Vintage Epiphone 12 String Acoustic Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

This is my Long Term Review. I have had this guitar for a bit over two years now and can give a more complete picture of it. First, the good. This is a very well made guitar. Under the pros, you will notice I mentioned Good Construction. This is particularly important in a 12 string. The biggest issue with all 12's is that they tend to come apart very quickly. You will have bowing, warping, separation of glueing, etc. All this is because of the tremendous extra pressure 12's suffer. After 2+ years, this guitar is still solid as a rock, and I leave it strung all the time. So I would say construction and bracing are very good on this instrument. Along with this is the fact that it Stays In Tune. This is another major issue with all 12's. Again, that extra force tends to make them go out of tune quickly. This one holds tune very well, and that is important as tuning a 12 takes some time. As for sound, I would say Not too Bad overall, and Really Good for an budget level guitar. It is a little thin for my taste, but there are ways around that. First, throw on a set of decent strings. I prefer Martin Marquise on mine, but personal choice. Second, I like to play through an acoustic amp, and I put a Seymour Ducan Woody on mine. When adjusted correctly, I can get a really decent, full bass sound, lots of body and still keep a nice jangle expected from a 12. Will it sound like a Martin or Gibson, no, but it gives a really nice sound for such a low price. As for the negatives, very few. First, keep in mind when Epiphone says "Select Spruce Top," they really mean laminated, not solid. But I suppose there varying qualities of laminated woods as well, and this one is great – really good resonance and sustain. It could maybe do with a better set of tuners, but as said before, it holds tune exceptionally well. Overall, for the price, Epiphone makes a really nice and playable guitar. Now am just praying they come out with a Masterbilt version of it.kdw

I play solo gigs three nights per week in the spring/summer/fall in a small Colorado mountain town. Guitar, harmonica, and vocals through two matching Fishman Loudbox Artist amps. I bought my first Epiphone EJ200 in ebony in 2014 thinking that in the event it didn't play well, it would look fantastic on the wall. I took it along with my Gibson Super Jumbo 200 to the next Friday's gig. I got halfway through with the Gibson, and decided to try the new ebony Epiphone EJ200. I was astounded. I have since used the ebony, "Black Dog" for 95% of my performances since. "Oh, I thought it was a Gibson. It's only an Epiphone."—"Right. The Gibson is in the gig bag. It's my backup." I have since purchased two more Epiphone EJ200s. I saw this 12 string offered last week asd a "limited edition" and ordered it immediately. I have owned an Ovation Custom Legend 12 string for over fifteen years, gorgeous and gig worthy, and well as a Rickenbacker 360 12 string for two decades which is also a dandy. I have had two 30 minute sessions both unplugged and plugged in with this new Epiphone EJ 200 12 string, and like the original ebony 6 string, "Black Dog", this new EJ200 12 is astounding. It is visibly gorgeous. Ir frets more easily and more naturally than some of my 6 string guitars. (I own 15—"tools" that pay for themselves) And the sound both unplugged and plugged in is angelic, or at least remarkable. I think I've found another "Oh, I thought it was a Gibson" incredible instrument by Epiphone. I've been performing gigs for about three decades now. It would have been nice to have owned this baby years ago. Thank you Epiphone, and thank you Guitar Center for getting this thing where it belongs, strapped around my neck and in my hands. Wonderful guitar!!!!Daniel B

