Budget Acoustic "Parlor" Guitar Review - Fender CP-100, Gretsch Jim Dandy & Epiphone EL-00
Vložit
- čas přidán 29. 08. 2024
- A test and comparison of 3 budget (under $300) "Parlor Guitar" style acoustic guitars. Paid links: Fender CP-100 (amzn.to/1JMCkJ4), Gretsch Jim Dandy (amzn.to/1U9r1i6), and Epiphone EL-00 (amzn.to/3DBEZ5Z).
Spoiler below!
My opinions:
The Epiphone EL-00 is the strummer of the lot, with a more scooped midrange. You need to dig in with the pick to get the tone to pop out through the thick poly coating.
The Gretsch Jim Dandy is the smallest of the three, and although it sounds smallest (almost along the lines of a tenor ukulele) it projects well, and would make a very cool second acoustic guitar if you own a dreadnought sized guitar and are looking for a complimentary tone, especially for recording!
The Fender CP-100 is basically what I was looking for in a "parlor" sized guitar; a present midrange that sounds good for fingerpicking and thumb plucking blues, and won't sound overly "boxy" when strummed. The body size is just right for taking along for songwriting in the tour bus, musing in the park, or busking on the street. And if someone steals or pulls a Bluto Blutarsky on it, you won't despair for having lost an irreplaceable vintage Martin or such.
The Jim Dandy is on sale on Amazon at the moment for $169 - amzn.to/1U9r1i6 Great deal for a very cool little guitar.
Yes, I really like the sound and vintage looks of that one! :-)
Just got one today at Guitar Center for that price. I'm very happy with it because I was looking for a parlor size guitar to play while sitting on the sofa. Nice sound.
Played one at my local store. Very fun play around guitar.
$169 is the regular price. If your going to buy I would suggest for the same price with free shipping you buy it from Elderly Instruments on line. They do a free inspection and set up on every insrument sold. If you buy it from Amazon or Guitar Center you are getting it right out of the box from the manufacturer.
Now it is called to pull a "Kurt Russell"
I wish all guitar reviews were done like this! It's so much more effective to do an audio side by side comparison with immediate edits 'in time'. If I were to have ever done a guitar review, that's what I'd have done too ☺ Nice one, mate.
P.S. my choice out the three would be the Fender.
+Tom Knott Thanks Tom! Glad it's appreciated. It's hard to get an idea how they sound side by side, even with all three in a shop - by the time you put one down, pick up the next, etc. your perspective is already skewed... This helped me pick one for me (and it did happen to be the Fender!) best, joe
Cool, yes I bought this a few years ago on the recommendation by a friend who'd broken his $2000-ish Gibson Parlor guitar and had a friend in the same position who lent him his Fender CP-100. They both claim it generally holds its own against the Gibson. Now, I'm sure the playing field changes as both those models would age etc. yet they said it was remarkable for such an affordable guitar.
This is an excellent video. Almost 4 years old now and still one of the best guitar review videos I've seen. kudos
Dan Nesberg You had a moustache before you were 4 years old??
I've tried all three and a Takamine, bought the the Fender and one year
later bought the Gretsch. For me the most important feature of a guitar is how big the smile in my face is when i am playing it and on this competition Gretsch wins
Cool mate #TeamJimDandy
For what its worth, I bought the Jim Dandy 3 years ago, and its held up exceptionally well. I think it sounds fantastic, looks phenomenal, and plays easy. Its been my main guitar since I bought it, and couldn't recommend a product more.
Agreed I've had for 2 years. quick question to you.. Have you changed the strings, if so which strings did you choose? I want to change them but have no idea what ones to get lol
i just go with the d'addario light gauge...sounds great
Agreed, I love mine...
