the key difference was dynamics I think. When Ben struck the Gibsons hard, volume increases, but with the Epiphones, it maxed out and had fret buzz as well
Agreed - bottom E resonance is huge but balanced on the Gidson. The Epiphone is certainly value for money and would probably be nice to record with. It is not as nuanced across the dynamic but sounds satisfying played a little softer. Gibson for live performance for sure, particularly unamplified.
True - I walked back my comment above thinking Ben was giving the Epi an unfair run by picking weaker.. Its actually the body on the Epi is a little shallower i believe than the Gibby and this would contribute to it maxing-out on bottom end or strummed hard. Still awesome for the price with its all solid woods, real shell inlay and other great appointments
Listening blind, 2 out of the 3 Gibsons did sound a bit better, but I was surprised by the Hummingbird. I genuinely preferred the sound of the Epiphone Hummingbird over the Gibson.
I love seeing these.🤘🏾 you should do one where you compare the standard epiphones to the inspired by Gibson next! I’d love to hear the difference between an EJ-200 and the Gibson inspired J-200!
We’ve noticed a few comments regarding the strings. We kept the original strings on these guitars to represent what it would be like to compare them in your local store. Most the time guitar stores tend to display straight from the box, which would give you an A/B test similar to what was shown. Thanks for tuning in! 🤘
That's a fair point in the guitar shop but wouldn't it be more useful to know what they sound like when you've got them home and restrung them? If I had just spent £750 on a shiny new epiphone (which all looked very nice by the way!) I don't think I'd mind spending £15 on a decent set of Elixirs/some other brand and getting a nice new set of strings on the go. Great video in all other respects and scary how good Ben's playing was when he was blindfolded! Also great to hear all the guitars unplugged.
Besides the string buzz on the Epiphones (especially first two), I agree that the Epi strings seem junky. Although my sample size in Epiphone in general is tiny, being the new ES-335 Inspired. The strings were already showing (rusty) spots and came off before I even played it. Had to work on the frets two, but beyond that they're good value.
Except people aren't at any store, they are here. The vast majority of people change strings as soon as they get a guitar, which would be a better representation. You're comparing guitars, not strings.
It was on everyone’s minds before the testing even started. It’s very known that Epiphone isn’t going to be using the nitro lacquer used on Gibsons. It’s honestly disingenuous to not mention it.
That 5-10% of difference that Ben hears (or feels while playing) is probably down to the better quality of wood in the Gibson. Though I think that the Epiphone's light satin finish goes a long way toward making that difference only 5%. If it was covered in thick, glossy poly the difference in sound would probably be much larger.
It has to be the wood. It's plain as day, too. My ears usually don't notice subtle things like that. The Gibsons are richer and fuller sounding. The Epiphones sound cheap. These are garbage!
The Hummingbirds are so close together. Unbelievable. The Gibson J200 is an outstanding guitar - I own Chris Kelly's (Kriss Kross) former J200 and it's the only guitar I'll never give away and leave to my kids.
You can hear the difference on first strum, even with youtube's compressed sound. The epiphone sounds more harsh - more tinny highs. The gibson sounds big and rich and full.
I would love to hear these with identical strings, like Elixirs. Nicely done. I have seen other videos that were less discernable in sound difference than this comparison. But you were right, you can tell here. I did blind after J45 too, could tell. Just more definition and fuller in the sound range.
Just a thought; the reason the bird was closer in sound is because they both have bone nut and saddles, the 45 and the jumbo epis are bone, the gibbies are tusq..... I think that is what accentuates the tonal differences. That, and the epis are heavier - thicker wood... Gibson could not allow them to let the cheaper models sound as good as their expensive ones:)
“Heavier”... yes. I looked recently on Sweetwater which lists the weight of each in stock guitar... the Epiphone J200s were all heavier than the Gibsons. And I agree with Lance S... restring each with brand new identical strings and try again.... maybe closer.
John Diggs Exactly John, I could hardly believe that they did that comparison with the original but different factory strings. Would have been the best comparison if they had used the same strings.
