Epiphone EJ-160E

bosifis · Post by **bosifis** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:59 am

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Epiphone-EJ160E-John-Lennon-AcousticElectric?sku=518653&src=00633&247SEM

Does anyone have one? I know it's not a true Gibson, but for $500...I'm wondering if it sounds just as good???

Any thoughts???

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 11:09 am

I had one for a while, Brian. It was a good guitar, but Gibson/Epiphones are just not to my liking. But I suppose if you're wanting to give it a try to see if it suits you, $500 is far better than $2200.

bosifis · Post by **bosifis** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 11:18 am

I have a bunch of Epiphones and like every one. I was just wondering if it sounds close to the Gibson?

beatlejon · Post by **beatlejon** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 1:15 pm

I currently own one...Great guitar for the price! Sounds really nice too!

tennis_nick · Post by **tennis_nick** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 3:26 pm

I was gonna buy one whenever I wanted my own acoustic. some things are a bit different from the Gibby though. Scale lengh is longer on the Epi, Knobs are further down the body, and the pickup is a mini humbucker instead of a P-90.

probably wood diffs as well, but the pickup and scal lengh are the biggest worries for me.

lennon211 · Post by **lennon211** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 6:09 pm

I had one for a long time. It had some real positives. It sounds good unplugged for the money, plays well, and captures that cool vibe for the money. I traded up to a Gibson J-160E and I can tell a huge difference between the two in terms of quality and sound. Don't get me wrong, the Epiphone is a good guitar, but it's just not quite there. The Gibson has the really punchy sound to it that is great and that the Epiphone just can't touch. Also, the P-90 in the J-160E sounds better than the P-100 mini-humbucker that they are installing on the Epiphones. In my opinion, it sounds rather sterile compared to a P-90. There's nothing like plugging in either one though into a Vox amp and playing "I Feel Fine". When it comes down to it though, it's not like comparing an Epiphone Dot to a 335. These really are more different than that, as there are a great many different things that go into each guitar; it's not as simple as most Epiphone-Gibson electric guitar trade-offs being import vs. domestic. Such factors as the top material, the pickups, etc., really do set them apart from one another.
As a disclaimer, I do have Epiphones in my collection, and I don't consider them to be inferior instruments.

jwh · Post by **jwh** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 1:23 pm

I own one. It's a decent guitar for the money but you get what you pay for I guess. If I was going to spend a couple thousand dollars on a new acoustic I'd buy a Martin.

britye · Post by **britye** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 4:39 pm

I have one, used it yesterday in a jam session, it may not be a Gibson but it worked for my budget and I quite like it. Plus nobody complained about the sound yesterday.

congerz83 · Post by **congerz83** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:31 pm

I picked one up at my local place, and I was amazed how thin the neck was. It seemed like a comfortable instrument to play.

expomick · Post by **expomick** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:46 pm

We have a music performance studio here where I work in Toronto (XM Canada), and Gibson is one of our (fine) sponsors, which means that each month, the channel director for "The Verge" gets in a shipment of Gibson's and Epiphone's for us to play around with...and for the artists to use, but as you'd imagine, they usually prefer their own guitars.

Anyhow, we did have a J-160E, and, while my only Gibson experience has been here at work, I found this particular guitar to be a tad disappointing.

The above comment about Gibson's vs. Epiphone's, and the quality of materials, etc. makes sense to me, going by what I've been able to play.

Hmm, wish we coulda gotten a deal with Rickenbacker. Then again, the security camera's would have to be disabled at night, for some particular reason.

bosifis · Post by **bosifis** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:01 pm

Thank you guys so much for the info/input. It is much appreciated! I guess it was just that I got a new "Musician's Friend" catalog and saw the Epiphone for $500 and said, "Hmmm, guitar #14???" I guess I'll give it some thought...Though, I am now leaning toward SAVING $500. The Gibson version would be a dream to have but, I REALLY can't see spending more than $600 on an acoustic guitar!!! It just doesn't make sense to me!

Again, thank you everyone!

kog · Post by **kog** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 10:31 pm

Just throwing in my .02. I've had the Epi EJ-160E for two years now, and I'm very happy with it. However, I've never played the Gibson J-160E, so I really have no way to make a comparison.

For me, it does exactly what I wanted it to do -- give me that Beatle sound and vibe for my little garage project of recording their stuff. (Just yesterday was doing "Girl" and it was perfect -- and it accurately nails the feedback at the beginning of "I Feel Fine".) The workmanship and finish were (and are) gorgeous. My only complaint was the action was a bit high for me, but after a pro set-up, all was well.

At the time I got the EJ-160E, MF was selling the J-160 for $1899 (it's up to $2249 now). Not to dis Gibsons at all...my main guitar interests are Rics and Gretschs and I'd never take cheaper alternatives on them. But my Fenders are MIM and my Gibsons are all Epiphones! And I'd rather spend a couple thousand or so on a Martin -- or better yet, a Rick acoustic!

britye · Post by **britye** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:55 pm

Jerry I'd say the action is a bit high on mine too. I mentioned it to my buddy at a recent jam, I said here have a go at it and see what you think.. He thought it was fine. I still think it's a bit to high for my tastes. I think I'll get a pro set up too. BTW what brand, guage strings did you have put on it? any suggestions?

bosifis · Post by **bosifis** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 4:21 pm

Jerry, you're killing me! Here I was just ready to save $500, and now you mentioned "Girl". That has been my song for the last month and a half!!!

Jerry and BriTye, call me an idiot, but what is a "pro set up"? Taking it to a professional? There's nothing here on Cape Cod. Only one guitar store...Which is WAY TOO expensive and loaded with jerks for employees! There are two good guys there and everytime I go in when they're not there, I walk back out. Sad.

Yeah Jerry, what string gauge do you use? I use the lowest available with a wound 3rd.(Love the Gretsch's as well)

johneek · Post by **johneek** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 5:15 pm

I suspect that when Bill Mahony (who's in the process of moving) get's settled in, he'll probably comment on this, since he owns both guitars. I know he likes his Epi and doesn't think that there's over $1500 worth of difference between the two (though he still likes his J160E very much).

Being the friend of a guitar hoarding fiend like Bill has provided me the opportunity to play all kinds of things I can't afford, among them both of these guitars. To be able to A/B them was really a treat.

How was the Epi? Not a bad playing guitar at all. Set up was good and I thought it played very nicely. Was it as good as the Gibson? Not even close. Is it worth over $1500 more than the Epi? That's a tough call and depends on a lot of things...like how much money you have. On a different but parallel subject, I think there is a huge difference between a Korean Epi Casino and the Japanese Elitist Casino. Worth every penny of the price difference. Is the 1965 or Revolution Casino worth almost twice as much as the Elitist? Not by a long shot. Once again all this is IMHO...

Standing alone, the EJ160E was a nice guitar and I think a very good value. It starts to fade a little when I compare it to the Gibson, but that may be some guitar snobbery coming out on my part.

Oh, don't forget that there is also a scale difference between the two (IIRC). BTW, you can get a J160E a lot cheaper than what you're seeing at MF....