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Which one to get (Texan-Related)


JohnMcClane5000

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Ha ha ha yeah I guess we can get hung up on looks of our guitars. I refuse to play my sons seagull, even though it sounds great because of the stupid looking head stock. I guess I'm fortunate because I hate taking a chance on a guitar I haven't played or even read a review on. Right away I was impressed with the tone and thats the main thing for me. It sounds great plugged or unplugged. Is this the sound I'm searching for when I play acoustic? YES!! I also have an Alvarez I bought 20 years ago. Played every acoustic in the store from $300 on up to a couple grand and none of em sounded as pretty as that $400 Alvarez.

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I stand corrected Red' date=' I thought the Elite/Elitist Texan acoustics had laminated sides (I`m sure I read that in Guitarist Magazine).

However these new "Inspired by" Texan guitars do look to be a tremendous bargain, and I will be trying them out as soon as they arrive around these parts.

 

[/quote']

 

No biggie. Just keeping the historical record straight in case, heaven's forbid, someone uses the Search feature in the future : )

 

Yeah, I'm VERY intersted in seeing the Inspired by Texan. I hope they make their way into some local shops, and aren't just available online. Judging from cookieman's pictures, it looks like a nicely built guitar. From his pics, I can't tell if has a true Gibson slope shouldered shape, though, or is somewhere in between the standard Asian slope shape and the Gibson shape. The pics on the online retailers site make it look like the guitar's got the accurate shape...

If it sounds anything like a Masterbilt, and has the electronics, you're right, it could be a heck of a bargain.

 

Red 333

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No biggie. Just keeping the historical record straight in case' date=' heaven's forbid, someone uses the Search feature in the future : )

 

Yeah, I'm VERY intersted in seeing the Inspired by Texan. I hope they make their way into some local shops, and aren't just available online. Judging from cookieman's pictures, it looks like a nicely built guitar. From his pics, I can't tell if has a true Gibson slope shouldered shape, though, or is somewhere in between the standard Asian slope shape and the Gibson shape. The pics on the online retailers site make it look like the guitar's got the accurate shape...

If it sounds anything like a Masterbilt, and has the electronics, you're right, it could be a heck of a bargain.

 

Red 333[/quote']

 

Red, it crossed my mind that this new Inspired by Texan could actually be based on the Masterbilt AJ-500M, with all the alterations needed to make it look like a Texan! It`s certainly a possibility.

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Red' date=' it crossed my mind that this new Inspired by Texan could actually be based on the Masterbilt AJ500, with all the alterations needed to make it look like a Texan! It`s certainly a possibility.

 

[/quote']

 

What possible reason could they have by doing that? They wouldn't be calling it the 'inspired by the 1964 Texan' if they all of a sudden decided to change the construction of the guitar (or change the sloped-shoulders of the guitar) now, would they?

 

I think the only changes they did was add the pickup, simplify the bridge a little and maybe change the neck-joint (probably because it would have been too expensive to do it the 'original' way...?)

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What possible reason could that be? They wouldn't be calling it the 'inspired by the 1964 Texan' if they all of a sudden decided to change the construction of the guitar (or change the sloped-shoulders of the guitar) now' date=' would they?

 

I think the only changes they did was add the pickup, simplify the bridge a little and maybe change the neck-joint (probably because it would have been too expensive to do it the 'original' way...?)[/quote']

 

Well the bridge looks like it came from the AJ-500M for a start!! It certainly has never seen a Texan. Plus even you think changes have been made, but the question is, to which model of guitar. It wouldn`t take that much work to convert the AJ-500M into a Texan Lookalike.

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Well the bridge looks like it came from the AJ-500M for a start!! It certainly has never seen a Texan. Plus even you think changes have been made' date=' but the question is, to which model of guitar.

 

[/quote']

 

well yeah, of course they did some changes. I mean, you can't seriously be thinking to get a 1/1 1964 Texan for a fourth of the price of a Macca one (I don't have the prices in my sphere of conciousness but you get my point). But I think the changes may have been very minor and the goal was to make it look, sound and feel as close to a Texan as possible, hence the '............1964 Texan', but for the price of a Masterbuilt...

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John I think you`ve hit the nail on the head there, and I totally agree with you, it never for an instant crossed my mind that the "Inspired by" would be an actual Texan but on the cheap!

