Epiphone EL-00 Parlor Guitar?

[northfolk]

I have a hankering to purchase a low cost parlor (travel) guitar? I have been researching a bit and this one (the Epiphone EL-00 Parlor Guitar) keeps coming up? Anyone try one? Own one? Have an opinion about Epiphone in general? Have a suggestion for something else? Anybody?

[Brent Hutto]

Not really a parlor guitar. It's nearly the same size as my L-00 style guitar, nearly 15" across the lower bout. Very slim neck and narrow fretboard width. A bit boxy sounding. It's a cute guitar for the price but not travel-guitar size and really doesn't sound any better than you'd expect for the price, if you know what I mean. Mostly it comes down to how you get on with an electric-guitar-size neck combined with a fairly bulky body. There are some generic Chinese all solid wood 000/OM size guitars that show up on sale at Musician's Friend or similar for not much more than Epi EL-00 prices. Way, way better sound and conventional neck proportions on those.

[robert.najlis]

I have an Art and Lutherie Ami with a solid Cedar top. It is a very nice parlor guitar, made in Canada by Godin. I may be looking to sell mine if you are interested, or you can find dealers at the art and lutherie website.

[boatman]

I'd suggest a Composite Acoustics "Cargo" guitar. No longer being manufactured, but available on the used market. Incredible tone in a parlor sized package.

[allenhopkins]

"Little Martin" LXM isn't bad either; made of the finest Formica, decent neck and tuners, $275 or so with a good gig bag. Bought one last year to take on my train trip from Rochester to Berkeley, and I've used it as a travel guitar since. Sounds OK, and it's sure sturdy.

[Brent Hutto]

When I was shopping in that space I tried a couple of LXM's and several EL-00's. One of the EL-00 had a pretty decent sound but the others were compressed or plunky sounding. The LXM's seem consistently mediocre sounding and therefore better than all but the one good EL-00. Given that an LXM actually is small and durable, while the EL-00 is a full-size guitar, mediocre is quite all right considering.

P.S. I didn't mention in my earlier comment but the EL-00 is either 25.4" or 24.9" scale depending on who you ask. Not parlor-like in that regard either.

[George R. Lane]

I would look at the new Taylor GS Mini. Great sounding and around $500.00 its' a great deal.

[Bill Snyder]

...P.S. I didn't mention in my earlier comment but the EL-00 is either 25.4" or 24.9" scale depending on who you ask. Not parlor-like in that regard either.

Real parlor guitars are not 3/4 size guitars. They have full length scale lengths.

[Brent Hutto]

The couple of guitar I've seen and thought as a "parlor" per se seemed to be more in the 24" to 24.75" kind of range rather than the longer scale lengths. The EL-00's I played were all around 25.4" but others haver reported buying them and finding they were 24.9" instead.

FWIW, the "travel guitar" I ended up buying wasn't a parlor type at all but a 3/4-size OM/000 shape with like a 22" scale length. If you need to go small, really go small is my theory. Of course I ended up with a mandolin a few years later!

[tonyvt]

I once owned a EL-00 and it was a great little guitar and good lookin' to boot. The previous owner had upgraded the nut and saddle and that might have made the difference. Wish I still had it....

[Capt. E]

I had an EL-00 for a while and liked it, mainly because of the size. I don't care for jumbos. It's a decent guitar for the money, chinese made. Get one with the case as the case can be a bitch to find later.

[Paul Hostetter]

What's really odd is that it evokes the old Gibson L-00, but it's an entirely different body shape.



Contemporary Gibson version of an L-00 (just about right, I think):



Speaking of serious runout and neck and centerseam alignment:

[Brent Hutto]

Speaking of "evoking" the old L-00's without being exactly the same, here's my favorite...



...but I've seen some actual old Gibsons and even my J. Walker has the curves softened a bit from the original.

[northfolk]

OK, I am still looking at parlor guitars? I may have ruled out the Epiphone EL-00 because of the size and the difficulty in finding a case, etc? Anyhow, I came across a parlor guitar made by Cort? All solid woods; cedar top, rosewood back and sides, a fair amount of ornamentation, etc? It sounds and looks pretty good: the only thing is I have never heard of them? Any comment or info would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Paul Hostetter]

OK, I am still looking at parlor guitars? I may have ruled out the Epiphone EL-00 because of the size and the difficulty in finding a case, etc?

Two questions. Or are they questions? The Epiphone will fit any TKL classical case. Any decent retailer will find you something to fit.

I think the term parlor guitar is too vague to bother with, as for most people it now means anything smaller than a dreadnought. Fifty or a hundred years ago, it meant anything smaller than a Martin Single O, which is subtitled a Concert model. Size 1 and smaller were "standard" sizes, and those, to many, qualify as real "parlor" guitars, dating from the era when people actually played music at home, rather than in concert halls and so on.

Re: Cort guitars—don't buy on supposed reputation or materials. Buy it because you played it and it spoke to you.

[GDAE]

I second the Art and Lutherie ones...nice, reasonably priced for a travel guitar. I recently bought a Bedell I'm completely in love with (and they have a $200 rebate right now) but it might be more than you want to spend for a travel guitar.

[Bob Borzelleri]

I would look at the new Taylor GS Mini. Great sounding and around $500.00 its' a great deal.

I would second George's suggestion to look at the Taylor GS Mini. I stopped in to the local dealer and played around with several "parlor" sized guitars. The last one I played was a Taylor GS Mini and I brought it home. I'm still amazed at the volume and tonal clarity they get out of that size box. Not to mention that it plays beautifully.