Sound: The Epiphone Inspired by Gibson J-200 seems to compliment my voice the best out the ones I've mentioned. Don't get me wront this Gibson G-45 Studio is a very sweet sounding acoustic. I replaced the sonitone p/u with a Dimarzio[sic] Dark Angel and it seems to have warm up the sound, a bit more mellow. I really love the way the Sonitone sounds in the J-200 and will be keeping it like it is. I may make a big upgrade for a new chorus pedal though, I am sure I will. Features: The J-200 with Sonitone system is pretty easy to use. I have plenty of different pedals, a lot of different chorus pedals. Right now I think I will splurge with something a little more expensive. My most expensive chorus pedal right now is the Boss pedal and I have had quite a while. This J-200 sounds great with just a touch of reverb. I really like all of these Epi's. But the most recent one really has my undivided attention. Ease of Use: It is very playable. The set up could not be better. I'm sure I wil tinker with it some, by that I mean try a few different pedal etc. This J-200 does not need to be tinkered with too much. As a matter fact it a very solid axe. Quality: It will last a life time, but I still want the Vintage Sunburst versionas soon as it is available. Value: Most definetly and then some. Manufacturer Support: I have not had to reach them. The Wow Factor: I can make good music with out it, but I'd just a soon stick with this one. Thank you I love this guitar! I'm hooked. Overall: I own the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson J-200 in the Antique Natural and it is one of the finest guitars In my collection. Which includes 3 EJ-200 acoustic-electrics, 3 EJ-160E acoustic-electrics and a Gibson G-45 Studio. I would rate them all 5 stars. I own several other acoustic -electrics as well, but plan on sell ing them and going for Epiphone Inspired by Gibson all the way around. I'm hooked. These guitars are top notch. Hard to beat the price and quality craftmanship.Michael

Let me start by saying I really like this guitar! I have a lot of acoustics including Martin, Taylor and Gibsons. I wanted a J-200 copy after making a mistake and selling my EPI J-200 Elite many years ago. The Masterbilt J-200 is nowhere close to the Elite series sound or quality and it's not a Gibson. I received the Masterbilt J-200 this week and did a complete set up including reshaping and lowering the bone saddle and adjusting the bow out of the neck with the truss rod. (easy to do). I also treated the neck with a concoction of Guitar Honey and Minwax mahogany to seal and treat the neck. I took off the 12 – 53 strings (wimpy sounding) and put on 12.5 – 55 Martin SP strings which made a huge improvement in loudness and tone. The overall workmanship is good and minimum flaws noticed. Observations: Heavy guitar (just like my other Epi Masterbilts) They plane the wood down only so thin to add strength and rigidity but it does NOT vibrate like a quality guitar. The spruce top is just too darn thick. The top measures .160" thick. many of my guitars are .120" – .125" thick. The X bracing on this guitar is huge in comparison to other Jumbos I have and that adds a lot of weight to the guitar. This also keeps the top from vibrating effectively. The "Gloss" finish advertised is really more of a "satin" and not a nice high gloss. I have used paste wax and buffed the top twice to improve the gloss finish. I wish Epiphone would not use this satin finish. I am not a fan. The frets are nice and the guitar appears to have been Pleked! They are very consistent down the neck and allowing for a nice low action without fretting out. Electronics sound fine and do a nice job. Overall this is a nice guitar and a real step up from the EJ-200 laminated guitar. As a solid wood guitar in in this price range I would say it is a good buy. It is fun to play with nice tone and OK volume. If Epiphone would plane the top, sides and back wood a bit thinner it would improve,Monte

I've been looking for a particular sound from an acoustic to replace my Ibanez. I went into to the GC to get strings for my other axes and try out a white Tele they had. Tele wasn't quite what I was looking for so I went into the accoustic room and this just stood out and I had to tryit. I was sold after one strum of Dm-A-G. That was the sound I wanted. Mids somewhere between a J45 and a Taylor. Highs have just the right amount of brilliance without stealing the show. Exactly what I was looking for. It has a bone nut and saddle so this thing rings out so well. The only thing I can think of negative is the Epiphone Deluxe tuners feel cheap. I'm just going to order some Gibson Deluxe's, other than that this is a beaut!JR

This guitar is beautiful. I've played many guitars, but none are more pretty than this. I have the Cherry Burst, wow! The fretboard material is Laural Wood. It plays nicely with bended notes, nice and firm. This guitar has good "weight." It is one of the heavier acoustics I've played. I like that too, it feels like great quality. Mine is not made in China. It was manufactured in Indonesia. These Asian manufacturers are doing a great job and I like it that mine is from Indonesia, too. There is good balance in sound from string to string, too. It's nice that it came with a sound hole cover, but such a nice (and fairly pricey) guitar should come with a gig bag or case.Boomer