 

The Masterbilts are nice guitars, and if this new Inspired by Texan is based on one, then I am sure it will be a pretty nice guitar. I once had a 66 Texan in my possession (on loan) about 15 years ago, it had the ADJ saddle and a Black plastic Bridge!! a very skinny neck with narrow string spacing, and to put it mildly I was a bit disappointed, but there was enough there to see, that with a proper Brazilian Rosewood Bridge (which a lot did have) and a compensated bone saddle, plus a little more width at the nut, it could have been a fabulous guitar. That experience put me off the Texan for a while until I tried a real 64 model about 18 months ago which had the wider 1& 11/16ths string spacing, plus a well intonated original "Rosewood" bridge converted from ADJ. That one was fabulous, and sadly out of my price range, but it has certainly switched me back on to getting a Texan type acoustic. So I will try the "Inspired by" version with open eyes & ears when it becomes available, and who knows, it might just fit the bill.

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John I think you`ve hit the nail on the head there' date=' and I totally agree with you. The Masterbilts are nice guitars, and if this new Inspired by Texan is based on one, then I am sure it will be a pretty nice guitar. I once had a 66 Texan in my possession (on loan) about 15 years ago, it had the ADJ saddle and a Black plastic Bridge!! a very skinny neck with narrow string spacing, and to put it mildly I was a bit dissapointed, but there was enough there to see, that with a proper Brazilian Rosewood Bridge (which a lot did have) and a compensated bone saddle, plus a little more width at the nut, it could have been a fabulous guitar. That experience put me off the Texan for a while until I tried a real 64 model about 18 months ago which had the wider 1& 11/16ths string spacing, plus a well intonated original "Rosewood" bridge converted from ADJ. That one was fabulous, and sadly out of my price range, but it has certainly switched me back on to getting a Texan type acoustic. So I will try the "Inspired by" version with open eyes & ears when it becomes available, and who knows, it might just fit the bill.

 

[/quote']

 

 

I really hope so too! And I hope you'll get back on that 'Texan'-train because quite frankly I've never been a fan of the 'dry' Masterbuilt finishes because I always get sweaty hands while playing and don't like the feel of the dryfinish with my sweat on, so that's why I'm aiming at these limited edition (J-45, Inspired By Texan) ones.

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I really hope so too! And I hope you'll get back on that 'Texan'-train because quite frankly I've never been a fan of the 'dry' Masterbuilt finishes because I always get sweaty hands while playing and don't like the feel of the dryfinish with my sweat on' date=' so that's why I'm aiming at these limited edition (J-45, Inspired By Texan) ones.[/quote']

 

Doesn`t the J-45/50 have a shorter scale length to the Texan?

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dunno' date=' but I love the looks, sound and attention to detail... And a friend of mine has one and tells me they're great guitars![/quote']

 

Don`t laugh John, but I can honestly say, hand on heart this is the best acoustic guitar I have yet played!

 

1999 Yamaha "Handcrafted"LS-500, If I needed a guitar custom built just for me, and my way of playing, it would come out just like this.

guitars110909006.jpg

guitars110909007.jpg

guitars110909008.jpg

guitars110909009.jpg

guitars110909010.jpg

 

All solid woods, all I did was replace the plastic nut & saddle with Bone, and the plastic Bridgepins with Ebony, and it just came to life.

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I'm not laughing! I bet it's better than this piece of junk I bought (and regreted buying shortly after....)

 

DSC02324.jpg

 

DSC02326.jpg

 

70's Epiphone FT-565, supposedly the most expensive one of the line, yeah, if only the previous owner hadn't put his hands on it I bet would still be a great player... Long story short, the neck's slowly coming of and it plays, well, it plays... I either do a Pete Townshend on it or I'll sell it for dirt cheap, or I'll slap the heck out of the guy I bought it from... Dunno yet =D

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John' date=' there is merit in all three of your options, perhaps do a Pete Townsend on the guy you got it from!

 

[/quote']

 

And maybe tell him to keep the trussrodcover and use masking tape prior to badly drilling holes into the top and not to stick a humungus ugly shaped Pickguard on it to cover the badly done work... This guitar is just bloody useless in this state....

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I just got the natural one...mine is beautiful and couldn't beat the price...intonation is right on although action was set a little high from factory...I love the tone...

 

You just described my new Hummingbird to a "T". (Nice guitar' date=' by the way. Congratulations.)

