ratherdashing
Kablamminator
After two years of pining for one, I finally have a resonator: an Epiphone Biscuit!
This is really weird for me, because I've found that Epiphone acoustics in general are tone dead, but this model seems to be the exception. This isn't all that surprising, since with resos the critical element is the cone, not the body (though the body is important in determining the overall tone of the cone). The other big difference I can see is the thin, almost worn-looking matte finish on the mahogany.
It's a very well-built guitar from the outside. Nothing loose, nothing looks off, and no finish flaws. Even the fretwork is nice. I haven't taken the cover off yet so I don't know how well the biscuit and cone are attached, but there is no rattling or buzzing like you hear on a lot of budget resos. Action is high enough for slide and low enough for fingering, but you won't be shredding on this thing. It has the same Grover tuners you'll find on production Gibsons, and the biscuit is maple with a rosewood saddle. I'll definitely replace the plastic nut at some point, and possibly upgrade the cone at some point, but right now it's a very nice instrument.
Tone report: if you blindfolded me, there is no way I'd be able to tell you this is a $365 guitar. It kills anything in its price range, and stands toe-to-toe with some of the $1,000 and up resos I've played. I am truly amazed by this thing. First thing I noticed: it's frackin' loud. REALLY loud. I live in a 4th floor apartment, and my friend told me he could hear me playing it from outside. That is a sign of a quality reso IMO. Second: there is no harshness whatsoever unless you hit it too hard. The tone is round and vocal with full lows, rich mids, and sweet highs. It loves fingerpicking and nylon picks, but gets a bit harsh with the Dunlop Tortex picks I use on electric guitars. It has a sweet-sounding slide tone too, not the same as a metal-body reso though. Instead of the brash brassy tone of the metal bodies, this guitar has a mellow singing tone that demands blues leads and folky fingerpicked lines. This is one of those guitars that punishes you for being sloppy and rewards you for being skillful with it.
I love it. I can't believe what I paid for it. A used Traynor 1x12 cab plus $75 was all it took. I can easily see this being my go-to instrument for jamming with other acoustic players because it really cuts through and has a beautiful tone. The next step will be to get a pickup for it so I can play it live.
This is really weird for me, because I've found that Epiphone acoustics in general are tone dead, but this model seems to be the exception. This isn't all that surprising, since with resos the critical element is the cone, not the body (though the body is important in determining the overall tone of the cone). The other big difference I can see is the thin, almost worn-looking matte finish on the mahogany.
It's a very well-built guitar from the outside. Nothing loose, nothing looks off, and no finish flaws. Even the fretwork is nice. I haven't taken the cover off yet so I don't know how well the biscuit and cone are attached, but there is no rattling or buzzing like you hear on a lot of budget resos. Action is high enough for slide and low enough for fingering, but you won't be shredding on this thing. It has the same Grover tuners you'll find on production Gibsons, and the biscuit is maple with a rosewood saddle. I'll definitely replace the plastic nut at some point, and possibly upgrade the cone at some point, but right now it's a very nice instrument.
Tone report: if you blindfolded me, there is no way I'd be able to tell you this is a $365 guitar. It kills anything in its price range, and stands toe-to-toe with some of the $1,000 and up resos I've played. I am truly amazed by this thing. First thing I noticed: it's frackin' loud. REALLY loud. I live in a 4th floor apartment, and my friend told me he could hear me playing it from outside. That is a sign of a quality reso IMO. Second: there is no harshness whatsoever unless you hit it too hard. The tone is round and vocal with full lows, rich mids, and sweet highs. It loves fingerpicking and nylon picks, but gets a bit harsh with the Dunlop Tortex picks I use on electric guitars. It has a sweet-sounding slide tone too, not the same as a metal-body reso though. Instead of the brash brassy tone of the metal bodies, this guitar has a mellow singing tone that demands blues leads and folky fingerpicked lines. This is one of those guitars that punishes you for being sloppy and rewards you for being skillful with it.
I love it. I can't believe what I paid for it. A used Traynor 1x12 cab plus $75 was all it took. I can easily see this being my go-to instrument for jamming with other acoustic players because it really cuts through and has a beautiful tone. The next step will be to get a pickup for it so I can play it live.