@@FB-mw5gv hey mate. Had mine a few years. Love mine, too. I play mostly finger picking blues like Big Bill Broonzy and Mississippi John Hurt. I change my strings frequently (monthly at least) and I've experimented with many strings. I've settled in Daddario EJ26 phosphor bronze as my favourite. Divine
@@allbunsglazing with fingerpicking, do you find the spacing between the strings to be problematic? Heard that it's smaller space between strings which is not optimal for blues fingerpicking..
Honestly, one of THE best reviews I have ever seen. Very objective, pros and cons, you don't miss a detail and I LOVED the way you made your "cut in" sound samples. I could close my eyes and try and figure out when the other guitar was played. Love it! Thank you. Mario
Thanks man!! best, joe
Mario Fromadistance
Wow. This is absolutely the best video comparison of 3 guitars. All other guitar reviewers can learn from this. Well recorded. Love the back to back sound clips.
I'm a stummer. I ended up buying a used el-00 and couldn't be more pleased. It has a luscious deep tone, is easy to hold, and looks beautiful. I did tons of research and this might have been the review that sold me on one. 👍 It was a great alternative for my bulky dreadnought.
I dred my dreadnought and spent $3000 on it. I'll be ordering the 00 now.
@@juana1483 Let us know how it goes, if you get one. There's so many to choose from now
@@pay9011 I sure will. Although I may just go for broke----000-28---- 48 month financing at GC right now, or $67 a month. I'm really fighting myself right now!!!
@@juana1483 i think i got lucky. Back in 2015 i paid $190 which included shipping. I don't recommend buying used though because so many things can go wrong. I simply got lucky on a used one.
Almost two years later and this is still one of the most informative videos out there! I bought a Fender CP-100 after watching this video and I absolutely love it! I'm strongly tempted to get a Jim Dandy now as well just to have a bit of variety in my recordings.
I'm looking at a second hand CP-100 which brough me here, thanks for your positive words!
Best guitar comparison and review I've seen in a while. Thank you.
Great review. The Gretsch Jim Dandy is my favorite couch, campfire, road trip, jam with the guys, and " blues up a recording" guitar! She can be both sweet and sassy...buttery and still yank at those heart strings in a soulful voice.
None were better than the others really. The Gretsch sounds great for blues, the Fender for ballads and the Epi for country.
Ziad Yac §
This is probably the most informativ guitar demo I have ever seen, good job!
As a blues or roots / America axe, I love the Jim Dandy, especially for the price.
Thanks for the well constructed and insightful review.
Shawn Stoner
Stoner Guitars
Enjoyed this reveiw very much. They all have their "sound". For my style playing I'd go with the Epi EL-00 pro.
Thanks for the review. I played the Gretsch at a music store and was kind of surprised. I may go back and get it.
This was a really well balanced review that really helped! I think the Jim Dandy is best for that finger-picking treble tone that is the reason why I think a lot of people would be looking for a parlor size guitar. The epiphone is well balanced, but it just doesn't sound like a parlor guitar
Great review, well put together and very informative. Agree about the gloss finish on the Epiphone, it does tend to strangle the sound a bit. The Fender was probably the best "all rounder" of the three but the Jim Dandy has the most personality. I have never been a big fan of the parlour style guitar but I could see myself buying the JD as a second guitar.
I tried out the Jim Dandy, and the Fender Parlour Guitars in a Shop today. They were both exactly the same price. They both sounded very good for the price. But I decided to go for the Fender, because I didn't really like the thick neck radius of the Jim Dandy. The Jim Dandy also had a little higher action than the Fender, which I'm not too keen on. The Jim Dandy was also joined to the body at the 12th fret, and with the Fender you get two more before it joins onto the body. They both seem very good Guitars at this price point though. Nice Review, thank you.
1. Fender
2. Epi
3. Gretsch
Fender actually sounds quite beautiful.
Yes!
I'd take Gretchen if it's good enough for Eric Bibb it's good enough
@@misdiagnosed3027 yeh I have the Jim dandy... I haven't played the others but the Jim dandy is s truly fun guitar to play.
