Epiphone EJ-200

First of, remember, this is only an Epiphone. So I will rate it as such. Jumbo body, laminate. Some prefer the laminate over solid wood.This is a 2007 made in Indonesia. With that in mind, the score will not reflect it against guitars fron GIBSON.
No electronics, spruce lam top, maple lam back and sides. Gloss fininh, mine is sunburst. Inlays are plastic, but quite pretty. Rosewood fretboard, nice frets. No case. It has what I needed, so I'll give this part a 10. Not "tons" of features, but, again, it has what I was looking for.

I biught this because I needed a "kick - around" guitar. One I could take down the shore, or to the river and not worry about it getting screwed up. If I had to use it on stage as a back up, I would. I changed the nut and saddle fron the plastic to bone, which gave it more sustain. I am impressed with the sound, great lows and highs. I do like this guitar. For the price and fact that it is a kick around with very good tone. Plays real easy.

Factory set up was pretty good, although I did change it somewhat. It had no flaws. Action? not bad at all.

I believe if I were to use it on stage, it would do well. Finish seems like it will last, of course, time will tell.
I would use it as a back up guitar if needed. Seems to be depenable.

I have delt with Customer Support about my GIBSON, and since they are also support for Epiphone, I would give them a 10. They have always been the best support group I ever delt with.

I've been playing somewhere around 40 years. As for other gear, I'm not going to list everything because you would prolly skip over it. But, my "on Stage" equipment I will list:
Main guitar;Gibson J 160e
Back up guitar; 1980 Ibanez M340
Amp: 1975 Fender tube Champ
PA; some cheapie 4 channel
Guitar pick up for Iby: "georg L's"
If it were lost or stolen, I might buy another.But there are plenty of good cheap guitars out there.

Jumbo body 6-string... Copy of Gibson J-200. Same features as all the others listed here. Mine is in the Vintage Suburst finish which looks pretty cool with all the fancy stuff this guitar has. As far as feature go this guitar is loaded!!! I dock it 1 point for not being all solid wood.

Ok... I know Jumbo acoustic guitars. I only own and play Jumbos... I currently own 4 and have owned others over the years. I can give a very educated opinion of the guitar compared to other JUMBOS I OWN... not just a few I played in a store.

Sound is a relative thing. Overall I like the sound of this guitar but anyone who rates the sound over about a 7 is downright kidding themselves. But again, it depends on how your looking at this guitar. If your looking at it as a cheap ($400) jumbo than its a very good guitar for the money. Good sound, good volume, the highs are nice??? mids are clear??? and the bass is strong but not boomy. When comparing the EJ-200 to other guitar in its price range is definitely one I recommend.

However???. If your comparing this guitar to other jumbos out their and straight up comparing guitar to guitar without considering price than the EJ-200 quickly fades against other jumbos out there. The sound is not as clear or powerful as other jumbos out there. But that???s to be expected when comparing it to guitars with solid wood back and sides and higher quality bracing. In the end the EJ-200 is a cheap guitar that sounds very good for a cheap guitar. I think anyone would enjoy owning and playing one, and for the price why not!!! But don???t kid yourself into thinking that you can pay $400 for a guitar and have something that sounds like a $2000 guitar. Heck my $900 Guild sounds much better that this guitar.

Be careful here. I've been looking at buying an EJ-200 for a few years now and never found one I liked. Action was crappy, sound was horrible the guitar felt wrong for me. But then one day I walked into a guitar store and they had 2 hanging on the wall. I walked over and picked one up and the action was bad, fret buzz, bad sound. Then I picked up the second one and really liked it. Sound was good, action was good, all around it just felt good, so I bought it. Don't buy this guitar without playing it first... the quality varies. I give this one a good rating, but I've seen ones with really bad setups.

good

Never needed it

I currently own an Alvarez Jumbo 12-string, a Guild JF30 Jumbo 6-string, and a Washburn J565 Jumbo 6-string, and this Epiphone EJ-200. The EJ-200 was the cheapest of the 4 I own, and I can say it sounds the weakest of them all, but its the only one that doesn't have all solid wood. Overall I like the guitar and would buy another one if this one were stolen or something. I use the EJ-200 mainly as a practice guitar, sometimes bringing it to play in places I don???t want to risk something happening to my better guitars... like camping, shady gigs, big parties, etc. I mainly gig with my Guild and use the Washburn as a back up or alternate tuned guitar. And of course ones arsenal is not complete without a 12-string... and the Alvarez is great!! Overall I like my collection of guitars, and think for people who gig and record and play for fun this is a strong line up to have??? very good but not over the top. In the end, I give the EJ-200 a good rating, but mainly because of its price in comparison to it quality and sound.

ej200/vs maple all around, neck is at least 2 pieces,
rosewood board, nice top matched grain.

