Can't choose between Epiphone EJ200ce or DR500MCE Acoustic/Electric

[pjgt]

For those price range, I can't decide whether I should pick the EJ200ce, because of it's jumbo body, or the DR500MCE for its solid wood body.

I know they both have eSonic2 pre amp, but then i heard that pre amp is defective.


I suddenly kept thinking about getting any of those two guitars, recently because of the pre amp on it due to this video ( the distortion is really cool and i would really like to try it! hahaha)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg3NS7p88aQ

My first pick was actually the Dave Navarro Jane Signature Model, but i have tried it and im not that quite impressed with it.

I am open to some Takamine and Ibanez Acoustic/Electric Guitars but for that price range only (similar to EJ200CE and DR500MCE), but then I am not that quite familiar with their models that are available here in the Philippines. I also haven't tested one.

I will use the guitar mainly at home, but maybe for quite sometime it may be used in some gigs or home video recording.

Any suggestions on what to get that's best for the money? I also prefer the ones with cutaway. Thanks in advance.

[MissouriPicker]

Nothing wrong with the EJ, but I'd go with the Masterbilt.

[woodenstrings]

I'd go with the Masterbilt,

[pjgt]

Any Takamine suggestions? ) and are the esonic2 pre amp really that bad??

Thanks again!

[drtedtan]

I'd go for the Masterbilt as well. It's a better guitar and you'll probably hold on to longer.

[DenverSteve]

You simply need to purchase the instrument that gives you the tone and characteristics you're looking for. Period.

Originally Posted by MissouriPicker

Nothing wrong with the EJ, but I'd go with the Masterbilt.

^^^^^This. I play an EJ and it's great, but the Masterbilt will be the better investment.

[cpeehler7]

From a "better" quality standpoint get the Masterbilt. If it were me personally I would buy the EJ200. I played one a couple years ago and I still wish I had the money on hand to buy it back then. It was $250 and sounded fantastic, I couldn't believe how good it sounded for that cheap of a guitar. I also played a masterbilt that did nothing for me in the same store, granted it was over a year apart.

You need to try both before you buy them. If you can't try them, maybe you could buy used online from Guitar Center. They have a 30 day 100% money back policy, so you can just take a hit on the shipping costs and get your cash back if the guitar doesn't sound good to you. I've been thinking about buying an EJ200 on GC used site myself to see if it lives up to the quality of the one I played a few years ago, but figure getting a setup on my Guild is probably the better and cheaper move.

Best of luck finding a guitar, they're both good guitars in my opinion. Just pick whichever you like the most. But as others have said, from an investing standpoint the Masterbilt is worth more money and will probably be worth more down the road. Then again I think the EJ-200 isn't in production anymore, so if you find a good one maybe it will go up in value because they're hard to find? Who knows!

[AA&E]

I recently purchased a Epiphone Masterbilt DR-500MCE. I bought it through zzounds with a 30 day return policy. It won't be returned. The sound, the appearance, the playability.... everything is on spot IMO. I am not much of an electric guy (I bought it for the cutaway, not the electronics) but I have plugged it in to an amp. It sounded more 'acoustic' then other electric acoustic guitars I've owned or heard. It has two seperate pickups and you can select one or the other... or a user selectable balance of both. Someone had posted the preamp was defective. I am not sure what that is supposed to mean, but everything functioned as intended from what I could see. Three band EQ adjustments function as intended, balance slide for seperate pickups works smoothly and silently, built in tuner is extremely accurate and easy to use. For $600 show me another solid wood, cut away electronic guitar, that comes from the factory with bone nut and saddle. For the money this guitar is hard to beat.

Originally Posted by cpeehler7

Then again I think the EJ-200 isn't in production anymore . . .

Samick is still making them for Gibson in Indonesia (unless you meant the non-electric version) . . .

[pjgt]

ooohh.. thanks for the response guys. sadly, i can;t find any store near me or even far from me that has DR500mce that i can actually test (cause they're from indonesia, and most suppliers here only have access to made in china Epi's. ).

I would soon try out the EJ200ce and see if its good for me. I hope that its sound doesn't come out cheap (although some says laminated tops are not good buys), because my father would mock me for buying a new guitar that sounds awful compared to my old acoustic locally made which is already 7 years old

Any takamine suggestions? im also quite interested in that.

Thanks in advance!

[pjgt]

i have tested a Taylor GS Mini Mahogany Top version and it's the most affordable Taylor guitar i have ever tested and it's great, just have to install pick up if i want one, but is this really better than the EJ200ce? thanks!

i mean i know they serve different purposes but the sound is what im asking? i don't like twangy unplugged sound on guitars.. but those price range is what im aiming... (any decent price maybe not exceeding the GS Mini or DR500mce )

Thanks for response

[cliffmac]

I've played many both the natural and sunburst ej200 and after research and well being on here was lucky enough to get the masterbuilt natural finish and it holds its against any. Definitely worth the search and the money

[cliffmac]

ps try the takamine eg523sc