The Epiphone Les Paul 100 guitar review will show you why this guitar is a great choice for beginners. If you are looking for an entry-level Les Paul, the 100 is the perfect option. It has all of the features that you would expect from a Les Paul, but it doesn't break the bank.
In this article, we will try to give an as broad and complete overview of the Epiphone Les Paul 100 as possible so that you can make a well-informed decision before purchasing this guitar.
General info
The Epiphone Les Paul 100 is a great entry-level guitar for those looking to get their first Les Paul. It has all of the features that you would expect from a Les Paul, but it doesn't break the bank. The build quality is good, and it sounds great. If you are looking for an affordable Les Paul, the 100 is a great option.
It`s interesting to know that in the ‘60s, Gibson bought Epiphone and made it a subsidiary. They worked in the same facility, but their manufacturing sites were in different locations. Before Gibson acquired Epiphone, the brand was renowned for making decent guitars and basses. As a result, they had some competitive instruments on hand.
These premium Epiphone models are no longer available because Gibson prefers to dominate the premium market. Epiphone is the flipside of the coin, representing a sector that Gibson cannot tackle. If you can't afford a particular Gibson guitar, Epiphone has alternatives—cheap imitations or custom designs from Musicbody —for you. The company's entry-level Les Paul models are great guitars, perfect for beginners and intermediate players.
The Epiphone Les Paul 100 has a solid mahogany body with a maple top. The body is the same size as a Gibson Les Paul, and it has the same double-cutaway design. The guitar has a bolt-on maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard. Besides, it has dot inlays, 24 frets, and a 24.75-inch scale length. The guitar has a vintage sunburst finish and black binding on the body and neck.
Building quality of Epiphone Les Paul 100
The Epiphone Les Paul 100 has a solid mahogany body with a maple top. The body is the same size as a Gibson Les Paul, and it has the same double-cutaway design. The guitar has a bolt-on maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard. Besides, it has dot inlays, 24 frets, and a 24.75-inch scale length. The guitar has a vintage sunburst finish and black binding on the body and neck.
Then there's the rosewood fingerboard and a mahogany neck, which is typical for most Les Pauls. It also has bolts (bolt-on) instead of industrial glue (set-in). In comparison, bolt-ons reduce sustain but not significantly. Furthermore, it aids in the maintenance of the guitar by allowing you to replace the neck if necessary. Thus, Epiphone Les Paul 100 has a plus in terms of build quality.
The neck of the Epiphone Les Paul Custom IV has Gibson's excellent profile, SlimTaper. Thin and slightly asymmetrical SlimTaper necks allow the player to access the bass strings on the lower side of the fretboard with greater ease, as well as have an easier time playing on the treble side of the highest frets.
The body of the guitar is made of mahogany and has a maple top. The back of the guitar is not flat like many Les Pauls, but it is contoured for extra comfort while playing. The body is the same size as a Gibson Les Paul and has the same double-cutaway design.
Strings and fingerboards
If you look at the guitar, you will notice that the Epiphone Les Paul 100 has two humbuckers. The Epiphone LP100 has Alnico V magnet humbuckers, which are made by Epiphone. These pickups produce a warm and rich sound with plenty of midrange growl. The neck pickup is slightly warmer than the bridge pickup.
The fingerboard is made of rosewood with dot inlays. It has 24 frets and a 24.75-inch scale length. The binding on the body and neck is black. The guitar has a vintage sunburst finish.
The tuners are non-locking Epiphone Deluxe tuners. The nut is made of synthetic bone. The bridge is a Tune-o-Matic bridge with a stop bar tailpiece. The guitar comes with .010-.046 gauge strings. The setup of the Epiphone Les Paul 100 is good, and the intonation is spot on.
Hardware that is worth it
Pickups
As mentioned earlier, the Epiphone Les Paul 100 has two Alnico V magnet humbuckers. These pickups produce a warm and rich sound with plenty of midrange growl. The neck pickup is slightly warmer than the bridge pickup. Epiphone Les Paul 100 has a three-way pickup selector switch, two volume controls, and two-tone controls. The pots and switches are all made by Epiphone.
The Les Paul-100 features two excellent-sounding dual-coils. It has two high-output 700T humbuckers (neck and bridge). With no hum or noise, and a lot of headroom, these amplifiers are ideal for recording. The mids are aggressive, crunchy, and powerful. There's a catch: the guitar lacks coil-tapping on the pots, which is an option on Les Pauls that allows you to tap into individual strings.
The pickups are important when you think about the Epiphone Les Paul 100. These Alnico V magnet pickups produce a warm and rich sound with plenty of midrange growl. The neck pickup is slightly warmer than the bridge pickup, which gives you more options when it comes to tone.
Controls
Another hardware aspect that's worth mentioning is the three-way pickup selector switch. The Epiphone Les Paul 100 also has two volume controls and two tone controls. The pots and switches are all made by Epiphone.
