What's the difference between EJ200 and EJ200 Artist?

[MorningGlory]

There's a 200 dollar difference but I'm having trouble telling why there's such a huge jump in price. I'm asking because if the extra 200 only buys the good lucks, I don't know if I could live with making such a superficial purchase.

 

As to background, I'm planning to get an Epiphone acoustic and then getting a soundhole pickup for it. Mainly to play rhythm parts in rock like Oasis and Coldplay.

[modfather]

Hi MorningGlory

I recently got Ej200 Artist lovely guitar , They come without the Moustache Bridge and Crown Inlays and patterned Scratch plate.

Although I have had a moustache Bridge and Scratch plate fitted to mine

 

[MorningGlory]

Ohhh wait..are you saying that that's the Artist, but you fit the bridge and the pickguard yourself? How hard is that for someone like me who has no experience doing such things? And would it cost a lot to have a luthier do it for me? Anyhow, what was the total cost of that for you?

 

Besides the accessories, what's the difference? Is there a significant materials (and therefore tone) difference that warrants the 200 dollar price jump?

[peeper]

The cost is for replacing the bridge is more than the difference in price in the two.

[brianh]

The pickguard is easy - just need to order a replacement, and a hair dryer to get the old one off.

 

The bridge not so much. You need to heat it up with an iron and pry it off. Then reglue and clamp with mutliple clamps and a bridge caul. The clamps have to be long-neck and they're expensive. Between the caul, clamps parts, etc. your're easily above $200 and if you're not extremely careful could ef it up big time...

 

It's a dicey proposition for the inexperienced.

[wiggy]

As I said in the other thread, if you're going to fit a pickup to the J200 Artist then why not give the EJ200CE a try - comes with the Shadow 2 pickup system and really amps/records well. I know the cutaway isn't everybody's taste but the additional cost over the Artist would be pretty much offset by the saving on he pickup

 

[MorningGlory]

Thanks for the input all. @brianh, thanks for the explanation about the bridge. That indeed is something I'm not proficient in. @wiggy, I was thinking about the -CE, but I'd also like to have an external pickup so I could use it if I ever bought a higher end Taylor/Martin down the road.

 

However, I would like to have something clarified, is the EJ200 (with bling) significantly different from the Artist in terms of sound and feel? Are there differences in intonation, being able to hold tune (doesn't the EJ200 have Grover tuners?), tone?

[BillyGibson]

I bought an EJ 200 last week. Haven't had time to take a picture, but you know what it looks like. Personally, I like the added bling. It's my first acoustic. I chose it because it had a big chuncky neck, bling and lots of "boom" on the bass strings. It also has lots of sustain and sounds alive. The tuners hold up well too. I check the tuning when I play it with a tuner that clamps on to the headstock and it's in tune each time I pick it up. Grovers are great.

 

Even though it's a laminiated top, it has a big sound. It may never "open up" like a solid top, but it doesn't need too. And I don't have to worry about having just the right humidity that a solid top needs. This thing is practically bullet proof.

 

Make sure to play a few first, because the quality does vary. I tried two naturals and the vintage sunburst. One of the naturals was just plain bad - bad binding, saddle too low, fret buzz, wood on top didn't match. The other natural was just about perfect. And the vintage sunbusrt was perfect too. I wound up taking the VS home - it has a richer look.

 

Let us know what you decide to do...

[BryanFoFyan]

i have the ej 200 in vintage sunburst and its a really great guitar. ive actually switched from electric to acoustic because i love the sound of this guitar but they are definatly inconsistantly made so as said before make sure you play it because ive played some with horrible action and dead frets and bad binding. the one i got is a good one so just make sure you test before buy.

 

[MorningGlory]

Okay I appreciate the input, and yes, actual playtests are important of course. What I really want to know though, is if we disregarded looks, which guitar is better?

 

As far as I can tell - they're both maple+spruce laminate jumbos. Does the moustache bridge have a particular effect on the sound? Is the quality generally the same, or is the more expensive one better?

 

 

....also...how hard is it to nab an EJ300? Like an EJ200 but with solid top..I would kill for one of those. >_>

[duxrus]

I have both...EJ300 and the EJ200 artist...both are great guitars.....both have distinctive sounds....got both of them off e-bay...I got really lucky

[amx05462]

i just put a fishmal presys in mine . under saddle sounds great

[Svannim]

For everyone concerned with sound... In my personal opinion and experience, the Artist sounds better than the regular. What makes me think this is the moustache bridge, and the finish. The moustache bridge on the EJ-200's are really nothing like the m. bridges on it's Gibson cousin, the J-200. The Epiphone one is very blocky, has square sides and has mother of pearl where the Gibson cutouts would be. This makes the bridge very bulky, and I think this affects the sound as the mass of the bridge prevents maximum top vibration. And I also have reason to believe that the finish on the black and sunburst guitars affect the sound in the same way, it weighs the top down which prevents vibration. I played a good 5-6 EJ-200s and none of them sounded anywhere near as good as the Artist models I played. It took me awhile to buy the artist because I kinda liked the bling, but I started not liking the look of the bling anymore when I compared it to the Gibsons. But I bought the Artist the other day and I'm very happy with it and plan on taking it in to get it set-up for medium gauge strings and to replace the plastic saddle with a bone one. That is my opinion based on my experience with the two. Both models now have solid spruce tops now as well.

[ukulelemainiac]

For everyone concerned with sound... In my personal opinion and experience, the Artist sounds better than the regular. What makes me think this is the moustache bridge, and the finish. The moustache bridge on the EJ-200's are really nothing like the m. bridges on it's Gibson cousin, the J-200. The Epiphone one is very blocky, has square sides and has mother of pearl where the Gibson cutouts would be. This makes the bridge very bulky, and I think this affects the sound as the mass of the bridge prevents maximum top vibration. And I also have reason to believe that the finish on the black and sunburst guitars affect the sound in the same way, it weighs the top down which prevents vibration. I played a good 5-6 EJ-200s and none of them sounded anywhere near as good as the Artist models I played. It took me awhile to buy the artist because I kinda liked the bling, but I started not liking the look of the bling anymore when I compared it to the Gibsons. But I bought the Artist the other day and I'm very happy with it and plan on taking it in to get it set-up for medium gauge strings and to replace the plastic saddle with a bone one. That is my opinion based on my experience with the two. Both models now have solid spruce tops now as well.

 

Swap the plastic nut too. It will be well worth it.