Epiphone is celebrating American roots music in a big way for 2024 with a new Bluegrass Collection that features an Inspired By Gibson Earl Scruggs Golden Deluxe banjo, Mastertone Bowtie Open Back Banjo, Mastertone Classic Banjo, Mandobird, and F-5 Studio Mandolin, as well as the Inspired By Gibson Custom F-5G Mandolin.
The move sees Epiphone further widening its appeal for a variety of musician tastes, needs and budgets – with the Mandobird offering something for the rock-inclined amongst us too.
That Reverse Firebird four-string mandolin (£369) has a solid nato wood body, bolt-on mahogany neck, and Epiphone Firebird pickup. Four Grover Mini Rotomatic tuners assure a quality performance, and it comes with a gig bag too. We want this one, though we don't know how we'll use it yet!
The Earl Scruggs Golden Deluxe Banjo (£1,199) is a replica of the Gibson RB-Granada Mastertone five-string banjo used by the instrument's most influential player of all time. It features a three-ply maple resonator with a figured maple veneer, gold hardware, and a 26.4″ scale figured maple neck with ebony fretboard.
The banjo features hearts, flowers and a Mastertone block inlaid in mother-of-pearl.
The Mastertone Classic Banjo (£929) recreates the Gibson RB-3 Mastertone five-string banjo from the 1930s with a mahogany resonator, a three-ply mahogany rim, and nickel hardware
It features a 26.4″-scale figured mahogany neck, laurel fretboard with Style 3 inlays.
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The Mastertone Bowtie Open Back Banjo (£749) is inspired by Gibson’s Mastertone models from the 1950s and '60s. It features a satin-finished mahogany neck, a bound laurel fretboard with Bowtie inlays, and an 11″ Remo Fiberskyn head "for warm, vintage tones."
This one comes with a premium gig bag, while the previous two banjos ship with hard cases.
The two mandolins hit at different price points; the F-5G is a collaboration with Gibson Custom Shop and at £1,379 represents an investment in craftsmanship that honours the original F-5 mandolin designed by Lloyd Loar.
It features all-solid wood construction, with a figured maple back and sides, solid Sitka spruce top, and an ebony fretboard featuring a compound radius. The finish is Cremona Sunburstand it comes with a vintage-style rectangular hardshell case.
The F-5 Studio's price point offers potential wide appeal at £569 and two finish choices of Vintage Sunburst Satin and Red Wine Satin.
Solid maple back and sides, a solid Sitka spruce top, and a maple neck with a laurel fretboard still offer a fine build and Epiphone stresses that the F-5 Studio's thin satin finish helps to enhance its tone. It comes with a premium gig bag.
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Rob is the Reviews Editor for GuitarWorld.com and MusicRadar guitars, so spends most of his waking hours (and beyond) thinking about and trying the latest gear while making sure our reviews team is giving you thorough and honest tests of it. He's worked for guitar mags and sites as a writer and editor for nearly 20 years but still winces at the thought of restringing anything with a Floyd Rose.
“The electronics are just as authentic and deliver all of the sonic character of Jimmy’s legendary EDS-1275”: Gibson unveils meticulous Custom Shop VOS replica of Jimmy Page’s iconic 1969 Doubleneck
“The massive guitar sound that sparked an entire generation has been completely and faithfully captured in stunning detail”: Nirvana tone guru Aaron Rash releases The Nevermind Sessions IR bundle, and promises a sound “identical” to Kurt Cobain’s