Mike Mono would you recommend the Jim dandy to someone trying to learn to play guitar ? Or would the fender be a better choice for a beginner ?
@@wattson6469 I would go with the Jim Dandy for that.
I like the Fender sound best
You know, I'm not sure if this is good or not but i feel like the epiphone changes with sound quality depending on the video. Some vids sound great and some sound atrocious. Not sure if its the guitar and inconsistent build, or if it just has a specific sweet spot for recording. I played one myself at a Guitar Center, it wasn't bad, but not inspiring.
james campbell have you played the fender?
No, I haven't. Just the Epiphone. I ended up recently getting a GS Mini though.
Im getting the fender in a couple weeks and im so thankful for this review. Very secure in my choice now
I thought this was a very accurate review and assessment of each guitar. His evaluation of the finish and it's effect on the Epi was dead-on, the tone was muted and a it affected the resonance of the lower mids, all of which he mentioned. The Fender and the Gretsch both had better sustain to my ear. If I were looking for a parlor sized guitar that would be flexible enough to use as a strummer tone-wise, Fender wins. For straight finger picking and just plain fun, the Gretsch wins.
this is such a great video, spot on, playing was lovely and nothing was missed, just ordered the Epiphone.
Best guitar comparison/review I've ever seen. Although I actually preferred the woody tone of the Fender, I've chosen the Jim Dandy as my first acoustic since I also value it's compact proportions and unique aesthetics. I'm certain that, even if I eventually upgrade to a 'proper' fuller bodied guitar, this characterful little fella will always have a place beside me.
This is how to compare guitars. Great video.
I was looking to compare the Jim Dandy with others. Never rated Fender acoustics, but this one pleasantly surprised me in all playing styles.
Thanks a lot to make this review! You helped me to make my choice about these guitars. I'm gonna go to pick Jim Dandy.
Very seldom do I change my mind on a CZcams review. This is excellent though and steered me off of the epiphone that I was kinda set on. Well done. Great review.
Best side-by-side video review I've ever seen. The Fender had the best sustain, but that boxy sound of the Gretsch is unique. The Gretsch appears to have a slightly smaller body, which I would think affects the sound. I always wonder about strings as well. I've tried some high-end guitars that sounded clunky, that had oxidized strings from everyone's finger grease. Then tried some cheap guitar with newer strings and it sang. So did these all have the same strings? When these three are just sitting there, and I'm looking at them, there is definitely ONE that begs to be picked up and played because it just looks cool.
I have the Epiphone and it's really good.
@Dion St. Michael . What?
how do i tag every youtuber that has ever done a guitar review? cuz this is how they should do it
One important point, the Epiphone EL-00 Pro has a nice case and pickup! I got my lightly used Epi for only about $240 with a hard case! Although here in this video the sound to me was Fender nice for strumming, Gretsch for fingerpicking, Fender/Gretsch for blues, Epiphone for the last chords. Although ALL the fingerpicking sounded great on all guitars. Yet my guitar sounds great in person. Another awesome guitar which I could have got for about $225 was LAG T270PE with pickup. Beautiful, sounds great!! But no case. But Epi beats it on pure looks with the sunburst.
Looking for a parlor guitar and this was a very well done review. Based on what I watched here, the Fender would be my selection but not crazy about the finish.
I bought the Epi EL-00 Pro a year ago after comparing the very three same Epiphone, Fender and Gretsch models. I have to say that to my hands and ears the Jim Dandy seemed a cheap toy. I enjoyed playing the Fender and couldn't complain about the price, but I had to factor in the additional cost of retrofitting it with a pickup, and besides, I didn't feel the tone held up favorably when compared to CZcams player videos of the Epiphone. (The best EL-00 player videos are on the Jack Mayeaux channel.) I had the guitar set up and changed out the saddle, bridge pins and strings for improved tone and playability, and I gotta tell you, I love it more and more with each passing day! Don't forget -- the Epi is the only one of the three with a solid spruce top, and this box only gets sweeter with the passage of time.
