Epiphone AJ220SCE vs HummingBird Pro

[kanishkdudeja]

Hello

 

I'm on the lookout to buy an Epiphone Electro Acoustic and have shortlisted the following 2 guitars:

 

Epiphone AJ220SCE

Epiphone HummingBird Pro

 

They're all similarly priced and i'm confused between them.

 

Which one of them is the best, in terms of playability and sound?

 

I'll use the guitar for mostly strumming songs(not much of fingerpicking), so you might want to take that into account.

[Freeman Keller]

Before I go any farther K, welcome to HCAG.

 

Second, obviously the best way to answer your question is to play both of them, preferably side by side in the same quiet store. I'm guessing that isn't possible (you are probably buying on line) - so please take what you read here with a grain of salt. Personally I wouldn't buy a guitar like this (or frankly any guitar) without playing it - end of lecture...

 

I have not played both of those - only the Hummingbird (and it was a Gibbie) some time ago. I have played a J-45 which is somewhat similar to the AJ and I happen to be building a J-35/45 clone so I have a little knowledge of what goes on inside. That said, the comments below are more theoretical that based on any side by side A/B comparison.

 

The Hummingbird is a true dread, square shouldered, long scale and a bit more heavily braced than the AJ, which is short scale and so called "sloped shouldered". They are similar woods - solid spruce over laminated mahogany. The AJ of course is a cutaway - only you know how important that is (IMHO most acoustic players don't need a cut). Both have built in electronics - there are slight differences but both have piezo UST's and should sound pretty much alike plugged. Obviously too, big differences in finish and bling, the Hummingbird is a bit of an icon - I associate it with Sheryl Crow.

 

Big differences, then, are scale length and size/bracing. Short scale guitars (the AJ, J-35/45, many of Gibson's electrics) have less string tension. They are easier to fret and bend - if you come from an electric background you might prefer that. They also have slightly less stretch to form chords. Long scale (the HB) have more tension which drives the top harder - if you strum hard you might prefer that. Most Martin dreads are long scale if you want something to compare the feel. Both guitars have the same nut width and fingerboard radius so scale is the big factor here.

 

I believe the AJ is slightly lighter braced (like the J-35/45) - if that is true it will be slightly more responsive - again, you might like that if you finger pick or play lightly, if your strum is pretty heavy you might want the heavier bracing and larger air volume.

 

Bottom line, they are probably similar enough that you would be happy with either. Try to play them if you can, let us know what you decide.

 

 

[MePeel]

I have had several Epiphones, most recently an AJ-220S as well as an Inspired By Texan, which I currently own. The AJ was a true cannon with clear tone. The Texan isn't as loud, but it has plenty of volume and a more complex tone. For a better view of the differences, I suggest that you check into the Epiphone forum. Those guys are a wealth if information.

 

Mel

[DeepEnd]

Hi and welcome to the Forum. As Freeman mentioned, a cutaway isn't usually necessary on an acoustic, plus it makes construction more complex and drives up cost. For that reason, of the two guitars you mentioned, I'd lean toward the Hummingbird Pro. However, you might also want to consider the straight acoustic AJ-220S and have an aftermarket pickup installed. Out of curiosity, is there a reason you're leaning toward Epiphone versus other brands?

[Idunno]

The questions you ask are rather personal in effect and can only be answered by you through your own playing and listening. If you're a strummer only - which I assume from your statement about there not being much fingerpicking - then there are many guitars capable of giving you great sound at price points above and below the two you've identified. But, whatever you chose, you'll be fine with it as a fingerpicker as well. Don't get all caught up in the hyperbole about distinctions between guitars relative to strumming or fingerpicking. There's no guitar I can't strum or fingerpick and if I can, anyone can. People tend to parrot what they've heard about playing versus guitars and all of it is speculative subjectivity usually without empirical experience to support it.

 

Get something that's loud, clearly defined across the strings with a slow, easy strum and then quicken the meter to make sure the clarity exists at the tempo you like to play. Emphasize single string notes as you strum and listen for their presence. The treble side can be weak in guitars regardless of style. If you have to work to get the trebles out, move onto the next guitar. Mids and bass response are usually in-the-pocket across most styles so focus on the higher freqs. Bring a capo and move around the neck using all the major/minor chord shapes. A good hour of that exercise should also let you know what body style, dimension and shaped neck seems preferable so keep that stuff in mind.

 

If you come away with a Yamaha product you'll probably be pretty safe and won't ruin your reputation or bank account.