Epiphone Masterbilt J-45 vs Gibson J-45
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- čas přidán 5. 01. 2021
- Today we compare two J-45 models… one from Gibson and one from Epiphone. Do you think the new Epiphone Masterbilt J-45 can compete with the Gibson version? Leave a comment.
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You have to say, in terms of look, feel and sound the Epiphone gets close for a fraction of the price, its a no brainer.
I have several Epis and only one Gibson. I have more brains than money. lol
They could've sold both of them too me and I'd have walked out with a smile!
If you define 70% as close, then yeah. I might get the Epi to play at, say, church, but I'd never get it to record with. The thing is, for what you could get a good Epi used (~550-600), save a little more and get a Gibson (~2000; maybe a little less if you look hard enough). In the mean time, get a cheaper $250 Yamaha to play on while you wait. Some of the good low to mid-end Yamahas sound at least as good as the Epi.
Yamaha dont make a J-45 copy as close in terms of look and feel as the Epiphone J45 featured here.
@@Edward1312 you missed my point. I said ignore the Epi and save up for the Gibson. In the mean time, get a good Yamaha. Whether one agrees or disagrees with your assertion regarding Epiphone vs. Yamaha (I think the Yamaha Japan models are, at worst, very close -- and in some cases better), they are by all accounts good guitars. If you like the Epiphone, that's fine; get it. I don't think its that great. To me, it isn't worth buying for the price its offered at. There are far better guitars at that price point: Tak, used Taylors and Martins, etc.
Good to hear from you again🙏
Happy New-year.
Well nobody can't deny the sound deference.
👍 to Gibson, just close your eyes and listen.
The difference is distinctive.
Thanks to both of you, it is my favorite channel to see and not least listen to👍
The Gibson J-45 is one of THE best acoustics in existence imo, fabulous iconic workhorse!! Gibson easily worth the extra!
The Epiphone sounded beyond excellent...kudos to Gibson Epiphone for returning to the once apon a time era when Epiphone guitars where truly masterpieces.
The Gibson guitar to me seemed like a super highly sensitive instrument responding effortlessly and with enormous projection. That Gibson Sparkle or crackle, I don't know another way to describe that Gibson acoustic sound...I just know it's my favorite. How do they do it? Awsome.
On my wish list: Gibson southern Jumbo.
Man You Can Feel The Gibson Deeper Resonance In The Phone.
True. It’s like night and day difference.
I can see and hear that he is strumming harder on the Gibson than Epiphone and any person who has experience recording acoustics can tell this right away. He isn’t “playing” that Epiphone so if I was using headphones on the other side of the glass then I would tell him to strum harder.
It’s an unfair comparison. Gibson versus Epiphone with death strings.
Great points. I wonder if the bracing is the same on these two models? In either case the Gibson might be made to a higher standard of hand scalloping, which would presumably result in a more responsive top.
Great video, you could really tell difference in tone between the two, but I think the real issue here is the price. For a working guy with a family, mortgage and so on it’s hard to afford or justify spending thousands on a guitar.The Masterbuilts are great guitars for the price. Whether one is better than other is subjective and something each guitarist would have decide for themselves. I own several Epiphones both acoustic and electric and think the offer a lot of bang for the buck.
For nearly 20 years I've gone with Masterbilts and I've had high end Taylors and Martins sprinkled in. Budget out the window, they are amazing. People want to buy a name and it's their loss.
The J-45 shows it colors here. It has that low-E thump, you-can't-get-this-anywhere-else sound... But the Epiphone J-45 looks nice and sounds a lot better than Epiphone's non masterbuilt options. The Epiphone J-45 may sound a bit generic here, but at least it sounds like the all sold-wood guitar that it is... EDIT: Recently bought one of these. Also own an early 2000s J-45 that now has some years on it. I prefer the Epiphone J-45 for songwriting, the best way I can describe it is that it keeps a rich tone at lower volume. Strum it hard or play it soft and the volume stays consistent, it's like natural compression and I can hear myself sing over it without having to sing with any strain.... That purpose is kind of the J-45's wheelhouse anyway, so I think the Epiphone J-45 is a good J-45. Would suggest one of these over the Gibson G series or really even J-45 Studio. Walnut b&s on Spruce top in a Gibson slope shoulder jumbo body shape just doesn't work to my ears... Still it's not as lightly built as a Gibson J-45 Standard. Doesn't have that magic 1.73" nut with and the stock pickup is just barely passable.
