epiphone acoustic

[kipper]

hi all hope you all had a great Christmas. anybody had one of these budget end appox £135 Epiphone EAE5WRNH3 1963 EJ-45 Acoustic Guitar its got the slope front just want to know there any good. only home use. thanks peter

[JimN]

Solid or ply top?

[kipper]

hi jim this is the spec Item Weight 5 Kg
Product Dimensions 108 x 43 x 10 cm
Item model number EAE5WRNH3
Back Material mahogany
Colour Wine Red
Fretboard Material Palisander
Scale Length 62.8
Top Material Fichte
Neck Material Type Mahagoni
Number of Strings 6
Guitar Attribute dreadnought
Guitar Bridge System fixed
Size Full Size
Spruce top and mahogany sides
• Historical 'jumbo' shape
• 1960's slim taper throat
thanks peter

[JimN]

The term "spruce top" (or anything similar, including "cedar top", "mahogany top"," maple top", etc) usually means laminated with the topmost layer being a veneer of the indicated species.

Googling for "Epiphone" and the model number you provide gives returns at various well-known UK guitar shops, including GAK, Andertons and GuitarGuitar.

Every single one of them simply mentions "spruce top".

This other Epiphone J-type, though - even though it is cheaper, at £119 - is specified with a solid top:

http://www.andertons.co.uk/steel-string-acoustic-guitars/pid30972/cid677/epiphone-aj220s-solid-top-acoustic-guitar-in-vintage-sunburst.asp

So are a few others at about the same price bracket (£99 - £175), eg:

http://www.andertons.co.uk/steel-string-acoustic-guitars/pid30971/cid677/epiphone-aj220s-solid-top-acoustic-guitar-in-natural.asp

(solid top for £99!)

http://www.andertons.co.uk/electro-acoustic-guitars/pid17001/cid679/epiphone-inspired-by-1964-texan-electro-acoustic-in-vintage-cherry.asp

(a good copy of the Texan - with solid top - for just under £300.)

By contrast, this one - an Epi version of the Gibson Hummingbird - does not specify a solid top:

http://www.andertons.co.uk/steel-string-acoustic-guitars/pid32685/cid677/epiphone-hummingbird-artist-acoustic-guitar-in-honeyburst.asp

I suspect that this means that the models which are stated to have solid tops are going to be better guitars in the long run than better-looking ones (eg, the J-200 copy) where the top is simply said to be "spruce" or [even worse!] "select spruce".

That one for £99 looks like a bargain.

[dave robinson]

The most important things about any guitar are these:

A. Does it play well

B. Does it sound pleasing

C. Does it stay in tune

If you like the look of it and all the answers to the above are 'yes', then it's a keeper. Some less expensive guitars are good buys, there's a lot of snobbery about names. I have Gibsons, as well as a Martin, but my Washburn, Yamaha and home made acoustic built by a friend for a fraction of the cost easily stand up as do as good a job in their own right.
If the answer to any of those questions is 'no' then there's your answer. There's no shame in playing an Epiphone guitar or any other make if you like the sound and enjoy playing it.

[kipper]

The term "spruce top" (or anything similar, including "cedar top", "mahogany top"," maple top", etc) usually means laminated with the topmost later being a veneer of the indicated species.

Googling for "Epiphone" and the model number you provide gives returns at various well-known UK guitar shops, including GAK, Andertons and GuitarGuitar.

Every single one of them simply mentions "spruce top".

This other Epiphone J-type, though - even though it is cheaper, at £119 - is specified with a solid top:

http://www.andertons.co.uk/steel-string-acoustic-guitars/pid30972/cid677/epiphone-aj220s-solid-top-acoustic-guitar-in-vintage-sunburst.asp

So are a few others at about the same price bracket (£99 - £175), eg:

http://www.andertons.co.uk/steel-string-acoustic-guitars/pid30971/cid677/epiphone-aj220s-solid-top-acoustic-guitar-in-natural.asp

(solid top for £99!)

http://www.andertons.co.uk/electro-acoustic-guitars/pid17001/cid679/epiphone-inspired-by-1964-texan-electro-acoustic-in-vintage-cherry.asp

(a good copy of the Texan - with solid top - for just under £300.)

By contrast, this one - an Epi version of the Gibson Hummingbird - does not specify a solid top:

http://www.andertons.co.uk/steel-string-acoustic-guitars/pid32685/cid677/epiphone-hummingbird-artist-acoustic-guitar-in-honeyburst.asp

I suspect that this means that the models which are stated to have solid tops are going to be better guitars in the long run than better-looking ones (eg, the J-200 copy) where the top is simply said to be "spruce" or [even worse!] "select spruce".
thanks jim appreciate your help and time. peter

That one for £99 looks like a bargain.

thanks for your time on this jim I brought the £99 aj seems a good deal. peter

[kipper]

The most important things about any guitar are these:

A. Does it play well

B. Does it sound pleasing

C. Does it stay in tune

If you like the look of it and all the answers to the above are 'yes', then it's a keeper. Some less expensive guitars are good buys, there's a lot of snobbery about names. I have Gibsons, as well as a Martin, but my Washburn, Yamaha and home made acoustic built by a friend for a fraction of the cost easily stand up as do as good a job in their own right.
If the answer to any of those questions is 'no' then there's your answer. There's no shame in playing an Epiphone guitar or any other make if you like the sound and enjoy playing it.

thanks dave. peter

[Uncle Fiesta]

Quite agree with Dave here - if it plays well and sounds good, then don't be ashamed to use it regardless of the name on it.

I personally am a great fan of Yamaha and don't think you can go wrong with them, even the cheap ones. I've had a couple of their 6-strings and am currently bidding on a 12 - wish me luck!

[kipper]

decided that the aj-220s at £99 including free postage was a no brainer so just ordered it, I really don't understand how they are made to sell at this price. I will find out when it arrives if its ok. thanks for the help. peter

[kipper]

hi all happy new year my aj 220s arrived and it does look really nice. played it a bit but the action is way to high, neck seems set ok so will shave some off the saddle. I have been looking at video's on the net and a few of them show that lots of new budget end acoustics are shipped with shims under the saddle and after removing them height seems ok, so will check that first. but first impressions with quality and finish ect are very good. looking at the invoice I paid £99 including postage and vat so price after that was appox £82. the guitar is far better than that price range doesn't make sense to me. peter