Overall: Ok let me first say that I have been playing guitar since 1964. I have so many guitars since then I can't even remember them.In my experience Epiphone guitars have always been a solid platform for someone who is first starting and novice and intermediate level players.After reading about these " Inspired By Gibson" series Masterbilt guitars I thought I'd give one a try to see how close to a real Hummingbird it is.It caught me off guard. The fit and finish is outstanding. The playability was absolutely perfect out of the box.The original 1960's Headstock makes it look really nice. Not that deeply scalloped extended swelled at the top one usually find on an Epiphone. Nice touch Epiphone !The tulip Keystone vintage tuners are excellent. Smooth and tight. Fret work was amazing for a guitar in this price point as well as getting a guitar with beautiful solid mahogany and Sitka spruce that is finished in an accurate vintage toner. The real Mother of Pearl inlays are a really nice touch.At this price point getting an instrument with a one piece mahogany neck with no seperate heel is almost unheard of. I am tempted to say this Epiphone is so close to the Gibson model it amazed me that Gibson would allow Epiphone to produce something this close to their high dollar Hummingbird.In conclusion…. BUY IT !! You will not be sorry. zZounds is the best out there for sales, service and amazing one day delivery.Ed

I play solo gigs three nights per week in the spring/summer/fall in a small Colorado mountain town. Guitar, harmonica, and vocals through two matching Fishman Loudbox Artist amps. I bought my first Epiphone EJ200 in ebony in 2014 thinking that in the event it didn't play well, it would look fantastic on the wall. I took it along with my Gibson Super Jumbo 200 to the next Friday's gig. I got halfway through with the Gibson, and decided to try the new ebony Epiphone EJ200. I was astounded. I have since used the ebony, "Black Dog" for 95% of my performances since. "Oh, I thought it was a Gibson. It's only an Epiphone."—"Right. The Gibson is in the gig bag. It's my backup." I have since purchased two more Epiphone EJ200s. I saw this 12 string offered last week asd a "limited edition" and ordered it immediately. I have owned an Ovation Custom Legend 12 string for over fifteen years, gorgeous and gig worthy, and well as a Rickenbacker 360 12 string for two decades which is also a dandy. I have had two 30 minute sessions both unplugged and plugged in with this new Epiphone EJ 200 12 string, and like the original ebony 6 string, "Black Dog", this new EJ200 12 is astounding. It is visibly gorgeous. Ir frets more easily and more naturally than some of my 6 string guitars. (I own 15—"tools" that pay for themselves) And the sound both unplugged and plugged in is angelic, or at least remarkable. I think I've found another "Oh, I thought it was a Gibson" incredible instrument by Epiphone. I've been performing gigs for about three decades now. It would have been nice to have owned this baby years ago. Thank you Epiphone, and thank you Guitar Center for getting this thing where it belongs, strapped around my neck and in my hands. Wonderful guitar!!!!Daniel B

Sound: The Epiphone Inspired by Gibson J-200 seems to compliment my voice the best out the ones I've mentioned. Don't get me wront this Gibson G-45 Studio is a very sweet sounding acoustic. I replaced the sonitone p/u with a Dimarzio[sic] Dark Angel and it seems to have warm up the sound, a bit more mellow. I really love the way the Sonitone sounds in the J-200 and will be keeping it like it is. I may make a big upgrade for a new chorus pedal though, I am sure I will. Features: The J-200 with Sonitone system is pretty easy to use. I have plenty of different pedals, a lot of different chorus pedals. Right now I think I will splurge with something a little more expensive. My most expensive chorus pedal right now is the Boss pedal and I have had quite a while. This J-200 sounds great with just a touch of reverb. I really like all of these Epi's. But the most recent one really has my undivided attention. Ease of Use: It is very playable. The set up could not be better. I'm sure I wil tinker with it some, by that I mean try a few different pedal etc. This J-200 does not need to be tinkered with too much. As a matter fact it a very solid axe. Quality: It will last a life time, but I still want the Vintage Sunburst versionas soon as it is available. Value: Most definetly and then some. Manufacturer Support: I have not had to reach them. The Wow Factor: I can make good music with out it, but I'd just a soon stick with this one. Thank you I love this guitar! I'm hooked. Overall: I own the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson J-200 in the Antique Natural and it is one of the finest guitars In my collection. Which includes 3 EJ-200 acoustic-electrics, 3 EJ-160E acoustic-electrics and a Gibson G-45 Studio. I would rate them all 5 stars. I own several other acoustic -electrics as well, but plan on sell ing them and going for Epiphone Inspired by Gibson all the way around. I'm hooked. These guitars are top notch. Hard to beat the price and quality craftmanship.Michael

