The Epiphone sounded beyond excellent...kudos to Gibson Epiphone for returning to the once apon a time era when Epiphone guitars where truly masterpieces. The Gibson guitar to me seemed like a super highly sensitive instrument responding effortlessly and with enormous projection. That Gibson Sparkle or crackle, I don't know another way to describe that Gibson acoustic sound...I just know it's my favorite. How do they do it? Awsome. On my wish list: Gibson southern Jumbo.
Great video, you could really tell difference in tone between the two, but I think the real issue here is the price. For a working guy with a family, mortgage and so on it’s hard to afford or justify spending thousands on a guitar.The Masterbuilts are great guitars for the price. Whether one is better than other is subjective and something each guitarist would have decide for themselves. I own several Epiphones both acoustic and electric and think the offer a lot of bang for the buck.
For nearly 20 years I've gone with Masterbilts and I've had high end Taylors and Martins sprinkled in. Budget out the window, they are amazing. People want to buy a name and it's their loss.
If you define 70% as close, then yeah. I might get the Epi to play at, say, church, but I'd never get it to record with. The thing is, for what you could get a good Epi used (~550-600), save a little more and get a Gibson (~2000; maybe a little less if you look hard enough). In the mean time, get a cheaper $250 Yamaha to play on while you wait. Some of the good low to mid-end Yamahas sound at least as good as the Epi.
@@Edward1312 you missed my point. I said ignore the Epi and save up for the Gibson. In the mean time, get a good Yamaha. Whether one agrees or disagrees with your assertion regarding Epiphone vs. Yamaha (I think the Yamaha Japan models are, at worst, very close -- and in some cases better), they are by all accounts good guitars. If you like the Epiphone, that's fine; get it. I don't think its that great. To me, it isn't worth buying for the price its offered at. There are far better guitars at that price point: Tak, used Taylors and Martins, etc.
I am pretty stunned by my Epi j45...I own a Martin D35 by comparison. The Epi has a deep, rolling bass and mid bass that I have just not heard on another guitar. When I removed the 900lb pickguard it opened even more and the sustain is just off the chain. What a fun guitar!
@@MaddogMD82 if you mean a Gibson, that's a nitro finish so best left to a pro. the Epi is poly finish, so blow dryer to peel it off and goo gone from auto store to remove rubber cement. Goo gone is safe for poly bud bad for nitro.
My bet would be that if you had 2 Gibson J-45's they would also sound different from each other as well. I recently purchased the Epiphone J-45 as a secondary acoustic to my Gibson SJ200. The Epiphone has blown me away! It sounds amazing acoustically as well as plugged in. It's intonation it spot on. Did one small neck adjustment and slight shave on the bridge in store and it is now one of my favourite guitars. I use it as much as I do the Gibson for both live and recording. I would definitely recommend the Epiphone to anyone. My suggestion would be to make sure it is set up properly by someone who knows what they are doing.
@Kirk Meyer If money is not a factor the Gibson will not disappoint you I'm sure but from my experience I suggest you try more than one of the same model. Of 2 Gibsons one might sound better or feel better to you. Also make sure that they are set up properly before you make a decision. I do love my Epiphone though but a Gibson is definitely a life-long guitar. I think the right one will just speak to you when you play it. Good luck
I can see and hear that he is strumming harder on the Gibson than Epiphone and any person who has experience recording acoustics can tell this right away. He isn’t “playing” that Epiphone so if I was using headphones on the other side of the glass then I would tell him to strum harder.
I dunno, for a couch/campfire/porch guitar, I'd probably go with a Yamaha FG or an Art & Lutherie, or Eastman, and save some money vs. the Epi. Sure it's "good for the money" but these three I mentioned are "extremely good for the money" -- at about 1/2 the price of the Epi.
The epiphone is perfect for working musicians, the sound is more than acceptable and the price is most agreeable, guitars are susceptible to damage on the road and to be honest i would do nothing but worry about it.
Hey thanks for doing another video on this Epiphone. Thanks for comparing them. The Gibson actually has more of that typically Martin ring to it relative to the Epi. The Gibson has more complex overtones and the Epiphone has a ‘drier’ sound. It may not be a Gibson, but dang… the Epiphone sounds great for $800.
Yeah as soon as I heard it the Gibson just blew the Epi away but I never really expected Gibson to allow a company they own to undercut themselves it just be foolish to even suggest it
The Masterbilt sounds very good but the Gibson - even with dead strings - gives a richer sound. It is louder. I'm not putting down the Masterbilt. It sounds very good. As a matter of a fact I think I'll buy it.
