Epiphone SJ 200 CE

[PickyPick]

I am mainly an electric guitar user and i rarely come to any other part of the forums, Ive had an Epiphone Super Jumbo for quite some time now and i put various types of strings and i never get the type of sound i wanted. First i started with Gibson Vintage 10 gauge, realized it was far too light and then bought Gibson 12 gauge... it sounded really nice but not quite what im aiming for. I am mainly a strummer and occasionally when its called upon i would do some type of lick or single string technique. If i had to say im going for a Noel Gallagher acoustic type sound. So far i did not like the way Elixers played, they seem to be about the same quality as a Gibson with double the price tag. so im so far in favor of the Gibson 12 and the D'Addario 12 gauge, but they seem to go dull far to easily. These strings are great but can any of you recommend a string that makes the acoustic guitar Boom? Thanks for your help.

[PickyPick]

Also i would like to know how to make my guitar sound better overall... i have a set of Grover Imperials that i want to replace the standard Grover Tuners (this is for cosmetic reasons though im pretty sure these tuners are exactly the same) I know i have to change the Nut thats a must. but does changing the Bridge and String pins help too? if so what kind should i buy to enhance the tone to the fullest?

[wiggy]

I use Martin Bronze 13's on mine which are a little warmer than normal PhBr strings and help to tame some of the overly bright tendency of the guitar and really allow it to project.

 

 

I use 11's on my electrics so these feel very similar in terms of weight.

 

A good bone nut and saddle will make a difference - pins have little of no sonic effect.

 

 

 

 

 

[PickyPick]

Hey thanks for that reply so far im getting both the nut and saddle replaced with bone and i tried Gibson Masterbuilt Bronze Phospher strings... and i gotta say with the standard nuts and saddles it makes this guitar really ring... so im not really eager to hear what it would sound like with the new bone nut and saddle... thanks for the advice :D

[barton8367]

speaking with experience, the best strings i have had on mine are Ernie Ball Earthwoods, 12 gauge.

 

Ive also fitted a graph tech tusq saddle and without exaggeration it makes my ej200ce sound like a gibson j200 studio. I played them side by side and couldnt tell the difference!

 

go for as thick strings as your fingers can handle and get that standard saddle replaced!!

[jwalin]

Try some of the Curt Mangan Strings. www.curtmangan.com. I would suggest getting your nut as low as possible without buzz, and going with either Bluegrass guage 12's (my choice) or 13's. These guitars need heavy strings. Bone nut and saddle is the only way for me, some prefer the Tusq. I switched to rosewood pins and thought I could tell a difference, but it's not likely. But, they are prettier!!

 

Low action and heavy strings are great for the Ej-200's

[franklin]

speaking with experience, the best strings i have had on mine are Ernie Ball Earthwoods, 12 gauge.

 

Ive also fitted a graph tech tusq saddle and without exaggeration it makes my ej200ce sound like a gibson j200 studio. I played them side by side and couldnt tell the difference!

 

go for as thick strings as your fingers can handle and get that standard saddle replaced!!

 

 

So, you use on your ej-200ce .012 (Ernie Ball Earthwoods)??

.012-053??

 

I have one too, and I'm using 012-053 D'addario, but I think it's not good, I was wondering .011-052, have you already used it?

[Aster1]

I like my EJ-200CE quite a bit, esp. after having it setup. I will say that I find the laminated spruce top (Select Spruce) to be less bright than I like for what this guitar is patterned after. I found, for me anyway, that I like the D'Addario Phosphor Bronze 11's or maybe 12's. I know that the 80/20 Bronze are suppose to be the brightest. I listened to recorded test one time with a bunch of strings on the same guitar (all brand new). The Phosphor Bronze were the brightest sounding. I do like the Martin 80/20 bronze that were mentioned earlier a bunch. Sometime, I'll do a quick A/B on Bronze vs Phosphor Bronze.

 

I like the ring of the .12's the best, but sometime the ol' fingers and barr cording don't hold up these days.

 

Tell me more about the saddle & Bridge pins change out Barton

 

Aster

[franklin]

I like my EJ-200CE quite a bit, esp. after having it setup. I will say that I find the laminated spruce top (Select Spruce) to be less bright than I like for what this guitar is patterned after. I found, for me anyway, that I like the D'Addario Phosphor Bronze 11's or maybe 12's. I know that the 80/20 Bronze are suppose to be the brightest. I listened to recorded test one time with a bunch of strings on the same guitar (all brand new). The Phosphor Bronze were the brightest sounding. I do like the Martin 80/20 bronze that were mentioned earlier a bunch. Sometime, I do a quick A/B on the two.

