moonlander Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Hi, does the AJ-500ME comes bone or plastic saddle and bridge pins? i understand that it doesn't come with a hard case, so what does it comes with? a basic fabric one? Also, i understand that some people have problems with the eSonic2 electronics, is it really that common? shuld i consider getting the one w/o electronics? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diverden Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Bone nut and saddle. Plastic bridge pins. No case- order the EDREAD case. My model came with Baggs Element pickup which is excellent. They now come with the eSonic2. My experience; I recently returned an Ej200CE because the esonic sounded so bad. You might want to look for a used AJ500ME with the Baggs, or just get an AJ500 w/o a pickup and have the one of your choice added. It's not that big of a job. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonlander Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 Bone nut and saddle. Plastic bridge pins. No case- order the EDREAD case. My model came with Baggs Element pickup which is excellent. They now come with the eSonic2. My experience; I recently returned an Ej200CE because the esonic sounded so bad. You might want to look for a used AJ500ME with the Baggs, or just get an AJ500 w/o a pickup and have the one of your choice added. It's not that big of a job. Good luck. Thanks for the tip! was the esonic defected, or you just didn't like it even when it worked like it supposed to be? anyone else had bad experience with esonic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diverden Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 Thanks for the tip! was the esonic defected, or you just didn't like it even when it worked like it supposed to be? anyone else had bad experience with esonic? No not defective. Just very vague pot control. Very difficult to dial in accurate volume. I tried it every way possible nanomag alone, nanoflex, alone, blended. No matter what I did it just didn't sound as good as my Baggs Element in my AJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanstreak Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 Ya I have a AJ-500M that I put a Baggs element in and it sounds amazing. I also put a Baggs iBeam in my DR-500M and it has a noticably different sound but still awesome. Not sure if it's entirely due to the different type of pickup or if the square vs round shoulders is also a reason. Either way I'd say get one without the electronics and put your own L.R. Baggs pickup in it. My brother has a DR-500MCE with the cutaway and the E-Sonic2 and he wants to switch it out for a Baggs because he says mine sounds way better than the factory stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonlander Posted May 6, 2011 Author Share Posted May 6, 2011 Ya I have a AJ-500M that I put a Baggs element in and it sounds amazing. I also put a Baggs iBeam in my DR-500M and it has a noticably different sound but still awesome. Not sure if it's entirely due to the different type of pickup or if the square vs round shoulders is also a reason. Either way I'd say get one without the electronics and put your own L.R. Baggs pickup in it. My brother has a DR-500MCE with the cutaway and the E-Sonic2 and he wants to switch it out for a Baggs because he says mine sounds way better than the factory stuff! well thats settled, if i'll get the aj500m, its going to be the one without electronics.. my main decision is now between a used gibson j-45/wm-45 and the aj500m. apart from budget, what is your opinion about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanstreak Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 well thats settled, if i'll get the aj500m, its going to be the one without electronics.. my main decision is now between a used gibson j-45/wm-45 and the aj500m. apart from budget, what is your opinion about it? man that's a tough one to be sure. The new AJ will be $500, plus the L.R. Baggs Element will be about $125 plus the install roundabout $75 or maybe more since there is drilling involved.....plus the tax lol and you are looking at the absolute max about $800. I would think you could find a nice used J-45 for around $1600. I would say my AJ-500 with the element pickup sounds easily about 80-90% as good as a J-45 for less than 50% of the price, so if money is the only concern then go with the Epi. BUT.....buying a guitar can also be an emotional issue, and if you've always wanted a Gibson you won't be truly happy until you have one! And of course a Gibson J-45 is the gold standard and it comes with the L.R. Baggs element already installed. As much as I love all 4 of my Epi's I'm also saving up to buy a Gibson, my Hummingbird fund currently sits at $2000. I plan on having $2750 by Christmas and getting a brand new one from sweetwater via the three payments option shortly thereafter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonlander Posted May 6, 2011 Author Share Posted May 6, 2011 man that's a tough one to be sure. The new AJ will be $500, plus the L.R. Baggs Element will be about $125 plus the install roundabout $75 or maybe more since there is drilling involved.....plus the tax lol and you are looking at the absolute max about $800. I would think you could find a nice used J-45 for around $1600. I would say my AJ-500 with the element pickup sounds easily about 80-90% as good as a J-45 for less than 50% of the price, so if money is the only concern then go with the Epi. BUT.....buying a guitar can also be an emotional issue, and if you've always wanted a Gibson you won't be truly happy until you have one! And of course a Gibson J-45 is the gold standard and it comes with the L.R. Baggs element already installed. As much as I love all 4 of my Epi's I'm also saving up to buy a Gibson, my Hummingbird fund currently sits at $2000. I plan on having $2750 by Christmas and getting a brand new one from sweetwater via the three payments