Can definitely hear the difference. The Gibson has a warmer, richer tone. Certainly nothing wrong with the masterbuilt, particularly for the price point, but man, the Gibson is straight butter
I own 2 recent J45 standards and yesterday I played one of these Epi J45's. They are very nice for the price point. No they aren't in the league of my Gibson's but for a fraction of the cost I think they are wonderful. I would think plugged in they could be eq'd very close to each other.
While the Epiphone sounds great especially considering it's price point there's really no denying that the Gibson sounds better in every way. That being said if you want a J45 and are on a tight budget then i'd say the Epiphone is a no brainer . My main take away from the sound comparison aside from the fact I no doubt prefer the real Gibson version was that while I prefer the full more well rounded expensive guitar the Epiphone still had a very pleasant tone and I felt considering the drastic price difference it did a lot better than I initially expected. Bravo to Gibson(Epiphone) for making such a nice sounding approximation for the budget minded buyers.
I love a J-45 that's why I own one but I do own the Epiphone as well and by no means does the Gibson sound better or vice versa. Imo they sound different that's all different but equally good and fit and finish is nicer on the Epiphone......but in all fairness ive never been a fan of Gibsons fit and finish it's like they buff their guitars up to like the third to final buff. There's always swirls and imperfections in the laquer!!
i've had a 66 j45 since the 70's, and last year i got hold of a 69 epiphone texan, and a while before that a 2016 J35, they are all unique, i prefer the J35 for the bass, but it's definitaley subjective and my advice is go, play as many guitars as you can, one will grab you sooner or later, having said that the J45 is the only guitar i've bought from a shop, i'm quite happy to buy a guitar, find out i don't like it and sell it on - it's all good experience.
Great points. I wonder if the bracing is the same on these two models? In either case the Gibson might be made to a higher standard of hand scalloping, which would presumably result in a more responsive top.
You know what might be fun, is a blind sound test for the internet. I know there will be a loss in sound fidelity, but it would still be fun to see if we can hear a distinction.
Just my opinion but I think the Epiphone is way more bang for your buck. I was super stoked the other day walking into my local shop and seeing 3 j-45s on the rack and an Eastman equivalent. What blew me away was that all 3 Gibsons sounded completely different and, in my opinion, the Eastman sounded better than all 3.
I have both and the Gibson is much better but not willing to take it out to play live so I got the Epiphone for that. Maybe I'm too protective lol! Thanks Paul and Quentin! Live watching!
@@jjmuni its not about that necessarily. I play in some tight spaces where I'm in the general area where people are hanging out and there's always that one person that can't handle their spirits and don't want and mishaps with the Gibson haha.
I approach live performance in the same way. I take my least favorite acoustic out so that if something happens to the guitar, I won't regret the damage to a less expensive guitar as much as I would a nicer instrument.
@@andy_182 If you think they sound the same you need better speakers, or a hearing test. Not trying to be a smart aleck, but I could hear a big difference.
@@carljohnson4691 Think what you want, to my ears the differences are so subtle and nuanced. Could be due to mic placement being off by a centimeter who knows.
@@andy_182 & @ Carl Johnson - I agree with (both) Carls of this comment; they do sound different and noticeably so. I have acceptable speakers on my computer though certainly not premium speakers. What is striking is that the Gibson has "dead" strings. That is one very nice J-45 if it can make dead strings sound like newer strings.
@@uvp5000 How do you know the Gibby has dead strings? If they sound like newer strings...they probably are. Most national shops doing a demo will make sure the strings are at least fairly new or it would be a pointless test.
The Gibson model sounded like it had more range than the Epi. I'm wondering if it is because the Epi is newer and less broken in than the Gibson. It would be interesting to hear a comparison between a played-in Epi and the played-in Gibson. In any case, you guys make a good point of going out and playing them. No two solid wood acoustics sound and feel exactly alike. The wood is a variable. Best to go play for yourself but the Masterbilt seems to represent a great value, especially for a gigging musician who doesn't want to put a much more expensive guitar at risk from the damage that gigging inevitably causes.
I have the Epiphone J45 and I think it is an excellent guitar, but my question is if the 2 guitars weigh the same, because the Epiphone is very heavy, I don't have how to compare, since I don't have the Gibson, could you clarify this doubt. And if all solid body guitars are that heavy?