Let me start by saying I really like this guitar! I have a lot of acoustics including Martin, Taylor and Gibsons. I wanted a J-200 copy after making a mistake and selling my EPI J-200 Elite many years ago. The Masterbilt J-200 is nowhere close to the Elite series sound or quality and it's not a Gibson. I received the Masterbilt J-200 this week and did a complete set up including reshaping and lowering the bone saddle and adjusting the bow out of the neck with the truss rod. (easy to do). I also treated the neck with a concoction of Guitar Honey and Minwax mahogany to seal and treat the neck. I took off the 12 – 53 strings (wimpy sounding) and put on 12.5 – 55 Martin SP strings which made a huge improvement in loudness and tone. The overall workmanship is good and minimum flaws noticed. Observations: Heavy guitar (just like my other Epi Masterbilts) They plane the wood down only so thin to add strength and rigidity but it does NOT vibrate like a quality guitar. The spruce top is just too darn thick. The top measures .160" thick. many of my guitars are .120" – .125" thick. The X bracing on this guitar is huge in comparison to other Jumbos I have and that adds a lot of weight to the guitar. This also keeps the top from vibrating effectively. The "Gloss" finish advertised is really more of a "satin" and not a nice high gloss. I have used paste wax and buffed the top twice to improve the gloss finish. I wish Epiphone would not use this satin finish. I am not a fan. The frets are nice and the guitar appears to have been Pleked! They are very consistent down the neck and allowing for a nice low action without fretting out. Electronics sound fine and do a nice job. Overall this is a nice guitar and a real step up from the EJ-200 laminated guitar. As a solid wood guitar in in this price range I would say it is a good buy. It is fun to play with nice tone and OK volume. If Epiphone would plane the top, sides and back wood a bit thinner it would improve,Monte

This 79 buck guitar was the biggest surprise ever! I really didn't expect much, and was having second thoughts after I placed the order. I bought the sunburst version on a SDOTD as a total impulse buy. I have several expensive acoustics, and I don't need a cheap guitar. But I have to say, this is a really nice instrument. The fit and finish is above average, with relatively smooth fret ends and a huge sound. The tuners, however inexpensive, work as intended and stay in tune. The sunburst finish is lovely, with only one small thumbnail scratch. The neck joint is well done, and the neck has a comfortable full feeling. Epiphone has improved the "E" symbol on the pickguard, it is made into the plastic, and not glued on and wanting to fall off like on the older Epiphones. The rosette appears to be painted on, but it looks good regardless. The bridge (rosewood) is solidly attached to the top, with no lifting or gaps. The body has a white plastic binding front and back that is well executed. The rosewood fretboard is attractive with nice grain. And the sound! This guitar has a huge, loud sound for a laminate guitar. Tomorrow I plan to replace the original strings with some quality mediums, which can only make it sound even better. One odd feature is a false truss rod cover, held in place with three wood screws. There is nothing under it! The access to the truss rod is inside the sound hole. I did have to remove some glue from around the truss rod adjusting nut inside the guitar. Quite frankly, the quality and sound of the Epiphone just blows me away! If I had to sell all of my other acoustics and only keep this one, I would be content. It's that good!JimmyJ

Great sounding and playing guitar, I replaced the synthetic saddle for bone, original was to tapered on the high E new saddle took care of that. Buy the epiphone or roadrunner jumbo case, nothing else fits, make sure if the guitar comes straight from the factory you use a humidifier in your case for at least 6 months. Especially in colorado. Then if you leave it out without a humidifier that you dont have forcrd Heat or air conditioning vents close to the guitar. This guitar has great projection.Kenny

