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Post by JoMan on Jun 1, 2004 7:22:14 GMT -5
Hi Everyone!
I posted a similar thread in the official boards, but none replied.... so I'll rephrase my question here:
Wich of the currently available Epi Acoustics (also acou/elec) is your favourite? Try to give reasons! I'm seriously considering buying an Epi Acoustic because I don't have a steel string acoustic guitar...
Waiting for your opinion...
All the Best
Johannes
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Post by Ol Geezer on Jun 1, 2004 16:19:21 GMT -5
Hi Everyone! I posted a similar thread in the official boards, but none replied.... so I'll rephrase my question here: Wich of the currently available Epi Acoustics (also acou/elec) is your favourite? Try to give reasons! I'm seriously considering buying an Epi Acoustic because I don't have a steel string acoustic guitar... Waiting for your opinion... All the Best Johannes Any price range? The John Lennon EJ-160E has a thick solid top and really beefy neck which help it to sound incredible in a room. I had trouble with the internal pickup not grounding properly though, so I had to send it back. Not the easiest guitar to play, but a very distinct and wonderful sound. |
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Post by sandman on Jun 1, 2004 16:24:47 GMT -5
acoustics are pretty personal things and are usually diferent from guitar to guitar. It's best to play each one to find the one you like. There are so many different choices.
I'd start by deciding whether I wanted one withpickup or just plain acoustic. Then what type of wood, rosewood gives very bright trebles and solid midrange punch. Mahogany is balanced throughout, while maple I think is preferred for recording because of clarity. Main important thing is to get a solid top whether spruce or cedar and NO LAMINATE. Side and body preferably solid also but whether it is or not will determine the cost. All solid guitars cost considerably more usually. If your intent on epi's I'd look at the Masterbilt models, otherwise possibly a Takamine or Washburn. But I would go to GC or you local music store and play a bunch of them first to find what FEELS right and sounds right to you. That's the best way to go about it IMHO.
If you want to gamble on sight unseen, you can get some great deals on ebay on some already aged guitars such as Yairi's (drool...drool) and other models you may try in the store although its always a gamble sight unseen.
play hard
eat hard
rock hard
and wear glasses if ya need em
rock on
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Post by hcoll on Jun 1, 2004 20:49:05 GMT -5
...Hey JoMan....
...here's my 2 cents...don't know where you are in your playing abilities....
...I own an AJ-10 which is currently offered as an AJ-100...didn't know anything about guitars when I bought it...lucked out because it's a fine instrument for what I'm doing right now...I didn't have any great expectations when I got it...but it's far exceeded what I had hoped for...even my picky teacher is impressed with it...I plan eventually to replace it...but I won't get rid of it...it'll be my beater...something to take along and not care if it gets dinged....
...personally...I wouldn't go beyond the intermediate price range ($200 - $500) of Epi acoustics without seriously looking at a lot of other brands...you owe it to yourself to look around and compare...and you should be able to know what you're after (tonally) all by yourself...not what others tell you....
...electric...I bought a Dean Markley Pro Mag Grand Humbucker for $60...(Single coils are available too, for $50)...again...far exceeded anything I expected...sounds great with the AJ-10...my local store let me test-drive both of the Dean Markleys before I settled on the one....
...again...my teacher concurred...get an acoustic for its tone...worry about the amplification later...mike it...or...use a sound hole pickup...he doesn't think much of cutting holes in the sides for pre-amps....
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Post by JoMan on Jun 2, 2004 4:18:35 GMT -5
Well, first of all, thank you everyone for your replies!
Ol Geezer: So far I have not thought about the price, but it should absolutely not exceed 1000 $/€, but I guess that won't be a problem, there are a lot of guitars in that range...
then, sandman: I like to play all my guitars before buying them, and have never (and probably will never) bought one on the internet. i think guiatrs are very personal things and buying on the internet is the exact opposite. so that's already reason enough for me to go to a store myself...
hcoll: yeah, I'm not obsessed wit buying an Epi, I just kinda like them... So my first thought was Epiphone....
So, I think I'd like one with pickup (like the EJ160E) or have a sound hole pickup, but I hate the looks of sound hole pickups, takes away their soul IMO.
then about material, I hardly have any experience with it. I think I mainly would play chords - either strumming or picking arpeggios - and some easy blues stuff, just the kind of thing that you can just play at any occasion.
so here's one for steelpriest: i guess you might know Musikhaus Thomann. I'm considering going there on the way to England (by car) in July. Have you had any experiece with them? I have talked with one of the employees via email, they seemed quite OK. So I might buy my new acoustic there.
