Epiphone AJ 18SCE

I suppose all the features are already stated in the reviews below: bought it in 2000 (three years back). It came with 20 frets, a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides, an epi-6 pickup with 5-band eq and volume. The body is quite large with a cutaway. The tuners are from epiphone and are called "gotoh", whatever that means... They're quite impressive looking, for they're gold-coloured. The neck is quite thin and took a while to get used to (see below).

I play mostly alternative rock (mainly Radiohead and the like), but my teacher makes me do all sorts of stuff (jazz, blues) just to make me "a better player" so he says. It suits my needs pretty well. I'm just using it unplugged, because I think the pickup stinks. It's really thin sounding, like a cheap guitar. When I record I usually put a good mic in front of the guitar, no problems. I never gig, so I'm not sure what I would do then.
The guitar sounds fine unplugged. I'm pretty happy with it, but if I had a choice I'd buy a takamine or something of the like, because they sound a lot better (but are much more expensive). I like the volume it produces and the tone (especially with new strings). Sounds really full and bright.

When I first bought it, I thought it was a really good deal. The guitarshop was going bankrupt and I took it way in front of the gates of hell so to speak. It was really cheap and it was the first stell string guitar I ever bought. The action was way to high, but I didn't realise then. Let's say my hands are well trained now and after a guitardoctor/wizard looked at it and lowered the action a bit it playes wonderful. But that's my opinion and most of my friends stil hate the guitar for it's action.

Seems sturdy enough. The tuners get loose once in a while, but hey, that's what screwdrivers are for aren't they? Sometimes it seems to buzz a little bit. Not a normal buzz like when the string hits a fret but it's behind the nut... Very weird indeed, but it doesn't do it very often and I'm not bothered, since I play much louder than the buzzing most of the time.

Never dealt with them.

I've been playing seriously for about 3,5 years now and this was my first steel string guitar (and the last for all that seems). I own a lot of other gear, including an old Squire telecaster and an Epiphone Les Paul (with a beautiful bigsby tremolo). When I was as wise then as I am now on the subject of guitars, I would have gone for a Takamine instead. So if it were stolen I'd cash the feeble amount of insurance money and save it for a good acoustic. I love it still very much, for it was my first real guitar and it sounds pretty good... and I'm pretty sure it loves me back.

2003, Korean model, solid top, Piezo Epi-6, Sunburst. I purchased this guitar for playing in a gospel group. First off, I used to play bass, now fingerpick gospel music. I mention the bass because I feel I am use to rough action with my fingers, (more later). Low rating in the features due to the pickup. Epiphone should be ashamed of this setup with any guitar. The only positive I can add here for epiphone is the sunburst finish. While I was not an initial fan of this finish, I do like the look of the guitar. I was fooled......Looks are not everything and with this guitar it is the only positive thing I can say. It does look nice.

The sound of this guitar does have a gibson-like tone, which is why I wanted it as I could not afford the Gibson...I should have waited until I could. Unplugged the tone is passable, plugged in, well one should always evaluate all possible choices. If you play any guitar with an eip-6 then compare it to a fishman or any other pickup system, THE EPI-6 WILL ALWAYS BE LAST. Please do some research here and do not make the same mistake I did. Don't take my word for it, read some reviews and you will find the epi-6 sound too brittle/thin and to make matters worse, their track record is terrible. They break. I have had mine for six months and already am experiencing shorts.

A former review stated it was unplayable. I will go even farther, not only was it unplayable, it can hurt you. To correct this I took it back to the place I purchased it twice. Both times they adjusted the neck with little improvement, if any. I sought out and found an infamous luthier who laughed, yes, literally laughed at the setup. My hopes were up and he did make it playable after costing me 75 more dollars. Money well spent because, the pain is not as bad as before UNLESS I play it for more than 30 minutes. I must tell you again this guitar can hurt you with it's action and fit. The neck contour adds to the problem and also the neck willl NOT stay straight. I suspect a weak truss rod but who knows. The finish again is the only attribute with this guitar.

