Great video! I used to get caught up in "this one is better"...as I get older and have played multiple brands of guitars (and for me the headstock means very little) I am realizing that guitars are different....not necessarily better or worse than others. Now when I say this, I am not comparing a $100 guitar against a $4000 guitar or anything. But, when you get above a certain price its hard to really state what is better....it really is based on preferences and what makes you want to play. I have many different guitars, and I can guarantee that who ever plays my 2012 Martin D-18 custom and then plays my 1983 Yamaha L-10A, they will say the Martin is better. But for me I own both because they both sound good, the play good, and they are different from each other. Much like this vid....both guitars play good, they sound good, and they are different!
I preferred the Epiphonee. It looks better, i like the pick guard better and the color is more vintage. I also prefer the headstock on the Epiphone better as well as the tuners look better than the Gibson. I must say tho that the pickup system on both sound horrible, I wouldn’t want to use it and would probably want it taken out. One thing i did like on the Gibson over the Epiphone was the glossy finish. I’ve been trying to convince myself to choose the Gibson over the Epiphone as I’m in the market for one but video after video I’ve seen i am more convinced that i would buy the Epiphone. Great video by the way and great playing. Rock on 🤘
To me the Gibson sounded too tinny at times the Epiphone sounded fuller, I know you’re supposed to say Gibson & I want to because I’m a fan but to be honest it sounded good but the Epiphone I thought sounded better but if I had them in my hands I may say different but what I’m hearing in the video if I had to go by that it would be the Epiphone
The only draw back i noticed, was that the epi string width is spaced out kinda far compared to a real 59 45 gibson. I like the smaller width but the sound is dead on the same as the 59 45.
I've played both and I prefer the Gibson for a couple of reasons. The neck feels really good and the tone is great on the the Gibson. I prefer the high gloss and the light weight of the Gibson as well. I tried liking the Epiphone but it wasn't for me. It did have a great price but I just did not like the guitar.
I recently got myself the Epiphone 1942 antique VOS Banner J45 for £1119. I tried out the Gibbo J45 standard as well for £2999 which l could have bought but l went home with the Epi. It's an awesome guitar. Has the Braggs electrics. Just love it. They both felt great to play. I preferred the neck profile on the epi but it was the tone. I don't know if l struck lucky with the Epi banner but it outshone the Gibbo. The harmonic overtones are amazing. It has the mid and low thud l love and the guitar just spoke to me. I was all prepared to buy the Gibson but it was an easy decision to take the Epi home. I'm looking forward to how it opens up after a few months. If it gets any better, it'll be amazing. Thanks for the comparison, great video.
Great vid! I am a big fan of Gibson J45. The sound of it just clicks with me. However, I had a chance to try the Epi in a music store the other day. I have to say I was really impressed! I think it has the essence of a J45 in it which was a surprise to me as it's so much cheaper than Gibson. Epi has done a good thing for people who love the sound of J45 to afford one.
Very good video and to my ear the Epi was much more dynamic sounding. I liked it better. Maybe I'll remove the thick pick guard and see what difference that makes. Mine should be showing up in a few days! Thanks for doing these vids!
With the epi, remove the electronics, remove the incredibly thick pick guard, install a proper height high quality saddle, and the tone improves dramatically.
Both very nice and I am a Gibson player. The Original is a bit brighter and the response is better on the high end, but the Epi has a great sound and may be more to my liking. I think that if I were looking for another guitar, I would definitely consider the Epi based on this video, but would want to play them both before definitely deciding. Good vid...Thanks
Thank you for the video comparison. I would like to try an experiment: Everyone has an opinion and most seem to lean toward Gibson but I think it's truly because they are influenced by the name. In order to do a true sound test (via video because in person is different) I think the listener should be in the blind. They should not know which guitar is being played during the test. Then let's see how many pick the more expensive (by a lot more ) over the economy guitar. Just a thought. I honestly thought the Epi sounded as good and in some clips sounded better than the Gibson. I love Gibson and want the J45 50's reproduction but from this video I am not sure. I also like a chunkier neck and wider nut width, so finding that has led me to the 50's repro over all others. But the money!!!!!! URGH!
A very... very big diferencce, and its the price. Now, in Spain the Epi cost 699 € and Gibson cost 2.700 €. I think Gibson is probably better, but NO four price better. THANKS FOR YOUR VIDEO.
