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Epiphone Texan


JohnMcClane5000

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I can't speak for quality, as I've only played the Texan, but as far as guitar designs go, they're quite different.

 

They're both based on the J-45 formula, but electronically they're totally different- the Texan is wired like an acoustic guitar with an acoustic guitar pickup, while the J-160E is essentially a flat-top Gibson ES-125, with the P-90 in the neck.

 

The J-160E went through so many changes (as a Gibson model) that I've heard some say the Epiphone version is a better guitar than the Gibson.

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wow' date=' thanks! I will hopefully be ordering one in a day or two. I know this is a loaded question, but does anyone know how these compare with the john lennon acoustics?[/quote']

 

apart from that the Epiphone EJ-160e isn't made out of solid wood, why? From what I've heard it needed to have a thinner sound in order to be picked-up better by the pickup... And in order to play the John Lennon model properly with an amp you'll have to use electric-guitar strings... But I'm not sure if so

 

 

Anyways, I've played both and I have to say the sound of the Texan isincredible, it's very bassy but still crisp and defined... You'll notice that the heavy factory strings are to be thrown away as soon as possible and replaced by some nice phosphor strings (Elixir, D'addario, doesn't really matter)...

Also if you order one, be sure to tell them you want the most flawless example (top-wise), because if you're as picky as I am you might be very disappointed to get one with an ugly strip in the middle of the top, which to my eyes is ugly, it might be very common with acoustics to have that though....

 

The craftmanship of the Texan is very very good for the price, you get a very very decent guitar which you can hand to your friends and they'll be blown away by the sound and playability..!

 

Have fun!

 

 

BTW: I've noticed my guitar DOES have a strip in the middle of the top, but it appears to be very wide and barely noticeable (only from different angles)...

 

DSC02761.jpg

 

Is this common? I really don't want to sound uber-picky, but I am :)

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thanks for all the amazing advice everyone! one of the reasons I was leaning towards the john lennon model was because of it's immediate availability, but I should just be patient and hold out for the nicer (and less expensive) guitar. now the question is do I pay full price from wildwood and get the guitar in about a week, or do I wait until february and get the guitar with a very nice discount through guitar center..

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Its totally common to find grain run out in acoustic tops. Even high end guitars will have this to some extent.

Read a good explanation about it HERE

 

okay' date=' thanks Musikron! When I discovered it I was kinda disappointed ("why me") and stupidities like that but I'm starting to say to myself: "It gives your guitar character, something unique, you have something amazing anyways!" It's really only visible when light shines on it super-directly...

 

But that's what happens if you can't play 10 or say 2 of the same guitar at the store and pick out the one you want, but I could have gotten a worse one so I'm happy anyways... [crying

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thanks for all the amazing advice everyone! one of the reasons I was leaning towards the john lennon model was because of it's immediate availability' date=' but I should just be patient and hold out for the nicer (and less expensive) guitar. now the question is do I pay full price from wildwood and get the guitar in about a week, or do I wait until february and get the guitar with a very nice discount through guitar center..[/quote']

What kind of discount are you getting from Guitar Center?

 

Wildwood is selling it for the same price as Guitar Center, so unless you're getting something extra you'll get the same price.

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I got a pretty good discount through a friend who works at the "guitar center pro" department, so the price is a little bit above cost. I honestly don't want to wait that long and have had the money for a good acoustic saved for a while so, I think I'm going to order it monday. I'm getting the cherry burst finish so I'll post pictures of what it looks..

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  • 2 weeks later...

OK, I broke down and bought the Natural finished Texan at Wildwood. I'll post pics and my thoughts as soon as I have a chance to play it. I currently own the following Acoustics:

 

Epiphone McCartney Texan (Japan)

Epiphone Elite J-45 (Japan)

Epiphone Texan (Peerless factory - Korea)

2000 Gibson J-200 Elite (Custom Shop)

Ovation USA Balladeer

Line 6 Variax AC900 Acoustic Modeler

 

I usually write on the McCartney Texan, record with the J-200 and have played the J-45 Elite Live with LR Baggs M-1A soundhole pickup. My main live guitar is the Variax AC900 due to it's versatility. I am hoping I'll like the sound of the "Inspired by" Texan's pickup system and that'll let me sell a couple of these that I'll no longer need. For this price I can't go wrong.