Although the finish looks good, even it is already wearing. How can you rate reliability/durability with this guitar over time when it is not/was not reliable right out of the box> Shame on you epiphone...shame....

The people who sold me this guitar are ordering another pickup. They even stated epiphone was slow in responding. I suspect even after the replacement (if I get one) I will have problems. I am currently attempting to exchange this guitar with epiphone but quite frankly, I think even if they do I will still have similar action, finish and that sound from epi-6. Not much hope here even by the people who sold me this guitar. Track record not good here. Shame on you epiphone!

If you are looking for a "musical" instrument, buy anything else. If you are looking for a company who stands by their product, buy anything else. From the epiphone epi-6, the neck, the truss rod, the finish, well you name it and it is flawed. I have played $100 Kay instruments back in the day that played, sounded better here. Epiphone is not anything close to the epiphone of old. Shame on you epiphone, you are a rip off! I would wager their are some older executives (retired) who are sick in their stomachs looking at the quality of the product epiphone is putting out. I had played epiphones from the past which played and sounded great. I didn't get a bad guitar here, I have played some other newer epiphones and guess what? They all have similar problems. Shame on you epiphone, pure unadulterated shame!

Standard equipment for the model. korean made

If you are buying this guitar for the sound un-plugged, don't buy it. Simply cause it sounds like crap. It's just another laminated guitar. However, when this guitar is plugged up it sounds decent(after adjusting it to your style) just like any acoustic/electric.
I really hate that the pic ups don't pic up the top E good or any bass without costing overall sound. It's not bright enough for me. Also it has a mic. connection but never sounds good going through and there is always feed back.

The Action on this guitar is absolutly rediculous!! It is so high that it is almost unplayable. Don't buy if you are a beginner cause you will loose either your fingers or about $80 out of your wallet to get it adjusted. After an adjustment its decent.

I have had problems with my pic-up, it has a short and seems unplayable. Matter-a-fact it went out on me when I was playing on stage.... How humiliating.

I got ripped off!! This guitar is worth about 175.

This acoustic electric cutaway guitar has spruce top, mohagany back/sides and was made in Korea, 2001. No included accessories. The top is not flashy at all, and is the only cosmetic disappointment on it. It has gold Grover tuners, nice pearl/abalone inlays, and a good finish. Pickup is a Shadow piezo with parametric EQ. I bought this guitar from Guitartrader.com for $280 and it was well worth it, I think it lists for $550.

This guitar sounds like a $300 guitar should, not really impressive. Although, it has a suprising brightness to it - especially ran through an amp. You could play this guitar live, but I would recommend something else a bit higher on the acoustic totem pole (Taylor, Takamine, Martin, etc.) Bass notes are not real defined, so it doesn't necessarily have a good full sound. The fretboard has some buzz to it, but overall its great for the money. I'm a college student and just use it for entertaining myself and friends, I don't play gigs or do anything important with it. I usually play contemporary acoustic (Dave Matthews, Jack Johnson, etc.) and it sounds well on it.

The action on this guitar is not all that great. It buzzes quite a bit and is a little high. I would definetly recommend getting it set up by a pro. The pickup sounds great, no problems there. Also, I haven't found any cosmetic or structural flaws. I'm giving this a 6 because of the action, everything else is a 10.

From a reliablility standpoint, this guitar would be good live. It seems to be quite substantial, nothing has fallen apart yet. Wouldn't gig it without a spare, although. The tuners are a little loose and make me nervous sometimes.

Have no experience with this one, came with a lifetime warranty though.

