paradigm Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Hi all, long time lurker on these forums and now a new member! I am seeking advice as I have the option of buying an Epiphone Elite J 45, built in 2003. I have put a deposit down as I really like the guitar, and I have 30 days to pay it off or lose my deposit. The problem I have is the price - $1400 Australian dollars or roughly $1100 USD, which seems a bit steep to me. The guitar is obviously second hand and in pretty good shape, alot of swirl scratches on the back of the body only really visible under direct light, but most of those would probably polish out, and a small ding on the top, otherwise in good order and with the original case which is in fair condition but has taken some knocks and scrapes. Anyone have any experience with these guitars? Any opinions would be welcomed as I am on the fence about this as I don't really *need* another guitar, especially as I only got my Masterbilt AJ500M about a year ago... Any help would be appreciated! Thanks :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I would generally consider that to be at the higher end of a reasonable price range for this guitar, but price point options may be rather limited in Australia. The Elite/Elitist acoustics are made by Terada in Japan, and their overall build quality is equal to Gibson's. I personally have an '05 McCartney Texan made by Terada, and it is a wonderful instrument. But as every guitar is different, you'll have to decide based on the tone & playability of this particular J45. Do remember that these are quite rare, so if you do really like it, it might be a very long time before you have the opportunity to play another one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 It seems that across the board, the Elite models are demanding a higher asking price in all models. They're simply hard to find, but of excellent fit and finish, and for the last few years, have become a bit more sought after. I think what you're seeing here is the same trend with the acoustics. I have a 2004 Elitist Chet Atkins, I paid just under $1,500 for it, and if I trust what I see on the bay for completed listings, I could probably turn it around for $1,900 or better right now. (But I'm not selling..) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paradigm Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 Thanks for the feedback guys, I appreciate it! Its looking more and more likely that I will pass on this guitar and forfeit my deposit, the neck is a little on the thin side...perhaps if the price were a little lower I might pull the trigger, but I think I will just save my pennies for something else. Thanks for the prompt and helpful feedback! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 I think you're making the right move For not much more - you can score a clean second hand USA Gibby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byrds1965 Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Hi all, long time lurker on these forums and now a new member! I am seeking advice as I have the option of buying an Epiphone Elite J 45, built in 2003. I have put a deposit down as I really like the guitar, and I have 30 days to pay it off or lose my deposit. The problem I have is the price - $1400 Australian dollars or roughly $1100 USD, which seems a bit steep to me. The guitar is obviously second hand and in pretty good shape, alot of swirl scratches on the back of the body only really visible under direct light, but most of those would probably polish out, and a small ding on the top, otherwise in good order and with the original case which is in fair condition but has taken some knocks and scrapes. Anyone have any experience with these guitars? Any opinions would be welcomed as I am on the fence about this as I don't really *need* another guitar, especially as I only got my Masterbilt AJ500M about a year ago... Any help would be appreciated! Thanks :) Not sure what the prices are there but I would buy a new or used Gibson J15 or J35 before I spent that kind of money on a used Elitist J45. I don't have a problem with Elitist Epiphone only models like my Riviera or the mentioned Texans but would not pay that kind of used money for a Gibson copy despite being in the Elitist line at one point. Just my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 $1100 US is good for an Elitist J-45 here in the US. I would think that as a rule of thumb, you should consider paying about 2/3 or less for whatever a similar vintage used Gibson J-45 goes for in your market. Best, Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisB643 Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 My thought is that if you want something on the rarer side (as well as being an Epiphone fan) this might be the way to go. J-45's are common and plentiful. Would be nice to have some pictures of the instrument. At the end of the day it's your call. The problem with some of these instruments is I end up comparing them to the quality (and price) of my Masterbilts and most of them pale in comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morkolo Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Not sure what the prices are there but I would buy a new or used Gibson J15 or J35 before I spent that kind of money on a used Elitist J45. Good advice here. Not bashing the Elite line as they are great guitars, but you could find a used Gibson J45 for a few hundred more... and the real deal though maybe not as rare is something special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisB643 Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 $1100 US is good for an Elitist J-45 here in the US. I would think that as a rule of thumb, you should consider paying about 2/3 or less for whatever a similar vintage used Gibson J-45 goes for in your market. Best, Red 333 Red, Just curious...how did you come up with that 2/3 figure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paradigm Posted January 10, 2015 Author Share Posted January 10, 2015 Thanks for all the advice guys! I went back to play the guitar today after giving myself a week to think about it, and as nice as it is I've decided that it's not for me. I'm going to put someone I know who may be interested in this in touch with the store selling it, it may be more to his liking. Thanks for all the help guys, really appreciate it, look forward to taking part in these forums more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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