Epiphone continues its 2014 monthly giveaways with an unprecedented opportunity for fans to take home everything they need to start an entire bluegrass band.
Epiphone fans can enter to win the Bluegrass Band Package Giveaway where one lucky winner in the U.S., Canada and UK/Europe will take home four of Epiphone’s premier bluegrass instruments—the Masterbilt DR-500MCE acoustic/electric guitar, the MB-200 Banjo, the MM-30S Mandolin and the Dobro Hound Dog Deluxe Round Neck, most recently featured in concert by Gary Clark Jr.
“Epiphone has been refining acoustic instruments for over 140 years and the Bluegrass Collection instruments are absolutely classic,” said Epiphone President Jim Rosenberg. “We’re thrilled that the winners of our March giveaway will have everything they need to start the next great acoustic band!”
The instruments featured in the Bluegrass Band Package Giveaway are all drawn from Epiphone’s premier Bluegrass Collection, made from timeless designs that have inspired the premier acoustic performers of yesterday and today.
Masterbilt DR-500MCE:
The original Masterbilt line of acoustic guitars was Epiphone's pride and joy in the 1930s. And it still is today. The DR-500MCE is the ultimate rhythm guitar for driving acoustic styles and features a solid Sitka Spruce top, hand-scalloped Sitka Spruce braces, and mahogany kerfing with a Rosewood bridge and bone saddle.
The DR-500MCE's modern cutaway is a nod to the second generation of guitar wizards like Doc Watson, Tony Rice and David Grier who have brought a dazzling new vocabulary to bluegrass and folk music.
While the DR-500MCE sounds great "unplugged," it really comes alive when plugged-in thanks to the new eSonic2™ preamp system and the under saddle NanoFlex low-impedance pickup. The new eSonic2 preamp, made in cooperation with Shadow Germany, features a built-in, easy-to-use tuner that when engaged, automatically mutes the guitar’s input with no "popping" noise, making it a perfect choice for stage use. Other controls on this state-of-the-art preamp include Master Volume, NanoFlex Tone, NanoMag Tone, stereo blend, low battery indicator, and a phase switch to help eliminate unwanted feedback.
Complementing the NanoFlex is the revolutionary NanoMag pickup mounted at the end of the fingerboard. Exclusively from Shadow, the NanoMag features three Samarian-Cobalt magnets and an integrated active circuit to capture all the highs and lows, including a wide range of harmonics. With your choice of either 1/4" mono output that blends both pickups or a 1/4" stereo output splitting the two pickups, you have incredible flexibility and opportunities to create the perfect acoustic tone live.
MM-30S Mandolin:
The MM-30S was thought of as a radical new design of the mandolin in the early 20th century. But for Epiphone founder Epi Stathopoulo, “radical” and “new” was exactly the direction that he wanted to take the family business. Epiphone’s MM-30S “A”-style mandolin is renowned for its sweet, balanced tone. Easy to play, the MM-30S is not as “sharp” or “aggressive” as some bluegrass mandolins and is a perfect complement to singers and for rhythm. Much like a great acoustic guitar, the MM-30S has a full range—ringing highs and rounded lows—that make it ideal for “going natural” on stage and using just a mic for amplification.
Dobro Hound Dog Deluxe Round Neck:
The Dobro Hound Dog Deluxe Round Neck resonator guitar is one of the iconic instruments for bluegrass and traditional American music styles. It features a Laminated Flame maple top and body with back binding, a Mahogany neck, and a Fishman Resonator pickup. And in the hands of Gary Clark Jr. (See the video below), the Dobro takes on a whole new dimension.
Epiphone MB-200 Banjo:
The Epiphone MB-200 Banjo can perhaps claim the distinction as being the oldest instrument in the Epiphone line. Featuring a classic shaped mahogany neck and body with an industry standard Remo head, the 26.25" scale neck has traditional pearloid inlay. The MB-200 projects the full, classic cutting tone that Epiphone banjos are known for.
Epiphone has been on the cutting edge of building superb string band instruments for over 140 years and now, new generations of pickers are discovering the “House of Stathopoulo.” Visit Epiphone.com and enter to win the Bluegrass Band Package today! For more about Epiphone's bluegrass collection, head here.
