Epiphone DR-100 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar - Natural Reviews

Great guitar for the price

I purchased 25 of these for my high school beginning guitar class. They are well made, sturdy, hold their tuning, and are comfortable to play. I am very happy with the consistency in quality from guitar to guitar. And as always the customer service working with Sweetwater was top notch.

Look, I have played guitar over 50 years. I bought this to have a guitar to play around the camp fire or just drag around. I had Sweetwater set it up before it shipped. Got this thing and was completely blown away! With the set up it plays better than my Ovation Elite. Great guitar and great sound not to mention the service from Greg and the guys at Sweetwater. Perfect set up, awesome customer service. For the price, there is no way you can go wrong with this guitar - just make sure you get it set up properly!!!

I can't actually believe how much this guitar costs. I could tell a musician friend of mine that it costs $600 and they would totally believe me (do NOT tell Epiphone I said this!). The one single thing that doesn't match the rest of the build is the pick guard which I am changing to a super nice one then I can start lying to folks about the cost of this. Looks great. Build is great. Playability is great. Sounds GREAT. THE END.

While researching guitar Sweetwaters name kept coming up for supply and service. Checked websight for selection and price and gave them a call. Got a hold of Jimmy Hart he was ready and able to make sure I was getting what I wanted he even had time to listen to my concerns for after the sale the (what ifs) guitar arrived ahead of schedule and packed professionally (not a scratch) only thing left wads a quick tune and learn how to play. Thank you and your staff for a pleasant experience

I originaly bought the D-100 just to have a guitar that I could leave in an alternate tuning. I tried quite a few others in the $250 or less price range. The playability is far superior to any of the others and the sound is full and balanced.I would highly recommended it for any one looking for a great guitar at a great price.

sounds and plays great, has a great look to it. hold tune, I couldnt ask for more.

First time guitar player. My son recommended the DR-100 and so far I'm enjoying it. Beautiful guitar! I am also impressed with the great customer service. Eric called the day after I ordered it and was very helpful and encouraging. He assigned my account to Adam who is also who my son has talked to before. Also the candy was a nice touch! Happy strumming, Rhonda

This is a wonderful guitar for our grandson’s to learn with

I bought this guitar in a local store. You can't beat it for the price. Fantastic tone for a $100 range guitar. Beautiful finish. Action is not too high.

If you didn't know better, you'd think it's a $400-$500 guitar.

I made the order on the 4th of July, and it showed up a day faster than expected! Great service on Sweetwater's part...

As for the Epiphone... I've read nothing but great reviews, and with this price point, I couldn't help but to resist. Packaging was well done, and after opening it up, I just had to tune all of the strings up, and it's set! The guitar itself is very easy to play, after having played my worn out starter Fender for years now. The strings sound awesome! I thought about replacing them with Elixirs, right off of the bat, but figured I'd give em a try first and I don't plan on taking them off until that time comes.

As for looks, it's great! I dunno how else to describe this part.. It looks like the photo, ha.

I'm at intermediate level, the chords sound pure, the fingerpicking (is what I mostly do) is very dialed in, and sliding between frets is smooth and has minimal "scratch". I read that people have filed down the frets due to sharpness, but I haven't experienced that.

First off I'm no pro, just a 30 year old guy trying this guitar thing out again. Dabbled into it in my younger days but youth and lack of patience got the best of me then.

That said I've been browsing some local Mom and pop music stores and a un disclosed big box store. Kicking tires and strumming strings on various acoustic guitars.

Clearly a larger budget was out of the question for this purchase and one I couldn't find was this DR-100 to play with for some reason. After reading the other reviews here I decided to pull the trigger. Ordered on a Sunday night and had it Wednesday morning. Was packaged better than I could of hoped for but it got better after I opened it all up. For the price point I fail to see how this guitar can be beat!

Sounds great! Hung out with a buddy last weekend and to my ear sounds as good as his new 600$ Yamaha. Not to mention the fit/finish on this thing is hands down awesome!

