Beginner guitarists, welcome to the guitarguitar blog! You’ve no doubt landed here because you are shopping for your first acoustic guitar, and the name Epiphone has found its way into your attentions. You’ve looked at a few online and like what you see, but need some more info. Does that sound about right?
In that case, take a minute today to let me help you. I’ve been writing about guitars for years, but prior to that, I sold them for many more years, and have been a gigging player since my late teens. I’ve owned Epiphone guitars for that entire time, so I reckon I’m well placed to give you the truth! Read along with me and I’ll tell you what you need to know about Epiphone acoustic guitars.
What Are Epiphone Acoustic Guitars?
Epiphone acoustic guitars are a large range of instruments made as official replicas of Gibson guitars. Gibson are a famous historic brand from the US, and make top-priced professional guitars. Epiphone are actually the same, in historical terms at least.
Epiphone are originally from New York (well, actually Greece, but that’s another story), and were Gibson’s biggest competition and rival back in the 1920s. Gibson bought them in the 50s, and since then, they’ve largely been used as Gibson’s official non-USA guitar brand.
Epiphones are made in the Far East - China mostly, for the past few decades - which brings down the cost to the buyer. This makes them particularly good value, as you get a lot of guitar for the money, plus you can have something that is directly related to the famous Gibson guitar brand.
Are Epiphone Acoustic Guitars Affordable?
Yes, Epiphone guitars are considered to be affordable guitars. Epiphone build guitars for all levels of affordability, from beginner to professional. All Epiphone acoustics are based on Gibson acoustic guitars, which are considered to be some of the best in the world.
What this means is that owning an Epiphone is an affordable way to own good replicas of some of the most famous acoustic guitars in history.
Because Epiphone offer guitars at all price points, a large number of them are definitely affordable, and perfect for beginners.
Are Epiphone Guitars Good for Beginners?
Yes, Epiphone guitars are a very good choice for beginners. In fact, they are a good choice for experienced players on a budget since they are well made and based on classic Gibson designs. They use a number of different body sizes too, so players who may struggle on a large acoustic such as an Epiphone EJ-200 can instead opt for a smaller model that is easier for them to manage, like an Epiphone Blues King or even an Epiphone J-45 Express. This last choice is a ‘shrunken’ version of the famous J-45 guitar, and is altogether smaller, more manageable and more portable.
Every Epiphone guitar has decades and decades of guitar building experience behind it, so they’ve got things down to a fine art nowadays. Paying more money will inevitably buy you finer features such as upgraded tonewoods (from which the actual guitar body and top are made), but even the most affordable Epiphone guitars are reliable, playable, good looking and nice sounding.
Are Epiphone Acoustic Guitars Easy to Play?
Yes, Epiphone acoustic guitars are easy to play. Part of the reason for this is that their necks are slightly on the short side, as almost all Epiphone and Gibson guitars are.
We talk about ‘scale length’ and whilst that isn’t so important for beginners to know, what it does mean for you is that the slightly shorter (24.75” scale) neck means that the strings will feel a little less tight under your fingers, which in turn makes the guitar easier and more comfortable to play.
Which Epiphone Acoustic Should Beginners Buy?
That Epiphone that a beginner should buy will depend on a few factors. Cost is one, and size is another. For a regular-sized acoustic guitar (we talk about the dreadnought as being this), then something like an Epiphone Hummingbird Studio will not only be perfect to begin on, but will last you many years beyond your initial forays into playing. It’s a serious guitar that is packed with great features and is beautiful to boot, so if you can afford it, I’d say that’s one of the best places to start.
If the budget for a guitar is somewhat south of that - but you want a similarly sized guitar - then I might suggest the Epiphone J-45 Studio in Natural. It’s still based on a famous Gibson, and it comes in a chunk cheaper. Both are excellent choices.
You want something smaller? Please look at the Epiphone J-45 Express that I mentioned a little earlier, or the excellent Epiphone L-00, another historical model.
If size isn’t a factor then try an Epiphone J-200 Studio. It’s the largest guitar that’s routinely available, and that size translates into a big sound. Compare this one with the Hummingbird Studio I mentioned earlier by going into your nearest guitarguitar store. Strum a few chords on each, and consider which one was more ‘you’. Simply go with that choice, and welcome to your new guitar! Enjoy!
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