I can hear the difference, however, its not glaring at all and tends more to the subtle. The difference for me is with the Gibson J45 the sound is down to finish quality that is rich and thick, tone whereas the Epiphone J45 goes about 90 or 95 of the Gibson and lacks that finish quality that is the last 5%. Now a good player with some smart pick or fingers may just compensate for that end and who knows maybe some age will get you there. Nice demo thank!
When I see this tests (even tho I really dig them) I wonder if they are exactly the same in the setup, nut height, relief, string (brand, gauge and type), bridge pin material, tuners weight.. They are different right out of the box, but what if those factores are matched up
Well sound vise I don't think it is possible to make them sound the same. Gibson is clearly louder it resonates better , it has that bass, and it costs three times Epi price which is crucial factor. Epi is close, but than again it is always like that, close but...far, well not that far, but how much we care about 10 or 20% of sound, well some do, and those who don't, do not believe them. We all want J-45 but we can get it all, most of us can't. I think it is maybe , just maybe possible to additionally compensate those differences with things you already sad but with little bass push on certain frequencies for one or two db and so on. For the purpose of this kind of comparisons it would be one step ahead if they recorded material and then tried to make Epi as close as it can get with eq just to experiment to see if it is possible or not to get nearer J-45 with little editing, what are frequencies to boost or what to cut. In that case guys who have that guitar would need to know how to do it, but it is maybe just to complicated to go there. It is what it is at the end, both guitars are good, but one better than the other and that is all..
Not often you can hear the difference on a lot of guitars with video reviews but here you can clearly hear the Gibson's superior (less tinny?) sound. A bit like when you go from 80/20 to phosphor bronze, quite dramatic.
The Epi sounds good....not as good as the J45 but considering it's 25% of the cost..........unless you are performing with it ....no big deal.....if you make your living with then save for the Gibby.......I bought a J35 and saved $1000 off the price of a J45.......back in 2017....
I'm a big fan of the J-35. Probably the best value for a Gibson. Before the pandemic, one could get a fantastic used guitar for a steal. Too bad they discontinued that model.
The big differentiator for me is the neck profiles. I am 6'4" with even larger hands and Gibson's modern neck profiles are always so slender. The new "Inspired by" Epiphones have that big '50s feel so playability is worth the tone tradeoff for me.
Good to hear from you again🙏 Happy New-year. Well nobody can't deny the sound deference. 👍 to Gibson, just close your eyes and listen. The difference is distinctive. Thanks to both of you, it is my favorite channel to see and not least listen to👍
c'mon guys....we're talking 1/3 the price. I wouldn't by the Epiphone expecting it to sound and look like the Gibson..Who does. If you're going to do a review you should review the guitar not spend half the review dissing the less expensive one. Also, I went to the RU-vid Gibson factory tour. The only time 'hands on' construction was mentioned was during the fretting process. The Epiphone factory tour used a hydraulic?? press. Other than that they were very similar.
i have the real deal 55 j45, one piece mahogany back, red spruce top. the rare version. i didn't know what it was... i was at school studying luthiery. strummed it and knew this was my guitar... story is a bit more than that. we had this guy that could play. i mean play... i hear him finger picking, and i'm drawn in. another guy there, picks her up, and i ask, can i try it, i'll be gentle. i still remember that first strum. i've only met a few others like it. one a martin years and years later, that i knew i wasn't going to give up my j45 for a new attention...that was an italian spruce, madagascar rosewood model. was awesome. but, my j45 is my guitar...why change? its been my best friend since i met her. shes so special to me. i'd die for her. so hearing these new renditions of it. is awesome. the real one though, it will sing at any note, pinch or whatever you want to do. it'll give it to you. thats those mid to late 50's gibsons. and, i don't write as much as i used to. i lost my muse... kills your soul... and, well, i look for more things that aren't so selfish to write about... all my music is about me. annoying as it is. to express musically, without a muse is tough.
The only guitar I ever bought new, back when they were way cheaper; although mine is an AJ-45ME, don't know if it's any different from the one in the video.
I had same question of masterbilt vs new Gibson inspired. Any different? I have a 2015 AJ 45, great price to value and it’s the perfect burner guitar, i.e. I leave it out on the stand and never worry about putting it in a case or humidity issues etc. I Find that I play the Epi so much more because it’s always sitting out!