String them identically, remove the tangibles by having someone else play them, and let the "contestant" only listen. With seasoned ears, such that Ben and Chappers possess, it may not matter. On the other hand, neck and fretboard feel, not to mention the vibrations of the acoustics, is a dead giveaway to a couple of guys who have played the hell out of everything. Plus you have Chappers uncanny ability to smell nitro. Ears only seems to be the fairest way to do comparisons. I'm 2 hours away from Bozeman, Mt. and so I've played many Gibsons and Epiphones, both in Bozeman and my local dealer in Billings, and I can tell the subtle differences myself while only holding them. And I'm just a stupid old drummer.
Idea for future blindfold tests: One blindfolded person plays and describes the differences. Another blindfolded person listens for differences and doesn't play. Lots of commenters are convinced that all that matters is tone but feel is VERY important to bonding with the guitar.
The best dreadnought would have to be a a D18 or D28, depending on whether you like rosewood or hog guitars, plus the different bracing patterns. The Gibson tone just doesn’t cut it in comparison.
@@kalvino67 "I hear you...but "best", as discussions like this illustrate, is utterly subjective. The Hummingbird,?while not as loud and boomy as those high(er) end Martins, for me, has a resonance I've never felt on any other guitar. It seems to smoothly vibrate through my torso. Would I like a D-41? Yes. And a Guild 512...But I want the 1972 Hummingbird first. 🤩
I’m 60, I don’t know if I could have heard the difference. But, the epi j200 can’t be beat, for the price. The Gibson definitely sounds more like a stage instrument, some because this guy can play sooo good. I would like to see the comments of a similar comparison where, the audience didn’t know which. Thank you for the awesome video!
For me, all the comparison sounded almost similar except J45 where Gibson J45 sounded much better. Anyway, thanks a lot for your video. The fact of the matter , it can never be compared to the very pleasing sound of Gibson J45 with any other guitar specially it's nice pleasing tone of the Mahogany.
Also, I think the Gibson archtop acoustics, most of the old models anyway, sound better than the flat tops, to me. Including the J45. What I really want to see Gibson do, is reissue the old 30s and 40s archtops. I mean, archtop acoustic guitars were Gibson's signature for over half a century. It was mandolin company, and they were famous for constructing mandolins and guitars in the manner of European violins. That refers specifically to archtops and floating bridges. (I think the mid to late 30s is when they started with the fixed metal bridges. Pretty much abr, but probably a less refined version.) I'd also love to see Epiphone sell high quality reissues of their pre-Gibson archtops, because they were great guitars.
I switched from an Epiphone SJC-200 to a Gibson SJ-200 a few years ago. The luthier who sold it to me summed it up really well: the Epiphone is as loud, but you only hear strings. The Gibson, you hear (and feel it if you're the one playing) the whole animal vibrate and resonate.
I got a chance to hear the Gibson Humming Bird and the Epiphone first hand. They were BOTH amazing. And the difference is indeed with the sound, the tone - not in terms of quality, but taste. The Epiphone Hummingbird has a little more tighter sound. But overall very nice, nice all round frequencies, low and high end etc. I really liked the Epiphone. The Gibson has a little more air around it, but not as tight sounding as the Epiphone, and what I am trying to describe is not a difference in quality, just differences in taste. The Epiphones are mega value, they are amazing guitars.
So glad Epiphone decided to step up their game with these models! I saw an earlier video you shared that compared the lower-priced Epiphone Hummingbird and EJ-200 against their Gibson counterparts, and I could tell even through the medium of my computer speakers that it frankly no contest. These Inspired by Gibson models, while not sounding *quite* as good, seem to hold their own a lot more respectably.
I was considering getting the Epi Hummingbird. This video only solidified the decision. The difference between the Gibson and this Epi in sound (I haven't played it) is minimal to my ears. However, check out videos of the old Epi Hummingbirds. Totally night and day.
