“It’ll suit those players who like to hit hard and make their guitar really shout”: Epiphone Masterbilt Texan review

Although not as well known as its more famous cousins, the J-45 and the Hummingbird, the Epiphone Masterbilt Texan could be just the thing if you want the look and feel of a Gibson round-shouldered dreadnought but prefer a longer scale length. Famously used by guitarists like Paul McCartney, Peter Frampton, and Noel Gallagher, the Texan is no stranger to the hands of legendary players despite not carrying the full-fat Gibson logo on its headstock.

With its ultra-thin nut width and longer scale, the Texan first appeared way back in 1958, manufactured in two factories in Philadelphia and Kalamazoo. The original model was classified as an Advanced Jumbo rather than the round-shouldered dreadnought we see now, but that was just Gibson’s way of labeling their dreadnought guitars.

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Epiphone Masterbilt Texan review — (Image credit: Future/Matt McCracken)

The round-shoulder dreadnought shape is designed to deliver a more balanced tone than those acoustics with square shoulders, and the Texan is constructed with a solid Sitka spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides. My review model comes in a classic Faded Cherry, giving more than a hint of Hummingbird with its glossy finish and Tortoise pickguard. The neck is glued in via a dovetail joint, a standard process for acoustic guitars.

The 3 by 3 Wilkinson Deluxe tuning machines come with ivory buttons, while at the other end, you’ve got an advanced jumbo reverse belly bridge and a bone saddle. It comes with two strap buttons pre-installed, too, which is great for gigging acoustic guitar players. Sure to further delight live players, you also get a Fishman Sonicore under-saddle pickup with a Fishman Sonitone preamp and soundhole-mounted volume and tone controls.

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Examining the Texan in detail, I found the build quality to be fantastic. It’s a solid-feeling instrument that’s really well put together, with the only blemish my eye could discern being a slight lump of gloss applied near the side dot at the 19th fret of the guitar. Those great-looking parallelogram inlays are laid perfectly, as are the body binding and rosette, and it’s a gorgeous guitar that isn’t too gaudy.

The battery pack inside the soundhole has a cable running to the controls mounted on the top, which is a little unsightly as it runs across the view through the soundhole. Probably not a deal breaker, but some might like it tucked away out of view, and it’s something you could do yourself once you’ve taken the strings off. The battery location might also be an issue for live players should you need to perform a quick swap.

The string spacing feels equally comfortable whether you’re playing arpeggios with a pick or fingerstyle, and you can feel that string tension at your picking hand too. It made me lean towards playing harder as there’s not as much give in the strings, which could be good or bad depending on your preferences and playing style. I liked it, as I prefer a decent amount of tension in my strings so I can hit harder.

The Epiphone Texan is a glorious-sounding acoustic guitar and it sustains for days. The whole construction resonates beautifully when you strum it hard, delivering loads of low-end energy that’s never overpowering. The fact that it encourages you to play loud due to that high string tension really plays to its strengths, delivering a loud voice that’s lovely and warm. It’s balanced too, never sounding like the bass strings are getting in the way of the higher strings and vice versa.