@@whitneysmith2541 I treat mine the same, my place is quite humid which it seems to like. I found the specs on the epiphone website, things like neck profile, fretboard wood and radius and some other stuff like tuners and electronics seem to differ: www.epiphone.com/Guitar/EPIC92162/Masterbilt-AJ-45ME/Vintage-Sunburst-Satin www.epiphone.com/Guitar/EPIYB5518/J-45/Aged-Vintage-Sunburst-Gloss
As tempting as the Epiphone J-45 might be, I think the $800 or so might travel a little further in some lesser-known brands such as Recording King. My advice is to always buy the best sounding guitar for the amount you're willing to spend. My Recording King RD-328 has a massive, rich, resonant sound that's a quarter the cost of many of the bigger guys. And it sounds a heck of a lot better than the Epiphone. Don't get me wrong, I applaud Epi for putting out the "inspired by Gibson" guitars out to the market. I just think if you're going to go "cheap", be really smart about it. OR, save up for that Gibson, buy used, finance it, etc.
I have a RAJ 26 Jubilee. RKs take on a vintage J45. It's a very good guitar. I'd be happy to hold it up to any scrutiny. It sounds a lot more like the Gibson than the epi in this video. I'll never part with it.
If the Gibson J-45 is what you really want, then keep the $800 in your pocket and you're already 1/3rd of the way there. There's NO substitute, thank me later...
I always buy the Asian copy first and end up buying the real thing down the road . Got lucky during covid pandemic and sold epi es175 premium for 1250 ,washburn hb35 for 800 , mex telecaster for 750 and Dillion tele for 700 . Pick up a 2019 les paul for 1700 and a 2021 e es 335 60s for 2100 . Also have a American elite tele I got on clearance for 1200 when the Ultras came out . My point is if you shop around and be patient ,you can get these great guitars at affordable prices used or sometimes returns or open box
If you make a living playing a guitar or have the money yes Gibson but I play in church I feel blessed just to have a epiphone J 45 the Lord will bless me later
To me, the Epiphone sounds clearer, more linear and balanced, less woofy. The Gibson sounds at the same time a bit boomy and almost nasal, comparatively, and its highs feel a bit shrill. Also, and no offense intended, I would not expect a guitar retailer to advise you to buy the cheaper of the two. It would make no sense. We all have to make a living. So, clearly, the buyer has to make their own judgment, as free of cant or bias as possible, either within the limitations of RU-vid audio, or, if possible, at a store that offers both.
I actually think the Epiphone sounds great! Sounds and looks like Quinton may have had to dig in a little more on the Epiphone to get similar responsiveness to the Gibson, but it still sounds good. For $1000 Cdn, it gets you close to the J45 sound.
I actually think he digs into the Gibson to make it sound different. I don’t believe they sound much different. I bought a used Epiphone after I watched all these comparisons. Sounds friggin awesome.
I have the Epi. I bought it for acoustic sessions so the entry-level pickup doesn't matter. Could have bought the Gibson, but for the extra £2000 I would have had marginal extra quality that nobody would have cared about.
I was hesitating between the Epiphone J45 and the J45 Slash... I found a deal that the price difference it's just 70$ ( the Slash is more expensive ), but it includes hard shell case and Grover tuners... does anyone have an advice to give me between the two? thanks!
I'm thinking that there were tweaks to the playing and the audio in favor of the Gibson in this video. Even though a USA Gibby is almost always going to kill an Epiphone, I believe these two guitars could be quite close, especially because of being all solid wood. The Epiphone wins for me on this one!
While testing/shopping. I spent two hours, I tried Gibsons, read love, Martin, takamine, and Taylor. Long story short. The Taylor’s sounded the best. Followed by the Takamine. The bottom of the sound test list was the Gibsons, and the ironic part is, they were the most expensive by far.. it might have been the strings or the set up. I ended up getting a Taylor and a Takamine. While I was at the dealer. I noticed a wall sign giving the prices of set ups. Because Taylor’s have bolt on necks, Price is $70 even to set the action height on a Taylor. To set the action on a Martin, the price starts at $500. Because they have to steam the neck off and then re-glue the neck to the body to change the action if needed..
Nice, but you said no word about the bracing. We know that most of the sound is shaped by the bracing. If you scallop brace the Epiphone you can probably get the same sound.
Tbh, there was very very little difference if you did a blind test. I didnt look at my phone during the test and I couldn't tell when the guitars switched. I wonder, if this was a blind test would people still think that the gibson's better 🤔 but yea that's what I heard anyway lol, have a wonderful day!