I believe the poly finish on the epiphones restricts the woods resonant abilities so its not as audiophorically pronounced as the gibson with the thinner finish. Another thing to remember is that the wood grades are vastly different. This makes a large impact on the overall sound
That's very true. Even I could hear the difference and I certainly cannot hear the nuances that some other people's ears can But then it depends on what you are using them for. I personally think the Epiphones would be better for bluegrass with that sharp sound and the Gibson's maybe for blues. If you listen to Brad Paisley's Southern Comfort Zone he plays a £100 Epiphone (both on the record and live) and if it's OK for him it should be OK for us mere mortals!! He also plays million quid Santa Cruz acoustics but then he can :-)
I own the epiphone 200. The depth is shallower by half inch. Which makes it lose some low end presence. That being said it makes a better recording guitar and more tonally balanced. It's still quite new it will be interesting to see how it matures as it opens up.
I've listened to this on a phone (without looking) and it was very easy to tell them apart. The epiphones sounded a bit tinny, could be down to the fretwork, maybe? Tonewood makes a big difference in acoustics, so I'm not surprised the Gibsons sound a LOT better. I'm not even a fan of Gibson
We would like to highlight a comment made by Gibson TV. "All of the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson acoustics ship with the same factory spec strings that Gibson uses."
@Jon Oz what is a legit setup? I got an extra set of Daddario strings when i got the guitar, which was strange too, because two sets of Daddario strings are as the same value as a set of Gibson string, why would they do that?
I was thinking they probably were, because Gibson have there own brand of strings. I used their j200 strings on my G45, and They actually sounds really good on them.
The J-200 by Epiphone is very quiet. I already played it. The Hummingbird is the best one of the Inspired by Gibsons. Look at the Sigma GJA-SG200 if you want a jumbo.
Thank you for this well done comparison. The sound quality was very helpful. One of the problems I have with making copies of iconic instruments is that it sets up an expectation that looking like a J45 sets up the expectation it should sound like one. And that shortchanges an Epi or Eastman or Santa Cruz which really has it's own beautiful tone. These guitars get short shrifted as wannabes when they are great on their own terms. People obsess over headstocks too much and dismiss the tone the instrument actually has. On imports, one can turn a production guitar into a beast with a setup, ditching the undersaddle pickup and adding bone pins. And then playing it a lot to open it up. Don't be the guy who wants every woman to be the one he lost and miss the gifts you are being offered.
I am really wondering if you slap a high end set of elixirs or stringjoys on the Epi I bet tonally that makes a huge difference. Strings on acoustics really change the clarity and depth of tone on acoustics
I don't know if the comment has been made already, I would love to see the same test done between the Epiphone and the Sigma equivalents? or a 3 way between the Sigma / Epi/ Gibsons.....lets do this Andertons!!
if they do a sigma gja 200 vs the new epi j-200 video then no one would buy the new epi jumbo anymore. the sigma jumbo is sounding so much better than the new epi j-200. huge quality difference in sound for the same price.
Just a thought, it would be cool if in these shootouts you did a pure listening round before the playing round and compared them on both fronts. Love the shows!
I have both an Epiphone Hummingbird and (later when I could afford it) a Gibson Hummingbird, and they are substantially different, and the difference is entirely due to the quality (resonance) of the wood.
Do you have the Inspired By Gibson Hummingbird? I have A/Bed the IBG Hummingbird with Gibson Hummingbirds and the tonal difference is minimal. In one case all listening preferred the Epiphone. To add, I sell guitar gear at the largest music store in my state.
Super interesting. I spent nearly 3 years shopping for my current acoustic guitar and came to the conclusion that the biggest factor in sound difference was whether or not you had a solid back and sides (pretty much everything had a solid top). So when I was listening to this video with my eyes closed, and guessed all three correctly, I assumed the Epiphones must have laminate backs and sides on their models. (I also assumed this because back when I was doing my shopping, I couldn't find guitars at an $800 price point with solid backs and sides.) But when I looked up these Epiphones, it turned out that they are all solid. Which leads me to a new question: why did the Gibsons all sound better? I'd really like to know what's structurally different if not the backs and sides.
