Epiphone Guitars: The Electro Acoustic Delight That is the AJ-220SCE

The Epiphone brand is a well-known manufacturer of many different levels of guitars, from affordable beginner models to lush archtops worth thousands of pounds. One of its prestigious models, the Texan, was an acoustic favoured by musical luminaries such as Peter Frampton, Noel Gallagher, and Paul McCartney. With the release of the AJ-220SCE, it appears the guitar maker wants to bring its success with acoustics to the electro acoustic realm, and from the looks of it, Epiphone is succeeding.

The AJ-220SCE Epiphone electro acoustic combines incredible playability, easy top-fret access, and sound perfectly suited for the stage due to its balanced highs, controlled lows, and crystal-clear mids. The guitar costs less than £200, but make no mistake—both first time players and seasoned professionals will find plenty to love with this baby.

Neck and Body

Features include a solid Sitka spruce top, select Mahogany body, 6-layer body binding, compensated saddle, solid rosewood bridge, and D-shaped, satin-finished SlimTaper neck; the AJ-220SCE is a guitar that’s really fun to play. According to a Guitar Player review, the guitar is easy to tune up, buzz-free, and comes with a sweet-sounding intonation that makes it “a pleasure to play right out of the case”.

Electronics

The AJ-220SCE boasts a Shadow™ Performer Tuner™ Preamp that provides three bands of EQ for ample tone shaping, and comes with a feedback-suppressing phase switch for those times when you just have to play loud. There’s also a tuner/mute button that’s especially helpful when you’re plugging or unplugging your guitar.

Here’s where it gets better: instead of using bulky 9-volt, rectangular batteries, the AJ-220SCE only needs two 2032 watch-type batteries, helping the guitar remain light while lengthening its powered lifespan.

Balanced Tone

The guitar’s lower bout and smaller round upper bout allows the guitar to mimic the shape of a bell, but that’s not where the similarity ends—the AJ-220SCE’s voice rings out like one as well. The bass is deep and rich, while the highs have a crispness and brilliance that can easily cut through a mix. What you’ll probably notice first, however, is the AJ-220SCE mid-range—it’s clear and never gets muddy like that of a square-type dreadnought.

If you feel like trying out an AJ-220SCE for yourself, head on over to Rainbow Music Ltd, we are authorised dealers of Epiphone guitars and currently we have a massive stock in house just ready and waiting for you to come and try! We are friendly and are set up so that you can try out any of our guitars... and you might even get to star in one of our customer videos and join our Facebook hall of fame!.

(Source: Guitar Player Reviews The Epiphone AJ-220SCE Acoustic/Electric, Epiphone.com)

26th Mar 2015 Kevin Gardiner

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