discodj78 Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Hi all.I have a PR 4E,which for a laminate top is a rather good guitar.I'm looking to buy another Epi but can't decide between the AJ 220 or the EJ 200.Both great guitars.I'm a rhythm player and looking for a deep sound.Any advice would be great.Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodger11 Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Hi mate I had an AJ200 which is an early model of the AJ220 - I loved it and after about 2 years playing it had a great rich deep sound that guitars 10 times the price would struggle to match. I haven't owned an EJ200 but think the sound is a bit brighter and louder (I have a Terada made 40 year old guitar the same shape and it's very bright and airy). For me the AJ200 had a nice woody "chunky" sound. For the price it's a amazing guitar but if you can get the chance play a couple of each model and follow your ears! Dodger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discodj78 Posted September 4, 2013 Author Share Posted September 4, 2013 Hi dodger.Thanks for the reply.im going to try them both.I dont think i can go wrong with either of them.Great instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 I may be too late here, but I have an Epi AJ220sce - the cutaway version. I'd say it's an entirely different sort of instrument from the PR4e - and I had one of those too. You don't state how much playing experience you have, so if what I'm going to write doesn't seem even to make sense, just ignore it. <grin> The PR4e is a parlor guitar. It's at its best with small scale pickin' acoustic and still pretty gentle playing even amped. I loved mine - gave it away to a young lady friend when she and her husband moved elsewhere. I played it for several childrens' concerts where I kinda played the old guy with a batch - up to 50 - kids. Strictly basic stuff and played gently even through through an amp. It also is marvelous for "front porch relaxed by yourself" fingerpicking whether blues or Bach. The 220 is an electrified and cutaway version of a very big guitar. Acoustic it can be banged on and, with what are called light strings upward, it is a great strummer. Especially electrified, it's a pretty decent fingerpicking guitar although - here's the deal. It's not what I'd consider a fancy fingerpickin' guitar either for solo or group performance. Depending on your own personal physical geometry, I think it's just too big for the fancier stuff. In fact, I think it's easier to do a Bach bit or something like "Last Steam Engine Train" on a PR4e. So... an in-between is the PR5e that's in ways a better and in ways a lesser instrument than the 220. It depends on what you want. I've used mine - with the 220 the two least expensive guitars I own - for lots of solo gigs ranging from jazz fingerpickin' to cowboy vocals with fingerpicked accompaniment. OTOH, it ain't gonna cut it for an acoustic bluegrass band by any stretch of the imagination regardless of string choice. It's a bridge between a parlor guitar and a singer's solo gig guitar, especially amped. Don't bang on it with your flatpick 'cuz you'll likely be disappointed. I've only used the 220 on far fewer occasions with old time/bluegrass, although it would be aok for lots of flatpicked rhythm pickin' for rock or country or variations thereof if I had that sorta gig somewhere and didn't care to take a better big flattop for whatever reason... This one you can bang on acoustic as the only picker for about anything in music you'd want to bang-on strum with a flatpick or even basic flatpickin' for old time-bluegrass or similar needs. Both the PR5e and the AJ220 AE guitars are incredible values for what they are and can do - and they're right at the same price point on line. But they're not interchangeable for what IMHO they should be used for. Oh, and another point, whatever you get next, that "step or two up" from the PR4e? Get a hard case. If you can't afford the hard case for an AE, you probably can't afford the guitar. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarLight Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 Hi discodj78, PR4E is a great guitar! I have an AJ220sce about a year and a half... and LOVE it. Very rich, smooth, and clean sound. you may also be pleasantly surprised with the Epiphone Hummingbird...also a solid top. It is now one of my goto guitars along with my AJ200sce. But it is probably the Hummingbird of the two that shocks me. Bought used at 5 years old for $199...changed strings to elixir nanoweb 80/20 lights... and the plastic pins to ebony pins, then tweaked the truss rod to perfection. Amazing. The Epi Hummingbird sounds very close to the $3100 Gibson with one exception..it is nicer looking than the drab brown Gibson version. But both the 220 and epi HB impress me to the max.....and that is coming from someone who owns three of the most spectacular Masterbilt models..The AJ-500M...and AJ-500R...and the DR-500mce...all of solids woods, as well as a $2000 carbon graphite RainSong Dred. My Epi 220 and my Epi Hummingbird fit right in and truly sound great. Good luck! Let us know how it turns out...any other questions..just ask! PS while I did once own an Epi EJ200..I was not particularly impressed with it and sent it back..tho the new ones may be better with solid tops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discodj78 Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 Thank you both very much for your comments.Very detailed.For me the AJ 220 could be the one.I will let you know which one I decide on.Thanks again for your responses.A great insight.Great forum and keep up the good work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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