GuitarLight
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Posts posted by GuitarLight
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So many wonderful guitar players in one room! So happy to meet you all! I've played for many years and find acoustic guitars one of the most pleasurable endeavers in life!
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Ok...To start off. I personally change the saddle and pins on all my guitars from the factory plastic to bone. I believe bone saddle/pins/nut do enhance the sound of my guitars and is a fairly low cost/low risk upgrade. (A little bit of MOP inlay on the pins can also give a little bling). Saddle and pins are something anyone can DYI, cutting and installing the nut is probably something for a good guitar tech to do for you and should be under $100
A couple resources for this upgrade, but not limited to, would include:
Bob Colosi Custom Saddles and Pins
Frets.com Steel String Guitar Users Manual has lots of info on saddles, pins etc.
As far as strings go here is some basic info:
I personally prefer coated strings such as:
D'Addario EXP Coated 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings
Martin SP Lifespan Phosphor Bronze Coated Acoustic Guitar Strings
While many here love Elixer strings ...I am personally not a fan. YMMV
Coated strings last longer and some will reduce finger squeak a bit. Purists believe the coating reduces tone or some people tend to change strings so often the extra cost for coated strings doesn't make sense.
And for small delicate guitars I love Newtone Heritage Acoustic Guitar Strings
(They are designed to have a reduced and virtually equal tension on each string.)
My general thoughts on string selection.
If you have a guitar that is naturally loud and bright go with Phosphor Bronze strings to bring some extra sweetness and complexity to its sound.
If you have a guitar that is a little on the quiet side or needs a boost in treble use 80/20 strings.
Two properties of strings that have a lot of influence on sound are string gauge and string tension.
Generally the larger the gauge the greater the tension, but not always. A couple websites like Just Strings have some information on string tension for a few of the strings they sell and it can be very interesting. Some manufacturers have the info on their websites. I wish this info was more easily available.
I would say the average steel string guitar player uses what are called "lights". Lights are also called 12's because generally that is the gauge of the high "E"string, but buyer beware that this is not an industry standard and also many sets of "lights or 12's" can have the other strings in the set vary in gauge from brand to brand.
Experimenting with strings is probably the single most effective, easy and inexpensive way to bring out the best tone of your guitar. Trying .11's .12's and mediums .13's can greatly effect the guitars sound. Most modern guitars can handle .13's, but make sure you refer to the guitars manual to be sure before stinging up .13's. (Warning - changing string gauge can change the action of your guitar. For example heavier strings will pull harder causing string height on the fretboard to raise and may require a truss rod adjustment)
80/20, phosphor bronze, coated and uncoated, custom strings sets where the low E A and D strings are heaver gauge to bring out a guitars bass response, etc...etc. The possibilities are endless and the fun of experimenting is Guitar Nerd Heaven!!
Alright ....let's discuss! Agree with me....Disagree with me....
I would agree with most of what you have said. Pins, saddles, strings, 80/20 or PB's and guages, coated or uncoated strings, are all critical to tone. Great thread!
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I changed strings on one of my guitars this week and the new ones sound as dead as the ones I took off. I use D'Addario EJ16's and have never run into this before. Anyone have a similar experience?
No never had that experience. But I use elixirs.
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I disagree Any Masterbuilt Dr500 MCE Is solid wood top as well as the EF500CCE, Dove Pro, IB1864 Texan, Dave Navarone Jane, and of course the EJ200CE, and the Pro 1 Ultra
The EJ200 series is not a Masterbilt.
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Thanks everybody for the replies, I bought it! =)
I've got one more question. The store manager assured me that this one had a laminated top, but the logo on the inside says "EJ-200CE" and not "EJ-200SCE". Is this normal, and the case for all EJ-200 with a solid top? Please comfirm anyone, because the solid top was one of the main reasons I bought it.
For the rest;
I tried several others in the price range. There were some others who sounded perhaps a little better, or at least a lot warmer and louder. Presumeable because these weren't cutouts and their top is much thinner.
