Epiphone AJ45S Acoustic

Addendum to comments of 8/22/99--Took the guitar to my luthier (What?? You don't have a luthier?) and had him fill the saddle slot with a piece of rosewood and rout out a slot in the proper place. Nearly 1/4" off on the bass side. The fix is effective and nearly invisible. Though it cost me an extra $60, I still think this is a great gutar for the money. It just goes to show you have to look thngs over thoroughly. However. . . If you find a great guitar with minor defects that can be fixed by a competant repairman, give it some consideration. I like this one a lot. A-

1999,Korean, Solid spruce top, mahogany back & sides. 14 frets to the body standard acoustic. Came with a nice hardshell case. A ten here because it's an acoustic. It has all the features it needs. Mahogany fret board, rosewood peghead overlay. Old Gibson style "tulip" peg buttons. Nice turned mahogany bridge pins with "pearl" dots.

Sounds great. Nicely balanced. Good volume. It can run with the dreadnaughts. I didn't want to buy this guitar, but it had a great sound and you can tell it will be a banjo killer in a couple of years. I play bluegrass and folk related acoustic music. I use guitars mostly for vocal accompaniment and learning new tunes.

This guitar is as pretty as it can be. The sides and back have a subtle curly pattern, and the sunburst is as nice as any I've seen. Finish is glossy and even. Binding and inlays are perfect. The top is a lovely tight grained spruce, and the back is stunning.However...One tuner rattled and I had to replace it.{low E string}, and the intonation is not good. I can usually balance that with a little judicious saddle filing, but it is too far off. As this guitar is a great sounding eye popper otherwise, I will have to eat the cost of having that corrected. I didn't notice this at first, so there is a possibility that this may indicate a structural flaw that is growing worse. Hope not, but I'll let you know if it blows up. Otherwise I am very impressed with the materials and workmanship on this guitar. The intonation thing is correctable, and I have seen worse things come out of the more prestigious workshops.

If the intonation problem were corrected I would have no worry about taking this guitar anywhere. It is a structurally sound as any good acoustic can be. Don't stand on it to change a light bulb. It has only the end pin. The neck strap button is usually not put on acoustic guitars by the manufacturer as people have differing preferances as to where it best suits them.

The shop that sold it to me called the company rep about the tuner while I was standing there. The salesman brought it to me at a gig the following weekend. The warranty is a limited lifetime, I think, but I am going to have the intonation thing handled by a good local luthier. I fear that Epiphone would probably opt to replace the guitar than effect a repair, and I won't give it back. I'll ask at the store though. If it works out good I'l let you know.

I thought this guitar was stunning to behold and a pleasure to play, and well worth the price. I didn't plan on buying a guitar that day, but it blew me away. I own several guitars. From a Harmony Sovreign to a John Arnold dreadnaught, although I am mostly a mandolin player. I know I could have probably haggled the price down considerably, but considering the quality of the materials and workmanship, the price was fair. If it got gone I'd get another one if I could find one this nice sounding and this pretty. I am irked about the intonation though. Otherwise it would be an 11.

Korean-made Epiphone, made just a few months ago. Solid spruce top, mahogany sides, neck is also mahogany I think. Antique style tuners, copies of Kluson or Grover. No electronics on this model; the basic guitar.

Sound is good, although I don't like the strings it came with (probably Gibson strings, they feel like industrial wire). I give it an 8, but expect that it will sound better with better strings. I will put .012's on it.

Well set up at factory, almost in tune from the box (I ordered it thru a store that had it sent to me straight from the factory in a box). Action fine, no buzzing. Bridge saddle could be better material, but intonation is good. Beautiful finish, I couldn't find a single flaw anywhere, except on the high end of the fretboard a few spots where there wasn't enough dye, but I don't mind, it doesn't affect the sound. No glue slop, no misalignment anywhere. Frets are jumbo, I am not used to that, but they feel fine.

I take care of my guitars, so I think live performing will be good to this instrument. Hardware, what little there is on a straight acoustic, will probably last. I might have the saddle replaced with a bone one. Finish is beautiful, exactly like the corresponding Gibson J45's I have seen. Solid strap button and string pegs, antique wood style, nice touch. I would use it without a backup.

Lifetime warranty I think, but if I replace anything myself it will void it out. Haven't dealt with the company; never had any problems with Epiphone instruments before.

I've been playing for almost 20 years, on a variety of instruments, mostly bass and acoustic. I've got a Seagull S6 cedar-top acoustic and an Epiphone viola bass. I play a lot of Beatles, and other, acoustic-based music, mostly rhythm guitar but also some fingerpicking. If the AJ45S were stolen I'd definitely get another one. I love the finish, the feel, the sound of spruce. It is a solid guitar. Don't like the strings, but that is easily rectified. I may change the saddle as well, to a bone one. I bought it because I wanted a classy guitar, one that won't go out of style, and I love the antique sunburst finish and the tuners. I played a Gibson J45 Buddy Holly comemorative, but the price was really steep ($2300 used!) and this Epiphone feels, to me, equal in solidity and sound.