[img'][/img]SDC10164.jpg

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I would post pictures but they're all sold out where I live' date=' I would have never thought these selling out that quick, it's very annoying...[/quote']

 

I suppose that means they're either really good guitars or it's a clever ploy by Epiphone to increase the demand by limiting supply?

My local shop keeps changing their 'due-in' date so no idea when I might even get to look at one in the flesh!

Must admit, my initial desire for one has almost disappeared. Just got bored/fed-up of waiting. Epiphone do seem to be a bit useless with this sort of thing. Shame really.....

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  • 4 months later...
The Elite/Elitist acoustics have solid sides.

 

Red 333

 

Red.

 

What with the current interest in the new "Inspired by" 64 Texan, and whilst searching on the net, I found this 2003 Elite catalog, and remembered this topic from October. According to the 2003 catalog, only the Elitist J-200 had solid sides, all the other models, including the 65 Texan had laminated sides!! I knew I saw it somewhere.

 

If this is indeed the case, then it brings the new Texan even closer to the previous Elite/Elitist one. Here is the link. http://www.jedistar.com/pdf/Epiphone_elite_catalog_2003.pdf

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What possible reason could they have by doing that? They wouldn't be calling it the 'inspired by the 1964 Texan' if they all of a sudden decided to change the construction of the guitar (or change the sloped-shoulders of the guitar) now' date=' would they?

 

I think the only changes they did was add the pickup, simplify the bridge a little and maybe change the neck-joint (probably because it would have been too expensive to do it the 'original' way...?)[/quote']

 

John,...the nut width is not like any '64 original or Elitist/Macca I've played, it's a lot wider which may work for some peeps but is not true to the original.

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Red.

 

What with the current interest in the new "Inspired by" 64 Texan' date=' and whilst searching on the net, I found this 2003 Elite catalog, and remembered this topic from October. According to the 2003 catalog, only the Elitist J-200 had solid sides, all the other models, including the 65 Texan had laminated sides!! I knew I saw it somewhere.

 

If this is indeed the case, then it brings the new Texan even closer to the previous Elite/Elitist one. Here is the link. http://www.jedistar.com/pdf/Epiphone_elite_catalog_2003.pdf

 

[/quote']

 

Well, the 2004 catalog does specify "solid" for the J200's sides, and all the other models' backs and tops, but says nothing except what species of wood was used for their sides, so it is possible they're laminated. I never noticed that before, Frenchie. If the lack of "solid" was a printing error in the 2003 specs, you'd think they might have changed it in 2004, huh? Still, looking through the sound hole of mine, I think I can clearly see the same specific grain markings on both the inside and outside of the rims, and in the same place, so I can't be 100% sure. However, it certainly would make sense from a cost-savings measure.

 

Red 333

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I have the natural IB Texan, I have just replaced the bridge nsaddle (I wasnt happy with the sharpness of the compensated bit) with a bone one specially made, and brass pins and its made an already great guitar a bit greater, I am so blown away at how cheap these are going for, they are fine quality for sure.

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I have the natural IB Texan' date=' I have just replaced the bridge nsaddle (I wasnt happy with the sharpness of the compensated bit) with a bone one specially made, and brass pins and its made an already great guitar a bit greater, I am so blown away at how cheap these are going for, they are fine quality for sure.[/quote']

 

Pleased to hear it Fatmo, I too am very pleased with my Texan, it far excedes all my expectations, and has certainly made me hold Chinese guitar manufacture, in a much higher regard.

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Well' date=' the 2004 catalog does specify "solid" for the J200's sides, and all the other models' backs and tops, but says nothing except what species of wood was used for their sides, so it is possible they're laminated. I never noticed that before, Frenchie. If the lack of "solid" was a printing error in the 2003 specs, you'd think they might have changed it in 2004, huh? Still, looking through the sound hole of mine, I think I can clearly see the same specific grain markings on both the inside and outside of the rims, and in the same place, so I can't be 100% sure. However, it certainly would make sense from a cost-savings measure.

 

Red 333[/quote']

 

Well Red, whether the sides are solid or not, I guess the most important thing, is how the guitar sounds. Incidently, how does your Elitist Texan compare to your McCartney models, from a purely acoustic point of view, what with the Poly vs Nitro finish aspect?

 

Steve.

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