Kody.B Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Hi all, I posted here about a month ago about buying an Epi Masterbilt, and I got some great help from the people on here and ended up getting an AJ500M. I freaking love the thing, and I find myself looking to buy again in the future. I can't afford that J-45 I've been lusting after still, but I would buy another Masterbilt in a heartbeat. I now am looking at something with a pick up in it. (Stupid new player question, will I need a specific amp for an accoustics or will it run off my Marshall for my electric?) I have been looking at everything offered by Epi, and have decided I want what I think is called the dreadnought shape? I like the cut out down the bottom for the versatility of the fret board. I have narrowed it down to a DR500MCE and a EF500RCCE. DR is winning so far for shape and finish (love the vintage sunburst), but I can only judge it on looks, as I know little about accoustics still. Can anyone tell me the difference between these two guitars? I know I'll have to test them both but I'd like to know a little bit first. I'm looking for a clean and bright tone for solo work but so it can still play amongst other accoustics during chord progressions etc. I'm tossing up between a Takamine as well. Blasphemous I know :) Thanks to anyone who helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euchre Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 The first thing that comes to my mind is that the EF will have a wide, fat V-shaped neck profile making it particularly suitable for fingerstyle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyroadman Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Hi - Here's my thoughts, others can certainly add more - The DR has a narrower neck, 1.68, than the EF, 1.75 (both measured at the nut), and is identical to your that of your AJ. The EF, as Euchre pointed out, is more suited to finger-style play. The DR top is solid sitka spruce, the EF is cedar. Your AJ has a solid sitka spruce top. Cedar will, in general, sound "more mellow" than sitka spruce, "less bright". Both are obviously cut-away design. The DR is a dreadnought style; it seems Epiphone is unclear if the EF is a jumbo or dreadnought, or a hybrid/variation of both styles. I own a DR500M, purchased in 2007. It's a gem. Added a pick-up. Purchased a floor-model Fender Acoustasonic™ 100 Combo amp, way more than I need but the price was right. I've had my eye on the DR-500MCE for some time. Hope this helps, Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloozeguy Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Hi - Here's my thoughts, others can certainly add more - The DR has a narrower neck, 1.68, than the EF, 1.75 (both measured at the nut), and is identical to your that of your AJ. The EF, as Euchre pointed out, is more suited to finger-style play. The DR top is solid sitka spruce, the EF is cedar. Your AJ has a solid sitka spruce top. Cedar will, in general, sound "more mellow" than sitka spruce, "less bright". Both are obviously cut-away design. The DR is a dreadnought style; it seems Epiphone is unclear if the EF is a jumbo or dreadnought, or a hybrid/variation of both styles. I own a DR500M, purchased in 2007. It's a gem. Added a pick-up. Purchased a floor-model Fender Acoustasonic™ 100 Combo amp, way more than I need but the price was right. I've had my eye on the DR-500MCE for some time. Hope this helps, Regards, Actually, the EF series is roughly the size of the Martin 000--maybe a bit bigger, like the M (or 0000) size Martins, but still smaller than both DR & AJ. A couple other q.'s from this thread: I think the EF500RCCE is the one EF model that DOESN'T have the V-profile neck. Still, with the wider nut, a good finger-picker. Got to try a couple out before I settled on my AJ500RC12fret. And, yeah, maybe the cedar top gives it a mellower sound than sitka would, but there's still plenty of high-end "snap" even on my cedar AJ, and certainly on the EF. Amps: one place I play has a house Fender Acoustasonic Jr. 30-watter. Plenty in that one for almost any venue you'd be playing solo. For that matter, I have the little acoustic amp from the Epi PR4 player pack, which actually does pretty well in a pretty standard sized barroom. My mando player had the time of his life with it there just last week! If you can find one used apart from the rest of the p. pack, pick it up (it'll be mucho cheap--meaning inexpensive--mine $50. near mint) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kody.B Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 Thanks to everyone for their help! I actually wanted a DR when I was looking but the store only had an AJ and it played so nice that I don't mind that I got it now. I don't think I'll be playing finger style for a while yet. I'd like to someday though. I may keep a lookout for that amp, I wouldn't be playing in a very large venue in the near future. I feel that maybe the DR would be the better option for me. I'm not sure whether I should buy an Epi with a pickup or put the money in a bank account and keep adding to it do I can get a J-45. Decisions... Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagwood Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 .............or put the money in a bank account and keep adding to it do I can get a J-45. Decisions... Thanks again! If your going to be saving up for a $$$$+ acoustic, keep an open mind and also look at Martin and Taylor and others, not just the Gibby's. I've played many Gibby's and they're hit and miss comparatively and at the price point most Gibson Acoustics are at I expect the instrument to be perfect yet sadly most don't pass muster with me. I do own an Epi MB an AJ500RC12 and I too decided to save money to get a 'higher' end guitar. I ended up with a Taylor and I don't regret it one bit. I still play my Epi..almost daily but for going out and performing (plugged in) the Taylor knocks everything else dead....just my opinion. :) Good luck with what ever you do and the only real advice I can give is to play as many guitars as you can. Don't listen to anyone say this or that about a certain brand or model...test it out yourself and you decide what works best for your situation. Happy Hunting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euchre Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 I think you'll always have one eye on the J45 so I'd keep saving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kody.B Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 I know that a lot of people aren't a fan of a J-45. I agree the the quality is somewhat hit and miss. But I've played 3 different J-45s and I only disliked one, but I felt that was a string issue. I tried a Martin and 2 Taylor's when I bought my MB and what I played was good, but didn't "do it" for me like the J45. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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