option shortly thereafter! Thanks for the opinion, yeh its kinda hard to decide especially for me since i don't have access to lots of guitars locally, and i'm planning on buying one from abroad through the internet.. actually i never even heard the aj500m and discovered it only by reading about it during my search for j-45 alternatives. there isn't even one decent recording of it which i could use for a good comparison anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanstreak Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 Thanks for the opinion, yeh its kinda hard to decide especially for me since i don't have access to lots of guitars locally, and i'm planning on buying one from abroad through the internet.. actually i never even heard the aj500m and discovered it only by reading about it during my search for j-45 alternatives. there isn't even one decent recording of it which i could use for a good comparison anywhere. Oh ya, the new AJ-500M's only come in natural, so if you want sunburst you'll have to get a used one. Oh and about the sound, I got you covered dude! This guy has about 100 songs on YouTube using an AJ-500M natural gloss - He uses a normal home camera, no fancy recording techniques/equipment or anything so you get a good idea how it will sound in real life. I've spoken to him via email and he's really cool. I'm sure he would be willing to make a sound test type video if you asked him. So where are you from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonlander Posted May 6, 2011 Author Share Posted May 6, 2011 Oh ya, the new AJ-500M's only come in natural, so if you want sunburst you'll have to get a used one. Oh and about the sound, I got you covered dude! This guy has about 100 songs on YouTube using an AJ-500M natural gloss - He uses a normal home camera, no fancy recording techniques/equipment or anything so you get a good idea how it will sound in real life. I've spoken to him via email and he's really cool. I'm sure he would be willing to make a sound test type video if you asked him. So where are you from? i'm from israel, we have some good music gear stores here, but they always have only a selection of guitars from every guitar manufacture, never the whole line. i've seen some videos from this guy, but i'm looking some folk fingerstyle example, say, james taylor style. all of his videos are more heavy strummed and with a pick. i might ask him for an example, i hope he's up for it. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diverden Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 well thats settled, if i'll get the aj500m, its going to be the one without electronics.. my main decision is now between a used gibson j-45/wm-45 and the aj500m. apart from budget, what is your opinion about it? If budget is a concern, go with the AJ500M. The body size is the same as the J-45. I believe the bridging is different. The sound is also very similar. Both are good for all types of music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
username1985 Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I have(had) both the AJ500MEVS (Mahog, Electronics, Vintage sunburst) and the WM-45. I sold the AJ5 to a college student for 375, an absolute steal for that guitar. I sold it to pay for the WM-45, 1000, I know it was a lot. I then added comp bone saddle and bridge pins and Fishman UST. The AJ5 is one I regret losing because it had such a great sound, really miss that one. But with that said, I would fight Tyson to keep my WM-45. The WM-45 sounds more professional than the AJ5, it's cleaner and clearer. Like I said before, I miss that AJ5, it was incredible but comparing just the two, I would keep my WM. I've seen WM-45 on ebay for BIN 800 and it didn't sell. If I could have snuck it past the wife, I would have bought that one too. PS- one thing you have to remember chasing a particular sound you hear on radio or youtube or whatever, ids the sound system they put it through, the mics, amps,etc. but most important is the wood. Mahogony and Rosewood have distict sounds. J-45 use both, WM-45 are only mahog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanstreak Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 I have(had) both the AJ500MEVS (Mahog, Electronics, Vintage sunburst) and the WM-45. I sold the AJ5 to a college student for 375, an absolute steal for that guitar. I sold it to pay for the WM-45, 1000, I know it was a lot. I then added comp bone saddle and bridge pins and Fishman UST. The AJ5 is one I regret losing because it had such a great sound, really miss that one. But with that said, I would fight Tyson to keep my WM-45. The WM-45 sounds more professional than the AJ5, it's cleaner and clearer. Like I said before, I miss that AJ5, it was incredible but comparing just the two, I would keep my WM. I've seen WM-45 on ebay for BIN 800 and it didn't sell. If I could have snuck it past the wife, I would have bought that one too. PS- one thing you have to remember chasing a particular sound you hear on radio or youtube or whatever, ids the sound system they put it through, the mics, amps,etc. but most important is the wood. Mahogony and Rosewood have distict sounds. J-45 use both, WM-45 are only mahog. nice pic, I could go for more! I've wondered about those WM models compared to the Epi Masterbilts, you don't see many around anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonlander Posted July 6, 2011 Author Share Posted July 6, 2011 nice pic, I could go for more! I've wondered about those WM models compared to the Epi Masterbilts, you don't see many around anymore. hey you guys revived my thread.. well since i opened it i got a gibson j-50 :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanstreak Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 hey you guys revived my thread.. well since i opened it i got a gibson j-50 :) sweet! pics are a MUST! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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