I bought this guitar off of the internet. I REALLY wished I would have played it before I bought it - big mistake. I played some Takamines and Yamahas before I purchased this one, and wished I had went with the Takamine. I'm really getting used to this guitar, although, and find myself liking it more and more everytime I play. I love the tuners, I love the pickup, I love the fretboard, and the sound is good. Its a lot of guitar for 300 bones. If it were lost or stolen I would probably buy a better Takamine or Taylor, mainly because my skills have improved to the level where I feel like I deserve a better guitar. I had only been playing a year when I bought it and feel like I could do a better job shopping for one now. If anyone of you out there is thinking about buying this guitar new, get it from guitartrader.com. Its the cheapest that you will find it and shipping is fast and free.

Epiphone AJ-18 SCE electric/acoustic, cutaway body, Made in Korea in 2001, 20 frets, rosewood fretboard and headstock, solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides. Piezo pickup, 4 band eq by Arteec. Nice gold tuners made by Epiphone. Rosewood fretboard.
With case.

I use it for playing in church. It has a nice volume unplugged, and sounds fine though an amp. It had a bright sound with ample bass. This guitar is good for playing lead, especially with the cutaway.

The action is low. But the 6th string buzzs if I play hard. Had to get this guitar set up.(The neck was warped and a tuner was out of line.) The saddle is a little strange. Mine is cracked, but still works fine.

Everything seems solid. This is a fairly heavey guitar. The finish is great. The only thing I have to woory about is the strings breaking!

No spare parts for sale.

This is the kind of guitar I wanted. A nice sounding acoustic/electric
with a solid top. The microphone type output is handy. I like the sound, but the neck is a bit narrow for my large fingers. If it got stolen I would buy another Epiphone, but one with a bigger neck.

2002 Korean, solid top, volume and 5 band graphic equalizer, natural finish, cutaway.

rock, jazz, blues. I put it through a noname amp. It still sounds great. Playing with the equaliser I can get almost any sound I like. There is a tendency to feedback but there is an "anti feedback switch" which works well. The sound, when amplified, can vary from a gutsy bassy sound to a very glassy treble sound. Unamplified it has a very nice, if rather sedate, tone

The store where I bought it promised to set it up before I took delivery but let me down. After a few months I adjusted the truss rod with the tool provided and have improved the action, and sound, considerably.

The guitar is flawless to look at. It's a lovely piece of furniture on display in our lounge room. The neck is very thin and while I have relatively short fingers, the neck width at the first few frets requires some effort to achieve buzzless chords but it is not a great problem.

I have had it for six months now and there are no problems with the electronics etc.

I play live only very infrequently so the guitar will have an easy life. I will pamper it. So far the indications are that it is solidly constructed and would withstand some harsh treatment. But as the guitar was a gift for my 50th birthday from a group of long time (schooldays!!!) friends, I will treat it with the respect it deserves.

I can't comment because I haven't been back to the store. However, I can say that I got rather impatient when I was waiting for delivery so I emailed Gibson in the USA to find out who the Australian distributor is to give them a hurry up, and I received an email reply in about five minutes with accurate details. Great service!! So based on that experience I give a 9

I'm a retired bass player. I have been strumming a classical (cheap) Yamaha for many years but only started to get serious about 12 months ago. I have just bought a 1994 Ibanez Talman electric from a friend ( my first real electric guitar at 50!!) so can now produce a variety of sounds. I jam with a friend each week and now and then we play at friends parties etc.
If stolen I would replace it. It is a fine guitar for the money and more than adequate for my purposes. I would like to add an Epi Joe Pass or Dot to my collection one day (perhaps my retirement guitar?).

This is definitely a deluxe model of Epiphone. It features a solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, a bridge U.S. made Shadow pickup and an Epiphonic 6-band EQ powered by a 9v battery. It also features gold Grover tuners and mother of pearl "snow flake" inlays, including a cool abalone/mother of pearl inlay at the 12th fret. Everythings great!

