Brucebubs Posted August 4, 2021 Share Posted August 4, 2021 My 2012 Epiphone EJ-200 is good. My 2021 Epiphone 'Inspired by Gibson' Hummingbird is better. My 2020 Gibson Custom Shop Historic 1957 SJ-200 is best! Bear in mind the new Hummingbird cost me 4x more than my EJ-200 and my SJ-200 cost me 30x times more than my EJ-200! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted August 4, 2021 Share Posted August 4, 2021 So, you've had the SJ200 long enough now to form an opinion .... which of these 3 do you ENJOY playing the most ? Regardless of how much they cost... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brucebubs Posted August 4, 2021 Author Share Posted August 4, 2021 (edited) They're all surprisingly different from each other - The EJ-200 is a ball when you approach it with a heavy hand but doesn't do much if treated lightly - the Hummingbird is much more responsive and versatile and has the loud, clear mids associated with mahogany back and sides - the SJ-200 has incredible depth and warmth and balance. Both Epiphones have a rather narrow 1.69" nut that won't suit some people and the Gibson 1.72" nut is my ideal size. They're all good but the Gibson definitely has a 'wow' factor going for it. Edited August 4, 2021 by Brucebubs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted August 4, 2021 Share Posted August 4, 2021 (edited) Nobody hears a guitar with the same ears. I guess I am too fickle to rate them. More than likely though the guitar I will say is the best there ever was or ever will be is the one I happen to be playing those times I am in the pocket - where there is no thinking going on and my fingers do things I did not knw they could. I will shower whatever the guitar I happen to be holding with praise. On the other hand, if I am working on something new and it is not coming as quickly as I would like, I will grab a different guitar hoping somehow my fingers will do better with it. It is never operator error. But each of our six string flattop Gibsons has something about it which makes it stand out in a crowd. With my 1942 J50 it is the low end which has been described as being able to make a pre-War Martin D8 Herringbone run for cover. With my 1932 L2 it is the hair trigger response where the notes just leap off the strings. Added to that it has a 2 3/8" string spacing at the bridge. As a fingerpicker I do appreciate the room. When it comes to our J200 it is all about the saturated mids. It is the perfect choice for some Carter style playing. Edited August 4, 2021 by zombywoof 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted August 4, 2021 Share Posted August 4, 2021 57 minutes ago, zombywoof said: Nobody hears a guitar with the same ears. I guess I am too fickle to rate them. More than likely though the guitar I will say is the best there ever was or ever will be is the one I happen to be playing those times I am in the pocket - where there is no thinking going on and my fingers do things I did not knw they could. I will shower whatever the guitar I happen to be holding with praise. On the other hand, if I am working on something new and it is not coming as quickly as I would like, I will grab a different guitar hoping somehow my fingers will do better with it. It is never operator error. But each of our six string flattop Gibsons has something about it which makes it stand out in a crowd. With my 1942 J50 it is the low end which has been described as being able to make a pre-War Martin D8 Herringbone run for cover. With my 1932 L2 it is the hair trigger response where the notes just leap off the strings. Added to that it has a 2 3/8" string spacing at the bridge. As a fingerpicker I do appreciate the room. When it comes to our J200 it is all about the saturated mids. It is the perfect choice for some Carter style playing. Slowly coming to the same conclusion. I guess if asked which one I like the best, I automatically say my J-200. However I took my J-50 out about a week ago, & haven’t played anything else since. At least for the past 4 or 5 days the J-50 is my favorite. can’t seem to put it down. Probably I’ll feel different in a few days? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cunningham26 Posted August 4, 2021 Share Posted August 4, 2021 I can really appreciate the name of this topic in that you acknowledge the gibson as having an etherial quality, but that the $200 epiphone is still really good at its own thing. One thing i find with the acoustic forum is that there is really much of the cork-sniffing you see elsewhere in the gibson range. At some point a 16yo will see this thread acknowledging that the epiphone ej-200 still has its place with owners of a high-end j200 and will affirm that it's good enough for them to gig or record, leading them further down the path. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard McCoy Posted August 4, 2021 Share Posted August 4, 2021 The marketing spiel worked. You came back for the real thing in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raul Rehlmann Posted August 4, 2021 Share Posted August 4, 2021 2 hours ago, Leonard McCoy said: The marketing spiel worked. You came back for the real thing in the end. Epiphone- the gateway drug guitar 1 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted August 5, 2021 Share Posted August 5, 2021 13 hours ago, Raul Rehlmann said: Epiphone- the gateway drug guitar Give that man an Honorary Marketing Degree ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle fester Posted August 5, 2021 Share Posted August 5, 2021 regardless of good, better, best - nice collection! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted August 5, 2021 Share Posted August 5, 2021 19 hours ago, Leonard McCoy said: The marketing spiel worked. You came back for the real thing in the end. that was my take too The Epi's are nice, but if the budget can avail, just pass GO, collect the $200 and get the real deal. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSchooner Posted August 5, 2021 Share Posted August 5, 2021 (edited) Of course I don't know what you paid for your EJ200 in 2012, but did you really pay 30 times more for the J200? Not trying to be contrary; just curious. Edited August 5, 2021 by PrairieSchooner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted August 5, 2021 Share Posted August 5, 2021 (edited) Just a couple of hours ago, I figured it was time to brush up on some tunes so I grabbed the guitar which was closest to me which was the 1960 J200. The first song I launched into was Etta Baker's "One Dime Blues." Blew off any warmup and hit it at full speed. Holy Cow. Just my bare fingers but the notes flew off the strings with no real effort being put out on my part. So at least for today the J200 is my favorite guitar. Just my luck as there was nobody around other than the dogs to hear how good I sounded. Edited August 6, 2021 by zombywoof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brucebubs Posted August 5, 2021 Author Share Posted August 5, 2021 (edited) 5 hours ago, PrairieSchooner said: Of course I don't know what you paid for your EJ200 in 2012, but did you really pay 30 times more for the J200? Not trying to be contrary; just curious. Yes, bought the EJ-200 second hand from a little music store in Hobart, Tasmania - ordered the Custom Shop 1957 SJ-200 through an Australian dealer and that's what they charge - Gibson's outside the US are mighty expensive and policy prevents US dealers selling new guitars to customers in other countries with existing dealers - Guild and Martin also have the same policy now. Here's an Australian listing for my guitar https://www.mannys.com.au/gibson-1957-sj-200-vintage-sunburst That works out at US$8181.00 for a guitar listing for US$5999.00 ..... and I paid more than that!! Edited August 5, 2021 by Brucebubs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted August 6, 2021 Share Posted August 6, 2021 8 hours ago, kidblast said: that was my take too The Epi's are nice, but if the budget can avail, just pass GO, collect the $200 and get the real deal. Amen! I totally agree. As already alluded to, it all depends on the person playing the guitar, but in my opinion (and my opinion doesn’t mean I’m right and someone else is wrong) there’s no way I’d choose an Epi over a Gibson. I’ve had an Epi EJ200 and it was nice for the money, but in no way was it close to a J200. Had an Epi J45 (don’t think it was called a J45 at the time. Can’t recall the model name)—-anyway, definitely a decent instrument, but it wasn’t a J45. Yes, a Gibson guitar is typically several times more expensive than the various brands/models aimed at being a copy, but there really is (at least to me) something that is different and better in a real Gibson. An imitation, no matter how nice, is not a Gibson. There’s a special quality in a Gibson that is largely unnoticed, except by the player and maybe a handful in the audience, It might be the appearance, the sound, or maybe just the feel, but whatever it is it’s pretty damn cool to have a Gibson between you and your audience.……If you can afford the Gibson, get it!……Just my view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted August 6, 2021 Share Posted August 6, 2021 Good, Beater, Best. (Sorry, I couldn't resist) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brucebubs Posted August 6, 2021 Author Share Posted August 6, 2021 The Epiphones are not Gibsons ... but they do deserve credit for the changes they've made with this new 'Inspired by Gibson' series. - All solid woods - new thin finish - keystone tuners - re-designed shorter headstock - simpler rosette - bone nut & saddle - soundhole pickup controls - extra color on pickguard pattern. Nice upgrades that make them more responsive to play and a nice improvement over the older models ... this IBG Hummingbird is a heck of a nice guitar for $799 ... but it's not a Gibson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jricc Posted August 6, 2021 Share Posted August 6, 2021 Great family pic Brucebubs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brucebubs Posted August 6, 2021 Author Share Posted August 6, 2021 22 minutes ago, jricc said: Great family pic Brucebubs! Thanks ... this is actually the whole family. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted August 6, 2021 Share Posted August 6, 2021 I actually finally got around to taking a photo of my Gibsons but keep getting stymied by the file size requirement. The only Epi I own is the one I have kept around since dirt which is the 1956 FT-79. Has more in common with a Guild F40 than a Gibson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 Great family photo, Bruce! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 (edited) The J200 has been dethroned. Last night the best there is transformed into my 1920 L3. The deepest cut of all though is that while my right hand is working better than ever I tend stumble around more when approaching something new than I used to. But then all of a sudden it just clicks. So I guess I need to find a guitar which improves my memory. Edited August 7, 2021 by zombywoof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 On 8/5/2021 at 8:01 PM, Brucebubs said: Thanks ... this is actually the whole family. Now THAT'S sweet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoSoxBiker Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 Bruce, I get some serious, but good hearted envy whenever I see that Historic Collection SJ-200 of yours. Sounds weird as I have a pre-war version and it's my easy favorite, But a Maple is a Maple SJ-200 and those are sweet. Yours is one fine looking example. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brucebubs Posted August 12, 2021 Author Share Posted August 12, 2021 13 hours ago, BoSoxBiker said: Bruce, I get some serious, but good hearted envy whenever I see that Historic Collection SJ-200 of yours. Sounds weird as I have a pre-war version and it's my easy favorite, But a Maple is a Maple SJ-200 and those are sweet. Yours is one fine looking example. I'd love to compare them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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