Ronald Light Thanks, Ronald. I am looking for a guitar to play and take around as i don't take my vintage Gibson out much in public....I aprpeciate your response..what strings do you use? i always gone for dean markley's bronze lights
Cynthia Mahaffey Provocative question ;-) I bought the Epi when I was first learning to play, and mostly electric at that. The stock 12s were killing me! I'm still a relative novice and play mostly electric, so for now I'm using Martin SP Flexible Core Silk & Phosphor which I like very much.
Ronald Light Oh, thank you! I will have to try these. Appreciate it, brother. Blessings
Cynthia Mahaffey I saw where you were asking about pick ups, yup, there's a factory under-bridge Fishman, I believe. It doesn't have a great reputation, but it gets the job done. A Fender amp and a chorus pedal, and it sounds pretty darn ethereal.
Ronald Light Cool, thanks Ronald!
I had the Fender for a short time. It was one of my most fun little guitars. I was actually going to bang it up to make it look more vintage. A buddy bought it and still plays it.
Thanks for an informative, equal review that shows the capability of the three guitars! I bumped into a Jim Dandy a couple years back at Guitar Center and really liked the sound of it! I have plenty of guitars like my Strat, Casino, Yamaha F-335, SG (Epiphone)and a couple others, but I lacked that sound of down home and gritty. Will be buying the Dandy very soon! Thanks in part to your review and proof that my memory of the sound was correct! Kinda strange having no pick guard on the Fender.. Thanks again! May your guitar(s) never go out of tune! :-D
Nice review. Thanks. To my ears, the Gretsch had the most personality, the Fender was the most balanced performer and the Epiphone sounded thin and lacking in any personality, which was surprising. It's the most expensive as well.
mrxsg I agree. It's a shame about the Epiphone because it felt great, and was nicely built. It's that thick poly coating that just ruins it... they should do a version with a similar finish to the Fender and Gretsch - it would be a sweet guitar that way.
Yup. Didn't seem to have much character to it. Thanks for the vid by the way.
Just bought the Jim Dandy, I think it sounds great for the price, and the size will make it serve well as a travel/knock around guitar! I also think the Jim Dandy really lends itself to the delta bluesy style which i love.
It would be my pick for a porch and travel guitar.
I liked them all in their own way, leaning toward the Epiphone, the neck is real nice when I checked it out at a local store.
Wife got me the gretch- as cheep as these are- I’m looking at getting the other two. Some have thousand dollars collection- I got the poor man collection which is fine with me. I’m happy with what I got. If I could afford anything- then I wouldn’t have nothing to look forward too. My thoughts anyway
Same here Rick.
One of the best comparative video's i have ever come across. Excellent. Thank you.
The Epiphone is my pick
I love the ol happy colored marbles. That's a genius arrangement of a genius band
Hail boognish
...also I'm considering removing the pick-guard from my Jim Dandy; I understand it lifts easily with a credit card and hairdryer. I do think the modern Helvetica typeface G printed on it looks incongruous to the style of the guitar - without the guard this guitar will look pretty much the twin of the one Blind Blake carries in his only photo "Cordially Yours" 1926.
Honestly, I like the Gretsch Jim Dandy
Very useful review. so many CZcams reviews are kind of a waste of time. Thanks for this work you do.
Thank you, Glad to hear you find it helpful and informative. best, joe
Gretsch and Fender sound pretty close, the Epi has a bigger sound because of size but it is a more expensive guitar and it comes with electronics too. It's a touch choice, I kinda like the Gretsch for the price mostly. Thanks for a great review, thumbs up !!!
LOVED The Muted Bass technique!!! That's SO hard to do. You are good!!