You're kind of a fool not to grab one of these regardless of your experience level. Glad I picked one up and glad I ordered from sweetwater. It won't be my last purchase that's for sure.

I had this guitar shipped to my Grandkid"s house so I would have an instrument to play songs for them.
At this price I don"t care if they bang on it. However, I was amazed at what a pretty instrument it is. The action is well set up. Bar chords on the 12th fret don"t buzz, and the neck shape is very comfortable.
The tone leans toward tenor, but I think the guitar will age well and mellow out. I have much more expensive guitars at home, but I would be happy playing this any time. For the price of a nice dinner in town, this is an incredible bargain.
I have been playing for more than 4 decades, so I have some experience.
As always, I was pleased with the friendly attitude and fast shipping.

I am a new student to the guitar so I do not have the experience of other reviewers. I do however recognize value and this guitar is exactly what I was looking for. Fit and finish on the instrument that I received was a bit better than I expected and it has a full, rich sound. The features of this guitar at this price point makes it perfect for me as a beginner. It may not be my last acoustic guitar but I am happy with it as my first one.

This was my second Sweerwater purchase and in both cases, Jordan sent updates with order and shipping details. This attention to detail is why Sweetwater has become the first place that I look for new equipment.

Thanks.

finish was great as well as packaging, well done guitar

This Guitar I'm am very satisfied wit. I just began relearning guitar and am very impressed with the sound and feel of the epiphone dr-100. I would recommend this to any beginner or even most intermediate players. The only complaint I might have would be that the strings are a little lower grade but as I said this is mostly a beginner guitar, but other than that I am 100% completely satisfied.

Excellent guitar for beginners. Beautiful guitar.

I bought this as a gift for a beginner for Christmas but, having played almost 30 years myself, I took this guitar for a lengthy test drive before boxing it back up for the upcoming holiday. Prior to this purchase, I also played a coworker's beginner guitar (Fender FA-100) he recently bought on Amazon at approximately the same price point. I was less than impressed by the Fender but, considering the price point, I figured it was on par with any guitar you might buy for less than $200.

Boy was I wrong. This Epiphone is simply superb. Everything about this guitar is better than the Fender. The action, neck comfort, and playability on this guitar are far better than I imagined was possible on a guitar costing less than $600. The finish is flawless (my coworker's Fender had a couple of noticeable paint flaws). The intonation is spot on (e.g. the octaves at the 12th fret are perfectly in tune with the open strings), there is no buzzing present on any string nor at any fret and the guitar holds its tuning amazingly well. I've made no adjustments to the guitar. I simply unboxed it, tuned it, and am very impressed.

If you are looking into getting a beginner guitar, this should be your first and only choice. You absolutely get much more guitar than you are paying for and it will serve you well into your intermediate (and even advanced) playing stages. Sweetwater, you've done it again!

I live in Florida and travel to Indiana a few times a year. I needed a guitar to play on my trips and didn't want the hassle of having to travel with one. Got the opportunity to visit Sweetwater (what a treat that was) while I was there I played several guitars,mostly in the 3 to 5 hundred dollar range trying to make a decision and then spotted the DR 100 and was blown away by the playability and sound coming from this instrument every bit as good or better than the 5 hundred dollar guitars. Thanks Sweetwater!

I ordered this guitar to start off as a beginner. It sounds really good, holds a tune well, and looks very nice. I am really enjoying learning to play and playing with it. Very happy with the whole buying process. Customer service was awesome, Maryann is super nice and personable. Thanks!

The Epiphone DR-100 is definitely an outstanding example of more
BANG FOR YOUR BUCK! Ease of playability, great set-up, and
beautiful woods are just a part of the total package that this guitar will
bring to you. Don't let this great guitar pass you by. You'll dread
it if you do. This is a sweet deal from Sweetwater!

