Epiphone Inspired By Gibson Acoustics Demos

[Rabs 1,342]

 

[Twang Gang 422]

Just got an email from Guitar Center today stating these would be available 11/26 here in the States.  They certainly sound good in the video and as far as pricing goes of course there is just no comparison.  However I am not a fan of the electronics in them.  The J-45 cutaway had a Fishman system, and it makes the guitar sound like every other guitar with Fishman electronics.

For me I want to judge an acoustic guitar's tone playing it acoustically.  Then assuming I like that tone I want a pickup system that most accurately reproduces that same tone through an amp or PA system for playing in a larger venue.  This demo uses the electronics all the time so we can't be sure what the guitar sounds like on it's own.

But overall I think these will be popular as they are so much less expensive than the Gibsons they are modeling and are made from the same tonewoods with the exception of the Laurel fingerboards and bridges (must be less expensive than rosewood).

👍

[Paul14 62]

They should play unplugged. 

[Rabs 1,342]

 

[Rabs 1,342]

 

[fortyearspickn 411]

Wholeheartedly agree w/Paul.  Anderton's video s/b unplugged.   Sweetwaters was.  Didn't care for the musical arrangement - but the H'Bird sounds great.  Solid wood  -  I thought Epi only offered that on their MasterBuilt - either way that is a big plus. Headstock  looks like Gibson's except small tell -  three screws in TRC.   Only bummer as far as I'm concerned is having the big ol' orange oval  iconic GIBSON label glaring out of the sound hole.  

[kelly campbell 291]

I am gonna have to try the 12 string HB..does not have the "E" on pickguard, thats good for me I dont care for them.   I also wonder if the glueing of the PG's are gonna be a problem since it seems to in some of the Gibson birds.

[Paul14 62]

To my ears the j45 sounds the best.

not crazy about the bridge on the j200 but I could live with it. Bone nut & saddle, & no richlite. Why can’t Gibson do that?

 

[Sgt. Pepper 919]

1 hour ago, kelly campbell said:

I am gonna have to try the 12 string HB..does not have the "E" on pickguard, thats good for me I dont care for them.   I also wonder if the glueing of the PG's are gonna be a problem since it seems to in some of the Gibson birds.

Could be cause wont it be adhered with Chinese hide glue?

Edited November 18, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper

[kelly campbell 291]

1 hour ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

Could be cause wont it be adhered with Chinese hide glue?

 

 

Exactly

[Lars68 122]

I'm pretty sure these guitars will do very, very well. Good move!

Lars

[Brucebubs 105]

The difference between the older EJ-200 and this new one ; - Now all solid wood - bone nut & saddle - period correct tuners - no more 'barn door' pick up controls - thinner satin finish - 2 colors on pickguard.

Nice improvements.

[thegreatgumbino 17]

These look amazing! 

[Red 333 136]

2 hours ago, Brucebubs said:

The difference between the older EJ-200 and this new one ; - Now all solid wood - bone nut & saddle - period correct tuners - no more 'barn door' pick up controls - thinner satin finish - 2 colors on pickguard.

Nice improvements.

Plus bird's beak on the fretboard, two-piece neck with mahogany stripe, and a much more modest rosette (a good thing in my opinion)!

[Paul14 62]

22 hours ago, Lars68 said:

I'm pretty sure these guitars will do very, very well. Good move!

Lars

I agree.

[Brucebubs 105]

The nut size on this new J-200 ( The Epiphone site is calling them 'Inspired by Gibson J-200's' now ) is now 1.69"/43mm the older EJ-200's were 1.68"

https://www.epiphone.com/Guitar/EPIWYA96/J-200/Aged-Vintage-Sunburst-Gloss

My new 1957 SJ-200 is 1.72"/43.81mm

Edited November 19, 2020 by Brucebubs

[kelly campbell 291]

On 11/18/2020 at 3:38 PM, Lars68 said:

I'm pretty sure these guitars will do very, very well. Good move!

Lars

 Oh I agree, A very good move.  

[dhanners623 79]

The guitars look cool and it’s good to see the all-solid-wood construction and the finish seems a great improvement.

But as others have noted,  if a guitar demo video features the guitar plugged in, it is more a demo of the pickup/sound system than of the guitar.

 

[zombywoof 251]

I also think the upgrades are a good move.  If you look at the sub $1K guitar category there is little doubt we have been living in a golden age  and in my opinion Epi was lagging behind especially when it came to something like low quality laminate construction (ain't nothing wrong with the good stuff) and slathered on thick finishes.   But nothing in the Epi line which  piques my interest enough to get me a thinking aout it.  If anything I would be looking to dig up an old Bluesmaster.

[Rabs 1,342]

Ha..  Andertons must have got complaints about that first video and playing them plugged in..  They have released another vid  🙂

 

 

[Brucebubs 105]

Much better demo with some great playing too.  As a new SJ-200 owner I was a little worried this new Epiphone J-200 might be uncomfortably close for a fraction of the cost but  I'm happy to say the difference is still there ... in buckets full.

[Red 333 136]

When someone comes over and plays one of my guitars, I'm often astounded how much different it sounds from a listener's perspective than what I'm used to in the player's position. That said, I think these sound very nice, and represent a terrific value. They also sound different from the round and square shouldered all solid wood and similarly speced Masterbilts (which are also very pleasing sounding guitars). This leads me to think they are braced differently, and not simply the AJ500M and DR500M appointed with Gibson cosmetics.  And though my experience with it was limited, this also seemed true of the Masterbilt J-45 (which the IBG J-45 seems near identical, save for the headstock design and rosette); it also sounded more Gibsony than the Masterbilt AJ500M.   I'm looking forward to seeing and playing them in person to have a more informed opinion. But I don't see how anyone could go wrong with one of these. Nice job, Gibson and Epiphone.

Edited November 21, 2020 by Red 333