Much higher end wood used on the Gibson's plus the lacquer is different and I'd say the bracing probably different too. I owned a 45 yr old J200 and it was the lightest acoustic I've ever played hence the top vibrates easier.
Also from what I hear, from some luthiers on RU-vid, higher end guitars tend to push the top to near breaking limits, which you of course can't do in budget guitars where you just want the customer happy; so they are always heavier and a little stifled, and I think that's what we hear here
Ben's comment at around 11:30 says it best - "I'd take that one to the pub gig, I'd take this one to the recording studio." My main guitars are a twelve-fret Larrivee Tommy Emmanuel Signature model and a fourteen-fret Martin 00-16E Granadillo. Those only leave my house when I am recording. For kickaround/travel/gigs I use two Recording King models to match the 1.75" nut width and scale of my main guitars, and I've managed to find discounted demo/floor models of each of these Epiphone guitars. For the price point, you can't beat them. And, if I happen to splash a bit of drink on one of the Recording Kings or Epiphones, my heart will stay in my chest instead of trying to exit my throat. My rule of thumb is buy what will make you want to play more. As always, Ben's playing was superb! His comments were fair and reasoned. A great addition to the Andertons team.
The first (and only) Gibson Jumbo I've ever purchased made my whole house smell like sexy bikini girls and candy corn for like two months... there's no way you wouldn't immediately know which one was the Gibson! #makeitacandle
The quality of the music is 90% player 10% gear. Eric Clapton could make that Epiphone sing sweeter than most guys who play Gibsons. Epiphone are considered the poor man's Gibson but truth is, their more expensive guitars are very close to Gibson in terms of build and quality. If your playing is good, no-one really cares about the specs of your instrument. Gear heads lose themselves in specs of gear when really it's not that important. Just my opinion. Peace & love
I played along and closed my eyes for the J45s. Nailed the Gibson on the first strum; so much richer. I got the J200s wrong despite what the guys said. The Hummingbirds were a lot closer to my ears.
Agree 100%. I closed my eyes first time watching and could not tell the difference on the Hummingbirds, immediately when he started playing the Epiphone J-45 I could hear some top-end sustain that just isn't there on the J-45 which is laser focused on clear thumpy mid-range and sadly that J-200 was really missing the Gibson mojo.
@@GlennWW Epiphone makes quite a few Hummingbirds. Just to clarify, do you have this new Inspired by Gibson Masterbuilt $799 Epiphone Hummingbird or the $499 Epiphone Hummingbird Pro? Masterbuilts are all solid woods, real bone nut and saddle, etc... they get a lot right that you usually only find on the real Gibsons (just realized I used American currency notation on a post for a UK based music store... doh)
@@rmzzz76 Mine is the Epi HB Pro..... I added brass pins, lowered action, lighter strings (10's) and this improved the sound a fair bit...... Some days I like it, then another day, I'm thinking it sounds thin... hahaha I can't win. lol. Here it is plugged in: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-g1Yqo53R5Sc.html ...... unplugged the sound I'm unhappy with..
Hey guys, please do a video comparison between inspired by Gibson hummingbird, versus the Epiphone hummingbird pro. No one has made this yet on RU-vid. I had the hummingbird pro for 7 years, i want to check what kind of upgrade to expect.
Epiphone is extremely high quality now that it makes you seriously consider it over the Gibson and save thousands of dollars! We are in the golden era of quality guitars for affordable prices.
@@mikechivy yes that is true, but for the price, you still get a decent high quality instrument, that you can build up your music with. 20-30 years ago, you either get a gibson or fender for the money, or cheap useless thing with strings, that cannot compare to these brands. Of course there were many skilled people that could craft you an instrument (for example Brain May´s father, crafting one of the most famous guitars ever made without knowing and willing to pay for gibson/fender), but still, there was not much chance to just walk in any store and buy a guitar you like for a few bucks like today.
That Epi Hummingbird sounded amazing, just as good as any other guitar in the test, but to be fair though every guitar can sound different, two of the exactly same models can sometimes have a bigger difference in sound than most people realize.. With that being said I'd love to try one out if I ever see one in a guitar store here. Any one here have a Hummingbird Masterbilt?
