If you're under the impression that cheap acoustics sound that way and that's the end of it, then the EJ200 might well force you to think again. One solution is to attach a strap around the neck at the headstock, as Elvis Presley used to do with his Gibson.
An endpin strap button sits in the usual place, but there's no second one at the heel. The jumbo-sized body projects well and the guitar is always comfortable to play, either standing or sitting. Initially the tone was a little hard and edgy, but over a few days, as it was played in, it developed a warmer, smoother sound, with stable tuning and great recorded tone. We were impressed at how quickly the EJ200 settled down from when it was first unpacked. And it's got the look that just makes you want to pick it up and play. In fact, this would make a great guitar for country picking, because the low action and even response make it quite fast. The action is lighter and lower than you'd expect from an acoustic, so while this is still a guitar that likes to be strummed, the more even balance means that the Epiphone is good for pickers as well. The Epiphone EJ is tonally better balanced for general playing, with a more even spread of tone across the strings. If this were a four figure Gibson J200, we'd be looking for a guitar with a fat, rich bass end one for strumming, not picking. The bridge, on the other hand, could have done with a bit more work it's scrappy in places. The nut has been superbly cut and fitted and the 20 thin frets are finished better than you might expect on a guitar in this price bracket.