This is probably one of the most full sounding guitars Epiphone makes. It has great lows and well balanced highs. Putting this to an amp really makes it better than it already is! The Shadow pickup works perfectly, and the 6-band EQ can make it soud like any acoustic guitar you want. It is just not a finger-picking guitar. (If you want one of those, get a Epi PR5E)

This thing looks great! I hate all the "high gloss" finishes these days. Thank god they left this raw! The spruce top is pretty standard-looking, but the rest isn't! The mahogany back and sides are beautiful in grain pattern and since not much gloss finish was used, there are little micro divits in the wood. (Its not a bad thing, just trust me.) The binding is very well applied, as well.

Okay, as I said before, this guitar has little gloss. Regardless, this thing is built to last. As for gigging with it, It makes a great candidate, but I wouldn't know since I only gig electric.

I haven't had a problem yet, so I haven't called Epiphone. There is a Limited Lifetime warranty on the guitar and an included warranty on the Shadow pickup, too.

I have been playing for 3 years, and This was the first and probably the last acoustic guitar I will buy. Its stamped "2nd" on it because of a small nick on the headstock, and an cosmetic alignment flaw with one of the tuners. (This doesn't affect anything on the rest, and if you're strapped for cash, buying a factory 2nd is the way to go.) I love everything on the guitar, but the most appealing features are the value and sound. I've tested a Martin DXM, for $400, and that couldn't hold this guitar's jock.That's how good it is.

Epiphone AJ-18 SCE electric/acoustic, cutaway body, Made in Korea in 2001, 20 frets, rosewood fretboard and headstock, solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides. Piezo pickup, onboard 6-way Shadow EQ with anti-feedback switch, standard 1/4" jack and also a 3-pin mic type jack. Attractive body and neck binding, gold Grover tuners, nice fretboard inlays. A pretty guitar, mine has a satin finish; some don't like this, but the way I look at it you don't have to worry about scratches as much. I bought this guitar brand new as a second.

This guitar suits my style well; my hands are on the smaller side and the thin, narrow neck makes playing easier. My style is usually rhythm, with some picking and a little hard strumming now and then.
This guitar in general performs up to expectation. The sound is on the thin side, delicate would probably be a better word. I also own a Takamine EG140-SRC A/E, which is a mini-jumbo, and a much heavier-built guitar than this Epi. The sound on the Takamine is fuller and deeper. But after a pro set-up (see below), I really love the sound of this Epi. The sound is clean, natural, and the on-board electronics provide a seemingly infinite range of options when plugged-in.

Now for the critical part: the factory set-up was playable, but awful, and the factory strings were simply horrid. I have read the other reviews of this guitar where the set-up was great right out of the box, but no luck here. The action was high (note: the luth that set-up my guitar removed paper shims stacked 5-high from under the saddle!), the low strings buzzed up and down the neck, and the strings were even misshapen in some places. I completely agree with the other reviews that state that the only way to play this guitar is after a pro set-up. I re-strung mine with D'Addario lights, and I am very pleased. The tone and sustain have improved 100-fold, and the action is excellent.
As for the fit and finish, I can find no major flaws. A few of the higher frets could have been seated a little better, but the majority of the frets are seated perfectly.
The rating in this category reflects this guitar before a pro set-up, after it is a 9 for the money

I also agree with the other reviews that state that this is a very light, sort of fragile guitar. Usually, I play only for fun with family and friends, and I do not plan to take this guitar on the road, but I would be a little concerned about it's durability if I did. The satin finish could take some abuse and still look good, though. The tuners and strap buttons are solid. I would never play on stage without a backup, but this is mostly because I would never play any guitar live without a backup. I'll give it a 7 compared to my durable Takamine.

I have never dealt with Gibson or Epiphone directly, but I look forward to exercising my lifetime warranty if it ever becomes necessary.

I have been playing on and off for several years. If this guitar was stolen or lost, I would buy another. I like the way this guitar looks, I love the thin neck and the low action after set-up; it really flies. I hated the factory set-up and strings. I chose this guitar because it had a wide range of features that I wanted at a great price. It is not a Martin or a Lakewood or a Taylor, but it is a nice little guitar for the money.

