Gibson SJ200 - Epiphone EJ200

[chrisbb]

hello,

 

can anyone tell me about the differences in sound of the two instruments Gibson SJ200 and Epiphone EJ200.

 

please, can anyone tell me a good dealer for those guitars in usa or canada. maybe one from whom i can get also a used guitar.

 

greetings

chris

[54merk]

http://www.gibson.com/Dealers/

 

Where do you live????? Find yourself a local dealer, call first to make sure they have these guitars in stock, and go play them. They are as different as a Porsche and a VW Beetle. Just because they look the same, does not mean that they are the same. Made in different countries, one is solid wood, the other has a laminated body and I believe a solid top. Tonewise, they are not even close. It's like buying a print because you cannot afford the original painting. And what is it that so appeals to you about this guitar in the first place?

[chrisbb]

hi 54merk,

 

 

[da mayor]

The Epi doesn't compare to the GIbson. As 54merk says, it's like comparing a VW to a Porsche. Try Musicians Friend, Elderly Instruments, or Mandolin Brothers. Better yet, try for a used one on ebay. You might also want to go for a J100extra, basically the same as a J200, only without all the frou-frou. You can get those used on ebay for around a $1000-1400usd. I have one, maple b/s, and it's a wonderful guitar for strumming.

[Harmonycat]

The SJ-200 By Gibson is the "king of the flat tops". Beautiful solid spruce top with various side and back woods available, but primarily Rosewood or Maple versions. Made in USA.

 

They are bright, bold, loud, articulate, and improve with age.

 

The EJ-200 epiphone is a laminated spruce top copy, with laminated maple sides and back, that is well enough finished but sounds quite dull in comparison. They are made in Korea.

They will never improve or open up to any extent with age and as such, are a poor investment.

 

Try and find an Epiphone EJ-300 which is very similar to the EJ-200, except that it has a Solid Spruce top and laminated Rosewood back and sides. It is a much better sounding guitar that will improve with age. This the true "Poor Mans SJ-200".

 

Be advised that in order for it to sound really good you should take it to a decent luthier or talented guitar tech and have him releave the nut and set it up. That is a minimum.....saddle work is also a good idea. If you are really finicky and want to get the most out of it have a bone nut and saddle made for it.

 

The result even with just the nut properly done will make it sound considerably better. Quite respectable infact. They are very bright and project well for a guitar in that price range. They even have that Gibson "Thud Wackka" sound as they age.

 

I think MF has some of them.

 

If you want something in between in price that is pretty close to the actual Gibson, look for one of the Epiphone Elite Series for less that a grand used....It is the only way to get one unless you find a NOS piece somewhere because they have been discontinued.

[scottgd]

I have an Epi Elite J-200 and it compares VERY nicely with the Gibson.

 

I'm not saying it's the same. But it was at least 1k less.

[Alumitone]

 

Originally posted by da mayor Better yet, try for a used one on ebay. You might also want to go for a J100extra, basically the same as a J200, only without all the frou-frou. You can get those used on ebay for around a $1000-1400usd.

Da Mayor, please be mindful about your suggestions on here as that used to be the case. You should be aware that from this year of make the J-100 has bubinga body and no longer feature the crown inlays of the fretboard, so typical for the SJ line. I believe the J-150 even has a RW body nowadays.

 

I own the maple bodied J-100xtra and it's just a fabulous guitar for the money. Before purchase I tried a EJ-300 and it was as silent and featured as low dynamics as a doornail. The J-100 I have is really vibrant and huge sounding, though, and I'll never regrett buying it.

[guitarNed]

The two guitars you ask about are made from the same materials (pretty much) and look very similar. Both have spruce tops and maple backs and sides. There is a huge price difference, as you know. I haven't played them both, but I've not ever noticed that Gibson models are much like the correspoding Epiphone models. The Gibsons always sound and play better than the Epiphones. I think the Gibson Co. makes sure of that!

