Gearank

Overview

Gone are the days when Epiphone was looked at as just cheap alternatives to Gibson guitars. These days, they are respected for guitars that nicely balance value and quality.

Case in point is the DR-100, a true to form dreadnought that is priced incredibly low but with decent specs and cosmetics.

It doesn't stray off from the beaten path, rather everything about this guitar is familiar, from its body shape, to its playability, down to its old school appeal. This familiarity also reduces the need for technique adjustments when students level up to more expensive guitars.

Epiphone says that the DR-100 has long been their top selling acoustic guitar and based on what we gleaned from our research this could well be the highest selling acoustic in its class.

For many years the DR-100 has been the choice of many as a student guitar and a low cost 'campfire' option - that's a term used to describe guitars you can take on camping trips without having to worry too much about getting it damaged as you would with an expensive guitar.

Since it has a slightly smaller nut-width, it may end up being a touch more comfortable for those with smaller hands.

In November 2016 we determined that this was the highest rated Dreadnought selling for under $150 and we continue to say it's a good beginner guitar, although it's not currently on our recommended list - for that please refer to our guide to The Best Acoustic Guitars For Beginners.

Specifications

• Body Shape: Dreadnought
• Top: Select Spruce (laminated)
• Body: Mahogany
• Finish: Gloss - Natural, also comes in Ebony and Vintage Sunburst
• Bridge: Rosewood
• Neck: Mahogany
• Neck Profile: SlimTaper
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Fingerboard Radius: Not specified
• Number of Frets: 20
• Scale Length: 25.5”
• Nut Width: 1.69”