Finally they've started making necks that aren't shaped
for 4'8 women,
this has all the features listed below

doesn't sound like a 30 year old j200,
neither does a new Gibson or new Martin.
And lots of old ones are just so-so.

Not a booming bass, but it should open up with some banging,
and less bass might minimize feedback, if I add a pickup.

Lots of sparkle without being shrill; still has old strings.

I wrestled with this guitar for like two hours,,,
I thought, ah nice neck but something is not quite right... not heavy
I put a capo on the first fret and bang;
the high nut sabotage was gone, so it needs the nut shaved.
Otherwise it would have sold within days.

who knows, 70's Gibson's did all manner of molting;
frets, finish, binding, neck twists, bridge slingshot...

everything seems solid, not perfect... but for treefitty!?(350)

The finish seems like some poly which will likely stand up to
years of abuse, although it will constrict the sound and likely
how the sound matures. but I wanted an inexpensive guitar
to play out and let my friends play.

nope, hope I don't need to,
I hope,
I hope,
I hope,
I hope,
cus most warranty techs seem stiuuuuupid!
I sure wouldn't buy another Parker, they're too cool for school.
The service people can't be bothered to take the time
to discuss options,,,buy another they'll politely coo. !@$#!@#$@#$@#MOTHER!@#$!@#$!@#$!!!!!!

Too much stuff (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome), long time, old!
Most likely we'll run out of wood before this guitar is valuable...

I've been shopping in many shops around Manhattan and considered spending 10x as much; I don't need another Martin.

didn't find a cool, big necked, light weight Guild or Gibson or Martin.

not for treefitty!? no case... I've got cases.

Pretty glossy finish, extra jumbo body, gold grover tuners. Made in Indonesia, hopefully by justly compensated adults. 20 Frets. Sturdy neck. No pickup.

Rich, rich sound. Sweet and bassy, but responsive to different pick gauge and picking location for differentiation of sound.

I tried several of these guitars at several locations and played 2 that were gorgeous and one that was a bit quiet for its size.

I can't say this is "bookmatched" as far as I understand it. Wood and finish look nice. It is an amazingly beautiful guitar for the money. I have not found any flaws in finish or playability after 2 weeks.

I don't know about any of these longevity issues, but it seems very solidly built.

I believe there is a warranty, but anticipate trusting a local guitar tech for anything but catastrophic defects.

Sunburst finish, gold Grover tuners, lots of quality binding work, J-200 style scratch plate, mustache bride w/compensated saddle, nice inlay work. The finish is flawless. Neck is fairly round and chunky. Nut and saddle are a little high for my style so it needed a setup. I believe the back and sides are laminated maple and the top is solid maple. Very nice-looking and playing guitar for the money.

Very full sounding acoustic that plays like a dream. I play many different styles and it works well for all. Nice boomy sound, a budget J-200 for sure. Good balance with nice highs and punchy lows. Finger-picks and strums well. I use Elixir lights and it really brings the sound alive.

Beautiful work. All it really needed was a setup. Saddle was taken down a little, neck tweaked, etc. Also I got a Fishman Martix II installed. Plays and sounds great. Excellent sound both plugged and unplugged. Easy to play as well. If your'e looking for a jumbo under $500 this is it. It's really shocking how nice it is for the money. Stays perfectly in tune. No glue spots, no binding issues, no finish glitches, nothing. A real looker.

It's well made and the finish is solid. Like any acoustic you can't throw it about. No worries. The factory strap button at the heel of the neck is solid. Nice touch. I play the thing for hours without it going out of tune.

Never had to bother.

No, it's not a Gibson J-200 but it wasn't 2 grand either. This is it! It's just amazing how good this guitar is for the money. Most of the boomy joy of a J-200 for a lot less. Even the tech who put in the Matrix II was a bit suprised how nice it is. Keep in mind that not many of them play this well off the rack. They have to be convinced a bit from a good guitar tech. Once done you're set.

Vintage Sunburst finish,Grover gold tuners,decorative pickguard. The finish is very well applied and looks and feels high quality. Nut and saddle are low quality plastic items, which I upgarded to bone. Guitar looks fabulous all round, which if I am honest is the real reason I was initially attracted to it when I purchased via mail order.

Sound was diappointing even after upgrading saddle and nut to bone, and changing strings to Elixirs.. As stated earlier, I purchased via mail order primarily because of the appearance and also the general good reviews that this model seems to have. I have owned and played other guitars in this catergory and find the Epiphone lacking in comparison (Washburn J28 SDL is far superior in all departments, check it out first if you are considering an Epiphone EJ 200).

Action was quite to my liking ( Low for a jumbo acoustic). Well set up by the supplier. I found the 1.68" nut a little too narrow.