 

I'll post a group picture when the new one arrives...

 

Rick

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OK' date=' I broke down and bought the Natural finished Texan at Wildwood. I'll post pics and my thoughts as soon as I have a chance to play it. I currently own the following Acoustics:

 

Epiphone McCartney Texan (Japan)

Epiphone Elite J-45 (Japan)

Epiphone Texan (Peerless factory - Korea)

2000 Gibson J-200 Elite (Custom Shop)

Ovation USA Balladeer

Line 6 Variax AC900 Acoustic Modeler

 

I usually write on the McCartney Texan, record with the J-200 and have played the J-45 Elite Live with LR Baggs M-1A soundhole pickup. My main live guitar is the Variax AC900 due to it's versatility. I am hoping I'll like the sound of the "Inspired by" Texan's pickup system and that'll let me sell a couple of these that I'll no longer need. For this price I can't go wrong.

 

I'll post a group picture when the new one arrives...

 

Rick[/quote']

 

Rick,

 

Thanks for joining the forum. As an Elitist Texan and (Elitist) '64 McCartney Texan owner myself, I'm very interested in your opinion of the new, MIC Texan. Many others here on the forum will be, too.

 

If you would, how would you compare your Elitist Texan to the McCartney, and to the Elitist J45?

 

Red 333

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Red 333 wrote:

 

]

If you would, how would you compare your Elitist Texan to the McCartney, and to the Elitist J45?

 

I don't have the Elitist Texan, mine are The McCartney 1964 Texan (Japan Run of 1964 units) and a Korean Texan Model. My J-45 is an "Elite" made in Japan.

 

From my experience The McCartney has the narrowest and thinnest neck of the three and to my ear the most balanced tone. Good bottom end and bright on the high end (I use Light Phosphor Bronze .012-.053 strings)

 

The J-45 Elite has a wider and thicker neck with a little darker sound more bottom and less high end than the McCartney.

 

The Korean is an obviously lower end guitar that I keep tuned down a full step for when I feel like playing Jenny Wren or Yesterday. It has even more bass and less high end than the other 2. I did write a very nice country song on it that I don't think I would have written on either of the other guitars. I know that sounds weird but I think that certain guitars have different songs in them than other guitars.[biggrin]

 

Here is a group shot of L-R Korean "Texan VS" model, McCartney 1964 Japan Texan, J-45 Elite (Japan) and 2000 Gibson J-200 "Elite"

 

Group_Gtrs2.jpg

 

I'll post pics of the "Inspired by 1964 Texan" as soon as it arrives. It's supposed to ship from Colorado tomorrow (I'm in Alabama). So, maybe by the first of next week I'll have it in my hot little hands.

 

Rick

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I certainly didn't "write on" the J-200. It was auctioned at a Children's Charity event in Nashville and all of the performers signed it. I bought it on E-Bay and the signatures probably saved me a grand on an unplayed Gibson Custom Shop guitar and this is one time that it really does not affect the sound in any way...

 

Rick

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Red 333 wrote:

Nice collection, rweav. And thanks for the comparison of your Texans and Elitist J45. Let us know about the MIC Texan when you get it!

 

 

Okay the Inspired by 1964 Texan arrived today! It was really cold from it's trip across the South this week. I am letting it adjust to the indoors and will put in some major playing time on it this weekend and give you my comparison opinion early next week.