The difference in sound quality wasn't that big, it mainly was just a little louder. They didn't have the preamp however, so I decided that the preamp + the fact that it looked far better (I know this shouldn't matter that much, but still...) made up for the fact that it sounded a bit less loud.
I'm looking forward playing on it!
EJ-200SCE means Epiphone Jumbo, S solid top, C cutaway, E electric
EJ-200CE Is missing the (S) ..which generally would mean to say that it is NOT A SOLID TOP, and is Laminated instead.
Therefore, If your new Epiphone is labeled.... EJ-200CE.... inside the sound hole, then it is probably a laminated top as the store manager told you. ...Because it is missing the (S) which stands for SOLID TOP. Enjoy your new guitar! Laminated is not always a bad thing...Laminated is a very durable wood..perhaps the most durable of all woods so that temperatures and humidity changes will affect it MUCH less.
Hope this helps. .... GL
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Hi! and welcome to the Epi forum! It sounds like you need quick simple answers here right? OK! ...So here they are for you! To answer your questions quickly, simply and to the point I would recommend that you to consider the following six things before buying. This way you won't make a mistake!.....
1.YES the new EJ200-SCE has a solid sitka spruce top! (SCE) = (Solid top, Cutaway, Electric)
2.YES, it will sound BETTER than the old laminated top version which is made of three pieces of wood glued together!
3.YES....a solid wood guitar top will get BETTER sounding as it ages.....
4.YES, the Esonic system will allow you to plug in anywhere, anytime! ....
5.YES it is true that only the cutaway EJ200 model with the input the CE, is presently available.
6.NO...the cutaway will not sound any less better in measurable difference that would be detectable to the ears...it is simply there in case you need to, want to, or learn to, fret that low!
Also remember that the EJ200SCE is a BIG guitar! (EJ) = Epiphone Jumbo size) Make sure you want that size! Other recommendations I would give to you for Epiphone is ..The IB Texan, and also The AJ220S as well...both slightly smaller slope shoulder solid top guitars, and very popular as well!
Best of luck! Let us know how it turns! ...GL
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I guess my question here is why buy a warm, intimate sounding guitar only to then put on strings that brighten the sound so the guitar then sounds like your standard Martin?
As you noted, putting coated strings on a Taylor is redundant and just makes a bright guitar brighter.
I was in a GC where the mahogany Martins, 00-15, D15M....had Cleartones on them and that sounded fine, but I'm not versed in what they're supposed to sound like in the first place.
Pyramids sound intriguing.
Dark strings on a darker, very warm guitar like a Hummingbird can sound too dark, even lifeless....the spirited bright Elixir 80/20's seem to balance these factors to create the perfect Hummingbird tone for me. But to each his own.
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Congratulations on your wonderful Hummingbird!...that was a good move you made buying it!..it is the guitar which dreams are made of...I Love mine like crazy! On my Gibson Hummingbird, my first choice is, and will remain after much experimentation ... Elixir nanoweb 80/20 lights (.12--.53) The Elixir PB's are just as good if you like that PB tone. I prefer the crystal clarity of Elixir 80/20's..and always the nanoweb light version. I also prefer..by far...the sweet clear Elixir tone above all other strings. Martins sounded good but did not last but 2 weeks. Cleartones, were a waste of time and money. The worst was D'Addario, which sounded awful, and lasted even less than the Martins.
My Hummingbird sings sweetly with Elixirs..yours will too!....and it will continue to sing for 6 months to a year after installing Elixirs. There are many Elixir lovers in here..many..but there are haters who judge them, and the people who use them negatively...remember Elixirs last much longer...this means Elixirs take more time to break in. After that it is clear sailing, And your Elixirs will pay for themselves many times over. To the haters and trolls and bashers in here, I am not an Elixir salesman...I do not sell Elixir stock, as I have been accused of. To those insidious judgmental trolls I say......Let them use D'Adarrio! You deserve them!
