Epiphone Les Paul 100 – An Incredible Guitar For Only $249

We are looking today at the Epiphone Les Paul 100.

This models replaced in 2019 by the Epiphone Les Paul Studio E1 which retails for $20 more than the 100 model. I prefer the 100 model because it has a pick guard. You can still get the 100 brand new all over the place in three colors Ebony, Vintage Sunburst, and Cherry Burst for only $249.

Here are the specifications:

Shape of the guitar is Les Paul
The body is made of Mahogany with a Maple top.

The Neck is made of Mahogany or Okoume
Profile of the neck is a C Profile
Fret Board Radius is 12 inches
The Nut Width 1.693
Fingerboard Indian Laurel
Scale Length 24.75"
Number of Frets 22
Nut PVC – I do not like this

Bridge Tune-O-Matic
Tailpiece Stop Bar
Knobs Gold Speed Knobs - I do like this.
Tuners Premium Die Cast 14:1 Ratio – much better quality than the ones found on the lower costing Epiphones.

Neck pickup Epiphone 650R Humbucker; Open-coil
Bridge pickup Epiphone 700T Humbucker: Open-coil

The Epiphone 650R and 700T are ceramic humbucker pickups. The 650R is a neck pickup and the 700T is a bridge pickup. They are considered neutral, meaning they are neither too heavy or too bright.

Controls 2 Volume, 2 Tone

Price - $249 New
Price Used - $180 and up.

I have seen the 100 used go for the same price as new. This is odd but at least shows that the guitar holds its value.

Observations

A lot of observations of the neck and fretboard.

The neck is bolt on and made out of Mahogany.
The fret edges are very rough and need to be smoothed out. The tops of the frets are okay but could also have some care.

I only found three locations on the fretboard from the 12th fret forward that showed any rocking and it was minor.

There is no body binding but there is some sort of black binding on the fret board.

The fretboard is made of Indian Laurel and mine was incredibly dry and sucked up a lot of oil. It is evident that it is Laurel. This is not an issue but just an observation.

The tuners are so much better than the Epiphone entry models of the Les Paul specials. They are in my opinion adequate.

The PVS nut has to go and there is a direct replacement from Graph Tech called the TUSQ XL that would be a huge improvement for tuning stability and overall sound.


The finish for this price point is excellent and so much better than Epiphone Les Paul Special line of guitars which seems glopped on in the thickest manner possible. The finish on this guitar is on par with the more expensive Epiphone Les Paul standard line of guitars. I really love the traditional tobacco burst look. I can actually see wood grain below the finish.


The knobs, pickguard, and poker chip on the three-way switch make this look like a higher end Les Paul.

It is absolutely crazy that this guitar is only $249.

This Guitar is the answer to a question I get asked a lot on the channel.

The question is - Why someone would buy a knock off Les Paul guitar from China that rhymes with the word Gibson but starts with a C.
The answer is – those guitars are horrible guitars and I do not recommend you EVER buy one.

If you are going to buy a Les Paul guitar and want to spend $250 or less – you should buy this guitar instead. It is the perfect modding platform. The quality is great. You are not breaking any laws by purchasing one. You get A LOT of value for the dollar you spend.