 

Here's an interesting bit of J200 knowledge: the Rev. Gary Davis, blues genius, always required that his students purchase a Gibson SJ200 before he would accept them as students. He played the SJ200 and, by God, so did they! It had the added benefit of screening out the riffraff; if they could afford the guitar, they could afford the lessons.

[54merk]

 

Originally posted by guitarNed The two guitars you ask about are made from the same materials (pretty much) and look very similar. Both have spruce tops and maple backs and sides. There is a huge price difference, as you know. I haven't played them both, but I've not ever noticed that Gibson models are much like the correspoding Epiphone models. The Gibsons always sound and play better than the Epiphones. I think the Gibson Co. makes sure of that! Here's an interesting bit of J200 knowledge: the Rev. Gary Davis, blues genius, always required that his students purchase a Gibson SJ200 before he would accept them as students. He played the SJ200 and, by God, so did they! It had the added benefit of screening out the riffraff; if they could afford the guitar, they could afford the lessons.

 

 

Rev. Gary Davis was definitely one of a kind, form everything I've read about him. He played fingerstyle with only a thumb and one finger, and was one of the masters. The choice of a Gibson Super Jumbo 200 for fingerstyle is certainly not typical, and there are very few players who choose this guitar for fingerstyle. OM's have wider string spacing,, and their smaller bodies are more comfortable. Of course you can play any style on any type of guitar, I'm not saying that you cannot fingerpick an SJ200, I'm just saying that it's not what people usually purchase this model for.

 

As for the discussion of Epiphone vs. Gibson, it's been over 35 years since Gibson started importing Epiphone from Asia. I believe it was around 1970 or so that they started importing from Japan. In the 80's and 90's production was moved to Korea, and now they are importing from China. Gibson DOES NOT manufacture these instruments. I believe they are made by Samick. They are COPIES. Nothing wrong with that however many purchasers incorrectly believe that Gibson owns Asian factories to produce Epiphone guitars. So, if you find a super jumbo Epi which you like to play, and it's all you can afford, go ahead and buy it, but don't expect that it to be an SJ200.

[da mayor]

 

Da Mayor, please be mindful about your suggestions on here as that used to be the case. You should be aware that from this year of make the J-100 has bubinga body and no longer feature the crown inlays of the fretboard, so typical for the SJ line

 

 

Alumitone: your right, my bad. I did mention that mine is maple b/s, but I'm aware that the new ones are bubinga. Should have mentioned that. I much prefer the maple.

[Harmonycat]

Originally posted by Alumitone Da Mayor, please be mindful about your suggestions on here as that used to be the case. You should be aware that from this year of make the J-100 has bubinga body and no longer feature the crown inlays of the fretboard, so typical for the SJ line. I believe the J-150 even has a RW body nowadays. J-150, are very nice...didn't know about the recent changes in the J-100's. I own the maple bodied J-100xtra and it's just a fabulous guitar for the money. Before purchase I tried a EJ-300 and it was as silent and featured as low dynamics as a doornail. The J-100 I have is really vibrant and huge sounding, though, and I'll never regrett buying it.

 

 

The EJ-300 right of the shelf generally sound exactly as you have described. I asked a talented luthier that I know what he thought before I bought it.

 

He basically said that everything was in place, ( Laminated RW back and sides and Solid Spruce top), for one of these to be a very good sounding guitar. He even went as far as to say that He would lay me odds that the nut was not properly cut. So I took a chance and bought one for a VERY good price and gave him the guitar and $65.00 CDN. It did not sound good when I gave it to him.

 

Got it back two days later and it is a very nice sounding instrument, bright, clear, and articulate. It has very good sustain and plays loud. The action is fast and clean. What a bargain.

 

It is NOT a Gibson by any stretch of the imagination. Definately not as rich or complex tonally. But a friend of mine couldn't put it down last Saturday Night and he owns some pretty pricey stuff.

[chrisbb]

thanks for all answers.

 

i

[mechengman]

I've never played the maple sided J-100, but my bubinga sounds amazing, plus I get to say "bubinga"