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Alright, so I have been looking at epiphone acoustics lately, but everytime I look at photos of the epiphone a compares to their Gibson counterparts, it seems that the epiphone shape is slightly off. Am I just imagining this or are they really slightly different?
Hi. I could be wrong but... Yes I think they are indeed different. Many Epiphones are often slightly smaller by a tiny amount in dimensions such as width, depth, and length, or a combination there in...hardly observable by eye...but your good eye has not let you down! My Gibsons seem chunkier. My Gibson hummingbird is larger than my Epiphone Hummingbird. Smaller however does not mean lesser. I actually prefer the dimensions of the Epiphone over the Gibsons. These dimensional differences are also obvious in such guitars as the Epiphone AJ 220S and the Gibson AJ. I prefer by far the slightly smaller 220 for size. that tiny bit of bigger size does not necessarily make it louder of better. My Epi's all fit deliciously in my lap while playing...the Gibson sometimes seem more bulky...over sized a bit more perhaps than really needed... Both are great, but there are often slight dimensional differences between the two because they are in fact two different guitars. Most people don't notice this. Your observant eye and intuition did! Bigger is not always better...and sometimes smaller really it! It's the tone that counts!
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The "Homecoming" is off to a great start. RAR hosted an informal "meet and greet" in his room last night. Lots of familiar faces and Dan was there as well. He says he will try to get pictures and understand the process for the "pilot hole". He probably won't post anything until he gets home. I believe they will get their tour today. I hope that during their meetings with the Gibson folks they will ask the right questions and with a little luck we will all get the answers we need.
The weather has been spotty up here. Rain then sun and back to rain again. At least there is no snow in the forecast. This is such a fun event for all concerned. I hope others out there will take advantage of this event in the future. If nothing else you can meet the world famous Tony at Music Villa.
...and they all lived happily ever after. What a relief.
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The "Gibson Homecoming" is going on this week. Several of the folks are already here in Bozeman as they like to get first pick of the guitars offered for sale at Music Villa. I will make an effort to have some of them bring up all of the bridge plate concerns and get some of them to take photos of the entire process so that we can all see the exact reason for the problem, and this mess is a problem. This has gone on long enough and someone needs to step up and explain why they can't fix the issue.
Well this is the week and we shall all have a better idea of how this will all work out. I will try to see if Gibson is going to consider this a warranty problem as it is obviously a problem generated by them in the building process. They will be asked about solutions to the problem.
Just so you folks know. Just because it's being discussed here on the forum doesn't mean that Gibson/Montana knows about it. There can be a disconnect between customer service based in Nashville and the production team in Montana. I don't know if this is the case but rest assured. The solution will be at hand.
Problems with Gibson? ...Gee, what problems?
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So does Gibson state that the man made stock saddles are really TUSQ? My Gibson stock ones sure sound different than the Tusq brand replacements I bought (when dropped lightly on a hard counter) & also in the guitar. Went thru that with the Reissue J-160E and the J-45 Custom. I was presuming the stock Gibson ones are really Corian not Tusq Brand products. I really don't remember reading any specs either way so it IS a question I don't know the answer to.
Aster
My Gibson Hummingbird (2013) came with Tusq nut and saddle according to the specs in the Gibson web site. http://www2.gibson.com/Gibson.aspx ....I also called Gibson directly and asked them if it was actually Tusq, their answer by phone was a clear yes. They told me Tusq works best with the pick up installed. Therefore most, but not all, new Gibsons have at least a Tusk saddle, and some a Tusq nut as well if they have pick ups installed.
At first I was not sure I would be happy with the Tusq on my Hummingbird, because except for previously owned Taylors, I have always had bone. ....However having played it in, it now sounds perfect to me with the Tusq, and I would not even consider changing them. I did install Ebony pins, which seem to soften the Tusq just a bit, but am not sure on that, but I did want the cheap plastic pins OUT. Either way, I feel it plays as perfect as can be with the Tusq installed from the factory, for both pick up and acoustic unplugged work, and will not tamper with it.
