjo case from FQM. Nice, snug fitting case with roomy storage.
Note:
Sometimes you will find photos of Epiphone MB-250s with the emblem Masterbuilt between the 21st and 22nd fret. This is in the same general area where Gibson will put Mastertone on their banjos. My Epiphone MB-250 has EPIPHONE in this location, not Masterbuilt. It appears that older MB-250s had this Masterbuilt logo at this fret location and the new ones now has EPIPHONE. I emailed Gibson with my serial number and they said my banjo was made in July of 2008, was shipped from a Gibson/Epiphone warehouse on 12-10-08 to First Quality Music in Louisville, KY and I bought it on 12-13-08
I wrote a review in the forums on my MB-250 when I bought it and posted some detailed photos.
Go here to check it out. Or click on my name, go to my Blogs, and see it there.
http://www.banjohangout.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=133980
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Overall Rating |
10 |
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