I thought the Epiphone Masterbuilt AJ500R might have made the top 4. It has a sitka spruce top and solid rosewood back and sides. Like the Yamaha L series it is now made in China (except the higher end 26 and 36 which are still made in Japan) and I have read - for both makes - that there are quality control issues regarding construction of the neck and flaws in the finish. However, it appears to be a good enough instrument for Russ Barenberg who plays the mahogany version on the link below:
The shame is that Epiphone Masterbuilt series are not so readily available in the UK as in the US.
Epiphone Masterbuilt AJ500R
I thought the Epiphone Masterbuilt AJ500R might have made the top 4. It has a sitka spruce top and solid rosewood back and sides. Like the Yamaha L series it is now made in China (except the higher end 26 and 36 which are still made in Japan) and I have read - for both makes - that there are quality control issues regarding construction of the neck and flaws in the finish. However, it appears to be a good enough instrument for Russ Barenberg who plays the mahogany version on the link below:
The shame is that Epiphone Masterbuilt series are not so readily available in the UK as in the US.