After purchasing this guitar from American Musical Supply, I was really nervous awaiting its arrival because this was actually my first time purchasing an instrument online. I’m used to going inside music shops and trying out different gear and playing guitars before I buy them so I know that what I’m taking home with me already feels comfortable and right in my hands. This guitar in particular, however, is not a style that is normally kept stocked in the stores for customers to test drive before they purchase. Similar models are available in stores near me but I think anyone who has ever wanted this particular model from Epiphone knows that they have heard and felt the beautiful sound that projects from this big guitar and I am here to tell you that my “leap of faith” online purchase was nothing more than a huge win in my book! This guitar looks, sounds and plays just as I expected it would with much more to offer once it’s actually in your hands! I’m personally a country/blues guy so this guitar definitely fits right up that alley in my opinion. It feels so solid in your hands and the tone is just plain awesome! The Jumbo body allows the sounds inside the guitar to reverberate through your body as it’s pressed against you before making its way through the sound hole where it flourishes into that awesome deep, thick sound. From the factory the guitar is set up beautifully and very playable right out of the box. Quality parts, quality wood and quality electronics as expected from Epiphone and very well executed in this model. Definitely worth every penny for the undecided guitarist but hey, don’t take just my word for it! Pick up this awesome guitar from Epiphone through these good folks here at American Musical and set yourself up with one of their payment plans if that interests you! It’s an awesome way to be able to get the gear you need and the gear you’ve been wanting without breaking the bank right on the spot! Excellent Job by Epiphone once again and an excellent job by American Musical for supplying it at an awesome price and providing sweet payment options for your customers and future consumers!Billy

I once owned a Gibson J15, that I bought from Guitar Center, and I loved it, but I always wanted a J200, I just could never afford one. Well, I ended up having to sell my J15 to pay rent one month, and I ended up having some extra money from it, and thought why not give the Epi a try? It's closer to the Guitar I always wanted anyways. I was blown away. It has all the high end stylings of a Gibson J200, maybe even more if you consider the built in tuner and cutaway features for about 3000$ less. Well, unfortunately I only owned it for about a week before my car broke down and I had to return my Epi to pay for the repairs. I've regretted it ever since. I would have rather donated blood 50 times than have returned that guitar. (Fortunately I just got my tax return and repurchased it, and it seems like it sounds even better than before). As I was saying, it stacks up against s Gibson guitar nicely, the shadow preamp isn't as nice as any LR Baggs system but it will certainly give you lots of usable sounds. I think this is the best guitar in the 500$ price range and I'm disappointed in Guitar Center for not carrying it in store. I'm a firm believer in the fact that having a guitar you like, you like the looks of, you like the feel of, will make you a better guitarist, and that's what this beautiful, fat boy jumbo acoustic has done for me. I actually like mine so much I decided to put some money into it for upgrades, and I haven't been disappointed. I stuck some Grover Keystone tuners on it in gold of course ( had them on my Epi Les Paul before and thought would look cool so I just swapped them), some Martin ebony bridge pins, and some D'Addario EXPs and this thing sounds unreal now. So, if you're reading this because you're unsure as to whether you should buy this guitar or not, yes, you should absolutely buy this guitar and never look back.Anonymous

Overall: So I know this isn’t zZounds fault, it’s epiphones. But I got the guitar originally, not setup had someHorrible buzz vibration that was not normal even for a non setup guitar. Cracking at the nut, micro dents in the body at the saddle. But it had the e sonic 2 shadow pickup system which was absolutely stellar. Sent it in for a return and received a much better condition guitar but with fishman pickup system. Epiphone is now outfitting these guitars with the bare bones basic ass fishing presys system. It’s not even the presys + which is 200 dollars. This pickup is like 60 bucks. I have previous recordings with my e sonic and have tried to emulate it with this presys and it just doesn’t compare. Great guitar but the downgrade in pickup grinds my gears. My advice is to buy the e sonic 2 system or presys + system and swap them out. You’ll then have a much better sound and recording quality when plugged in. zZounds was great on the return process however. Will continue to be a customer.Joshua