Well said
My bet would be that if you had 2 Gibson J-45's they would also sound different from each other as well. I recently purchased the Epiphone J-45 as a secondary acoustic to my Gibson SJ200. The Epiphone has blown me away! It sounds amazing acoustically as well as plugged in. It's intonation it spot on. Did one small neck adjustment and slight shave on the bridge in store and it is now one of my favourite guitars. I use it as much as I do the Gibson for both live and recording. I would definitely recommend the Epiphone to anyone. My suggestion would be to make sure it is set up properly by someone who knows what they are doing.
@Kirk Meyer If money is not a factor the Gibson will not disappoint you I'm sure but from my experience I suggest you try more than one of the same model. Of 2 Gibsons one might sound better or feel better to you. Also make sure that they are set up properly before you make a decision. I do love my Epiphone though but a Gibson is definitely a life-long guitar. I think the right one will just speak to you when you play it. Good luck
@@patmcwilliamsmusic Life long ? My '85 Washburn is still in great shape and sounds great. It is a poor craftsman that blames his tools.
Get the Gibson j45 and it’ll blow that j200 away… something about that j45 just hits just right
For real? You love the Epi as much as the SJ200 (the SJ200 is my dream guitar).
The epiphone is perfect for working musicians, the sound is more than acceptable and the price is most agreeable, guitars are susceptible to damage on the road and to be honest i would do nothing but worry about it.
Hey thanks for doing another video on this Epiphone. Thanks for comparing them. The Gibson actually has more of that typically Martin ring to it relative to the Epi. The Gibson has more complex overtones and the Epiphone has a ‘drier’ sound. It may not be a Gibson, but dang… the Epiphone sounds great for $800.
I am pretty stunned by my Epi j45...I own a Martin D35 by comparison. The Epi has a deep, rolling bass and mid bass that I have just not heard on another guitar. When I removed the 900lb pickguard it opened even more and the sustain is just off the chain. What a fun guitar!
Lol, I’ve been wanting to remove the enormous pick guard off of mine, but I’m worried the finish will come off with it.
@@truthof7382 Use Goo Gone. It has no effect on poly finishes. Use a blow dryer to soften, then scrape off with old credit card
I wanna remove the pickguard from my j-45 too. Can you advise the safest method to do that without ruining the finish?
@@MaddogMD82 if you mean a Gibson, that's a nitro finish so best left to a pro. the Epi is poly finish, so blow dryer to peel it off and goo gone from auto store to remove rubber cement. Goo gone is safe for poly bud bad for nitro.
@@billsmith3042 it's an Epiphone with the full chopping board sized monstrosity :)
A very sympathetic comparison.
Will there be an video, about the J-200 by Epiphone?
Great Job Guys.!!
love to hear/see a comparison between eastman e10ss and the Epiphone j45 masterbuilt.
Could you guys do a comparison between the Epiphone IBG J200 vs the Gibson J200?
Would love to see the bracing difference between these. Something tells me thats a big part of the Gibsons projection.
Why are the strings dead? How old is the the gibs J-45? What strings are on each?
Thanks guys - good comparison. I've got a question about the mic used for your "high-budget production" ;
We use a Neumann KM-184 in all of our videos.
I was hesitating between the Epiphone J45 and the J45 Slash... I found a deal that the price difference it's just 70$ ( the Slash is more expensive ), but it includes hard shell case and Grover tuners... does anyone have an advice to give me between the two? thanks!
I dunno, for a couch/campfire/porch guitar, I'd probably go with a Yamaha FG or an Art & Lutherie, or Eastman, and save some money vs. the Epi. Sure it's "good for the money" but these three I mentioned are "extremely good for the money" -- at about 1/2 the price of the Epi.