No reliability issues. Didn't keep the guitar long enough!

Incredibly over rated in my opinion. Made the mistake of relying on user reviews to influence my decision to buy, which I won't do again.

EJ-200 in the "Vintage Sunburst" finish. Gover gold tuners. Maple body with "select" spruce top. Lots of eye candy, gold hardware, inlays, binding, the works. A really good looking guitar. Even for an expensive guitar this thing it loaded with with lots of good looking stuff. The finish is hard and thick and will most likely mean years of durability, but I don't think it helps the tone any. Over all a real looker!

I look at this guitar 2 ways. Comparing it to other jumbos, and comparing it to other non-jumbos. Some jumbos, like the Gibson, are have a very boomy sound to them...the EJ-200 does not have that quality. But comparing it to other non-jumbo guitars I have it sound very good. Balanced with nice highs and decent lows. I both finger-pick and strum and its does both nicely. It can be very loud, but plays nice softly too. If you like that big boomy sound some jumbos have this guitar will probably disappoint you. But I really like the sound, and feel it suits my playing style well. Replacing the string really helped the sound too. The stock string are crap!! DR and Martin strings both sound great on this guitar.

Set-up was actually pretty good. I tried an EJ-200 in a shop a few years ago and it was set-up horribly... so bad I didn't even think about buying and EJ-200 after that. But I was in a store and saw one on the wall and siad "what the heck". I was totally suprised!! It sounded great and played nice, and was set up well. So good I bought it on the spot. Not to mention the fact that the gutair looks so good. Don't buy this guitar without playing it first. If you do buy it online or something make sure they have a good return policy in case you need to return it. If your lucky enough to get one that is set up nice and sounds good then go for it!! But I think they are kinda inconsistant for guitar to guitar.

Everything seems to be holding up nicely. The finish is boom-proof. I???ve banged it a few times and didn't even chip the finish. I would play this guitar anywhere with no fear of failure.

N/A. Never needed any.

I know...a 10...I must be crazy!! But when balancing price, value, quality, sound, and features.... this guitar is a 10. I had been thinking about buying an EJ-200 for many years. I tried a couple in stores and was never impressed with them at all and always passed up the EJ-200 in favor of other guitars. But one day I went into the store for some strings and a capo and saw this guitar hanging on the wall. It had been a few years since I picked one up so I thought I'd give it another chance. After about 7 minutes of fooling around with it I decided to buy it. I was totally impressed. I don't know if Epips quality has improved or if I just got lucky. Now it certainly ain't no Gibson J-200... but it does have a very nice sound all its own, and I like it. I currently own an Alvarez 12-string Jumbo, a Parkwood 6-string Dread, Fender Strat, and a Gibson 335. I???ve own a lot of guitars in my day, some good some not so good. But, the EJ-200 is here to stay. For the $$$, its a great deal!!! If you find a good one, buy it.

This is a follow up to my original submission made in December 2003. Since then I had a Fishman Matrix Natural II undersaddle transducer fitted. All other features remain "as was" in 2003.

The addition of the Fishman has made this guitar stage playable and therefore I would raise my features rating from 8 to a well-deserved...

When the transducer was fitted, my tech confirmed with me that the original action should be retained. The playability and acoustic sound remain as described in 2003 although I suspect that now the guitar has been well and truly broken-in it is probably easier to play now than it was a couple of years ago.

Having the Fishman means that I can work "acoustically" live and amplified. Using a compressor allows single note lines to be played in a duo context. The inherent acoustic sound is pretty faithfully reproduced by the Fishman/Boss CS-3 combination. The natural brightness and zing cuts through the electro-acoustic rhythm guitar. That said, when playing unamplified the EJ200 works well in a duo with its distinctive voice sitting comfortably in the acoustic mix.

Jon Haire - who fitted the Fishman - deserves much credit for tuning the break angles over the bridge to achieve a well-balanced electric output.

No further comments to add. The action is very fast and comfortable for an acoustic guitar. Finish is holding up well although it is normally kept in a hard shell case when not in use.

Regular use has eased up the frets and the initial grating sound when bending strings or applying vibrato has now gone. I would ratchet up my rating from 8 to...

Since the Fishman was fitted the Epi has been gigged a number of times. Not with my regular electric blues band I must add, but one-offs where the impression of playing acoustically is crucial.

Overall no problems. Sound-wise I am more than happy. Grovers do their job as one would expect. Regular string changes keep the sound live and vibrant.

I was quite "exuberant" in my original review. Time has done little to change my opinion. If anything the addition of the Fishman has made me even more positive about my EJ200.