When shopping for a first guitar for your child (or yourself) it's confusing. The sales staff will usually direct you to the solid top Yamaha FG or FS series. Tone and quality wise, those are great guitars but they also come out of the box in need of a good setup to be playable up the neck. With the PRO-1 line, Epiphone has worked hard to deliver a reasonable factory setup on one of their most inexpensive models. I can not overstate the benefit this brings to the player! A few other things that stand out for this price range: We also get NuBone nut and saddle on all pro-1 models (this is the material Taylor and other top of the line builders use on their models). The NuBone nut makes a big difference in tone. Also it's a short scale which I think makes it easier to play, the neck is a slip D profile which makes it easy to get your hand around. Tuners at 18:1 ratio not 14:1, that's a first for a guitar in this price range and you get a humidifier and free lessons. If you play the least expensive PRO-1 model against anything in the budget acoustic room at Guitar Center (for those floor plans that separate budget from high end) you notice it's easier to play than anything else…. There is a solid-top version that comes with electronics if you must have a solid top, the truth is having a solid top is overrated on most budget guitars. All solid wood construction does sound different, but when you mix a solid top with the laminated back and sides, it's just hit and miss. If you stick with playing your first guitar won't be your last, and you're more likely to keep playing if you have an instrument that sounds good that is also very easy to play. For that the PRO-1 is your best bet right now.Jeremy

For the price this is a very nice sounding and playing guitar. I have owned higher end acoustic guitars in the past, and just needed something to do some occasional acoustic recording and playing when friends came by. It isn't quite up to the Takamine that I had (but it was also well over 10x the price of this one!), but it sounds great! I did swap out the strings, but that's to be expected. Overall, it is a good looking and nice playing/sounding guitar for a very, very reasonable price.Dave

I’m real happy with is guitar but don't be fooled by some guy claiming on YouTube he never played a Gibson that sounds as good. That guy needs to play a new Gibson J45 to fix that! Neck feels great and is fast. Good bright tone focused on the mids. After the honeymoon is over you will find the treble strings sound slightly muted and I’m hearing this on all them. I think it’s from the under saddle Fishman pickup, but cant be sure until I remove it. The bone nut and saddle are made perfect and tuners work well with guitar staying in tune with stock strings. Fret work and intonation perfect on mine. The finish very good, but not perfect. This guitar is real good for bluegrass, but also a very good finger picker! Im thinking its the best acoustic out there for the price. Don’t be fooled, Gibson would never have a guitar built for them in Indonesia to out perform there branded J45 for a 3rd of the price lol I have no regrets, don’t hesitate, buy it!Mountain Rock

While the fit and finish is not at the Gibson J-45 level and the sound may not be exactly that of the Gibson variant, I did find the tone to be within the J-45 range. There is some glue smear at the bottom of the neck near the sound hole. The flatness of the sound board is ever-so-slightly wavy in a couple spots, maybe I'm just being overly picky. The rosette ring around the sound hole looks like it could be a sticker or painted on. I was surprised at how well the IBG J-45 sounded – clear articulate bass with slightly rolled off high frequency and excellent sustain. Many complain about the Fishman pickup, I thought it sounded rather good connected to my Boss Acoustic Singer Live. In playing back to back with my other brand ($3500) guitar, the sound from the IBG J-45, left me saying, "Hmm…" It sounds that good to me. The only question that may remain is – can one get over the logo on the headstock? You'll have to decide for yourself, but if it's the quality of sound, then rest assured that the IBG Epiphone J-45 delivers. If you don't believe me, swing by your local guitar shop and hear it with your own ears. 5-stars in sound, 3.5 stars in fit and finish. My overall score is a solid 4-stars.Norman