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Nice to see people digging their guitars. Where's that popcorn?
haha If you've got the Popcorn Jerry....I've got the Pizza! ...I'll even throw in a free beer! ..Guitar time!
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GL, since you own 5 or 6 Epiphones , I'm guessing you've already voted with your wallet. Some folks would rather own a single $1500 Gibson than three $500 Masterbuilts. Which is the better "value"? Apples and Oranges. You are right based on what you're looking for..
Meanwhile, OP is asking about J50s and AJs on another thread he started, and hasn't been back here. So, I don't think he knows what he's looking for, or our opinions are needed anymore.
fourtyearspickin...I don't "vote with my wallet...thank you." I have young ears that actually can hear the difference in tone, and I buy accordingly thank you.
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I`ve played a couple of J-35`s and found them to be great, and a bit on the zingy side. I have also played a few of the new IB-64 Texans, and to be honest I couldn`t hear any real difference acoustically, which was a surprise and the Texan seemed to play better for me. Perhaps I prefer the longer scale.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5ow7ybFLLI
Steve.
Clearly the Epiphone Texan is the better value, and certainly has the better tone, and look. And with Epiphone, at least you will know that the fit and finish are correct. But SHHHH! Don't let Gibson know this or they will discontinue the Texan. And I can understand why. How can Gibson explain that the Epiphone sounds, and looks better than the $1600 J-35? The Epi cost just $399. There isn't an audience member in the world who would discern the difference in tone, and 99% of them would prefer the fine burst of the Texan, over the drab brown J-35.
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Hey BlackWater!...My Epi Hummingbird is a 5 year old model bought used. Just wonderful guitar. The 5 years of aging seem to have sweetened the solid top. I would imagine that a 15 year old Epi Hummingbird would sound great! For the price an Epi Hummingbird is all you could ask for and more!
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THE SECRET EXPOSED!....Your Epiphone Hummingbird serial number ... 10 03 23 1450... is broken down as follows from left to right..... 10= 2010......and 03= March....and 23=made in Indonesia...and 1450= the one thousandth four hundred and fiftieth Hummingbird made as of that year and date.. ..AND SO.... Your Hummingbird was made in March of 2010, in the country of Indonesia, and it was the 1450th Hummingbird made by that date of that year. Enjoy it! These Epi Hummingbirds are a steal. They sound and look wonderful. Enjoy it!
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The pick guard on my previous owned new Gibson SJ-200 got loose and came off also. Seems the pick guards on a $3000 instrument now not only rub off in a short time, but fall off too. The pick guard on my $299 Epiphone is better adhered than the Gibson. Sold it. It had other issues too. Never again.
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I also have a Masterbilt DR-500MCE and love it....Just the other day I played a DR-100 just to see how it played. I was very impressed with its tone and sound and action. It was bright and brassier than the MB like you said, and I liked its sound. I almost bought it! But I need another guitar like a hole in the head (I have six). Yours is a great looking guitar to hang on the wall. And since I am assuming it is laminated and not solid wood like your Masterbilt, it is probably a bit safer to hang on the wall. However even there, I don't believe allowing any guitar to remain un-humidified for long periods of time is a good thing, and I would take that into account if you want to keep its playability at the best level.
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I contacted Gibson today at 1-800 4 GIBSON (1-800-444-2766) ...Concerning the fading Hummingbird issue on both the Epiphone Hummingbird and the Gibson Hummingbird. They claim they have never heard of this issue before, and told me the Gibson pick guard will not fit the Epiphone. I was told he had heard nothing about the issue,and had never heard of any such complaints, and that I should go to some online pick guard company to replace it.
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If the pickguard on the epi wears off,could i get a Gibson pickguard and put it on the Epi Hummingbird?