Thanks! That's from a song I'm tracking now "Stay With Me". Just cut the drum track this weekend, and time to start guitar overdubs :)
Most here like the epi, but I go for the Gretsch for the looks, and it sounds ok, kind of old delta blues sound, and I like the bridge that doesn't require pins, that's a plus IMO.
Vladimir Medvedev agree
Yes. That’s kinda the kicker for me too between the Gretsch and the fender
Great job reviewing these three guitars. Well done and very helpful.
the gretsch is probably my favorite, at at least it definitely beats out the epi, imo
I just got the Epiphone el00 Pro and love it. I tried the Jim Dandy and while I liked it I found the Epiphone to be a more versatile guitar as its great for strumming. I too found the finger picking to be slightly quieter on the Epi but when I put a set of Martin Flexible Core strings on it the guitar came alive. I agree with you about wishing it was a satin finish though. Ultimately, my choice was based on the fact that as many guitars as I played I just couldn’t put the Epiphone down. I use it as a backup and it has served me well. I play it most when sitting around my house just practicing. I do want to try that Fender though. From your test it seems to have a nice balance between the 3 and I really love that boxy blues tone it had.
I also ended up buying the epi. I'm a stummer and it fit my needs exactly for a smaller guitar. The sound is no way thin as others have mentioned. I think it's surprisingly full sounding with plenty of low end. I'm not good enough to notice if the gloss effects the sound, but it looks beautiful.
Thanks I will try the strings you suggested on mine. Mine needs to come alive a bit more also.
Great job with this comparison and review. Love your detailed explanations and opinions. Have you played the Recording King RPS 7 and if so what are your thoughts, especially as a strumming guitar?
Jim Dandy to the rescue!
Really like the review style here. It was fair to all the instruments and let me hear how they were different.
That Jim Dandy sounds better than the other 2 but I like the looks of the other 2 better, but would definitely pick sound over look.
The Fender sounded the fullest, most closely resembling a dreadnaught. The Jim Dandy sounded like a Mississippi John Hurt record, which to me, is really the point with a parlor guitar. That is to say, the Jim Dandy had the most unique sound of all three.
Awesome review! Been looking for a cheap parlour guitar for a few weeks and after this video (and several others) Jim Dandy it is!
Excellent review, they all have their own individual strength. Depends on the type of music and style you want to play. Just ordered the Dandy, can’t wait to try it out myself. Really great video, I got a lot out of the comparisons thank you
Exactly,Fender is louder and sustain is also better than others.But sound of character is quite normal or plain.
Epiphone has the best balances of all. This is just my opinion. Thank you.
1.Epiphone
2.Fender
3.Gretsch
Impressions, YMMV: The Epi has the liveliest high end, but it also seems to have some fret buzz, and looks like the string spacing and / or action is out of whack. The Fender: Pretty balanced compromise between the two -- less lively highs than the Epi, less overall boxy than the (smaller) Jim Dandy. All 3 pretty good, though, and well-presented.
excellent review ! better than most alot of people just say review and hey we know it is all about them and not us ;-). I like how you kept it short for each guitar and split it up for each comparison. Jim Dandy sounds cool
Gr8 review! (y) I have the Fender CP-100, and I love it. I have fest tempted to get the Epiphone EL-00 as well, primarily for the microphone it has. But now I leaning more towards the Jim Dandy to get an even smaller guitar than the CP-100 that still sounds great.
i would like to see a comparison between the gretch and the recording king dirty 30's parlors, ...can you do that ?
I bought the CP-100 needing a smaller/lighter box for Delta slide. Sold my Nash Tricone. Will keep my nickle Dobro. I'm going to slip in an LR Baggs A1 Active pup so that when I want get dark and dirty, all I have to do is click on my light bulbs and let it rattle past the paper and magnets. An educated 44 years tells me this will be a great thing. More later. Thanks for putting this out there. Scotty
The Epi is actually all solid wood top and body so will end up sounding better over time and eventually outclass the other two laminates (probably) plus it comes with fishman electronics. Not bad.
