ajsc Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Whats a fair price? How is the quality? Anyone own 1? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt the Cat Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I've just been looking at the Elitist range (from 2006 I think) and I reckon they look pretty fine. I really fancy a j-200. Seems from reviews that they are well made/finished, decent setups and apparently holding their value quite well so I guess that anything less than what they were going for new would be a good deal. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 Thanks Matt, Where are you finding reviews? I have not been able to find very much at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LHC- Jr. Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 The only one I could find on the Web was new, and they want 1400 Euros for it, which is a lot of scratch, if you ask me. Before I'd pay that, I think I would go with a used guitar of another make starting with "M". One could probably even find a nice used Gibson acoustic for that kind of money... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Whats a fair price?How is the quality? Anyone own 1? There have been a couple in eBay recently, one which was almost mint, I think. I don't have an Elitist J45, but I have An Elitist Texan, an Elitist McCartney Texan (nitro finish and different tuners), and an Elitist J200. A Texan is a round shouldered jumbo like a J45, but with a longer scale, and thinner neck. Like the Elitist electrics, the acoustics are extremely well made, and use very attractive and apparently high-quality cust of wood. Fret work is excellent on the one-piece necks (three-piece laminated neck on the J200, as you'd expect). they have bone nuts and saddles (period correct corrian nut on the McCartney Texan, and of course, Tusqe adjustable bridge on both). The poly finish is very light (you can feel the spruce grain with your tips, and see the individual ridges). Overall, they show a very high degree of attention to detail. You won't find a splinter in the top braces, or purfing inside the guitar. As the owner of a number of Gibsons, Epiphone Masterbilts, and other acousics, I can tell you objectively these are very nice sounding guitars. I don't know what kind os Spruce the tops are, but they are very tight grained. It took my Texan a little time to open up, but now that it has, I seem to play it more than any other acoustic (the neck is also very comfortable). It's developed a very nice voice over time. Warm low end, and crystal highs. The Texan has a period correct adjustable bridge (the J45 does not), and if I'm not careful about how the high E string breaks over the nut, it produces that infamous ping that you can hear on the early Beatles' records. Overall, it has very good volume and tone for vocal accompanyment. The J200 has a balanced sound. Tone wise, it's similar to my maple-bodied Advanced Jumbo, but has slighltly less volume, and is less sensitive when fingerpicking. It's a very good all round performer, though. The maple sides and back are plain, like a Gibson J100 or 150 (they have a moderate flame, but are far more figured than the plain maple on say an Epiphone Broadway or ES thinline). The pickguard doesn't have the flower design of the a Gibson J200, and is thinner, but the marquetry stripe is present down the back, and it has the requisite crown inlays. It has modern X bracing similar to the current Gibson J200, but (if memory serves) with the addition of the reinforcing strip above the X at the soundhole. The rosewood used in the fretboards and bridges (an areea where many budget guitars cut corners) seems dense and tight. The tuners are good quality Asian grovers. For what they seem to be selling for used now ($700-$800 mostly), I'd say thery're an excellent value. But more, ther're a good guitar overall. Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 Thanks Red, that's the kind of info I'm looking for!! I'm a J-45 "freak", & want to own every "good" version I can find! Not that I can afford to do this, but I'm looking & talking with a guy who wants to sell an Elitist. It's a hundred miles away, so 200 miles round trip. Plus he still hasn't come up with a price? He bought it used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexygibson Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I owned an Elitist J-45 at one time. It was well built and had good tone but it was not Gibson type tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 I owned an Elitist J-45 at one time. It was well built and had good tone but it was not Gibson type tone. How would you compare it to, say a masterbilt for tone, construction, & overall quaility? I know, only a J-45 "is" a J-45!! But overall is this a quality guitar? I get the feeling you were disappointed with it ?? I you had a choice to buy an EF-500M, or this one, what would you do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt the Cat Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Thanks Matt' date=' Where are you finding reviews? I have not been able to find very much at all.[/quote'] Hi Paul I just googled 'epiphone elitist j 45' Various reviews listed. Cheers, Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexygibson Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 How would you compare it to' date=' say a masterbilt for tone, construction, & overall quaility? I know, only a J-45 "is" a J-45!! But overall is this a quality guitar? I get the feeling you were disappointed with it ?? I you had a choice to buy an EF-500M, or this one, what would you do? [/quote'] I have never played a Masterbilt that I have cared for . I believe the Elitists Japanese construction to be better build quality than the Chinese Masterbilts. It wasn't that I didn't care for the tone of the guitar, it just wasn't a Gibson type tone that I was looking for. Looking back, the guitar really sounded good. A friend owns it now and he is very pleased with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 Just saw one on ebay. The action ended with the reserve not being met. Last bid ($606.) The economy, the economy,,,,,the economy!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexygibson Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Just saw one on ebay. The action ended with the reserve not being met. Last bid ($606.)The economy' date=' the economy,,,,,the economy!!![/quote'] Paul, if you can snag an Elitist in the $600-$700 range that would be a steal. I would love to find an Elitist J-200 but funds won't allow that right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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