NGD: Epiphone IBG 1957 SJ200

[BoneDigger]

Being a fan of the Epiphone IBG series in general, and especially my IBG Hummingbird, I was intrigued when this model was released. It differs from the standard IBG J200 in a few ways. It has a torrified top, a true mustache bridge, 1.72 inch nut, a nice hardshell case, and flamed maple. Aside from needing a bit of a setup, I'm pleasantly surprised by how good it plays and sounds. It's not nearly as loud as a dread, but it has a very pleasing and resonant tone that I like. I anticipate this will go well with the Hummingbird.

I certainly realize we all have different needs. I already have several dreads, including a D35, D18, and the above referenced Hummingbird. This guitar was listed at $1,500, which isn't cheap! But when you figure that a Gibson SJ200 is close to $6,000 new these days, it's not a bad price.

If you go into this expecting it to be as good as a Gibson, well, you may or may not be happy. If you expect it to project like a dread, again, it's not going to. But it is a very good approximation of the Gibson SJ200 at a quarter of the price.

[mimmo]

Great looking guitar, thanks for the nice review.
Congratulations.

[Jeremy]

Congrats on the new guitar!

[BoneDigger]

Thanks guys!

I have had a chance to play this some more and I am very impressed. After a minor setup, it really plays and sounds great! I do believe I'll be keeping this one.

What happened to the Sweetwater candy? My last two orders had none!

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by BoneDigger

...I'm pleasantly surprised by how good it plays and sounds. It's not nearly as loud as a dread, but it has a very pleasing and resonant tone that I like...If you expect it to project like a dread, again, it's not going to. But it is a very good approximation of the Gibson SJ200 at a quarter of the price...

Unfortunately that's always been a fault of the J-200 as a whole - with rare exceptions their quiet voice belies their substantial size, and I always preferred the Westerly-era Guild jumbos for their acoustic projection - but based on your description it would probably be a great choice for recording, or miking for live performance...

Use it well and often...

[zombywoof]

Originally Posted by BoneDigger

Thanks guys!

I have had a chance to play this some more and I am very impressed. After a minor setup, it really plays and sounds great! I do believe I'll be keeping this one.

What happened to the Sweetwater candy? My last two orders had none!

I have never played the Epi version of the "57" J200 nor its higher priced Gibson kin. The lack of interest is not any kind of a statement on the qualities of those guitars but simply reflects the fact we have had a 1960 J200 in the house for something just over two decades. What leaves me scratching my head though is affixing the "57" year to both the Epi and Gibson versions. Beginning in 1951, the J200 began sporting a bracing which was unique to that model. They were bult with a scary wide angle X brace above and below the soundhole with the center of the X positioned less than 1" from it, two ladder mounted tone bars, and a long bridge plate. Not a good or a bad thing but different enough to make the originals special guitars which are not comparable to anything else out there. I guess though that the marketing team or whomever decides such things thought "57" just had a nice ring to it. k.

[WFO!]

Congrats! I'm a fan of the IBG Epi's. Looks great and nice case too. I've had my eye on the Hummingbird for some time.

[UncleJesse]

I'm really curious how the IBGC J45 will be since it has a torrefied red spruce top.

[BoneDigger]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Unfortunately that's always been a fault of the J-200 as a whole - with rare exceptions their quiet voice belies their substantial size, and I always preferred the Westerly-era Guild jumbos for their acoustic projection - but based on your description it would probably be a great choice for recording, or miking for live performance...



Use it well and often...

I think that's a good summary. It's of course loud enough for playing by myself and it will record just fine. It's also fine for playing through a pickup. The only way it would be lacking is playing acoustically in a group setting or in a duo or trio. Again, this would be fine if microphones or pickups are used. I wouldn't want to take it to an acoustic jam. However, the tone is great! Really, no complaints here.

[BoneDigger]

Originally Posted by WFO!

Congrats! I'm a fan of the IBG Epi's. Looks great and nice case too. I've had my eye on the Hummingbird for some time.

I think it's like most guitars in that once you find a good one, grab it. That's what I did with the Hummingbird. I played a few and got the best of the ones I played. That's not an Epiphone thing either. I did the same with my D18 and my D35. I played a few and some were better than others.

[BoneDigger]

Originally Posted by UncleJesse

I'm really curious how the IBGC J45 will be since it has a torrefied red spruce top.

Id love to see how it improved them. I'll be honest, of the IBG acoustic line, I liked the J45 the least. However, I'm not really a J45 guy so I'm a poor judge. My local shop has maybe 5 or 6 Gibson J45s at any given time and I just never bond with them.

[BoneDigger]

Originally Posted by Jeremy

Congrats on the new guitar!

Thanks Jeremy!

[Glennwillow]

Congrats on your new Epiphone IBG series J-200 guitar. Glad you like it.

I had to look up "Epiphone IBG series" to find out what the IBG thing means -- "Inspired by Gibson." I have seen this abbreviation before, but I couldn't remember what it meant.

Have fun with this!

- Glenn

[BoneDigger]

Originally Posted by mimmo

Great looking guitar, thanks for the nice review.

Congratulations.

Thanks, I appreciate it! It really is a fun and great sounding guitar.

[BoneDigger]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

Congrats on your new Epiphone IBG series J-200 guitar. Glad you like it.

I had to look up "Epiphone IBG series" to find out what the IBG thing means -- "Inspired by Gibson."

Have fun with this!

- Glenn

Thanks Glenn! It's a nice complimentary guitar for my D35 and D18.