Eastman is no cheap option. E20d is like 1400
When it comes to All-Solid woods, I doubt the cost is half the Epi on any brand. My option would be a Cort Gold, amazing value and sound for money
Did you test with identical strings?
I have the Epiphone J45 and I think it is an excellent guitar, but my question is if the 2 guitars weigh the same, because the Epiphone is very heavy, I don't have how to compare, since I don't have the Gibson, could you clarify this doubt. And if all solid body guitars are that heavy?
Yeah as soon as I heard it the Gibson just blew the Epi away but I never really expected Gibson to allow a company they own to undercut themselves it just be foolish to even suggest it
Can definitely hear the difference. The Gibson has a warmer, richer tone. Certainly nothing wrong with the masterbuilt, particularly for the price point, but man, the Gibson is straight butter
Does the inspired by Gibson J45 sound better than the Masterbilt?
The epiphone has less of the muddy low frequencies I cut on my j45 when mixing with other instruments which makes it even more a work horse
The Gibson model sounded like it had more range than the Epi. I'm wondering if it is because the Epi is newer and less broken in than the Gibson. It would be interesting to hear a comparison between a played-in Epi and the played-in Gibson. In any case, you guys make a good point of going out and playing them. No two solid wood acoustics sound and feel exactly alike. The wood is a variable. Best to go play for yourself but the Masterbilt seems to represent a great value, especially for a gigging musician who doesn't want to put a much more expensive guitar at risk from the damage that gigging inevitably causes.
When I see this tests (even tho I really dig them) I wonder if they are exactly the same in the setup, nut height, relief, string (brand, gauge and type), bridge pin material, tuners weight.. They are different right out of the box, but what if those factores are matched up
Well sound vise I don't think it is possible to make them sound the same. Gibson is clearly louder it resonates better , it has that bass, and it costs three times Epi price which is crucial factor. Epi is close, but than again it is always like that, close but...far, well not that far, but how much we care about 10 or 20% of sound, well some do, and those who don't, do not believe them. We all want J-45 but we can get it all, most of us can't. I think it is maybe , just maybe possible to additionally compensate those differences with things you already sad but with little bass push on certain frequencies for one or two db and so on. For the purpose of this kind of comparisons it would be one step ahead if they recorded material and then tried to make Epi as close as it can get with eq just to experiment to see if it is possible or not to get nearer J-45 with little editing, what are frequencies to boost or what to cut. In that case guys who have that guitar would need to know how to do it, but it is maybe just to complicated to go there. It is what it is at the end, both guitars are good, but one better than the other and that is all..
@@simpeable And when you mike them in a live performance or studio, little of that matters.
Anyone know what the scale being played at 5:13 is? Or is it just a made up riff? Trying to learn it.
its a very simple G major arpegio not a scale,,,very easy to play!!
Low budget ok BUT you could at least put the same new strings on both. Help us out.
Both sound great but i could tell if the gibson had a fresh set of string on it might sound better than the epiphone.
You know what might be fun, is a blind sound test for the internet. I know there will be a loss in sound fidelity, but it would still be fun to see if we can hear a distinction.
Can DEFINITELY hear a difference blind. Gibson has a low mid presence that is much more pronounced in this video at least.
c'mon guys....we're talking 1/3 the price. I wouldn't by the Epiphone expecting it to sound and look like the Gibson..Who does. If you're going to do a review you should review the guitar not spend half the review dissing the less expensive one. Also, I went to the CZcams Gibson factory tour. The only time 'hands on' construction was mentioned was during the fretting process. The Epiphone factory tour used a hydraulic?? press. Other than that they were very similar.
After the comparison, there's the hummingbird comparison, then the American model's for the left handers, that puts me in the 60's.
You never finish off what I say so why print something going no where?
The difference is so clear as soon as he strummed lol.
IN CASE LIKE THIS ONE YOU DO BLIND TEST RIGHT? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
Demo actually starts at 4:42. That Epi is so rich, more mids towards the bass side.
owned a dozen or so gibsons... never dissapointed with the sound and especially the resale value.