They are all quite different, and have their charms. I loved the Epi, I just wish they would make them without that thick poly coat! I'd snap one up right away in that case.
:) Yeah, I tend to like natural, satin or nitro finishes too!
I don't know about the Fender but the Gretsh is solid wood, however that wood is Agathis which is a softer wood. I have a friend who has had the Gretsh for a few years and it still plays and sounds well even with the cheaper wood.
The Epiphone will sound better in100 years when the poly dip treatment falls off it. Most Epi's have this awfull feature. I wish they would can it.
The fender is solid spruce top also
I'm getting the Fender one, had to sell (which I regret) my Cort L-100P, which sounds way better than any of these. But, the nicest sounding of these batch is the Fender one.
Fun fact: one in five people in Indonesia plays the guitar. So it's a good chance that any guitar built in that country will be done by people who show a little bit of love to the product. (And they're nice people there) I can't quite afford the cash for an American or Mexican made guitar, so I'll take an Indonesian guitar over a Chinese built instrument any day.
I like them all, and I got a Jim Dandy just a few days ago. It's as much fun to play as my little Recording King parlour, it's very hard to put down. Maybe not so good for strumming (still good, though!) but the boxy, middly sound is great for bluesy or roots fingerstyle, and it has a lot of punchy volume for such a small guitar.
Really good review video! Definitely answered some questions i had. Thanks for posting!
12 fret, and wide neck The Jim Dandy Would be the one I would get.. (THE BLUES )
I would go Gretsch, Fender then Epiphone. I have a Jim Dandy. The build is a bit plastic but it plays, sounds & looks really nice.
Great review! I'm thinking of getting one of these specifically for some blues/fingerpicking work. And I immediately fell for the 'bluesy/boxy' sound of the Gretsch. Just hope that neck's not too chunky for me. I'll go and check it out at the store. Thanks!
Great review with the editing one into the other.
Well done.
Great review. That's how it's done! The Jim Dandy was surprisingly bright & dynamic in mids & highs. Epiphone rather disappointing. I was really rooting for that EL-00. What a shame.
I have the Epi El00 and I love it. It's not really parlor guitar size though.
Dead on representation of the Jim Dandy. Had mine for a while now and it's hard to put down. It's been my go-to take-along guitar for camping and out and about playing. Cheap enough to not cause anxiety travelling and built well enough to deliver an honest and earnest sound for a singer songwriter. Planning to add a pickup so I can use it as a quirky backup guitar for live gigs. Probably the Gretsch pickup but we will see ...
This vid really showed how playing style significantly influences "tone". It's funny because people argue about tone all of the time and there are so many factors that can't be listed on a spec list.
The Jim Dandy reminds me of my old Airline guitar from the 60’s. It’s wonderful for playing early Muddy Waters songs. In fact if the Jim Dandy really can do what I’m looking for I’d get one. I LOVE the Epi’s looks. I’m sure it’s a nice guitar. This sounds strange, I know. But, for some reason I’ve always shyed away from Fender acoustic guitars. Most likely to my loss.
John Hickey I know what you mean. I’ve always been a strat man but Fender acoustics kind of sound soulless. But I’ve only played the lower end models.
The fender won. Just got today. Very very easy to play. The action is spotless. Only the strings sound and feel cheap.
On the Epi L00 suggest you simply start by swapping out the plastic crap string pins for Graph Tech Tusq Ivory Acoustic Guitar Bridge Pins
Thanks for the informative video! I was looking at all 3 of these and was erring towards the Fender or Gretsch. The sound on the Epi is quite thin and I think I prefer the Fender overall, so that's the one I'm going to buy!
I really dig that low E drone blues thing you played! Good review too.
Thanks man ... a song in the works. Hope the review was helpful
Well it sounds great, I hope you'll post a video of the finished song.
