Epiphone DR-100 Acoustic Guitar - Ebony

Okay, here goes. I ordered this instrument kinda on a whim to see if it was a good guitar for a very low price. I own mostly $300 plus guitars that are of good quality. I did my research online to see what others thought and it looked like decent investment. The first instrument that I received was all out of whack. The e and a strings buzzed horribly on frets 1 thru 3. I was not impressed. I returned the instrument late Thursday and received the replacement on Sunday. It appears by virtue of the paper covering the fret board was missing and the tag that came on the headstock was placed in the bag with the other warranty info, that this guitar was thoroughly checked and tuned prior to leaving the warehouse. There was a unique green inspection tag on the outside of ... MoreOkay, here goes. I ordered this instrument kinda on a whim to see if it was a good guitar for a very low price. I own mostly $300 plus guitars that are of good quality. I did my research online to see what others thought and it looked like decent investment. The first instrument that I received was all out of whack. The e and a strings buzzed horribly on frets 1 thru 3. I was not impressed. I returned the instrument late Thursday and received the replacement on Sunday. It appears by virtue of the paper covering the fret board was missing and the tag that came on the headstock was placed in the bag with the other warranty info, that this guitar was thoroughly checked and tuned prior to leaving the warehouse. There was a unique green inspection tag on the outside of the guitar box proper as well. All strings were only 1/2 step out of tune and the neck was straight as well. The action was high but after some sanding on the saddle (about .030) it was very playable and had great intonation. A great guitar when the quality is spot on. Thanks AMS for making sure that the second one hit the target. If you get a good one it is very good for the price. Time will tell if the neck stays straight and the fretboard flat.

"Epiphone DR-100 Blemished Experiment."

Overall:I've read tons of guitar reviews for fun on all kinds of different brand names. I've been playing guitar since 1975. I play almost every day sometimes for up to 5 hours a day. I read all of the DR-100 reviews on zZounds and many more on Amazon. I was so amazed at the price of the DR-100 and after reading hours worth of reviews that I decided to buy the Epiphone DR-100 Blemished package deal that is regular price $129.99 for $79.99 as an experiment from zZounds. I talked to my wife's uncle and he wanted a guitar so I told him I would "set up" this DR-100 for free for him and sell it to him for my cost of the guitar and the cost of new Elixir strings. I told him I needed a gig bag for my sweetheart solid top Fender folk (CF-140S) I got at a pawn shop for $80. ... MoreOverall:I've read tons of guitar reviews for fun on all kinds of different brand names. I've been playing guitar since 1975. I play almost every day sometimes for up to 5 hours a day. I read all of the DR-100 reviews on zZounds and many more on Amazon. I was so amazed at the price of the DR-100 and after reading hours worth of reviews that I decided to buy the Epiphone DR-100 Blemished package deal that is regular price $129.99 for $79.99 as an experiment from zZounds. I talked to my wife's uncle and he wanted a guitar so I told him I would "set up" this DR-100 for free for him and sell it to him for my cost of the guitar and the cost of new Elixir strings. I told him I needed a gig bag for my sweetheart solid top Fender folk (CF-140S) I got at a pawn shop for $80. This gig bag is worth at least $15 in this package deal. I said, "I'll sell you the brand new guitar package ( Guitar, Gig bag, tuner, strap and 3 picks) for $65 and I'll keep the Gig bag for my Fender solid top folk guitar or I'll sell you the whole package for what I have in it $79.95 + $15" for Elixir coated strings. I could read between the lines on these reviews and I knew the "buzzing" or "Strings too high" was a simple Truss Rod adjustment needed. All of these guitars have a wrench supplied to tighten the truss Rod (Clockwise) to lower string height or loosen (counterclockwise) to raise string height. Most customer returns on the low cost guitars are almost always a truss rod adjustment or the nut is too high which causes intonation problems which requires "Nut Files" that I have and the wisdom and experience to use them. I read on zZounds where a blemish is typically a customer return. So, I guessed correctly when I ordered this "blemished" or customer return that the strings were either too low causing a buzzing sound or too high making it too hard to press down for beginners. The reviews said the strings were inexpensive and needed to be replaced for those beginners that are serious and keep playing. The cheap strings make perfect sense so I knew this and already had a set of Elixir light gauge strings that typically cost about $15. Anyway, I received this beautiful Vintage Sunburst Epiphone DR-100 Guitar Package in the mail and sure enough all it needed was the Truss Rod loosened to raise the string height and stop the buzzing. I got the Truss Rod adjustment perfect and it played as easy as my Martin DRSGT that I bought from zZounds that sells for $1000. The strings sounded pretty good and It took me about 20 seconds to snap the 3rd string ( G) playing the A major pentatonic scale bending this Bronze wound string up one semitone at the 7th fret from the D note up to the E flat note. To be fair that's a problem a beginner is NOT going to encounter. These strings surprised me because they sounded good to my ear but not durable. So I put an old used Elixir 3rd string (G) back on this guitar and played it for about an hour and bent the strings hard and they held up for this short time. I changed the strings to Elixir Light Gauge Phosphor Bronze (my favorite!) and this guitar sounded fantastic for $79.95 + $15 for strings! I sold the guitar package deal to my wife's uncle for $100 and he loves it. What was in this for me? Well, now when I visit him he will hand me this beautiful Epiphone DR-100 Vintage Sunburst to play on his front porch in the summer or in his house in the winter instead of an old beat up Kay guitar he bought for $20 that was playable and I could get the job done with it's high string height and very tinny sound but not even in the same universe as this Epiphone DR-100. Does this guitar sound as good as my solid top 1994 Sigma Martin (SDR-28H), solid top Fender folk, solid top Ibanez AW -535 ( zZounds ), or all solid wood Martin DRSGT Road Series? No. Of course, not. But it sounds fantastic for the price! Does this Epiphone come close on ease of playability compared to my other guitars? Yes, it certainly does. Very close. If the DR-100 is "set up" by someone who knows how to "set up" a guitar it comes very close on ease of playability and that is very important for a beginner.