I would actually prefer a comparison to the G45. I think that would be a more equal comparison
I’m an intermediate guitar player with low budget I’m going to buy my next guitar and I’m deciding between Epiphone J45 and Fender CC60SCE what should be my pick?
I picked up a Fender CD-60SCE about a year ago. For an entry level price the quality is pretty good. I had some high E string buzz on the 2nd fret, exaggerated by how low I set the action. I had a local guitar shop do a set up and I've been pretty satisfied since, although I can tell the strings are higher but I can live with that. But I think the Fender is more of an entry level whereas the Epiphone is a bit of a step up. I'm just a novice beginner but this is my own experience.
i've had a 66 j45 since the 70's, and last year i got hold of a 69 epiphone texan, and a while before that a 2016 J35, they are all unique, i prefer the J35 for the bass, but it's definitaley subjective and my advice is go, play as many guitars as you can, one will grab you sooner or later, having said that the J45 is the only guitar i've bought from a shop, i'm quite happy to buy a guitar, find out i don't like it and sell it on - it's all good experience.
What's the difference between the Epiphone inspired by Gibson J45 and the Epiphone Masterbilt AJ45?
Epiphone masterbilt AJ45ME is better in my opinion
Just my opinion but I think the Epiphone is way more bang for your buck. I was super stoked the other day walking into my local shop and seeing 3 j-45s on the rack and an Eastman equivalent. What blew me away was that all 3 Gibsons sounded completely different and, in my opinion, the Eastman sounded better than all 3.
My grandpa once said: “everyone wants a Gibson, that’s why they have an Epiphone, and that’s ok.”, I still agree with that.
Not often you can hear the difference on a lot of guitars with video reviews but here you can clearly hear the Gibson's superior (less tinny?) sound. A bit like when you go from 80/20 to phosphor bronze, quite dramatic.
I own 2 recent J45 standards and yesterday I played one of these Epi J45's. They are very nice for the price point. No they aren't in the league of my Gibson's but for a fraction of the cost I think they are wonderful. I would think plugged in they could be eq'd very close to each other.
Exactly! In the real world, not much difference.
These sound the same to me. I’d need to play them both to gauge the difference in feel. Thanks for the comparison.
You aren't listening with your Authentic ears. lol
Why are you holding back your strumming on the epi???
The only guitar I ever bought new, back when they were way cheaper; although mine is an AJ-45ME, don't know if it's any different from the one in the video.
I had same question of masterbilt vs new Gibson inspired. Any different? I have a 2015 AJ 45, great price to value and it’s the perfect burner guitar, i.e. I leave it out on the stand and never worry about putting it in a case or humidity issues etc. I Find that I play the Epi so much more because it’s always sitting out!
@@whitneysmith2541 I treat mine the same, my place is quite humid which it seems to like.
I found the specs on the epiphone website, things like neck profile, fretboard wood and radius and some other stuff like tuners and electronics seem to differ:
www.epiphone.com/Guitar/EPIC92162/Masterbilt-AJ-45ME/Vintage-Sunburst-Satin
www.epiphone.com/Guitar/EPIYB5518/J-45/Aged-Vintage-Sunburst-Gloss
Same difference . A in front means built by Epiphone , ME stands for Masterbuit Electric
@@bsharporbflat8378 The "A" stands for "advanced" upper bout
woah there is a significant difference here. Im sure there is also in playability and feel. i have a masterbilt guitar.
I love a J-45 that's why I own one but I do own the Epiphone as well and by no means does the Gibson sound better or vice versa. Imo they sound different that's all different but equally good and fit and finish is nicer on the Epiphone......but in all fairness ive never been a fan of Gibsons fit and finish it's like they buff their guitars up to like the third to final buff. There's always swirls and imperfections in the laquer!!
i have the real deal 55 j45, one piece mahogany back, red spruce top. the rare version. i didn't know what it was... i was at school studying luthiery. strummed it and knew this was my guitar... story is a bit more than that. we had this guy that could play. i mean play... i hear him finger picking, and i'm drawn in. another guy there, picks her up, and i ask, can i try it, i'll be gentle. i still remember that first strum. i've only met a few others like it. one a martin years and years later, that i knew i wasn't going to give up my j45 for a new attention...that was an italian spruce, madagascar rosewood model. was awesome. but, my j45 is my guitar...why change? its been my best friend since i met her. shes so special to me. i'd die for her. so hearing these new renditions of it. is awesome.
the real one though, it will sing at any note, pinch or whatever you want to do. it'll give it to you. thats those mid to late 50's gibsons. and, i don't write as much as i used to. i lost my muse... kills your soul... and, well, i look for more things that aren't so selfish to write about... all my music is about me. annoying as it is. to express musically, without a muse is tough.