I was able to buy the epiphone j45 and I like its sound, but I would like to know if the Gibson j45 weighs the same as the Epiphone because comparing other guitars with solid woods the epiphone weighs a lot and with the case it weighs more jajaja.
My opinion is the LR Baggs pickup sux. I have a 2020 j-45 with that pickup. It's clacking sounding. I love my j-45 but not the pickup. Just my opinion. I have two other guitars with pickups with a true mic along with the piezo under saddle. You can blend out the clack of the piezo. One of them is the lr baggs anthem and the other a fishman. Just my opinion. You should ckeck these out but beware of the cost but you do get what you pay for. I think to get a true acoustic sound nothing beats a good mic not a piezo mic under the saddle. I also think putting a piezo under the saddle takes away from the true acoustic tone. I know the feedback issues that comes with a mic in the guitar but if you are willing to lose a little tone quality then go under saddle. I bought the j-45 with the pickup already installed so I really don't know what it sounds like with out one but my other two I do. It's the price you have to pay to keep feedback to a minimal.
The Epi is about a quarter of the price and really is there that much difference? I once owned a second hand J 200 I sold it at a small profit and never regretted it, yes it was good but I've played Epi, Faith, Blueridge and Alvarez guitars since and enjoyed them all as much. In fact my top of the range Alvarez is jus as good listening back to an old recording made with the J200.
I have a vid of a 59 j50 on my youtube account if you'd like to check it out. I regret selling it but it needed a luthier badly and i needed money but what can you say lol. Miss it.
I bought the IBG Epi for acoustic playing and it's tremendous. The pickup is entry-level but the one on the Gibson sounds bad here too. Reckon I've scored a bargain.
The Gibson looks much nicer and soundwise i think as soon as you plug in all acoustic guitars sound the same, as a amplified acoustic. I only tried the Epiphone Texan, another inspired by, and found it thin sounding and kinda cheap feeling. Im sure the J45 is a ok guitar but the Gibson is the real thing, something that's, at least to me, worth something.
I think the expectation that all players now feel that their acoustic guitars will be "plugged in" rather than played through a mic has made the way acoustic guitars sound almost irrelevant. Compared to a good microphone, all pickups for acoustic guitars sound like crap. And what exactly, besides catering to the expectations/limitations of idiots "doing sound" at big gigs are acoustic guitar PU's good for anyway? Perhaps saving space in very cramped quarters. I'll give you that much. The truth is, however, that those gigs in cramped quarters are not really worth playing. (Did I say that?)
@@bobaldo2339 Right now im glad with any gig i can get, cramped? Fine by me, a little money and free drinks, sadly it has never been different for me......😆🥴🥴
I suggest that any good guitar will sound much better through a mic than with any PU. If you have room for a mic stand, use a mic, and no pickup. people will comment on how good your guitar sounded.
none sounds bad !!!! but the Gibson ... has another shine .... that taste that make it sound and feel special .... imho .... you even can compare the sound ... of a Epiphone and a Gibson ... but the feel its uncomparable ... Gibson always a winner in that "field" !
The very small differences between the two will never justify the enormous price of the Gibson compared to the Epi. Unless it is all about the logo on the headstock.
Are the necks the same? I've played both but not back to back. And the Epiphone neck felt thinner width wise than the Gibson. (Meaning the strings felt closer together). Anyone know if that's true?
not full sounding on epiphone. That mic is also not good for recording the amount of sound coming out of the Gibson j45. Epiphone is noticeably more buzzier the harder you play.
2:57 Why in the hell they keep on putting these god awfull pickups in acoustic guitars?! Its unbelievable. Imagine buying this super high end Gibson and getting this sound.. What a dissapointment. Put a K&K pickup in a $150 acoustic guitar and it'll sound better than this but to be honest, your mic'ed sound is kinda wierd too. I dunno if its the room you are in or the mic you are using but you're definitely not showing these guitars at their full potential.
Yep those piezos sound bad. You couldn’t get up and enjoy performing with that sound coming through the PA! I think k&k pure western mini are better but best is to stand in front of a mic, bluegrass style.
They are on the same mic? Same mic, same stand, same stool. I just moved the camera between the 2 guitars to give something more visually obvious which guitar is being played
Epi sounds suppressed compared to the Gibson. Gibson is more dynamic in tone and open sounding. 4 times the price that’s what you get with higher quality materials. You can’t expect cheap to be outstanding