Made in Asia in 2000. Solid spruce top, glossy natural finish (very beautiful). Mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard. Piezo pickups with a six-band Electar equalizer. Cutaway body is just right as far as size for me. The neck is fairly narrow, which I like since my fingers are short. I like the Epiphone "E" on the pick guard. It also came with an Epiphone hard case imprinted with the logo. There is a forward strap button which I find very appealing. The gold hardware and inlays add to it's attractivenes.

I play contemporary christian music for small groups and occasionally for church services. I mostly play it unplugged and it has a full sound with good tone. Recently, I have noticed a slight buzz whenever I play an open D and G string. It has been very humid, which may be the reason. If it persists I'll have to look into it's cause. When I do plug it in, I have no problem finding a good sound by playing with the equalizer.

I bought it used a few months ago. I have a friend who works for a music store and called me when it came in. He set it up for me. There are no flaws or scratches that I am aware of. He could have sold it to me as new and I wouldn't have known it was used. The strings are real close together at the nut. I was looking for a narrow neck, but some chords get crowded. I have read several reviews that recommend medium strings. I kept the strings that were on it for now, but will look into changing them soon. It is hard to bend them on the lower frets.

The hardware seems very sturdy. It stays in tune and none of the knobs wobble. I like the fact that it has two strap buttons. I recommend lock-ons for any strap.

I haven't dealt with the company.

For an inexpensive guitar you can't beat it. It has great sound and looks sharp. I would definitely buy it again if it were stolen. Other guitars that I looked at in the price range seemed cheap or tinny. I looked at new and used and could not beat this guitar for the value.

Don't know the year, Made in Korea Sticker on back of headstook.
20 frets, solid spuce top... Same as the other reviews. Traded some old guitars and 150 bucks at a little mom and pop music store. It's got USED stamped on the back of the head stook. Was told that was because it didn't sell at a music store and was returned to the EPI company where they stamped it. Also had a crack in the headstook bearly visable but there. But all in all a very pretty looking guitar.

I'm a rocker by nature but the other guys I play with are older than I am & favor the older stuff. Eagles, CCR, Country... Mostly strummers, not allot of lead or picking. I run it though many different amps, Krammer, Fender, & even a bass amp. The only thing I find consistant is that the lows are very low and the highs are very high. Not great mid-range. But then again I turn everything trebble, bass & volume up to 10. I let the other guys adjust the ol E.Q
But Unpluged with a good set of Martin strings it sounds exelent! lots of resedence, very pretty. It's what sold me in the store.

When I first got it the action was geat. The only strange thing was at the nut the neck seamed more narrow than others even other Epi's. Strings closer together. Kind of cramped playing some cords.
After reading the other reviews I guess I don't feel alone. I also had problems with the 1/4 plug. would cut out & I took it back to the store where it worked fine of course, Happened 3 times but not lately. Now the neck is comming apart from the body. I can almost slide a pick under the fretboard on either side. The high E is now buzzing on the first fret depending on the tempature and humidity.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not gentle on equipment, but I don't think that this guitar should be falling apart as bad as it is.
We don't gig, but do get together a couple times a week to jam where I find myself jumping from instument to instument. Maybe because the Epi is almost unplayable.

With it not garenteed through Epi, I Only got the ol "Sorry we can't do anything but we can send it back to the company to have them fix it for you" from where I bought it. Was also told that it would cost a couple hundred bucks all said and done. Guess I'll just take that money and get somthing different. NOT AN EPI & NOT USED. Live & Learn.

Been playing on & off for several years. I play acoustic and electic guitars & dable with the bass and drums when the others in our group let me. I wish I'd checked out this sight before buing the Epi.
Would not buy it again. Ready to move on. But can't afford a Martin right now so I think I'll go with somthing in between.