The big differentiator for me is the neck profiles. I am 6'4" with even larger hands and Gibson's modern neck profiles are always so slender. The new "Inspired by" Epiphones have that big '50s feel so playability is worth the tone tradeoff for me.
Check out the slash Epi j45 fantastic full feeling neck.
These sound closer than the hummingbirds.
Listening on AirPod pro buds, Gibson is, for me, clearly a better sounding guitar. It is the difference in a singer who sings from the neck and one who sings from the diaphragm. That came to my mind immediately while listening. It would be worth the cost, if you can swing it!
I can hear the difference, however, its not glaring at all and tends more to the subtle. The difference for me is with the Gibson J45 the sound is down to finish quality that is rich and thick, tone whereas the Epiphone J45 goes about 90 or 95 of the Gibson and lacks that finish quality that is the last 5%. Now a good player with some smart pick or fingers may just compensate for that end and who knows maybe some age will get you there. Nice demo thank!
It’s kind of funny that you talked about the strings being dead. I have never played a Gibson acoustic before at a guitar store that didn’t have bad strings 😅
I owned an AJ Epiphone Masterbuilt, solid wood, and the sound was very impressive. I also own a 1951 Gibson J-45, that has no rival.
Gibson 59 j 50 sounds good too
I actually think the Epiphone sounds great! Sounds and looks like Quinton may have had to dig in a little more on the Epiphone to get similar responsiveness to the Gibson, but it still sounds good. For $1000 Cdn, it gets you close to the J45 sound.
I actually think he digs into the Gibson to make it sound different. I don’t believe they sound much different. I bought a used Epiphone after I watched all these comparisons. Sounds friggin awesome.
Both great guitars but wow, I could really hear a big difference. In this case you certainly get what you pay for.
They sound the same
@@andy_182 If you think they sound the same you need better speakers, or a hearing test. Not trying to be a smart aleck, but I could hear a big difference.
@@carljohnson4691 Think what you want, to my ears the differences are so subtle and nuanced. Could be due to mic placement being off by a centimeter who knows.
@@andy_182 & @ Carl Johnson - I agree with (both) Carls of this comment; they do sound different and noticeably so. I have acceptable speakers on my computer though certainly not premium speakers. What is striking is that the Gibson has "dead" strings. That is one very nice J-45 if it can make dead strings sound like newer strings.
@@uvp5000 How do you know the Gibby has dead strings? If they sound like newer strings...they probably are. Most national shops doing a demo will make sure the strings are at least fairly new or it would be a pointless test.
Acoustic guitars change and break in as they age, it would have been nice to heard the master vs a new Gibson still a good comparison though
Sound the exact same to me. Playing over 20 years. Perhaps in person I could distinguish better.
While the Epiphone sounds great especially considering it's price point there's really no denying that the Gibson sounds better in every way. That being said if you want a J45 and are on a tight budget then i'd say the Epiphone is a no brainer . My main take away from the sound comparison aside from the fact I no doubt prefer the real Gibson version was that while I prefer the full more well rounded expensive guitar the Epiphone still had a very pleasant tone and I felt considering the drastic price difference it did a lot better than I initially expected. Bravo to Gibson(Epiphone) for making such a nice sounding approximation for the budget minded buyers.
To me, the Epiphone sounds clearer, more linear and balanced, less woofy. The Gibson sounds at the same time a bit boomy and almost nasal, comparatively, and its highs feel a bit shrill.
Also, and no offense intended, I would not expect a guitar retailer to advise you to buy the cheaper of the two. It would make no sense. We all have to make a living.
