Epiphone EJ-200

[jsa11]

So I really want my next guitar purchase to be an EJ-200, but I've played several of the Chinese ones and they've sounded, to say the least, somewhat dry and empty sounding. I'm just curious if anyone has had a positivie experience with the Chinese made ones, or if I should be on the look out for an older model or a copy made somewhere other than the Qingdao factory.

 

Thanks

 

Justin

[BryanFoFyan]

i have one but it has a sticker that says mad in indonesia and honestly it plays great and the sound is very warm and full. at first it sounded good but when i changed the strings to d'addario 12 phospher bronze strings it just made the guitar sound even better.

[BillyGibson]

i have one but it has a sticker that says mad in indonesia and honestly it plays great and the sound is very warm and full. at first it sounded good but when i changed the strings to d'addario 12 phospher bronze strings it just made the guitar sound even better.

 

 

Same here. Made in Indonesia and I also put the same strings on. I never thought I'd like an acoustic so much until I played this one. I liked it even more with the new strings. I love the big fat neck on it and the booming full sound it makes.

[wiggy]

Me too - my EJ200CE is Indonesian (bought just over 12 months ago) and the build quality and finish are impeccable. I found it a little bright at the top end for my liking so went for a set of Martin Bronze (as opposed to Phos Bronze) 13s which tamed the top end and really brought out the mids.

[Red 333]

I'm not sure where it was made, but I recently played an EJ-200 Artist that was a great bang for the buck.

 

Red 333

[EuroAussie]

The EJ-200's that I played recently sounded better to me than their Gibson cousins. Strange, but true. Was very close to buying one.

 

I'm not sure where it was made, but I recently played an EJ-200 Artist that was a great bang for the buck.

 

Red 333

[zombywoof]

The EJ-200's that I played recently sounded better to me than their Gibson cousins. Strange, but true. Was very close to buying one.

 

It has been said a piece of wood don't know what moniker is on the headstock. This is true of both expensive and less expensive guitars. The EJ-200s I have played were smart looking and very well built guitars. They were also good sounding instruments but a Gibson SJ/J-200 they were not. They lacked the bold thumping low end of a good J-200 and did not pump out as much sound - J-200s are loud, I mean loud enough to scare the Hellhound off your trail. On the other hand, considering bang for your buck, I would take a sadly discontinued Epi Bluesmaster over a Gibson Blues King any day of the week.

 

My opinion, for what it is worth, is the J-300 gets you a bit closer.

[DennisMiller]

I bought an EJ-200 Artist this morning, natural color. Made in Indonesia... It's lightweight, plays beautifully and with the new Elixirs I put on it, booms almost like it's Gibson big brother, my J-100X that I recently sold. (Unemployment is painful that way)

 

The way I came across mine was really by accident. I went to the mall with my wife, who needed something at the fabric store across the hall from Guitar Center. When I went into the acoustic room, there was a young man around college age playing the Epi jumbo. He was a really good player and got a lot more out of the guitar than I will ever be able to, but what he did with a $200 guitar just shocked me. When he put it up, I played it and couldn't believe the price tag either. I went back 3 different times to be sure I really liked it and brought it home this morning. My Taylors and Larrivees are probably talking behind my back about whether I've gone crazy, but I am really impressed with this inexpensive guitar, and I don't mean impressed just for the money. This thing is impressive under any circumstances.

[bigneil]

HNGD Dennis

[DennisMiller]

HNGD ?

 

I don't know if that's a compliment or if I should be insulted?

 

Here's a couple emoticons, one for each, just in case.

 

(EDIT ADDED)

 

Found it in another part of the forum... Thank you... Yes, it's been a really special happy new guitar day.

[ksiegel]

I stopped by the local Guitar Center this week, and briefly played the EJ-200 Artist; the sales guy said that when he put good strings on, it was an outstanding instrument.

 

I'm wondering when he was planning to put the good strings on it, 'cause it sounded like crap.

 

But then, I'm a little jaded- I've got a Korean-made SQ-180 I bought new in 1991 or 92 that has a LOT better tone than the EJ-200.

 

Of course I paid a significantly higher price for it back then than the EJ goes for, too...

 

Butthen I'm not finding a lot of guitars for under $600 that have the intonation of the SQ-180, or my 1991 Ovation Pinnacle shallow bowl (Made in that exotic location of USA...)