I don't know how Epiphone can sell this amazing guitar at this price point. The sound is beautiful and rich for a parlor, coupe guitar. The Fishman electronics on can really add spice to your playing through an acoustic amp. Now the workmanship…….it is very well made and the wood on the sunburst is beautiful to look at. The neck is very smooth and easy to play. I highly recommend this instrument regardless of your skill level. I also ordered a hard case from Epiphone. It's my only acoustic and a perfect compliment to my Telecaster. Get one !IJames

Lovely sounding guitar, bright but smooth, no buzz, bass is solid but doesn't overwhelm. Plays really well. Nice mix of decent scale length but with a reasonably compact body (I have a Mini-Maton also, but find the fretboard too small for my larger hands/fingers, hence I bought this). Looks fantastic. All up, really good quality for the price and target market, and I would definitely recommend trying it if this is your price bracket. You get a lot for your money with this one!Tim W.

Ok so it's Chinese made, but this is why it does not cost 1500. The build quality is good, the setup out of the box was great. Low action and easy to play, even accounting for wider than standard 6 string neck. ( And I don't have long fingers) The electrics work great and the hidden nature of controls is cool, if you don't want a big hole cut in the side of your guitar. Solid woods throughout, with great finish. Weakest point is the tuners, but it holds tune well for a 12 string, which in itself is unheard of!jacol-431

I've wanted a Guild 12-string since college, over over 40 years ago. Back then I had a Lyle Hummingbird clone 12-string, which sounded okay (laminated body, spruce top, Japanese manufacture.) Before I left college I also bought a Guild G-37, blonde, arch back 6-string. I still have both guitars. I loved the sweet, well balanced tone of the G-37, but could never afford one of their 12-strings to mate up with it. Fast forward to now – haven't played any of my guitars in several years, and wanted to get back into it. With the Westerly Collection, a 12 string was now affordable, and all the reviews and videos convinced me that this was the time! My new F2512E Deluxe arrived the other day, and it's stunning! Flawless finish, precision inlays, and oh that tone! Just like the tone of some of my favorite artists from the folk era, like John Denver. Can't wait to try Rocky Mountain High on this baby, but I'll also be learning or relearning some more contemporary tunes as well. Thanks Guild for making an affordable but terrific sounding 12!Mike

Bought this guitar to add to my acoustic collection. For this price my exoectations were low as I own a Martin, Gibson, Ovation Elite and Yamaha Transacoustic all which cost considerbly more so I was abslutely blown away by this guitar. It came perfectly setup out of the box with nice low action-no adjustment needed. The glossy sunburst finish over the flamed maple back and sides is absolutely beautiful-the top and is matched spruce and the back is matched flamed maple. Beautiful shimmery sound and the pickup sounds great plugged into my deluxe reverb amp. The satin neck finish is smooth and the frets are smooth and polished. The quality of this guitar is outstanding-I could not find a flaw in its material or construction anywhere. Nice bright maple jumbo guitar that I am glad I purchased. Don't let the price point and the made in China sticker scare you away-this guitar holds its own against my Martin HD-35, Gibson hummingbird and my other acoustic guitars. I bought a gator jumbo case to keep it safe and the ase fits nicely.DWB

I’m real happy with is guitar but don't be fooled by some guy claiming on YouTube he never played a Gibson that sounds as good. That guy needs to play a new Gibson J45 to fix that! Neck feels great and is fast. Good bright tone focused on the mids. After the honeymoon is over you will find the treble strings sound slightly muted and I’m hearing this on all them. I think it’s from the under saddle Fishman pickup, but cant be sure until I remove it. The bone nut and saddle are made perfect and tuners work well with guitar staying in tune with stock strings. Fret work and intonation perfect on mine. The finish very good, but not perfect. This guitar is real good for bluegrass, but also a very good finger picker! Im thinking its the best acoustic out there for the price. Don’t be fooled, Gibson would never have a guitar built for them in Indonesia to out perform there branded J45 for a 3rd of the price lol I have no regrets, don’t hesitate, buy it!Mountain Rock