 

I like the ring of the .12's the best, but sometime the ol' fingers and barr cording don't hold up these days.

 

Tell me more about the saddle & Bridge pins change out Barton

 

Aster

 

 

Cool. I'm using D'addario .012-053 it's not good ,you know? But could be better.

Which option do you think should I try? Continue .012-053, but change the brand (maybe Elixir) or I try to use.011-052?

 

PS: I realized that the standart strings that came with the instrument was kind of thiner than .012-053.

[Gibsonguy1689]

wow! nice stuff, I love the epi sj200, I never played one. I wonder how it measures up to my gibson.

[Aster1]

wow! nice stuff, I love the epi sj200, I never played one. I wonder how it measures up to my gibson.

 

I think you'll find the sound quality much better on your Gibby. Much deeper voice, volume and brightness too. I've maybe got $550 in the Epi and may be on the hunt for a J-200 someday. I just like having USA made guitars the best I guess (even if like sound & quality).

 

That's just me, right, wrong or indifferent.

 

Aster

[barton8367]

So, you use on your ej-200ce .012 (Ernie Ball Earthwoods)??

.012-053??

 

I have one too, and I'm using 012-053 D'addario, but I think it's not good, I was wondering .011-052, have you already used it?

 

i wouldnt go any thinner than .012 to be honest. you need as heavy strings as you can handle to get the best out of the jumbo sound, any lower than 12 and you may as well not bother with the jumbo

[Dodger11]

If i had to say im going for a Noel Gallagher acoustic type sound.

 

I've noticed that Noel strums very close to the bridge (whereas I'd strum more directly over the soundhole) and this gives the guitar a thinner brighter sound (I know your question was about strings but this may make a difference as well).

[milod]

Dodger...

 

Great point IMHO.

 

I've a theory that whether we're acoustic or electric pickers - I'm both and pickin' for me dates back almost 50 years - "we" tend to look to equipment for our sound rather than how we play.

 

One of the reasons Segovia referred to the classical guitar as an orchestra within itself is the way that so many different tones can be coaxed from an instrument through differences in one's technique.

 

On the Gibbie forum, one longtime regular who teaches guitar in the UK noted how a famed instructor loved the tone of a master class student's guitar but, when he played it, the tone was lesser than when the technically lesser player-student was playing it.

 

It ain't the guitar, ain't necessarily the strings or nut or bridge unless there's something "wrong," that may make as much difference as the player him/herself. Even how one holds the guitar against the body will affect what comes out.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'd love having two customized Gibbies with a real pro luthier setting them up for the two basic styles I play - gentle fingerpicking and "old time" flatpicking.

 

But having had years of less expensive guitars before we had so many string choices through web catalogs, I guess I worked more on getting the most I could out of what I could have. Frankly I found that attitude and a decent setup with appropriate string gauges more important than brand.

 

BTW, if you note old vids of Mother Maybelle Carter, you'll see her approach to her huge strings appears to be capo up and them play "flat" across the strings as though playing the autoharp. That old Gibbie archtop certainly lacks the boom of a J200 even with the piano wires she used. But it all fit for the way she played.

 

Yeah, she let me try playing it once. I'd been playing a lotta 12-string and frankly wasn't man enough to get Wildwood Flower working without her capo. I think she was chuckling inside at how a supposedly strong young male was getting thumps 'stedda ringing out of the guit. <grin> She never offered the capo.

 

m

[Dodger11]

Thanks Milod

 

great story btw!

Noel also has a very stiff (IMHO) strumming wrist which might be due to the fact he is left handed and strums with his right?

I really get what you're saying about trying to get the most out of what you have both guitar wise and also with your own way of playing/talent.

 

I have seen a great player make a £70 acoustic sound amazing and as someone here once said "The guitar doesn't know what name is on the headstock"

 

I have my EJ160e strung with acoustic Elixir 11s and while that may not be proper or sound good to other people's ears, it sounds great to me especially for what I want to play. I also have a Terada Jumbo acoustic that a friend found in a dump that sounds as good (if not better) than most EJ200s that I've played and I have it strung with PB 12s - it looks about 40 years old and has dings and pieces missing in the binding but sounds bright, loud and full.

 

Dodger