[DennisMiller]

I've had my EJ-200 a month now and I still feel the same way. Every time I play it, I'm amazed by what a great sounding and handling guitar it is.

 

There is only one area in which it fell short. What I was shopping for when I bought it was something to use as a beater... campout guitar, beach guitar, travel guitar, (travel by car)... I like this guitar too much to take it out of the house and put it at risk. I had been prepared to spend more money when I bought it, so a friend suggested I simply buy a second one and dedicate it to outside duty. It's not such a bad idea.

[bonsaibill]

I have a Chinese-made EJ-200 in Natural finish. I bought it mail-order about two years ago and the action was high, but with work on the nut and saddle, it's just fine now. I have much more expensive guitars, but this is my "go-to". It has wonderful, deep bass, great mid-range and ringing treble. If it had electronics I'd perform with it. It records very well with a condenser microphone. It's (obviously, I suppose)not as beautiful or well-constructed as the Gibson J-200, but to my ears, it sounds every bit as good.

 

ron

[DennisMiller]

to my ears, it sounds every bit as good.

Isn't that all that matters? I love mine too... I have the identical guitar and I'm looking for a sound hole pickup to install with a jack so I can plug in. I once had a Gibson J100X and I'd stack the J200 up against it. I would usually not say anything to people who say their brand X compares favorably to some high end brand name guitar, but this Epi jumbo convinced me it's actually possible.

[bonsaibill]

Isn't that all that matters? I love mine too... I have the identical guitar and I'm looking for a sound hole pickup to install with a jack so I can plug in. I once had a Gibson J100X and I'd stack the J200 up against it. I would usually not say anything to people who say their brand X compares favorably to some high end brand name guitar, but this Epi jumbo convinced me it's actually possible.

 

I was not sure if I just got lucky with this one guitar. It's good to know there are more out there that sound as good. It's a great sounding guitar, and nice looking too. If you find a good pickup please let me know. I have one of those Dean Markley soundhole pickups, but I don't like the sound well enough to perform with it (and sound guys get irritated when I ask them to mic the guitar).

[DennisMiller]

I was not sure if I just got lucky with this one guitar.

No, I think Epiphone hit on something that just works. When I first picked up mine, it had strings on it that were old enough to vote. None the less, there was a sound I felt was very pleasing and a volume I couldn't believe out of a guitar that was supposed to be all laminated. I haven't had it very long, but every time I pick it up, it continues to surprise me. A buddy of mine used to say you couldn't play a Danelectro guitar without getting a smile on your face. I'm beginning to feel like the same is true about these Epi jumbos.

[zerobox94]

Just try them. I recently turned 16 and got an EJ200! When I went to the store to try them (they had 2), the difference between them was heaven and hell. The thing though, is that they were both made in Indonesia. The other one just didn't sound good to me (must have been the wood) The one I have plays extremely well, has a rich and clear sound to it, and I have no regrets about choosing it. So what I'm trying to say is, try it before you buy it, and get the one that sounds the best, regardless of where it was made. Hope that helps!

[lpfan]

I saw one in my friends shop today and it had me drooling. I didn't play it but I have a feeling I'll be putting that bugger on layaway very soon!

[DennisMiller]

I saw one in my friends shop today and it had me drooling. I didn't play it but I have a feeling I'll be putting that bugger on layaway very soon!

I would play it as soon as possible and buy it if you like it, or put it on layaway. When I bought my Epi jumbo at GC, the salesman commented that he was shocked they had 5 of them in stock, not to mention 2 of the fancier model. (I have the EJ200 Artist) He said in the 2 years he's worked at GC, this was only the second jumbo he had sold.

 

It made me wonder if those of us who love jumbos are such a small part of the market that we might see less and less on the stands. Christmas is a time most guitar stores think of as when they will sell most of their inventory and they look at it as an opportunity to restock with the most salable guitars to start the first of the year, when sales are slowest.

 

In other words, if you like it and wait, when you go back it might be gone and they might not feel like bringing another one in just on spec. If you don't like the one they bring in, they might be stiuck with it.

[BryanFoFyan]

i had a martin thinline pickup installed in my ej-200 and it sounds really great. its an under saddle pickup and you plug in through the strap button.

[lpfan]

Oh not to worry Dennis, I'm gonna call the shop on Monday and tell the store manager that I want it. He'll hold it for me till I can get in there and put it on layaway.