So, clearly, the buyer has to make their own judgment, as free of cant or bias as possible, either within the limitations of CZcams audio, or, if possible, at a store that offers both.
I have the Epi. I bought it for acoustic sessions so the entry-level pickup doesn't matter. Could have bought the Gibson, but for the extra £2000 I would have had marginal extra quality that nobody would have cared about.
The Masterbilt sounds very good but the Gibson - even with dead strings - gives a richer sound. It is louder. I'm not putting down the Masterbilt. It sounds very good. As a matter of a fact I think I'll buy it.
Was the strings dead ?
@@runekarlsson5635 that's what they say at the beginning
They are both solid wood guitars correct? I wonder how much the Epiphone would sell for if it was Made in the U.S.A.?
My guess would be +/- $2500,- You know that the Epiphone Texan USA is being produced in Bozeman Montana right? Those also go for +/- $2500,-
After hearing this you should definitely do a blind test most of the people will get it wrong. Thanks guys.
No doubt the Gibson sounds so much richer,,but one thing we can’t get from CZcams is the feel..
Nice, but you said no word about the bracing. We know that most of the sound is shaped by the bracing. If you scallop brace the Epiphone you can probably get the same sound.
I have both and the Gibson is much better but not willing to take it out to play live so I got the Epiphone for that. Maybe I'm too protective lol! Thanks Paul and Quentin! Live watching!
It may depend on how you respect your audience. Do they deserve the real deal? It may even pay off.
@@jjmuni its not about that necessarily. I play in some tight spaces where I'm in the general area where people are hanging out and there's always that one person that can't handle their spirits and don't want and mishaps with the Gibson haha.
I approach live performance in the same way. I take my least favorite acoustic out so that if something happens to the guitar, I won't regret the damage to a less expensive guitar as much as I would a nicer instrument.
How does the sound and build quality of the Chinese Epiphone stand up against the Indonesian Epiphone?
J45 richer, more refined.
And not just the guy buying it!
The Epi sounds good....not as good as the J45 but considering it's 25% of the cost..........unless you are performing with it ....no big deal.....if you make your living with then save for the Gibby.......I bought a J35 and saved $1000 off the price of a J45.......back in 2017....
I'm a big fan of the J-35. Probably the best value for a Gibson. Before the pandemic, one could get a fantastic used guitar for a steal. Too bad they discontinued that model.
And there's tax relief for working guitarists!
I can hear a huge volume/tone improvement with the Gib.
I'm thinking that there were tweaks to the playing and the audio in favor of the Gibson in this video. Even though a USA Gibby is almost always going to kill an Epiphone, I believe these two guitars could be quite close, especially because of being all solid wood. The Epiphone wins for me on this one!
I agree with many of the comments the Gibson has a much deeper sound, however I have the Epiphone and I love it
Tbh, there was very very little difference if you did a blind test. I didnt look at my phone during the test and I couldn't tell when the guitars switched. I wonder, if this was a blind test would people still think that the gibson's better 🤔 but yea that's what I heard anyway lol, have a wonderful day!
They sound the same to my ears, I couldn’t tell they switched guitars most of the time. As I’m writing this comment i can’t tell what guitar is being played
Distinction without a difference, I think it might be a difference in headroom that will ultimately tell the tale. I’ve recently fallen in with a bunch of folks who favor Gibsons. This happened to me almost 50 years ago and, to be an earnest country player I bought a Hummingbird. I think it was the most muddled stringed instrument I’ve ever heard, let alone owned. I sold it to a player with stars in his eyes and the right dollar. I don’t think I’ll succumb this time, with a little thoughtful breathing the urge may pass. Cheers.
you pointed mic at the soundhole and it's super boomy.
Just so much more depth out of the Gibby. Epi sounds thin in comparison.