The three-way pickup selector switch is a standard feature on most guitars. It allows you to select between the neck pickup, the bridge pickup, or both pickups at the same time. The two-volume controls allow you to adjust the volume of the neck pickup and the bridge pickup independently. This gives you more control over your sound. The Blend Switch allows guitarists to combine the two humbucking pickups. It may be used to turn either on or off, or both, and it's fantastic for adding a unique sound during solos.
The performance of your guitar will vary depending on the controls because it gives you the ability to change the sound. The three-way pickup selector switch is important because it allows you to choose between the neck pickup and the bridge pickup. If you want more control over your sound, the two-volume controls are important. The blend switch is also important because it allows you to combine the two pickups for a unique sound.
Playability and Sound
Epiphone Les Paul 100 is a great-sounding guitar. The Alnico V magnet pickups produce a warm and rich sound with plenty of midrange growl. The neck pickup is slightly warmer than the bridge pickup, which gives you more options when it comes to tone.
The guitar is also comfortable to play. The body is the same size as a Gibson Les Paul and has the same double-cutaway design. The fingerboard is made of rosewood with dot inlays. It has 24 frets and a 24.75-inch scale length. The binding on the body and neck is black.
If you are a beginner musician who is looking for a great-sounding and playable guitar, the Epiphone Les Paul 100 is a great option. The issue with playability for beginners is that the string action is a bit high. This can be adjusted by a qualified guitar technician. The Les Paul 100 is a great value for the price. It's a well-made guitar that sounds great and is comfortable to play. If you are looking for your first electric guitar, the Epiphone Les Paul 100 should be at the top of your list.
Still, if we speak of the sound that produces this guitar, we can tell that Epiphone Les Paul 100 has a great sound. That`s all because of Alnico V magnet pickups that are placed on it. These pickups are great for getting a warm and rich sound with plenty of midrange growl. Also, the neck pickup is slightly warmer than the bridge pickup, giving you more options when it comes to tone.
But, if we take a look at the playability, Epiphone Les Paul 100 isn`t the best option for beginners, because the string action is a bit high. Of course, this can be adjusted by a qualified guitar technician, but it would be better if you don`t have to deal with that from the start.
Rock or jazz?
When buying a guitar one of the most important aspects is the genre you play. Different guitars are better suited for different styles of music. The Epiphone Les Paul 100 is a great guitar for rock and blues. It's also a good choice for jazz, thanks to the neck pickup that gives you a warm sound.
If you're looking for a guitar that can do it all, the Epiphone Les Paul 100 is a great option. It's a versatile guitar that sounds great in any genre. For instance, if you are a beginner who is just starting to play, the Epiphone Les Paul 100 would be a great choice. But in case you want to play only jazz or blues, you might want to look for a guitar that is better suited for those genres.
The only thing that matters when you choose a guitar for a specific genre is how you want the guitar to sound. If you want a guitar that sounds like a Les Paul 100, then, by all means, get a Les Paul 100. But if you want a guitar that sounds like something else, then get something else. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing a guitar for a specific genre. It's all about what sounds best to you.
Would Epiphone Les Paul 100 be good for beginners?
Many questions regarding the best guitar for beginners arise. The answer is not simple as it depends on many factors such as the budget, style of music, and playability. If you are looking for an affordable guitar that sounds great and is comfortable to play, the Epiphone Les Paul 100 is a great option. The only downside is that the string action is a bit high, but this can be adjusted by a qualified guitar technician.
If you consider buying this guitar for your child who`s just starting to play, that would be a great idea. Epiphone Les Paul 100 is an excellent guitar for beginners due to its price and sound quality. Also, this guitar is comfortable to play, and the string action can be adjusted if needed. Even with little hands, your child will be able to hold and play this guitar without any problems.
In the end, it all comes down to personal preference. There is no perfect guitar for beginners. It all depends on what you are looking for in a guitar. If you want an affordable and great-sounding guitar, the Epiphone Les Paul 100 is a great option.
The Epiphone Les Paul 100 is a great value for the price. It's a well-made guitar that sounds great and is comfortable to play. If you are looking for your first electric guitar, the Epiphone Les Paul 100 should be at the top of your list.
What are some disadvantages?
For those who think of this option, it is essential to know some of the disadvantages that this guitar has. The main disadvantage of the Epiphone Les Paul 100 is that it doesn't have a tremolo system. This means that you can't do dive-bombs or other effects that require a tremolo system. If you're looking for a guitar that can do those kinds of things, the Epiphone Les Paul 100 is not the right choice for you.
Another thing to consider is that the pickups are not interchangeable. This means that if you want to change the sound of the guitar, you'll need to replace the pickups. This can be expensive, and it's something to keep in mind if you're looking for a guitar that you can easily customize.