Dr-100

Overall:I spent around 5-6 weeks reading reviews before I finally bought my first guitar. This is the only acoustic I found that doesnt have any bad reviews. A couple people complained about the strings but I found an article that says new guitars are generally strung with thick hard strings to keep the neck stable during shipping. This is the first guitar I've ever purchased so Iwhen i got it i took it to a friends house to have him look at it. My friend has over 20 years experience and owns a couple of very nice Martin's and when he turned it and started to play he quit after 10 seconds of strumming and said he couldnt believe how loud it sounded or how well it played. I put new daddario extra light strings on it and sounds even better. Amazing guitar at this ... MoreOverall:I spent around 5-6 weeks reading reviews before I finally bought my first guitar. This is the only acoustic I found that doesnt have any bad reviews. A couple people complained about the strings but I found an article that says new guitars are generally strung with thick hard strings to keep the neck stable during shipping. This is the first guitar I've ever purchased so Iwhen i got it i took it to a friends house to have him look at it. My friend has over 20 years experience and owns a couple of very nice Martin's and when he turned it and started to play he quit after 10 seconds of strumming and said he couldnt believe how loud it sounded or how well it played. I put new daddario extra light strings on it and sounds even better. Amazing guitar at this price. For 4 payments of 37 bucks there is no reason not to buy one. Thanks zZounds

Epiphone Dr-100 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar (Vintage Sunburs

I bought this guitar for my god son who just turned 13 and starting to play guitar. The guitar was a perfect size and the neck was easy on his hands and fingers. The kid has not stopped playing this guitar since he got it over a month ago. He sleeps with it and it never leaves his sight.I strongly recommend the Epiphone Dr - 100 acoustic guitar to anyone who is staring out or even the experienced player. Its easy on the hands and comfortable to play.And a BIG THANK YOU and SHOUT OUT to Mark Chulick at Sam Ash in Canoga Park, CA. His knowledge, patience and customer service is the best I have experienced at a Music Store thus far. I strongly recommend asking for him if you are in the market to guy any guitar.

GREAT DEAL, wine red color is stunning.

Sound:Right out of the box, it was tune and go. Sounds like a much more expensive guitar than it is.Features:This is probably the best laminated guitar I've come across, Epiphone hit it out of the park with this model.Ease of Use:No fret issues, nice low action right out of the box, no fret buzz. As soon as I picked it up, the first thing I noticed was how GREAT the neck fit my left hand, FINALLY I found the "perfect fit".Quality:I found not one flaw or blemish, the fit and finish are incredible, especially in this price range.Value:I feel this guitar's a great value, priced well.Already tempted to grab another, maybe in black to gift one of the kids or grandkids.Manufacturer Support:Haven't dealt with Epiphone, but zZounds is the hands down best way ... MoreSound:Right out of the box, it was tune and go. Sounds like a much more expensive guitar than it is.Features:This is probably the best laminated guitar I've come across, Epiphone hit it out of the park with this model.Ease of Use:No fret issues, nice low action right out of the box, no fret buzz. As soon as I picked it up, the first thing I noticed was how GREAT the neck fit my left hand, FINALLY I found the "perfect fit".Quality:I found not one flaw or blemish, the fit and finish are incredible, especially in this price range.Value:I feel this guitar's a great value, priced well.Already tempted to grab another, maybe in black to gift one of the kids or grandkids.Manufacturer Support:Haven't dealt with Epiphone, but zZounds is the hands down best way to go. You can't beat the fast free shipping, customer service, or payment options.The Wow Factor:This wine red color drew my interest, and seeing it in person, well, these pictures just don't do it justice. My biggest wow factor was how easily and effortlessly my hand fit the neck, and fretboard, and I knew, finally, I found that perfect fit.Overall:This is one stunning guitar, I was worried the red would be too bright, or bold, or, well, red......but it's a beautiful, deep wine.....the pictures don't do it justice. ( Had one small shipping issue, which was quickly figured out with the help of zZounds, and am so happy with this purchase and with their customer service).

