Epiphone AJ220ST Acoustic Guitar Pack
An Alternative-minded Acoustic for an Alt-Rock Legend.
Epiphone has been an acclaimed maker of acoustic guitars for more than 80 years, and, since 1957, a sister brand to the legendary Gibson guitars—makers of some of the world’s most respected acoustics—so the company knows a thing or two about tone and playability. In order to pack this pedigree into the affordable AJ-220ST, Epiphone starts with time-tested tonewoods. Solid spruce is considered far superior to the laminated variety used in most “budget” or “beginner” guitars, and this is the cornerstone of the AJ-220ST. The woods that comprise this quality acoustic include a solid bookmatched Sitka spruce top with hand-scalloped bracing, select mahogany back and sides, and a solid mahogany neck. The spruce-and-mahogany body combination has long been known for its outstanding richness and clarity, blended to appealing warmth and depth for a very musical package all around.
To top it off, it looks great in your choice of hand-applied Natural or Vintage Sunburst finish, with bound top and decorative multi-ply soundhole ring. The neck is carved to Epiphone’s supremely comfortable D-shaped SlimTaper™ profile, and its genuine rosewood fingerboard carries 20 medium-jumbo frets in total, joining that body at the 14th fret. Elegant white binding around the fingerboard not only adds to the guitar’s classy looks, but also provides a smooth and hitch-free feel while playing. A 25 1/2″ scale length ensures bold tones and a firm low end, while a nut and bridge saddle that are both precision cut from synthetic bone further enhance the AJ-220ST’s resonance and sustain.
While many acoustic guitars come factory equipped with only one strap button, the AJ-220ST carries buttons at both the neck heel and the tail block, so you can pop on the supplied quality Epiphone strap and get straight down to business. And to help you keep at it, the pre-installed Shadow™ Sonic Tuner sits right in the soundhole for hands-free performance—allowing you to tune without messing with the electronic tuner. The world’s first soundhole tuner, this automated chromatic tuner is powered by a single 3-Volt cell battery, includes indicator LEDs for each note in the scale, and guides to tell you whether you are sharp, flat, or dead-on, along with a single pushbutton on/off switch to power up.
Add to all this Epiphone’s accompanying literature, its acclaimed Limited Lifetime Warranty and 24/7/365 customer support, and the AJ-220ST is an acoustic package that can’t be beat.
Body and Finish
The AJ-220ST is made with a solid bookmatched Sitka spruce top—a considerable upgrade on most “beginner” guitars—and a select mahogany back and sides, a classic acoustic tonewood combination that offers outstanding depth, richness and clarity. It is hand finished in either Natural or Vintage Sunburst, with a bound top and decorative multi-ply soundhole ring.
Neck, Fingerboard and Headstock
The guitar’s neck and headstock are made much in the tradition of the many great Epiphone and Gibson acoustics, with the 25 1/2″ scale length and a width of 1.725″ at the nut. Carved from a single piece of solid mahogany to a SlimTaper™ “D” profile, and topped by a bound rosewood fingerboard, with a back-angled headstock crafted to Epiphone’s traditional shape.
Accessories
Your Epiphone AJ-220ST comes with a pre-installed Shadow™ Sonic Tuner (a $50 value!), a wall-mount guitar hanger, and a 3-hour instructional DVD from MJS Publishing, along with picks, a strap, an Epiphone poster and bumper sticker, a truss rod adjustment tool, and a full Owner’s Manual and literature.
Hardware
The AJ-220ST carries a quality hardware set, including chrome-plated die-cast zinc tuners with an efficient 14:1 gear ratio, a belly-up rosewood bridge with traditional bridge pins and compensated synthetic bone saddle, and two steel strap buttons so you can strap it on instantly with no modification.