Shame that there are still morons out there who see the engraved scratchplate and brand the EJ200 a "Country guitar" - Country as played by Townshend, Page, Neil Young etc etc?? Nothing better than hammering out Pinball or Cinnamon Girl on a good sounding Super Jumbo!

This is NOT the real thing BUT it is a very, very good budget alternative. And I do not mean "budget" in a perjorative sense either. Its RRP would make it a more than reasonable buy, the discounts available make it almost obscenely inexpensive [but not cheap]. Go on, treat yourself....

It's a big jumbo. No Cutaway. No pickups. Flat tops (acoustic only) aren't expected to have features so I'll give it a 10. It did have solid top (I believe) and laminated sides may be okay if the guitar is designed and built well. The woods were carefully selected but with no figuring (hey, it's only $350.00!).
What a finish! High gloss and perfectly applied. The nut felt like 1-11/16ths. The tuners worked well. Very ornate neck with a jazz-type of profile. I love it. Too bad for me; See below.

Initially, it sounded weak. A change to Martin strings really made a difference. I'm not an acoustic player but it sounded good to me. It doesn't really matter though as all three samples could not play fretted notes beyond the seventh fret without buzzing BADLY. See below.

First of all, it' simply hard to believe the fit and finish. Even the old jazz guys at the store were blown away. My three samples were all equally spectacular construction-wise and finish-wise. The cosmetics were unbelievable at this price (around $300). The problem, with all three samples, was the action which was not only frustrating (one played well after adjustment but would not hold the neck adjustment beyond five days) but also discouraging as none of the three could be made to not buzz. All were returned to Epiphone, one after another. None could actually be played! The lack of stability, causing the necks to change nearly daily(!)is a very bad sign. I am very disappointed as I always wanted a Gibson J200 but couldn't justify the purchase being primarily and electric performer. These were so beautiful (all were natural finish)--I fell in love but they broke my heart. DO NOT WASTE TIME LIKE I DID. I had to drive 100 miles each way for this fiasco, time after time.

I own a Korean Epiphone Emperor (around 10 years)and a Korean Sheraton II. Both are simply perfect. I actually had faith in Epiphone. As all three of my EJ200's were defective and one was fettled repeatedly by a top luthier at an authorized Epiphone dealer, to no avail (it constantly changed its adjustment and action, nearly daily), I recommend getting another product. Get this: even the cases were defective! All had bad latches, yet the defect was different on all three. Apparently, the acoustic division at Epiphone cares little for QC. Simply put, A DISGRACE. I paid for the fist EJ200 in early Sept '05 and it took until mid-Jan '06 to go through all three and finally give up. What a waste.

Epiphone was repeatedly notified about these issues. We begged for a unit hat was hand-picked considering what I'd been through. Yet, they repeatedly sent defective guitars! The dealer, however, was perfect. I actually felt bad for them. I got my money back and had to buy a nice Alvarez. I'm satisfied but still wish I had a WORKING EJ200. It's sexier.

I've been playing since 1964. I also taught guitar. I still practice over an hour every day and still play in clubs around town, nearly weekly.
To summarize, the Epiphone EJ200 is a beautiful but unstable design which is likely to cause you trouble. Notice how many reviews refer to needing a neck adjustment. How many of those adjstments held? I paid little heed and ended up driving around a thousand miles (this is not an exaggeration) over a four month period, going back and forth to the dealer, trying units that had been either adjusted or replaced. None were playable. How could Epiphone ship such a piece of crap?

2004 korean made, black finish jumbo.. IT IS FANTASTIC! I actually wanted the sunburst, but this one was half of, so. Yeah! It is great! I tried the gibson also, and yes, of course it is a bit better, but most of the extra money you pay for the real thing is in the gibson logo! Grovers are fantastic! Stays in tune for ever! And aas someone else pointed out, mr ashcroft uses it, as does both Courtney Taylor and Noel Gallagher..

The sound is amazing! I put a couple of good Martin 0.11 strings on it and it just hums! It is very crisp, but also very deep! Perfectly balanced sound! Also, the sustain is incredible!

The finish is flawless. If you like the the retro looks on it, get it! And many of you have pointed out that the action on the strings are high.. Mine is set very low, actually lower than I have it on my AFS 75. Ibanez archtop. Maybe epiphone have changed the factory setup, or I have just been lucky.. Don't know, but the action on mine is as good as it gets.

Almost breand new.. Don't know, but it seems reliable and well built.. Sturdy finish

Don't know..
BTW; 2800 NOK is about 400 USD.. Norway is pricey! This guitar is nearly 1000 bucks in norway!!!!

Been playing for 3 years.. Have an Ibanez AFS archtop, a traynor cs20 and a vox pathfinder amp.. I'm am a nostalgic! I really like retro looks, and sound! What can i say Not only whats on the inside counts, looks are also important! And this one is a looker!