US Masters club

[Versatek6]

Here is the transparent red Ep4 - hard to see the grain n the photo.
Same contoured fingerboard above 24.
Pickup is original; like the other early ones, made by Bill Lawrence, his P-46.

 

[Versatek6]

This is the imported Masters Design epin4 - ep body, i=import, n=neck-thru, 4strings.

Again, The photo doesn't show the real color, which is white pearlescent. I will say the neck on this isn't as stable as the US models. It is very humid right now, and I had to loosen the truss rod a good half turn to relieve the neck's back bow.

And here is the import headstock. You can get a hint of the pearl in this.

 

[Versatek6]

Here is the maple Ep52 (that I am not selling ).

This is newer generation with the unbranded factory pickups. I can guess that they are Kent Armstrong, but don't know. This came with gold dome knobs that looked like most used gold hardware, so I swapped for 1st generation style rubber knobs, which I like much more.

And here's a bit og the figured maple fingerboard.

And the headstock with the 2nd generation red logo.

 

[Versatek6]

Last is my favorite - a lacewood Ep52.

This has the original Kent Armstrong-branded pickups with the added purpleheart ramp, Aguilar OBP-3, with 3-way mid shift switch. Other switches are for parallel/single/series coil switching for each pickup. Strings are EB Cobalt Flats.

 

[JebDude]

Very nice!

JB

 

[Searay]

Thanks for posting the pics. Enjoy looking at the instruments.

 

[Marc DLarosa]

This is the imported Masters Design epin4 - ep body, i=import, n=neck-thru, 4strings.

Again, The photo doesn't show the real color, which is white pearlescent. I will say the neck on this isn't as stable as the US models. It is very humid right now, and I had to loosen the truss rod a good half turn to relieve the neck's back bow.

View attachment 3030827

And here is the import headstock. You can get a hint of the pearl in this.
View attachment 3030829

I have this EXACT bass, in a 5 string...

 

[Marc DLarosa]

Most underrated basses... EVER!!!

 

[Marc DLarosa]

Thanks for posting the pics. Enjoy looking at the instruments.

Yeah... Me too...

 

[Marc DLarosa]

Last is my favorite - a lacewood Ep52.

This has the original Kent Armstrong-branded pickups with the added purpleheart ramp, Aguilar OBP-3, with 3-way mid shift switch. Other switches are for parallel/single/series coil switching for each pickup. Strings are EB Cobalt Flats.

View attachment 3030862

Funny. Same knobs as my Tobias.

 

[Versatek6]

Funny. Same knobs as my Tobias.

I could find them for a while on eBay, but haven't seen any available recently. I've switched all of the instruments with dome knobs over to these. I would like to find some again to have on hand.

 

[Searay]

EP 42 with a walnut top, mahogany body, flame maple neck, Kent Armstrong active pickups.
View attachment 3143647

 

[Searay]

Here is a butt shot.

 

[Versatek6]

Very pretty. Nice stripey maple on the neck, too.

 

[Searay]

Nice photo of the wood on this one. The fingerboard is pau ferro but from this angle it looks like purpleheart.

 

[Searay]

Two US Masters

 

[India_Sierra]

These all look like great instruments. It's disappointing to hear that they're just one of many bass gear companies that were bought out by a bigger rival and then just shelved.

 

[Versatek6]

Even that company is gone.

Young Guitars, the buyer, still has a URL, but the site is a vacant lot.

 

[Searay]

I have seen some nos guitars pop up recently from a west coast seller. Basses have been rare lately. It's been a pretty tough industry to be in. Many craftsmen's work goes un-noticed.

 

[Versatek6]

Interesting. Would you pass on info of that seller?

I am awaiting a guitar from eBay I'd been watching, that had a good price drop. Early production. It's likely been messed with some, but looks pretty good otherwise.