Product: Epiphone AJ-100
Price Paid: USD 119
Submitted
05/09/2008
at
05:04pm
by
Skip Bertrand
Features
:
9
This is a jumbo acoustic, dreadnought style, steel string guitar.
Cost was $119 w/free ship from samedaymusic.com
26 1/2 scale length
20 medium frets
rosewood fretboard joins body at 14th fret
solid spruce top
decent grover type closed tuners
mahogany sides/back/neck w/trussrod
1.68" nut (plastic)
B-comensated saddle (plastic)
Vintage Sunburst finish with cream binding (not paint)
Sound
:
10
Factory strings sounded tinny.
Replaced with D'Addario 85/15 Bronzes improved tone to deep and fat.
I enjoy finger picking style music, never use a pick - guitar tone is very well rounded.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
9
Action was very good as received.
Warranty card had hand written action measurements from two fret positions and inspector initials.
Finish and workmanship very good with minor flaws on one of two guitars bought: inside edge of sound hole did not get uniform stain and varnish/lacquer beaded up a little in places under sound hole edge. Also, about 1/2" of inlay on inner rosette circle showed hairline gap to routed groove - but was filled perfectly with lacquer - hardly noticed.
Over all - very good finish on both guitars with minor flaws listed on one.
Reliability/Durability
:
No Opinion
Have only owned the guitars a couple days.
Cannot comment on durability or reliability.
Guitar seems well constructed.
Customer Support
:
9
Lifetime warranty.
No experience with customer support aside from previous inquiries before purchase - Epiphone representative replied to my email questions promptly and completely.
Rating based on customer support..
Overall Rating
:
10
Played guitar 5yrs.
Have owned 20 or more in this time and currently own 6.
AJ-100 compares well to all acoustics owned so far:
Alvarez RD20S, 5212
Yamaha C40, C45
Ovation Balladeer 1711
Washburn House of Blues
Oscar Schmidt OC-11CE
Gitano Jumbo Maple
Vintage Silvertone
Carlo Robelli mini-6 string
Fender Starcaster
etc...