Well done. I thought the Gibsons sounded richer and fuller. As Ben said the difference between the 200s was the most pronounced. Huge differences in price though.
That was a good comparison of the J200 for me. I owned a Gibson for a long time and it does have the edge on tonal quality, but it isn't anywhere near £3000 better than the Epiphone. That tonal difference can be EQd in a recorded or live mix and most folks would probably not hear a vast difference. I have only just found out about these new Epiphone models and I am buying one because the price makes sense and they are terrific value. Thanks for doing this, it was a big help.
Interesting - nailing it and correctly naming the brands with great confidence. However, if the Gibson guitars with bound necks have the fret nibs, that would be a dead giveaway, too.
Honestly their electric guitars are just about 1:1 in terms of how they sound. They're really good. But woods make a huge difference in tone for acoustics as evidenced by this video (and a good pair of headphones)
I can't help but wonder if 3 hours on my bench doing advanced setup and strings would bring those J-200's a lot closer together. I'm thinking nut and saddle angle and intonation, brace thinning, and string experiments. thoughts?
I removed the piezo, added a tusq saddle, got it at the height I love. Elixir strings... It sounds better in my opinion. Not at the sound of the Gibson, but that's what another 4k could get me. These are fantastic guitars. The wood used is great, craftsmanship is also great. Overall a fantastic value
1) I prefered the Ep 2) I prefered the Gib 3) BOTH... but for completely different reasons. Overall I think the Epiphones are just brighter. But I would be happy with any of them. That said, being that Gibson is now making some of the Epiphones in the USA and they are amazingly fantastic.... never overlook a guitar because of what is on the headstock. Cheers!
Man Ben is such a great player. I would welcome him coming on for electric demos as well. Can you imagine the jam that would take place with Ben and Pete showcasing some custom shop Fenders?
I have Gibson and Epiphone guitars, and honestly the new Epiphones are so close that I have a harder time justifying a Gibson purchase these days. I really like both.
@@gianthonour Yeah, but its all subjective. In my memory the sigma was better. But I have to play them again, when the shops in Germany open after lockdown.
I did this in a store where I asked the salesperson to give me the Epi and Gibson J-45s while I kept my eyes closed. It only took me two strums of a G chord to pick out the Gibson as having a sweeter sound. The build quality on the Epi was fine, but they were miles apart in sound.
You can instantly tell a big difference in sound between the two. The real deal though is one of them is stupid expensive and the other isn't. Is the obvious sound difference worth the price?
I'll just say, that if you go to buy a Epiphone or any other version of a J-45 because that's your budget, DON'T play a Gibson J-45 while there. Because once you do, the other will never be enough, regardless of the price difference. There is an indescribable something about them. Some say power, some say personality or magic, whatever it is, it's real.
I heard the richness in the Gibson at first strum. BTW, He gave it away @ 4:22. So he may as well have removed the goggles at that point. The real blindfold test would be to compare them at 3-4 years of age. And 10 years. A much better test. One is a guitar, the other is an heirloom to be passed down for generations. One is 5-600.00, the other around 4 grand.
@@gardenstateflatlandb True, but they didn't compare to a Martin. Have you aver owned/played a well built guitar? So much easier and more fun to play. I'd never buy a new Gibson btw. But, There's just more value in a well built guitar and the older they get the better they play. Not so with an Epiphone. Because of cheaper woods they grow and shrink so much so quickly that they become unplayable when they cannot be tuned properly. That's a major issue especially when you're recording.
We decided to keep the original strings on these guitars to represent what it would be to like compare them in your local store. Most the time guitar stores tend to display straight from the box, which would give you an A/B test similar to what was shown. 🤘
First off, great video, wonderful playing and good comments. But it is very simple to tell the difference, even blindfolded. Gibson pickguards are hand carved, Epiphone are laser printed, so it is easy to tell the difference when you are playing. However, it is a fun video, thank you for posting!
