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PR5E VS. EJ-200CE


aggiejason

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I'm considering one of these two models to upgrade from my beginner Fender acoustic Any thoughts, opinions, etc on the two would be greatly appreciated! :)

Both are great guitars! You will need to decide if you want a particular model over another...these are both very different guitars. The PR5E is a much slimmer and thinner guitar, and while it can be played acoustically, its main design is intended for amplification, which means it will not play nearly as loud in volume as an EJ-200CE.....the EJ-200CE is built much more for acoustic work without amplification and will be much louder and fuller when not plugged in, it will also have the ability to be amped when you desire. The PR5E is laminated even on the top...while the EJ-200CE has a solid sitka struce top, which always yields more tone than lamination. Size matters...as the EJ is a much larger bulkier guitar than the PR5E, this must be considered when choosing also. Good luck, and let us know how it turns out ok? !

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I would echo GuitarLights comments

I have a PR5E that I found in a pawn shop (couldn't believe it had been sitting there for 2 years) and it is a fine guitar. Acoustically it is a tad light on volume due to the thin body. It is still a bulky guitar though since it is essentially a "slim" EJ body (It still has the larger lower bout).

I recently bought an EJ200ce from zzounds and gifted it to a friend of mine and it is absolutely a phenomenal guitar if you aren't bothered by the jumbo size. For the extra 100 bucks, it is well worth it. Better electronics, looks prettier.

 

That being said, I can't help but put a plug in for my personal favorite. The AJ220S is only 200 bucks and I just love it! I have it in VS and it is so much fun to play. Booming acoustic with rich sound.

 

If you have a guitar center near you, they usually have both the PR5E and the AJ220 in stock to play.

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I would echo GuitarLights comments

I have a PR5E that I found in a pawn shop (couldn't believe it had been sitting there for 2 years) and it is a fine guitar. Acoustically it is a tad light on volume due to the thin body. It is still a bulky guitar though since it is essentially a "slim" EJ body (It still has the larger lower bout).

I recently bought an EJ200ce from zzounds and gifted it to a friend of mine and it is absolutely a phenomenal guitar if you aren't bothered by the jumbo size. For the extra 100 bucks, it is well worth it. Better electronics, looks prettier.

 

That being said, I can't help but put a plug in for my personal favorite. The AJ220S is only 200 bucks and I just love it! I have it in VS and it is so much fun to play. Booming acoustic with rich sound.

 

If you have a guitar center near you, they usually have both the PR5E and the AJ220 in stock to play.

 

Justinion's plug for the A-220S at just $199 is right on! A wonderful guitar with excellent tone..and it has a solid top too. The AJ-220S also comes in an identical version called the AJ-220sce ($299) (solid top with cut away electric input) Both come available in plain top or vintage sunburst.Their physical size might be considered to fall somewhere between the PR5E and the EJ-200ce. And while I'm at it, I would also plug the Epiphone Hummingbird Pro...acoustic electric which also sports a solid sitka top and is as beautiful to look at as it is to play and hear. (I own both guitars..the 220sce and the Epi Hummingbird)...and both play and sound amazing for the price. Epiphone puts out some of the best bang for the buck guitars in the world.

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The Hummingbird and Dove had entered my mind as well. What's the difference between the two of them?

 

 

Main differences are that the Hummingbird has select mahogany back, sides and neck...while the Dove has select maple back and sides and neck

Also the electronics are different. Hummingbird has Shadow while the Dove has the Fishman

 

Both great guitars

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I have both Dove & Hummingbird in Epiphone models & Gibson models. I changed the saddle to bone on both of the Epi's and it improved the song to me anyway. The Dove is a much brighter, snapper sound and is my personal favorite. Love the Bird too, but it is less bright, deeper mid-range tone due to being mahogany vs. maple on the Dove. They changed the Dove's color (not available in Natural anymore I believe) and only in a color similar to the classic Hummingbird scheme. I'm a flat picker (haven't learned to finger pick yet, but hope to when I set my mind to it) and they are just two different sounding guitars in Dreadnought shape. Also have a EJ-200CE but it was the year they were in a laminated top, not solid spruce like I believe now. Plays great after a luthier setup, but just doesn't have the ring the Epi Dove or Bird has. Also, believe it or not, isn't as loud as the Dove or Bird either. It's a great guitar and maybe the solid top has brought it more to life. Mine is very selective on strings too for tone. Hope this helps. If you can play all three that would be the best. Also, the Dove is a longer scale neck than the other two.

 

Aster

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I have the PR5e and a batch of Epi and other round and square shoulder dreads.

 

The PR5e is played most; the others sit mostly in their cases unless I have a strummin' acoustic type of jam, run either miked acoustic or my preference of AE.

 

The PR5e sounds as good run through a board AE as guitars 10 times more expensive. That's not my opinion, it's the opinion of a Brit video crew that hit the US about the time I was doing a cowboy festival gig and they were there shooting me and others for the gig that paid them to be here that didn't have anything to do with cowboys or music.

 

But... They were experienced music video guys and didn't believe it when I told then the price tag of the little guitar I'd plugged straight into the board and then played finger style.

 

Bottom line is if you're mostly fingerstyle, play the PR5e and plan to mostly use it AE, although even with my 9-42 DR Zebra strings, if you don't try to be loud, it's very nice sounding acoustic.

 

OTOH, if you want a strummer/flatpicker, get a big body of some design and strum away with heavier strings - at least 10-46.

 

Ditto if you're doing bluegrass or Carterfamily-like old time material.

 

OTOH, if you're doing heavy strumming, take care with the AE ability even on the bigger boxes. It won't really give the best tone from the guitar IMHO, whether played acoustic through a mike or played AE.

 

Humingbird and Dove are both Gibson/Epiphone square shoulder concepts more similar to Martin designs than the "round shoulder" dreads of Gibson's tradition. The Epiphone and Gibson H-bird traditionally is mahogany sides and back and the Dove has maple sides and back. There are other differences in that the Epi versions' sides and backs are laminates, although I believe both have solid spruce tops. The Bird either way will be more mellow, the Dove brighter.

 

I believe the Bird in Gibson form has the 24 3/4 scale and the Dove the 25 1/2 scale. In Epi form I think both are 25 1/2 inch scale. I've read different "takes" on the scale of the Epi version, some claiming the longer and some the shorter. I'd suggest doing your own research on that.

 

Bottom line is that the three "types" are quite different, and may best be chosen by what you plan to do with 'em.

 

PR5e: A super AE fingerpicked solo or fingerpicked AE backing for vocals; a nice gently strummed instrument in parlor settings.

 

Bird/Dove: both quite good all-around dreads; many prefer the Bird with its shorter scale and mahogany midtones to the Dove's longer scale and more emphasis a bit higher on the spectrum.

 

EJ: A very good strummer for louder old-type country or "Everly Brothers" rock type material. But don't forget Gary Davis used one fingerpickin' himself into legendary status.

 

Personal opinion here is that a combination of your physical playing geometry and comfort with one of these, plus the intended purpose if you're playing outside the parlor at home, should guide your decision.

 

The Epis are marvelous guitars at a price point far below their value, IMHO.

 

m

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