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Post by Steelpriest on Jun 2, 2004 5:22:47 GMT -5
I was never to Musikhaus Thomann in person, but I ordered a lot of stuff there via telephone and they did send it quick, they are seemingly very nice and kind people. Plus: If you buy from the catalogue or from the internet site Thomann offers you a full 30 days money back guarantee. That means if you are not satified with what you purchased you can send it back and get your money back.  Don´t know if this is possible when you buy in store personally. But Thomann makes very good prices, also it is heard (though I can´t judge or verify it) that Thomann often has special models from a product line that are often different (a bit cheaper) in detail. Or they sell 2nd quality or blemished guitars. Maybe this is a rumor caused by other dealers who are full of envy... - always keep in mind: "It is really hard to beat Thomann´s prices"  I often bought stuff like cables, cases, microphones, FX devices there, but never ordered a guitar. I second the opinion that a guitar is a personal thing and most of my guitars I bought in a store checking them before purchasing. A guitar from Ebay is always like gambling: Is it a keeper or an object of reselling it again... and I wouldn´t gamble with more than 200 €... ;D |
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az123
not so new Member
Posts: 17
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Post by az123 on Jun 2, 2004 17:44:27 GMT -5
One guitar I really enjoy having, and playing, is a 1993 Epiphone Hummingbird guitar. It's a pretty good copy of the Gibson model and sounds great. I saw some recent (new) models a couple of months ago and wasn't crazy about their looks--colors too bright--and fairly shrill sound, as compared to the warm, mellow sound of my semi-ancient one. Anyway, you might want to check these out as one of your choices as you look around at acoustics.
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Post by hcoll on Jun 2, 2004 19:50:29 GMT -5
...az123....
...could it be your 1993 has had time for it's wood to mellow....different string sizes maybe....
...did you ever try out the hummingbird's cousin...the dove....what did you think of its tone compared to yours....
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az123
not so new Member
Posts: 17
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Post by az123 on Jun 3, 2004 18:49:10 GMT -5
You're right about the wood "opening up" across time; that's undoubtedly a big reason it sounds as good as it does. Still, it sounded good way back when, too, so I'm not sure if the recent ones I tried were just a bad batch or something. I've tried some recent Gibson Hummingbirds which were terrific guitars in every way except for the high prices!
I also recently tried an Epiphone Dove, and it sounded pretty good. I don't like the way they look very much, though, so it was hard for me to get past that. I'm glad Epiphone makes these guitars, since most of us would never be able to afford the Gibsons!
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Post by hcoll on Jun 4, 2004 3:59:15 GMT -5
...always thought the hummingbirds and the doves looked about the same...the dove's current finish has been changed to a natural...just curious what was it that you didn't like about it....
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az123
not so new Member
Posts: 17
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Post by az123 on Jun 7, 2004 14:10:19 GMT -5
It's just an eye-of-the-beholder thing. I actually liked Doves more in the older color scheme (but still not as much as the Hummingbird). With the natural finish, I don't like the green coloration on the pickguard, and with any finish I don't like the way the bridge looks. Again, purely an aesthetic reaction, so it's not even worth the two cents my opinions are worth (with only inflation bringing it to that level)!
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Post by JoMan on Jun 22, 2004 8:44:35 GMT -5
Hi Again to Everyone!
Today I was down at the music store and that guy showed me a Garrison aoustic. Seemed like a real nice guitar. Have any of you made any experiences with them?
As for the Ej160E: It's currently not available.... Ive been in contact with three musicstores al over germany and they said they couldn't get it before end of july. Too bad, I really wanted to buy one on my way to England.
So now I'm not sure if I should wait till July/August (but then I don't have a steel string acoustic on vacation) or go for a diffrent one...
Any thoughts?
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Don´t know if this is possible when you buy in store personally. But Thomann makes very good prices, also it is heard (though I can´t judge or verify it) that Thomann often has special models from a product line that are often different (a bit cheaper) in detail. Or they sell 2nd quality or blemished guitars. Maybe this is a rumor caused by other dealers who are full of envy... - always keep in mind: "It is really hard to beat Thomann´s prices" 
I often bought stuff like cables, cases, microphones, FX devices there, but never ordered a guitar. I second the opinion that a guitar is a personal thing and most of my guitars I bought in a store checking them before purchasing. A guitar from Ebay is always like gambling: Is it a keeper or an object of reselling it again... and I wouldn´t gamble with more than 200 €... ;D