blindboygrunt Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Nice little video J15 wins But the epiphone is sure a decent instrument Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 The earliest versions of the IB-Texan were made in China. Then production switched to Indonesia, and the best of those can sound very good indeed. Overall, that factory in Indonesia seems to be putting out a consistently good product (I believe it's owned by Samick). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 He doesn't mention the laminated sides on the Texan - I can't see it on the Epi-web-site and a few ads checked are without it. Could it have changed. If yes, a good move. The earliest versions of the IB-Texan were made in China. Then production switched to Indonesia, and the best of those can sound very good indeed. A few of us here own Texans. Jinder has a very good one, guess mine is just normal. Must find out where it's from - think it's Indonesian. But a fine bonfire guitar, , , it's time to go out and seek more camps the comin' summer. . Haven't heard the sounds in the cans yet - will do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 My daughters Indonesian EJ200ce is a really nice guitar. For the money. But. It won't hang with my new J-15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 As I’ve said many times, I love my Texan. As Em7 touched upon, maybe mine is particularly good, I haven’t really played any others beyond a quick strum of a natural finish one in a guitar shop. I got mine for £200 via an eBay deal-nobody had bid on it as it was collection only, and it happened to be in a town i was passing through when touring...the guy had bought it new to see if he preferred it to his Masterbilt dread, played it for under a minute and decided that although he felt the Texan edged it on sound, he preferred the satin neck on the Masterbilt, so the Texan went back into the box and to me via the ‘bay. I use mine for allsorts, but mainly flyaway gigs, as I don’t like taking my Gibsons into the air. It’s been wonderful over the last two years, and I’m very much attached to it. I’ve written plenty of stuff with it and recorded with it a few times-it works brilliantly in front of a mic. I wouldn’t say it’s fair as such to compare it to a J15-they’re very different instruments. The J15 is very articulate and has a wonderfully complex top end which really rings and is rich with overtones. The Texan is drier and more fundamental, very woody and direct. Aside from both being slopes and having a Sitka top, the rest is totally different. I had a J15 and loved it-I miss it and would love to own another. I still have the Texan and wouldn’t part with it unless absolutely desperate-it’s worth far more to keep than to sell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 Anyone any info on this one ? Sounds good to me , wizz Jones is gifted though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 Just did some sniffing It’s an epiphone he bought in 1966 and has played it ever since. Never owned anything else . Wouldn’t fit in here would he Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Just did some sniffing It’s an epiphone he bought in 1966 and has played it ever since. Never owned anything else . Wouldn’t fit in here would he I just got lost in the Wizz-hole of YouTube...such a brilliant player. Amazing that he isnt regarded as more of a national treasure. Clearly not a GAS sufferer as you pointed out, I can’t imagine owning one guitar for 52yrs and nothing else! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 I just got lost in the Wizz-hole of YouTube...such a brilliant player. Amazing that he isnt regarded as more of a national treasure. Clearly not a GAS sufferer as you pointed out, I can’t imagine owning one guitar for 52yrs and nothing else! He’s a seriously underrated guy I discovered him from being a Bert jansch fan. He was another big fish from the Glasgow folk scene , renbourne and all those kids But old wizz is as good as any of them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 He’s a seriously underrated guy I discovered him from being a Bert jansch fan. He was another big fish from the Glasgow folk scene , renbourne and all those kids But old wizz is as good as any of them And, crucially, he’s still here...I must get out to see him live at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell Davis Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 Were the early original Texans laminated? I read where Pat Simmons played his Texan on the Doobie Bros song "Black Water." No complaints from me regarding the tone on that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 Listening closer you can hear the J-15 holds higher carat - it's in the voice-core. Nothing wrong with the Texan Insp. by 1964; it just doesn't catch up. Were the early original Texans laminated? I would eat a 1970's capo it they were. But some of them had plastic bridges, , , McCartney's fx. Thanx for introducing Wizz Jones, didn't know the man. A very competent acoustic player, , , and notice ! - he too has chosen not to switch the original adjustable ceramic saddle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted March 3, 2018 Author Share Posted March 3, 2018 Listening closer you can hear the J-15 holds higher carat - it's in the voice-core. Nothing wrong with the Texan Insp. by 1964; it just doesn't catch up. I would eat a 1970's capo it they were. But some of them had plastic bridges, , , McCartney's fx. Thanx for introducing Wizz Jones, didn't know the man. A very competent acoustic player, , , and notice ! - he too has chosen not to switch the original adjustable ceramic saddle. I discovered wizz Jones on this documentary em7 Right up your street , I think you’ll enjoy it greatly So will a few of you others ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 You are comparing guitars with a pretty significant price difference. So the qualifier "for the money" becomes part of the discussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 Thanx for introducing Wizz Jones, didn't know the man. A very competent acoustic player, , , and notice ! - he too has chosen not to switch the original adjustable ceramic saddle. Zooming in I see he has kept the plastic bridge too. I discovered wizz Jones on this documentary em7 Right up your street , I think you'll enjoy it greatly So will a few of you others ... Will check it out ^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted March 3, 2018 Author Share Posted March 3, 2018 You are comparing guitars with a pretty significant price difference. So the qualifier "for the