While the fit and finish is not at the Gibson J-45 level and the sound may not be exactly that of the Gibson variant, I did find the tone to be within the J-45 range. There is some glue smear at the bottom of the neck near the sound hole. The flatness of the sound board is ever-so-slightly wavy in a couple spots, maybe I'm just being overly picky. The rosette ring around the sound hole looks like it could be a sticker or painted on. I was surprised at how well the IBG J-45 sounded – clear articulate bass with slightly rolled off high frequency and excellent sustain. Many complain about the Fishman pickup, I thought it sounded rather good connected to my Boss Acoustic Singer Live. In playing back to back with my other brand ($3500) guitar, the sound from the IBG J-45, left me saying, "Hmm…" It sounds that good to me. The only question that may remain is – can one get over the logo on the headstock? You'll have to decide for yourself, but if it's the quality of sound, then rest assured that the IBG Epiphone J-45 delivers. If you don't believe me, swing by your local guitar shop and hear it with your own ears. 5-stars in sound, 3.5 stars in fit and finish. My overall score is a solid 4-stars.Norman

Bought this online over the holidays (Dec 25) for my son. It arrived yesterday (Dec 30), which was very quick. We unpacked it and began to tune the strings which were loose. The very first string (high E, the thinnest) snapped at the bridge. Tried to repair it, but there wasn't enough slack. Went to Best Buy today to explain the situation, and they said we could return it for a full refund or exchange. (They could not repair onsite, or provide spare parts.) The guitar otherwise was in excellent condition so we decided to keep it given the defect was so small. Went to Long & McQuade to get the replacement string and so far so good. The guitar is fine now, and all the other "original" strings are holding. (Given how inexpensive they are, the manufacturer should have included spares.) We will see how it goes over the next few weeks. We are hoping it will last. Time will tell. Not being a guitar expert, the price point (purchased on sale) seems reasonable, especially for a beginner. My son is a young teen and is having a lot of fun with this new instrument. The recommendation for this make and model came from his music teacher, and the sound quality is pretty good.M&M

Put this money into a better guitar, this ones neck was super off. Entire neck bent within one week of playing moderately, and was in fixable without taking the bolt out of the neck and replacing it. Putting this money into a better quality model is better for your mental health and wallet.GuitarGirl007

Guitar sounds good. Took me some time to tune it. But when tune up was done it sounds great. After a year lower bridge is slowly detaching and will probably replace the whole guitar since I bought the warranty and the bridge is glued. Again for $100 and something this is a great purchase.Dushane

This guitar is poorly built and arrived unplayable. Whoever installed the saddle at the factory, installed it so high that the strings were so far away from the fretboard that it was unplayable. The same individual over-tightened and stripped one of the screws holding the G string machine head (tuner) to the back of the headstock making it impossible to stay in tune because the G string machine head wobbles when you try to tune it. It's going to cost me $130 to have a Luthier repair the G string machine tuner stripped screw hold and remove, sand and replace the too high saddle. I spent 1/2 hour on hold with their call centre located in India (the agent could barely speak English and despite the fact that I stated that the guitar was purchased as a gift, the best that the call centre Agent could do was to tell me to send it back).Disappointed

This is really great sounding acoustic electric. However it is very basic and has no tone or volume controls like more expensive models. Overall a fantastic value for an entry level acoustic/electric guitar, the tone of the guitar is wonderful.ibidds

This guitar is poorly built and arrived unplayable. Whoever installed the saddle at the factory, installed it so high that the strings were so far away from the fretboard that it was unplayable. The same individual over-tightened and stripped one of the screws holding the G string machine head (tuner) to the back of the headstock making it impossible to stay in tune because the G string machine head wobbles when you try to tune it. It's going to cost me $130 to have a Luthier repair the G string machine tuner stripped screw hold and remove, sand and replace the too high saddle. I spent 1/2 hour on hold with their call centre located in India (the agent could barely speak English and despite the fact that I stated that the guitar was purchased as a gift, the best that the call centre Agent could do was to tell me to send it back).Disappointed

This is really great sounding acoustic electric. However it is very basic and has no tone or volume controls like more expensive models. Overall a fantastic value for an entry level acoustic/electric guitar, the tone of the guitar is wonderful.ibidds