 

Until then here are some comparison pics between it and the McCartney Texan (Japan)

 

First the full Front View: Left is McCartney and Right is the "Inspired by"

L-McCartney_R-InspiredbyTexan_Front.jpg

 

Back View: Left is McCartney and Right is the "Inspired by"

L-McCartney_R-InspiredbyTexan_Back.jpg

 

Side View: Left is McCartney and Right is the "Inspired by"

L-McCartney_R-InspiredbyTexan_Side.jpg

 

Tuning Keys: McCartney

Macca-Keys2.jpg

 

Tuning Keys: "Inspired by"

IBT-Keys2.jpg

 

Binding: McCartney

Macca-Binding.jpg

 

Binding: "Inspired by"

IBT-Binding.jpg

 

Soundhole: McCartney

Macca-Soundhole.jpg

 

Soundhole: "Inspired By"

IBT-Soundhole.jpg

 

Rick

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Congrats on your new purchase and welcome to the 'Inspired By Texan' Club!

 

Honestly? I like the colour of the Inspired By better (the japanese one's too bright yellow..) and I prefer the wood on the sides and back of the Inspired By... I even prefer the slightly redder tortoise pickguard of the chinese brotha [biggrin]

 

I'm very looking forward to hearing how they compare soundwise...

 

I still cannot believe how much bang for the buck this guitar actually is!

 

Note one thing though... The Factory strings are a waste of time, I replaced them as soon as possible..!

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This is gonna be interesting!

 

Rweav, you mentioned that one of your texans had a low serial number, could you let me know how low is low? I don't know how Epi has worked out their numbering sytem for the Mccartney Texans as they are't listed 1- 1964.

 

cheers

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Sorry Rick' date=' my mistake, that question was for Red333.

 

I'm thinking that the Mccartney serial numbers all start with 05 meaning year of manufacture??[/quote']

 

Lefty,

 

As far as I know, the MIJ Elitist 1964 McCartney Texans all have serial numbers in the 05XXXX range, from 050001 (the first) to 051964 (1,964 being the total number of the run). Each came with a certificate showing the entire serial number, and also a white tag attached to the case handle showing just which number of 1,964 that guitar was.

 

That's the way it was explained to me by Epiphone dealers; I have not seen the numbering system outlined anywhere by Epiphone itself, so if anyone has any information to the contrary (or that supports this), I'd appreciate it.

 

Based on the two McCartney Texans I have, this explanation of the numbering system seems logical. For example, the certificate on one of mine has the serial number 050006, while the white tag has 006. This is also consistent for my second McCartney Texan, too.

 

Red 333

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Cool, thanks Red that makes sense - I just got me a Lefty Macca Texan[biggrin]

 

- used tho, no case and no certificate [angry]

 

however .......I've been after an interesting lefty acoustic for about six months now, let me tell ya its really difficult at the moment if your a lefty with waiting lists of six months etc. if your after something a bit special

 

- so I took a gamble on this little fella, the best part was it was less than $600! thats gotta be a good deal....

 

- I won't have it until March when I got out to USA and bring it back - its gonna be staying with my friend till then. I'm just so pleased I got one, never thought I would get one this cheap, no case and certificate is a bummer, got a new one thrown in tho.

 

- but at the end of the day I just want this to play and after all thats what they're made for - right?

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Lefty' date='

 

As far as I know, the MIJ Elitist 1964 McCartney Texans all have serial numbers in the 05XXXX range, from 050001 (the first) to 051964 (1,964 being the total number of the run). Each came with a certificate showing the entire serial number, and also a white tag attached to the case handle showing just which number of 1,964 that guitar was.

 

Red 333

[/quote']

 

This is my understanding to Red....

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  • 1 month later...

 

 

 

Okay the Inspired by 1964 Texan arrived today! It was really cold from it's trip across the South this week. I am letting it adjust to the indoors and will put in some major playing time on it this weekend and give you my comparison opinion early next week.

 

 

Rick

 

Hey Rick

 

Still on the edge of my seat waiting for your review! Maybe you couldn't stop playing the new Texan [lol]

 

It'd be good to hear from you soon

 

All the best, Matt

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