The Epiphone has a warmer tone.The Gibson is brighter. Both sound great. Pick your tone.
epi is excellent! but a better comparison with a seagull or yamaha eastman etc. the mighty J 45 well,,,cmonnnnnn no comparison
As tempting as the Epiphone J-45 might be, I think the $800 or so might travel a little further in some lesser-known brands such as Recording King. My advice is to always buy the best sounding guitar for the amount you're willing to spend. My Recording King RD-328 has a massive, rich, resonant sound that's a quarter the cost of many of the bigger guys. And it sounds a heck of a lot better than the Epiphone. Don't get me wrong, I applaud Epi for putting out the "inspired by Gibson" guitars out to the market. I just think if you're going to go "cheap", be really smart about it. OR, save up for that Gibson, buy used, finance it, etc.
I have a RAJ 26 Jubilee. RKs take on a vintage J45. It's a very good guitar. I'd be happy to hold it up to any scrutiny. It sounds a lot more like the Gibson than the epi in this video.
I'll never part with it.
If the Gibson J-45 is what you really want, then keep the $800 in your pocket and you're already 1/3rd of the way there. There's NO substitute, thank me later...
I always buy the Asian copy first and end up buying the real thing down the road . Got lucky during covid pandemic and sold epi es175 premium for 1250 ,washburn hb35 for 800 , mex telecaster for 750 and Dillion tele for 700 . Pick up a 2019 les paul for 1700 and a 2021 e es 335 60s for 2100 . Also have a American elite tele I got on clearance for 1200 when the Ultras came out . My point is if you shop around and be patient ,you can get these great guitars at affordable prices used or sometimes returns or open box
If they both had nes strings there would be a clear and distinguishable better tone from the usa made. Guaranteed that when the strings are dead on the Epi it won’t sound anywheres near as good as the usa model.
seems pretty straightforward to me. yes, the gibson sounds deeper, fuller, more resonant. why? gibson is smart here. the epi weighs about a pound and a half more. though I don't have facts to back me up, i think it's easy to guess why
- finish - poly vs nitro, probably slightly thicker finish
- woods - top is cut just slightly thicker on the Epi, maybe back and sides too? also possibly khaya/african mahog vs south american
- pickguards - mile thick pickguard on the epi
each of these would easily contribute to making sure the epi is and remains slightly less responsive and resonant than the gibson
but only slightly. i just picked up an epi j-45 from GC - had to look at a few of them but found one that sounds as good as the video. very happy - i'm more of a martin guy but this checks my "gotta have a J45" box til my ship comes in and money's no object :-)
I don't care for burst colors because they always overkill the beauty of the wood.
The Gibson J-45 sounds like a Gibson J-45 and the Epiphone sounds like an Epiphone....
The Epi is much better than I thought it would be and in the real world would perform very nicely.
I wanted to see the epi do better but the Gibson did sound way better on the strum.
While testing/shopping. I spent two hours, I tried Gibsons, read love, Martin, takamine, and Taylor.
Long story short. The Taylor’s sounded the best. Followed by the Takamine. The bottom of the sound test list was the Gibsons, and the ironic part is, they were the most expensive by far.. it might have been the strings or the set up. I ended up getting a Taylor and a Takamine.
While I was at the dealer. I noticed a wall sign giving the prices of set ups. Because Taylor’s have bolt on necks, Price is $70 even to set the action height on a Taylor. To set the action on a Martin, the price starts at $500. Because they have to steam the neck off and then re-glue the neck to the body to change the action if needed..
Playing starts at 4:32
I love gibson growing up ,but if you heard those taylor hawaiian koa guitars you'll never go back...
The Gibson definitely sounds better and it’s no surprise given the price difference. However the Epiphone sounds very good not just “for the money” but in general. If you don’t have the dough for a Gibson you can still get a great guitar.
I like the Epiphone.. The Gibson sounds louder and fuller - but not worth over $2000 more.
I don't think anyone would prefer the Epiphone to the Gibson if money wasn't an issue, but it is. So we often have to make priorities and a lot of us can't afford the iconic version of every type of guitar that we would like to own, so we tell ourselves that "if I just replace the pickups at least it will sound the same" and we buy epiphones and we might try to convince us that at least the tone is the same, but we all know it isn't. In many cases though, it's good enough for me.
Is it me or were they strumming the Gibson j45 harder to bring out the voice more than the epiphone … watch it again ..?!!?