OK, this is not a thousand dollar work of art. But seriously, the tone, the straightness of the neck, and the all around excellent workmanship make this guitar an amazing value for the very low price! The action is acceptably low. There are no buzzes or bad harmonics. It could pass for being equal to a guitar costing five times as much.
Thank you, Sweetwater!

Forget about starting off with "for the money"..., this guitar has an outstanding feel and sound. I measured this guitar against a dozen of $300 - $400 guitars, and the DR 100 was clearly a superior product.

You want a great " play everyday " guitar, that feels and sounds great, get the dr 100. way to go epiphone and thanks for delivering another high quality, low cost guitar.

I bought this online here at sweetwater with some hesitation since I had not played it in person. Once I got it I was blown away. Setup was perfect. The strings needed to be replaced - they don't hold tune. I put Martin Lifespan Mediums on it and now it holds tune forever (days). I had an all laminate guitar from Takamine my mother bought me in 1982 when I was in high school. It was all laminate also but isn't as loud or nice sounding as this Epiphone. I also had trouble with the nut width on the Takamine - I kept buzzing strings I wasn't fretting because the strings were to close together.

When I first got the Epiphone I flipped in Dust in the Wind by Kansas and played along. Totally sounds wonderful. Then I put in Landslide by Fleetwood Mac and it sounds great playing along with that too. This guitar is louder than I thought it would be and that can be motivating under heavy strumming.

I would buy this guitar again in a heartbeat. Totally happy. I waited a few weeks for the newness of the guitar to wear off before reviewing it. It still sounds great. I can't believe what $99 buys these days.

This was our first guitar purchase. A family member recommended the Epiphone brand. My daughter searched the internet, and found the look that she wanted, and a price that I would agree to. Sweetwater's service was above and beyond any service I had ever received from an on line purchase. This is a beautiful instrument! I hope my daughter will keep this new hobby, if we ever have a need for another guitar, Sweetwater will be our first place to shop.

I use this as my practice while watching TV guitar. I love the sound, and it played great out of the box. The frets can be a little rough, but overall, for the price, the quality is there.

I bought the AJ-100 which is the Jumbo version of the DR with a cutaway, just to learn how to setup an acoustic. (setup all my electric guitars/basses since I was young). The fitment and finish on this guitar are unbelievable There is not a blemish anywhere and the wood grain is positively beautiful. Tuners are very smooth and once the strings are stretched, it holds perfect tune. The fretboard is good, frets on mine are dead level, but need to be polished as they are a little rough when bending strings.

It does not come setup from Epiphone so YOU must do it yourself (which is why I bought it) or pay someone to set it up for you-unless you like very high string action and a bowed neck.

I set the neck perfectly straight and ground the saddle down until I just started to get a bit of string buzz when plucked hard. The neck and fret level is so good I ended up with a tad under 1/16" (3/64ths) action which is amazing for any guitar. I put Elixir 12's on it and it now plays exceptional(blow on the strings and it sings as they say).

It also sounds as good as any acoustic costing many, many hundreds more, so I put a GraphTech Tusq nut and saddle on it, and installed a Martin t4 pre-amp electronics. That amazing sound is now even better through an acoustic amp or directly into my digital recorder or computer(audio interface needed). For the price of the guitar, the Tusq parts, and Martin Pre-amp/pickup, I have an acoustic that looks and sounds amazing for less than $150. And since the finish is beautifully flawless, I figured it deserved an Epiphone case.

I cannot possibly say enough good things about this guitar that cost under $100.

This is truly a wonderful and affordable starter guitar. Also good for campfire playing because its loud and if it gets damaged its not a very expensive guitar. If you play gigs I would not recommend it as I said a starter guitar. Would recommend it for beginners as a touring musician.

This guitar is an affordable incredible music device. It sounds as great as a much more expensive guitar. I love it, it's gorgeous too. The strings provided may need to be swapped for better ones. Truss rod may need to be adjusted. Other than that it sounds good. Also the action may need to be changed depending on your style of playing.

