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Midtown Custon V Epophone ES 339


oneeyedog

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Hi I posted this in my introduction post but thought I'd copy it here.......

 

Hi, my nake is John, I'm from Cleland in Scotland and this is my introduction post (be gentle!)

I don't own a Gisson ....as yet. So far I have been a single coil person ( can I use the F-word here?) but I was playing a few guitars in a store last week and I fel it's time to get some humbucker tpye noise in my life (songs). I play in an Americana/Rock band, The Austins.

The Austins Reverbnation

The Austins

 

We play originals and the occasional cover, I'm on rythmn, using either my G&L Asat or Strat.

I was considering an Epiphone 339 or Casino Coupe but then on looking around sites came across the Gibson Midtown Custon, which I really like the look of and (if I can shift my for sales) would be in budget. So my question for you guys is...

should I buy the Epiphone and possibly upgrade the pups and electrics ( I can't streatch to the Gibson ES range) or go for the Midtown?

Thanks in advance for any answers/opinions

john

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Welcome to the Forum. It's ok to mention Fender here. Many of us own at least one or two Fenders. I would buy the Gibson Midtown. I own one and it's a great guitar, which will hold it's value better than the Epiphone.

Kenny V

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Hello and welcome on here.

 

Yup another Midtown vote here... a lot of guitar for a great price.

 

One quick note about the difference between a Midtown and a 339... A 339 is made like most semi hollow guitars, with laminate sides front and back, but a Midtown is made from a solid body guitar that is then hollowed out with a cap stuck on top (just like a Les Paul)... So they are quite different guitars in that way... A Midtown is like a halfway house between a Les Paul and a 335...

 

In saying all of that.. Gibson or Epiphone...

 

Gibson, every time for me.. They are a step above (and im not saying in any way that Epis are bad, they arnt.. but they arnt a Gibson either).

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Gibson or Epiphone...

 

Gibson, every time for me.. They are a step above (and im not saying in any way that Epis are bad, they arnt.. but they arnt a Gibson either).

 

 

I agree with that 100%......and I own an Epi....

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  • 3 weeks later...

My first post in an electric forum here, and I'm afraid I'm about to become a very unpopular guy. I didn't get either. I played Epi and Gibson 339s, and bought an Eastman. Yes, that's right, a Chinese Eastman. What's the difference between my Eastman T184MX and a 339? The Eastman is a full hollow body (there's a block beneath the bridge and stop tail piece. It is all solid woods, hand carved. It has flame maple bindings throughout, It has Duncan '59s. I honestly don't know who made the hardware and pots, but they're fine; no switching noise, no significant treble loss when turning volume pots down. It has some of the best fretwork I've ever experienced on a new guitar this side of a PLEK machine. It is acoustically very resonant for such a small instrument (though I've had no feedback problems at full band volume), and very light.

 

And it cost less than half of an ES339. Honestly, I wouldn't have taken home the 339 at any price. I hated the fret work. It felt like they had been filed off flat, and moving up and down the board was like running over a series of speed bumps.

 

These Eastmans also come in 15" and 16" lower bout widths. And they're drop dead gorgeous:

 

p2_uh2eko4rd_so.jpg

 

Don't get me wrong, I love Gibsons. I've owned quite a few and my current #1 acoustic is an Original Jumbo. But in this case, Gibon wasn't the right choice for me. If you have an opportunity to play an Eastman, take it.

 

P

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  • 3 weeks later...

My first post in an electric forum here, and I'm afraid I'm about to become a very unpopular guy. I didn't get either. I played Epi and Gibson 339s, and bought an Eastman. Yes, that's right, a Chinese Eastman. What's the difference between my Eastman T184MX and a 339? The Eastman is a full hollow body (there's a block beneath the bridge and stop tail piece. It is all solid woods, hand carved. It has flame maple bindings throughout, It has Duncan '59s. I honestly don't know who made the hardware and pots, but they're fine; no switching noise, no significant treble loss when turning volume pots down. It has some of the best fretwork I've ever experienced on a new guitar this side of a PLEK machine. It is acoustically very resonant for such a small instrument (though I've had no feedback problems at full band volume), and very light.

 

And it cost less than half of an ES339. Honestly, I wouldn't have taken home the 339 at any price. I hated the fret work. It felt like they had been filed off flat, and moving up and down the board was like running over a series of speed bumps.

 

These Eastmans also come in 15" and 16" lower bout widths. And they're drop dead gorgeous:

 

p2_uh2eko4rd_so.jpg

 

Don't get me wrong, I love Gibsons. I've owned quite a few and my current #1 acoustic is an Original Jumbo. But in this case, Gibon wasn't the right choice for me. If you have an opportunity to play an Eastman, take it.

 

P

That's one sharp guitar

 

4H

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

putting my 2 cents in, Everyone above says Gibson, well if you can afford it, $1300US, Compared to $350-450US for a Epi 339, add another $350 for upgraded pickups is a lot cheaper than $1300. Everyone wants to compare fit, finish and worth, pfft. If ya like how it looks, plays and satisfied with what you got on the budget you can live with, hey make the right choice. Don't spend more than you want on something because of other peoples impression or inherent value, total waste of effort. All that matters is how it sounds like in your head.

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