Mrmajstyk Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Haven't been on for awhile. Here's the scoop...I bought 2 EJ-200ce's, both with eSonic2 systems onboard. Been using them live. One had a problem with the neck. It went back to Gibson under warranty. They sent me a brand new guitar. Guitar sounds GREAT acoustically! But the Esonic sucks on this guitar....very mid-rangey and feed-back prone compared to my other guitar. The other one sound great plugged in, but just so-so acoustically. I'll deal with it. I run em thru a Fishman Loudbox Artist 120w. Here's my question: I just bought a brand-new EJ-200 Artist 2014 Limited Ed. (thru online retailer...havent rec'd it yet) I love the look of the big, black jumbo with no cutaway for the Johnny Cash and Neil Diamond Tribute shows I do. However, they do not come with a pickup system. I want to know which pickup system to install that will make this thing playable live, on-stage thru the Fishman Louudbox amp. I have NO experience with laminated top guitars like the EJ-200 Artist has. (Both my EJ's are solid tops, having been made in 2013 and 2014). I like having onboard volume control...and maybe tone...but I want a system that doesn't feedback easily on stage. Fishman? Baggs? K&K? Advice? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strumbert Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 Curious to see if it is laminated. I bought 3 from 2010-2011 production lots and all 3 had solid tops, even though the description said "select spruce". Sold 2, but still have 1. Good luck! Strum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrmajstyk Posted August 28, 2014 Author Share Posted August 28, 2014 Interesting...yeah, when I got my EJ-200ce at first their was a LOT of confusion...Laminate vs Solid. Even Epihone's website lead to the confusion. They are, in fact, solid. Maybe...just maybe the Artist will come with solid, even tho the website says "select sspruce". We shall see.....a few more days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 Waitaminute here... Have you messed with the Phase switch? Once the guitar starts to howl it doesn't necessarily put on the brakes, but if hit when you start getting feedback, it's my observation that it stops the feedback with my guitars. Once it "takes," it's hard to stop, but even with my one or two pup flattops right in front of my AE amp, hitting the phase switch and reeeally stopping the strings with both hands has covered it. But once the box starts to vibrate it can be fun. Also, on the Fishman, I did notice that it has both a phase button and an anti-feedback knob. the anti-feedback knob will filter certain frequencies as you dial it around (I have a similar one on my little Kustom AE amp) - and could be what's making it difficult to get what you want from the instrument. Or... how you mix the two pups makes a big diff too. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrmajstyk Posted August 29, 2014 Author Share Posted August 29, 2014 Yes, Milod, I have. Both the guitar and the Fishman Loudbox have phase switches...as well as a feedback control dial on the amp, and they work very well! I have to do a TON of fiddling with the blonde one just to make it sound USABLE...it just wants to howl. So, I am going to replace the factory string with elixir 11's. and maybe get a small 5 band eq to help "tame" the beast! We''ll see how that goes. ANYWAY, my real question is...what pickup system to use on my new EJ-200 Artist when it arrives. I'd rather not cut a huge hole in the side to add the pre-amp (like the esonic2)...I'd actually rather have a simpler system, like the Fishman sonitone/sonicore setup on her Epiphone EL-00 Pro. (OEM-SON-GT-4) Sounds sweet...and just two little dials mounted in the soundhole. (they don't sell that system to the public, just to the OEMs like Martin, Epi, Fender, etc.) But the EL-00 Pro is a solid spuce top, not a laminate like on the artist, and I have read that the top material makes a huge difference in which pickup to use. AGAIN, I am going for ease of use, onboard volume (maybe even tone) control, NO FEEDBACK on stage even at higher volumes (and I've heard laminate is actually good for that!), overall sound...and not more expensive than my brand-new guitar at 219.00. Suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 I guess I've never that that much of a problem with feedback. Other than games with speaker placements, the only other suggestion would be a sound hole cover. That's kinda like what a lotta folks did even with semis back in the old days that resulted in Gretsch having a number of "no hole" thinbody archtops and eventually ditto Gibson. Laminate may help. That's one reason the ES175 went laminate with the smaller body back in the olden days - although those days also had far, far less power in the amplification systems and even a 175 can howl far more easily than semis. OTOH, laminates on archtops is a lit thicker than on a flattop. I've used both on stage as well as flattops with both mag and piezo-type pups. Maybe I just never played as loudly... feedback never was a problem but we did move speakers around for other reasons when I was doing country house band type stuff that actually got pretty loud - as loud as when I was playing rock in the '60s with the same basic equipment except for acoustic guitar added. There are a number of "put it in the soundhole" options. My personal opinion is that you pay your money and take your choice. The little EL00-Pro system is decent, although the tone control doesn't do as much. There are variations available at MF and such. As I've mentioned elsewhere, a friend has both the electric and non-electric Gibson CF100 from the early '50s. He's a very gentle flatpicker for cowboy/country type material. He added a Fishman mag soundhold pup to the non-electric. A few problems with both if the PA speakers are set incorrectly. Dunno your stage setups. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrmajstyk Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 UPDATE: Received the guitar a few days ago...sent it back for a full refund! Ripples in the top...paint over glue and bad cutting at the sound hole by the finger board. Tuners hard to turn. Sharp edges on the frets at the edges of the fingerboard. And the sound was just harsh and horrible! I'm hoping I just got a bad one...but even the over all "feel" of the guitar was just yuk! Wow...a HUGE difference between "Made in Indonesia" and "Made in China". SO...I went on to ebay and found a used EJ-200 in black...made in Indonesia. There were actually a few to choose from and I think I got the best of the bunch. We'll see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffenstein Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 With acoustics it's best to demo in store and if you like, you buy the guitar you actually demoed. Guitars are subjected to so many harsh conditions being shipped all over the world that it renders QC irrelevant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 My experience goes along with Cliff... And that's not just my own, but also watching a cupla loads of guitars come into a guitar store in the general area. There's no way any "American" transship point checking anything on a guitar would let it fly if the strings were flat on the frets, for example. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrmajstyk Posted September 4, 2014 Author Share Posted September 4, 2014 Normally I would agree with both of you, but when it comes to Epiphone Jumbos...actually ANY Jumbos, they are almost impossible to find at the normal reatilers here in L.A. I frequesnt 4 different GC stores and 3 different Sam Ash stores. I live in North Hollywood, so I go from Hollywood to the valley, The West side and east valley. I found ONE new jumbo Takamine, one used jumbo Alvarez, two new Gibson jumbos and 3 Taylors. I only ever saw one ej-200ce in a GC store...and I bought it! When it comes to finding EJ-200, which have been discontinued, can't find 'em anywhere. And I was very specific about what I wanted. Black. Jumbo. NON-cutaway. Made in Indonesia or Korea...NOT CHINA (like the new limited edition EJ-200 Artist, just awful!) So the internet was MY best option. And ebay was the logical starting point. Which brings me to my latest find: I got a EJ-200, in black, from a refurbisher dealer on ebay. Lightly stamped USED on the back of the headstock. (it came from MIRC) I talked to the retailer and emailed a BUNCH of questions which he answered. I actually talked to a couple of people who had these and this guy was just the best...straight-forward and honest! And he's a guitar player. Free shipping(took 3 days FedEx) And it comes with a 14 day return policy! YEAH, that ain't gonna happen! This guitar SINGS! If anything he UNDERstated how nice this guitar is! The finish is beautiful, The thing has obviously been set up professionally...low, smooth action, no fret-ends sticking out, no fret wear, perfect intonation and awesome sound! Better right out of the box than the 2 brand-new ce models ones I bought! (one actually had to go back under warranty and they just replaced it) I couldn't be happier! Now I just have to put in a pickup (I'm thinking Fishman Matrix Infinity) and I'll be playing live onstage with this beauty! Anyone know what the saddle width is in these guitars? 1/8 or 3/32? According to StewMac, the Fishman comes in either, but I have to know which! I'll upload pics later when I have more time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffenstein Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 No idea on Saddle width, but congrats!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharmedOne Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 I'm glad you are happy with it. I totally love mine, although my kid plays it more than I do. I think he has claimed it for his own. Sorry I can't help with the width either. I checked around on the internet and couldn't find anything. Hopefully you get the answer soon. ~CO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrmajstyk Posted September 5, 2014 Author Share Posted September 5, 2014 I measured it...looks like 3/32. Just polished it up and put Elixer 11's on it...oh man! What a sweet sounding/playing guitar!!! Its been set up nicely too...low action, but no buzzes or rattles. Obviously MIRC knows what they are doing! Put a little lemon oil on the finger board and the moustache bridge and it really looks awesome! All the gold Grover hardware looks brand-new too. I'm lucky! I got a good one! Would DEF do biz with the retailer again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrmajstyk Posted September 5, 2014 Author Share Posted September 5, 2014 BTW...this guitar was manufactured in July 2011. I wonder if its Solid Spruce top or "select spruce"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyghthawk Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 I think I was looking at the same guitar. Did you get it from a guy in Nashville? GuitarsToBePlayed? Got my DR-500mce from him. Gret person to do business with. My guitar had the best set up I have ever played. Congrats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrmajstyk Posted September 9, 2014 Author Share Posted September 9, 2014 I think I was looking at the same guitar. Did you get it from a guy in Nashville? GuitarsToBePlayed? Got my DR-500mce from him. Gret person to do business with. My guitar had the best set up I have ever played. Congrats. Not him, the other retailer. I did talk to him, and he was nice and seemed honest, but that particular guitar had a LONG list of "issues" that the other (the one I ultimately got) did not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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