Not the same color

I just received the sunburst dr-100. The stock photo is not the same color as the actual guitar. The guitar I received is an ugly yellow burst while the picture is a darker brown. Has alot of fret buzzing and is extremely tinny sounding. You can even feel the frets running your hand down the side of the neck. I have a cheaper Rogue guitar that looks plays feels and sounds better than this junk. Sending back asap. Guitar center needs to change the stock photo because that is not the guitar I ordered.

Review of Epiphone DR-100 Acoustic Natural

This came free with an Epiphone Les Paul Studio and so I can’t really complain too much about it. For what would have been a £99 acoustic it’s fine. No problems with the action and intonation but the overall sound is fairly brittle, owing to the price point and subsequent design and construction decisions. It would make a good platform to experiment with modding an acoustic guitar for anyone brave enough the take sharp tools to an acoustic instrument. I’ve never fitted a pick-up to an acoustic guitar and this could be a good starting point to try.

The body is not mahogany

Overall:I own one of these guitars. It's brighter than more expensive guitars yet still sounds great. Recently I cut into it to install a Fishman knock off pre amp pickup system. What I found the sides were NOT mahogany. It's laminate with the center layer the same material as the binding. The top of the laminate is some sort of plastic, the inside is some sort of wood veneer that doesn't look like mahogany. I love this guitar. It plays well and sounds great but don't lie about how it was made. It's still a great cheap and great sounding instrument.

The pics do no justice for this guitar!

Overall:The pics look like the guitar is splotchy, with no wood grain showing through the finish. Trust me, this guitar is beautiful, even stunning for the price. The gold hardware is a nice touch. The back of the neck is a gloss finish matching the rest of the guitar, and though I prefer matte finishes on the necks of my guitars, this is the exception. It is very smooth, and not grippy at all. It came with a low action out of the box, and it sounds amazing. It has a 1-11/16 nut width, the same as my Epiphone Les Paul, but this guitar is much easier to play. I can be sloppy, and still not mute strings because of the spacing, so it would be GREAT for a student. The strings that came on it are stiff as a board, I'm not sure what the gauges are, but I plan to replace ... MoreOverall:The pics look like the guitar is splotchy, with no wood grain showing through the finish. Trust me, this guitar is beautiful, even stunning for the price. The gold hardware is a nice touch. The back of the neck is a gloss finish matching the rest of the guitar, and though I prefer matte finishes on the necks of my guitars, this is the exception. It is very smooth, and not grippy at all. It came with a low action out of the box, and it sounds amazing. It has a 1-11/16 nut width, the same as my Epiphone Les Paul, but this guitar is much easier to play. I can be sloppy, and still not mute strings because of the spacing, so it would be GREAT for a student. The strings that came on it are stiff as a board, I'm not sure what the gauges are, but I plan to replace them with Earthwounds. Right now this guitar is so perfect I am scared to mess with it! As usual ultra fast shipping by zZounds.

Unbelievable playability and sound.

Much more than a starter guitar. Put a set of Elixir strings on this, a minor tweak of the action and away you go. Plays like an electric sounds full-bodied like a Dreadnought should. Full range of sound from base mid and treble. Mic it or I use a Dean Markley pick up for amplifier. A gorgeous sound and play sensitivity to a myriad of different styles. I have more expensive acoustic guitars. But believe it or not this one sounds better and plays better than all of them. I purchased the ebony all black model. It has a very nice look on stage. But my thing is not how an instrument looks but rather on the playability and the tonal quality. A wonderful steal for the price. I'm telling you if you purchase this guitar for practice recording or performance you will not be ... MoreMuch more than a starter guitar. Put a set of Elixir strings on this, a minor tweak of the action and away you go. Plays like an electric sounds full-bodied like a Dreadnought should. Full range of sound from base mid and treble. Mic it or I use a Dean Markley pick up for amplifier. A gorgeous sound and play sensitivity to a myriad of different styles. I have more expensive acoustic guitars. But believe it or not this one sounds better and plays better than all of them. I purchased the ebony all black model. It has a very nice look on stage. But my thing is not how an instrument looks but rather on the playability and the tonal quality. A wonderful steal for the price. I'm telling you if you purchase this guitar for practice recording or performance you will not be disappointed. And at this price point you can get one for next to the couch, one for the studio, one for the camping trip, one for the beach, and one for the stage. And still not spend as much as ONE Taylor.