Thanks,
James
James, I've heard that was not possible, that Gibson won't give or sell a pick guard to put on an Epiphone. Others say that if they do sell you one, it will cost an arm and both legs to get it. If you are worried about the pick guard coming off your Epi Hummingbird and ending up with an orange guitar that is nothing more than a pained laminated dreadnought, then you could buy the $3000 Gibson Hummingbird. Or you could consider getting a different brand guitar. Gibson appears to have no plan on changing things. If they had, I would have had an Epi hummingbird years ago..course if I had, the pick guard design would probably be gone by now. So at that time, fearing that the $3000 Gibson Hummingbird would also come off..as many claim it does, I chose to spend more money and buy a Martin Dreadnought instead.
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There is only one negative thing I can say about the Epiphone Hummingbirds. The pick guard picture of the Hummingbird often will wear off if you play it often, leaving a hole in the picture wherever your fingers happen to touch while playing. What good is a hummingbird guitar, if the Hummingbird disappears leaving an empty sort of hole in the pick guard picture? I have wanted one for years, but never got one because of it. Three of my friends own a Hummingbird, and they love them, but when ever I see them playing them, my eye is immediately attracted to their defective pick guard, and I think.."What a shame" ...but if you don't strike the pick guard with your pick, or if you do not support your strumming hand by occasionally placing your pinkie on the guard for support as you strike the strings, it may not wear off. It probably depends on how much you touch it. Also, some say that it should not be polished with guitar wax, which could cause the entire Hummingbird design to get wiped off. Other than that, I would say is one of the most recognizable, and well loved guitars in the world!
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Is harsher, brighter, louder, sharper .... is that an improvement in the tonal quality ?
Some would say yes, some would say no.
I am very relieved and blessed that i am in the 'no' category in this regard. Saves lots of swapping out nuts, saddles and bridge pins
![[flapper]](//content.invisioncic.com/p286412/emoticons/default_msp_flapper.gif)
I'm of the belief that brightness, loudness, sharpness can mostly be achieved by experimenting with strings.
If you are compelled to swap out a nut or saddle or experiment and to a lesser extent swapping out bridge pins to achieve your desired tone, you've purchased the wrong guitar !
If you are a tinker type of person and enjoy these activities, well then more power to you if that is how you achieve enjoyment with your guitar.
I'll stick swapping out strings thank you very much since that is a requirement, unless you like to play with dead strings
I'm in tpbiii's camp on this more or less but i aint raisin' too much of a stink if guys like to do this.
But, i don't think its gonna be any sort of panacea or aha moment.
Your mileage may vary of course.
Cheers and pick on when yer not swappin' out bridge pins
Harmonics101
Thank you harmonics for your input. Having read what you said, I began to do some thinking about all these alterations we often do. I was about to sell my Martin J-40 Rosewood because it was just too loud to sing with, beautiful tone, but so loud and resinous that it upstaged me as I sang. I decided to get rid it of it. But first...after 10 years, I would remove the Ebony pins I had placed in it so long ago, and put back the standard plastic Martin pins that came with it, and sell it. After removing those Ebony pins, and playing it, I realized that i could now sing with it...the loud over volume, and sustain were diminished just enough to make it PERFECT!!! I will now keep it, because it is now my best singing guitar. A lesson hard learned...and as you said...LOUD, BRIGHT, Endless Sustain is NOT always a good thing. My J-40 is now MUCH more balanced with the factory pins it came with. Who knew? I thought I was doing a good thing by making it louder...NOT...In fact it was perfect the way Martin designed it. Thank you for your input....it has allowed me to save my treasured Martin J-40!
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I would not recommend publicly posting your whole serial number. Counterfeiter guitar makers often find these posted serial numbers, and USE THEM on their fake guitars! That way when they sell them, they are labeled with an actual Epiphone serial number...YOURS...and the buyer often believes he is buying an original.If it is a new Epiphone, the first two numbers will be the year, the second two will be the month...example....first 4 numers of serial number are 1109....which would mean it was made September of 2011...the third set of numbers indicate the foreign factory such as 17 for Indonesia, etc. Good luck.
![[flapper]](http://content.invisioncic.com/p286412/emoticons/default_msp_flapper.gif)
Looking for the right J45
in Gibson Acoustic
Posted
Great answer. Love it. And so true. Now watch the herds, and the sales people in here attack!