I traded a fender solid state amp for this guitar in Lubbock, TX back in 2016. I've been playing for 16 years and can definitely appreciate the tonal quality and playability of a more expensive Martin or the like. But i picked this thing up to have mostly as a practice guitar that I'm not afraid to get roughed up. This is noe my favorite acoustic. I pick it up daily whether it be for a 2 minute strum or 2 hour jam. This thing is so playable it begs you to pick it up. After 4 years this guitar has only grown more on me and probably will continue to. Absolutely love it for the price also. This guitar plays and sounds better than many of acoustics in the $500-$750 price range. 5/5 Epiphone!

I bought the DR-100 to use as a living room guitar to sit on a stand and be ready to play whenever I walked by - not a case queen or professional instrument, just a workhorse that I would feel comfortable with not packing up in a case after every playing session. I was blown away by the quality and appearance of this acoustic. Out of the box, on 1st tuning the G tuning machine stripped out - but the good folks at Sweetwater were ready to send another guitar out post haste. I said no need for all that - send me a replacement tuning machine and I'll be good to go! They shipped the tuning machine out with a complimentary set of strings of my choice - now that's customer service!
The guitar is good bang for the buck. I wish I had an acoustic of this quality when I was just starting out some 25 years ago. It would be great for a beginner or as a "tailgate/campfire" guitar for anyone! I'm a bit biased, as I own several Epiphone guitars, but the value for my money keeps me coming back.
The good folks at Sweetwater and their dedication to personalized customer service make them my only online music store.

I was very pleased with the Epiphone DR-100 I received as a gift for my 10 year old grandaughter. The DR-100 is nice well made guitar and a perfect first guitar.

I have played Martin guitars and Epiphone's and out of the 2 . ,My pick was the Epiphone was the best sounding . My Brother them went and special ordered his own after playing and hearing mine . Back then it was another 6 string . Love them only ones for me.
The price is right from Sweetwater company also. Great Job Guys .
Your the best. Thanks
Barb from Forest Grove ,Oregon.

Just got my DR-100 today, feels good and plays good, and sounds good. No complaints, I have a good home and camping guitar in one.

This guitar sounds sweet even before you put new strings on it. This is a quality instrument, I am proud to own. The projection and resonance are amazing, and the workmanship is flawless. What a pleasant surprise.

Surprisingly good quality, performance, appearance, and value. Worthy of a professional setup, upgraded strings, and a gig bag.

Well made guitar. Great for beginners. Sounds fair for the price. I replaced the strings for better ones to get a better sound.

Really good guitar for the price. Totally satisfying dealing with the people at Sweetwater

Really great guitar and unbelievable price.

Bought my DR100 8 months ago. When I got it the action was too high. I lowered the action and changed out the plastic nut and saddle for Tusq and am now thrilled with the sound and playability of this guitar. It has become my favorite guitar to gig with and I take it to work daily just to play it when I have a spare moment.

This guitar sounds amazing. It plays very well also. Though, I have encountered a couple of problems that are common with cheaper instruments. First, rough fret edges, not a huge deal and that can kind of be expected on a 100 dollar. Second, the neck around the area where the neck meets the body bows slightly and sometimes you'll get the 14th fret note while playing the 13th fret on the high E. It's not a huge deal, especially because it's only one fret on one string but having to put a shim under the bridge to avoid that problem raises the action even higher when it already is quite high. I've had this guitar for a year now and as I said previously, it sounds amazing for the money. I bought this guitar mainly as a beater to take away to school with me, but I have done some recording with it. It sounds that good.

Seriously, for the price you just cannot go wrong. I originally bought the Epihone DR-100 to teach my daughter to play guitar, but didn't want her practicing on my Martin or Takamine. Also, I wanted to limit my investment on the chance she wouldn't stick with it. Well she loves it and so do I, so much I bought a second one for me to used as a "stand around" guitar, to take on trips, etc. The quality, finish, sound and playability are ridiculously good for a guitar priced this low.

It is a pretty nice guitar for what I payed, Sturdy, Nice look. