Budget Guitars: Is Ibanez, Epiphone a better Budget Guitar than Eastman?

[Oneofthe]

Hi:

This is my first post and I'm delving into Jazz Guitar. Currently I own a Fender Telecaster American Special and a Roland Blues Cube Hot. I'm interested in buying a Budget Jazz Box around $1,100.

Ibanez has the George Benson for around that price, Epiphone has the Emperor Joe Pass for less. However, on another forum I was directed to Eastman Archtop guitars. The Eastman I am looking at is the Eastman AR371CE which in price is between the Epiphone and the Ibanez. But I'm not certain of Eastman's reputation; they seem like beautiful guitars.

So, in your Jazz experience which would you go for the George Benson, Joe Pass, or Eastman? What attracts me to the Eastman is the single neck pickup and general appearance. So, in the end my question is, is the Ibanez or Epiphone better than the Eastman for a budget Jazz box.

Thanks.

[JSP737]

This doesn't answer your question, but Guitar Center has been blowing out Epiphone 175 Premiums off and on this winter and currently has them for less than half price for the Ebony or the Vintage Sunburst. They're $479.99 right now. They are fantastic guitars, Korean made but wth Gibson '57 pickups.
If you get one, just call and make sure you're getting one new in the box, as some people have been getting scratched up floor models.
Epiphone ES-175 Premium Hollowbody Electric Guitar | Guitar Center
JP


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[Jx30510]

I've been threw exactly the same quest as you and have finally ordered the Epiphone Premium Es 175.

But it was a hard (in a very pleasant way) task to narrow down what I really wanted and what instrument fitted the closest my needs.

I think one very important thing you must absolutely not look over is the playability : neck profile, nut width, scale length.

For me the Eastman was out because of the 1.75 nut width. Too wide for me. I've tried too keep one a few days and the neck cut my hands. I had the same experience on a Peerless Martin Taylor Virtuoso.. damn I LOVED it, had a exceptionnal deal on it, exceptionnal guitar, but I just couldn't cope with the wide 1.75 nut.

So my first advice would be that you narrow down what you really need, what woods, what scale length, etc... and that will target your search

[Lobomov]

Most of it is personal preference ... either that or randoms deals at the moment in time, where you're shopping

[Helgo]

For what it´s worth, I often thought "wow" when I played less expensive Ibanez guitars ... great touch, feel, and sound. As for Epiphone, my personal experience was more a mixed bag ...

If you have a reasonably sized guitar store somewhere near you just go there and take the one home that´s the most comfortable to you (and in your budget). I really don´t think you can make a terrible choice with that budget.
It´s 2017. The quality of instrument we can buy for a few dollars is amazing.

Please post a pic of your new guitar once you got it.

Best,
H.

[Tomcat]

According to my experience, old Ibanez made in Japan from 70-80-ties are still possibe to find in that budget and they beat up all contemporary guitars with that price level.

[Tomcat]

another thread in this very Forum: NEAR MINT SALE!! 1980 Aria Herb Ellis with case | Reverb

[djelley]

I actually own all three guitars that you mentioned. In my opinion, the Eastman and the Ibanez Benson are both equally good (very good) guitars. The Epiphone is decent. Definitely my least favorite of the three. I can't say that the Eastman is better than the Ibanez or vice versa. They are very different guitars. The Eastman will be a lot lighter, bigger and probably more acoustic. The Benson is smaller, still hollow-bodied, but will feel more like a solid-body.

They are both great values.

[Longways to Go]

I've owned 3 different Ibanez, but ended up trading them all off.
I found them to be very pretty, very well built, but not particularly toneful.
They just didn't inspire me.

I own an Eastman AR380, and I used to have a 371.
The 371 was really nice, but it had a very bright thin sound.
I traded it for the 380, which is a really great jazz guitar IMO.
I play that one a lot.

I also own an Epiphone ES175 premium and it is a great guitar.
Very good sounding, an excellent value. I'm a fan of Epiphone archtops.
I might have to pick up a Joe Pass sometime . . .

[jazzbow]

Why not try a set of flatwounds on the Telecaster? !

Neck pickup sounds really nice with flats.

[tomems]

Eastman! Or Ibanez. Or the 175. But really Eastman.

[Cunamara]

To follow up on jazzbow's post. If you want a jazz box because you want a jazz box then very good. But if you want a jazz box because you think you need one to get a "jazz" tone and can't do that on the Tele....

With single coil neck pickup or humbucker, great jazz sound!

[don_oz]

my current main axe is a hagstrom viking, i am studying Jazz (yes that's right) at university. So my guitar tutor, who happens to be a lecturer for the course is a guitar freak. Owns probably 60+ guitars, pretty much all of them, a few exceptions go from late 50s - late 80s. He let me try his gibby es345 from the 60s, absolutely beautiful, sound, looks feel It was the real deal. I said to him i don't want to go back to play my hagstrom. he simply replied: "don't worry, all guitars are great. they are just all different, it's not a bad thing."

by the way his name is Stuart Hall for anyone who's here from London or around just outside London.

Oz

[Meggy]

To follow up on jazzbow's post. If you want a jazz box because you want a jazz box then very good. But if you want a jazz box because you think you need one to get a "jazz" tone and can't do that on the Tele....

With single coil neck pickup or humbucker, great jazz sound!

I've sometimes wondered why Ed Bickert did switch to a humbucker, given his sound was already lovely with the tele single coil - does anyone know the story behind that, just out of interest?

[Oneofthe]

Thank you for everyone who replied. Don't think I just ghosted on you. I pulled the trigger on an Epiphone ES 175 Premium with Gibson Pickups. I couldn't get the clearance price new, but I did get an excellent price used about $560. I went to a nearby city and sat down with their Jazz Boxes both new and used and I must say Jazz Boxes feel very right for me; they feel very comfortable to play.

Thank you everyone who responded. I really appreciate your help. Thank again.

[rpjazzguitar]

[QUOTE=Oneofthe;735506]Hi:

Slight hijack of the thread here, but this is about budget guitars.

My main instrument right now is a Yamaha Pacifica 012. That's the cheapest guitar in their line. Used, the sell for around $70 on CL. New, with case and amp, I think the kit is about $179. Mine came with replacement tuners when I bought it used and I added a Lil 59 HB in the neck position.

I play it because it has the thinnest neck of any of my guitars. I haven't played any guitar with a thinner neck. Because I have arthritis, this is important.

But, that said, this is a perfectly adequate guitar. For the most part, I can get the sounds I want (I would like it to sound a little thicker in the upper register, but it's no worse than my genuine American Std. Stratocaster in that respect). I have better sounding guitars but this Yamaha is well inside the acceptable range.

Admittedly, it took me a while to admit this to myself. I struggled with the notion that I'd leave the genuine Fender in the closet and gig with this cheapie. And, I do think the Fender sounds better in all but the upper range. But, not by much, and not enough to make me switch.

I don't think it's easy to ignore the label, but if you do, you might be happy with a much less expensive instrument.

[Jx30510]

The Epiphone Premium is a marvelous instrument.
At that price, or not, it's perfect and most important just sounds excellent.
In a blind test, I must admit I would rate it very high. It's so easy to play, is clear sounding and very dynamic. Maybe a bit bright but to me it's an advantage since there a ways to tame that (the opposite is not always as easy)
I experienced a few setups, and my preference is with an ebony bridge and 11-49 Dadarrio roundwounds.
I tried every options possible between flatwounds/Tom bridge/rosewood bridge/roundwounds and mixing all these.
I'm now really happy with the Epiphone and just play hours, I can't put it down.
In a sense, I would still like to have a Gibson, just for the dream of it, and I try to convince myself that a Gibson has to be better, with a mojo factor or something..
but I keep telling myself I made the right choice, and how can the same guitar be 3000€ better than the Epi? Hummm ... I'm not rich, I don't deserve a very pricey guitar regarding my situation : just work a very good instrument in its own right and see the benefit... (well I'm talking for me here)

[Ray175]

If you plan to spend something a little north of 1k$ I recommend looking at 1970s Ibanez or Aria . Excellent value for money and the guitars will have "settled in" and found their definitive voices. The Ibanez 2355 (ES 175D copy) is an excellent instrument for instance.

[Jx30510]

I tried a 2355 just before buying the Premium, strangely the neck was very fat (it was 77 model), strange the reputation of Ibanez necks is on the slim side.. very important to be able to try old instruments