money" becomes part of the discussion. It’s a close run race with that in mind isn’t it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuestionMark Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 Were the early original Texans laminated? You mean were the back and sides laminated? The top of an Inspired by Texan is solid spruce. The sides and back are lam. As E Minor answered, the original Texans did not have any laminates on their top, backs, or sides. However, the original FT79 from the 50s had laminated maple sides and back. The back was actually arched shaped like Gibson’s later Gospels and Gospel Reissues. The original FT79 were made by the original Epiphone Company and when Gibson bought Epiphone, they named the new model derived from the original FT79, the FT79 Texan, which was really a long scale J-45 with a FT79 shaped pickguard. Paul McCartney’s famous guitar was actually called a FT79 Texan. Later in history, the FT79 designation coupled with Texan was no longer used. Hope this helps. QM aka Jazzman Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted March 3, 2018 Author Share Posted March 3, 2018 You mean were the back and sides laminated? The top of an Inspired by Texan is solid spruce. The sides and back are lam. As E Minor answered, the original Texans did not have any laminates on their top, backs, or sides. However, the original FT79 from the 50s had laminated maple sides and back. The back was actually arched shaped like Gibson’s later Gospels and Gospel Reissues. The original FT79 were made by the original Epiphone Company and when Gibson bought Epiphone, they named the new model derived from the original FT79, the FT79 Texan, which was really a long scale J-45 with a FT79 shaped pickguard. Paul McCartney’s famous guitar was actually called a FT79 Texan. Later in history, the FT79 designation coupled with Texan was no longer used. Hope this helps. QM aka Jazzman Jeff I thought the inspired by models sported a solid back Laminate sides , solid back.. no ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenumber2 Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 I thought the inspired by models sported a solid back Laminate sides , solid back.. no ? That's the way I understood it also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuestionMark Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 You are correct. I just looked on the Epiphone site. The back is solid mahog. So is all this just about questioning laminated sides? Hard to imagine much concern for just that. QM aka Jazzman Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 You ate correct. I just looked on the Epiphone site. The back is solid mahog. So, is this all just about questioning laminated sides? Hard to imagine much concern for just that. Thought followed - sides are sides and not the biggest factors of the box. Apart from that wood-quality plays in. As well as these guitars are built with rather immaculate craftsmanship and answer the standard measurements of the real thing, they simply don't rise to the sphere of advanced acoustics. It's heard in their sound - it's felt in their soul. Yet ! , , , get the action right and you have a good squire with you. And the more you use it out there on the streets and mountains - in the clubs, forests and fields, the more it'll grow. 1 question remains : Must the silver logo go. . ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 I know a luthier who swears by laminated sides, and uses them on his top end guitars as his thoughts are that they offer “tonal detachment” between the top and back, and allows both to resonate independently without being influenced or damped by the different resonant frequencies of one another. Takamine have always used lam sides, too, claiming they aid feedback rejection in the live environment. I’ve never worried about laminated sides at all. My Texan and every (Japanese built) Takamine, Yairi and Armstrong I’ve played have had their own strong and distinctive voice, and haven’t suffered at all from their laminate sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 Thought followed - sides are sides and not the biggest factors of the box. Apart from that wood-quality plays in. As well as these guitars are built with rather immaculate craftsmanship and answer the standard measurements of the real thing, they simply don't rise to the sphere of advanced acoustics. It's heard in their sound - it's felt in their soul. Yet ! , , , get the action right and you have a good squire with you. And the more you use it out there on the streets and mountains - in the clubs, forests and fields, the more it'll grow. 1 question remains : Must the silver logo go. . ? I’ve agonised about the silver logo too...but have grown to love it over time. I much prefer it inlaid a-la the Texan than the stuck on black and silver € on some models. I really wanted a natural Texan but ended up with a sunburst one, so that aesthetic compromise has led me to care a little less about the silver logo than perhaps I would have done with a natural finish Tex...as always, life takes with one hand and gives with the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 Gibson did not start producing Epiphones until I think 1960 when they began making them in a rented facility before shifting everything over to the Daylight Plant. The first Gibson-made Epi Ft-79s at the end of the 1950s were actually J-50 bodies sporting a left over Epi French Heel neck. I owned one for a bit. As I said, I think the IB Texan is a fine guitar and a downright bargain. They never hang around when they show up used in a shop for long. Other Epis though do leave me cold. I swear though that those first McCartney signed LE Epis have got to be the best investment guitar I have seen in a long time. They quickly skyrocketed in value. While I have never bought a guitar as an investment, I am still kicking myself in the butt for not grabbing one when I had the chance. I have also owned one of the dot neck Epi-made FT-79s like Jazzman has for some 12 years now. In all honesty it is not the best sounding guitar I have ever run across. They were pretty overbuilt. I actually took the one I now own home from the store where it sat at least three times to kick the tires and kept bringing it back. When the store owner dropped the price to $400 I figured what the heck. Funny but the guitar really grew on me over the years to the point I have put it up for sale or trade twice and ended up blowing off some pretty good offers as I just could not let it go. Funny how things sometimes work out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.