Me too!!!!!!! ♥♥
Thanks guys! That's a new song coming up from my band "Troutband". Just tracking the album now. I'll post a link when we've got them done. Quite a few in that sort of style, with low stuff and melodies going on together. best, joe
One of the best review I've ever seen!! Good job! ;-) :-) and thank you. :-)
I think the Gretch has that old timey blues vibe. Elizabeth Cotton would feel vert at home with it.
An excellent review video! Thanks for posting this.
There's a reason why out of the 3, the Fender sounds the most like an actual HlSTORlC parlor guitar is because it's the closest to the shape of what parlor guitars were in their hay day. The other two sound like scale guitars, which is actually what they are and true to form, they sound fine for a scale guitar, but calling them parlor guitars is more of a marketing ploy. Look up "restored" or "antique" parlor guitars (1830's to 1920's) and you'll both see and hear what i'm talking about. A true parlor guitar does not sound like a scale guitar. True parlor guitars unique shape and particular dimensions give them a tonal quality, warmth and projection which are simply sublime and sound nothing like a scale guitar. Not surprising at all that Fender would have the know-how to build an affordable version that actually does emulate (even if not perfectly) many of the sound characterics of the historic beauties which almost no one gets right nowadays.
Gretsch Jim Dandy is THE CLASSY VINTAGE MODERN
Yes, I agree, a great way to compare tone etc. Thanks for this.I came here to check out the Gretch as there is a used one near me that I might pick up. This has been really helpful.
Is it possible the the finish of all the guitars are the same thickness and the the only difference is gloss or satin? They may all be the same finishing product so I am not sure about your observation in regards to the Epiphone.
My grandpa has a slivertone 604 from back in the day. When I was a kid I used to always play it. I found a refurbished silvertone h-621 which is full sized. Not sure how to feel about the re issue silvertone 604s, so I'm kind interested in the Jim dandy.... mainly for the size
Thanks a lot! As these are three of the guitars I've just been looking at, your comparison was extremely helpful. I especially love the way you cut from one guitar to the other in the sound samples - I had tried to do the same thing with the samples on the vendor's website, but your cuts are faster than I can change between windows on the pc ;) I'm leaning towards the Jim Dandy, by the way, but won't decide yet...
The Dandy is the only parlour here, body at the 12th fret. the other two are 00 size, slightly larger wit the body at the 14th fret
I think the Gretsch Jim Dandy sounds better picking, Fender, Epiphone in that order.
One thing to consider also is the Epiphone is a solid top, witch may sound better down the road. The other two will sound pretty much the same as they do now.
Am I right.?
Al Lamp Yes you are!
Actually not entirely. The solid wood or solid top guitars loosen up as you play them even in one sitting if they have been played a lot previously. I can hear my all solid wood Breedlove mahogany and spruce dreadnaught open up as I play it. Even laminate vintage guitars have vastly improved sound over "as new" if they have been built, played and cared for correctly, and will also open up as you play them more. I have an Epiphone Sheraton Maple Jumbo 1970 that I bought as a complete wreck and rebuilt, and it kills most newish and even some vintage Gibson J 200's I have tried for both volume and tone.
Also most modern epiphones have a thick poly laquer which lends them to brighter toned playing styles. The mids and bass get suffocated due to top movement restriction and the tone dampening from the laquer. Something to consider.
Ron Light; You are totally correct regarding most of the cheaper laminate modern guitars.
Great review, very helpful. Thank you.
The Epiphone sounds the best although they are all nice little guitars
Thanks, I like the format you used, great work
I like your clean review style... however... you failed to demo the Epiphone with it's Fishman pickup, which is what allows it to really shine! THX.
Nice review - my only complaint is...now I want all three...thanks a lot.
Hey Joe,
Great review!!
Thanks!!
Sound-wise with that mic and whatever camera. The Jim Dandy is the winner here. IMO Excellent clarity. The other two had too much noise. They were boomy and muddier.