Listening on AirPod pro buds, Gibson is, for me, clearly a better sounding guitar. It is the difference in a singer who sings from the neck and one who sings from the diaphragm. That came to my mind immediately while listening. It would be worth the cost, if you can swing it!
Distinction without a difference, I think it might be a difference in headroom that will ultimately tell the tale. I’ve recently fallen in with a bunch of folks who favor Gibsons. This happened to me almost 50 years ago and, to be an earnest country player I bought a Hummingbird. I think it was the most muddled stringed instrument I’ve ever heard, let alone owned. I sold it to a player with stars in his eyes and the right dollar. I don’t think I’ll succumb this time, with a little thoughtful breathing the urge may pass. Cheers.
I own a Gibson J45 50s original (same model of Gibson in this video) and first of all I had some intonation issues but still sounded alright. Took it to a luthier who done a new set up, put some 13s on there are compensated the saddle. Now it sounds KILLER! Just proves you don’t necessarily always get what you pay for. If I had to buy another acoustic with a fresh budget I would probably go for one of the epiphones instead and again get it set up and definitely put 13s on. They make a dreadnought boom!
I actually have a Yamaha and Eastman that put my Martin and Taylor to shame, I sold both the Martin and the Taylor. My Yamaha and Eastman were one third the price and sound better.
I’m an intermediate guitar player with low budget I’m going to buy my next guitar and I’m deciding between Epiphone J45 and Fender CC60SCE what should be my pick?
I picked up a Fender CD-60SCE about a year ago. For an entry level price the quality is pretty good. I had some high E string buzz on the 2nd fret, exaggerated by how low I set the action. I had a local guitar shop do a set up and I've been pretty satisfied since, although I can tell the strings are higher but I can live with that. But I think the Fender is more of an entry level whereas the Epiphone is a bit of a step up. I'm just a novice beginner but this is my own experience.
seems pretty straightforward to me. yes, the gibson sounds deeper, fuller, more resonant. why? gibson is smart here. the epi weighs about a pound and a half more. though I don't have facts to back me up, i think it's easy to guess why - finish - poly vs nitro, probably slightly thicker finish - woods - top is cut just slightly thicker on the Epi, maybe back and sides too? also possibly khaya/african mahog vs south american - pickguards - mile thick pickguard on the epi each of these would easily contribute to making sure the epi is and remains slightly less responsive and resonant than the gibson but only slightly. i just picked up an epi j-45 from GC - had to look at a few of them but found one that sounds as good as the video. very happy - i'm more of a martin guy but this checks my "gotta have a J45" box til my ship comes in and money's no object :-)
The overall clarity of the J45 is vastly superior, it's like night and day. I'm honestly surprised how drastically better the Gibson sounded, especially since I only like they way one in ten J45s I play sounds.
That’s because a Gibson J45 sound fantastic in front of a mic. But in a room just acoustically it sounds flat. That’s why they all sound so good on you tube and for recording, in front of a mic.
@@truthof7382 I never recorded with one, but I never thought of that. I guess it makes sense that it would record well, a lot of highs and not a lot of anything else going on really.
It’s kind of funny that you talked about the strings being dead. I have never played a Gibson acoustic before at a guitar store that didn’t have bad strings 😅
They sound the same to my ears, I couldn’t tell they switched guitars most of the time. As I’m writing this comment i can’t tell what guitar is being played
I don't think anyone would prefer the Epiphone to the Gibson if money wasn't an issue, but it is. So we often have to make priorities and a lot of us can't afford the iconic version of every type of guitar that we would like to own, so we tell ourselves that "if I just replace the pickups at least it will sound the same" and we buy epiphones and we might try to convince us that at least the tone is the same, but we all know it isn't. In many cases though, it's good enough for me.
The Gibson definitely sounds better and it’s no surprise given the price difference. However the Epiphone sounds very good not just “for the money” but in general. If you don’t have the dough for a Gibson you can still get a great guitar.
The music starts at 4:44 why don't you play it first and then explan the specs? The Gibson sounds deeper and we can feel that the wood is really good. I don't understand why Epiphone doest a masterbilt. The Epiphone Vintage by Gibson was already great and good budget too.
For some reason Epiphone put these tone killing, really thick and huge pickguards on their IBG models. Other Epi owners have spoken about removing them and getting better tone and resonance. Also the Gibson has Tusq pins whereas the Epi has plastic. If I got the Epi, the p/u would go, I'd put in bone pins and ditch the pickguard for something lighter. Not saying it would equal the J45, but I think you are not hearing the full potential if the Epi.
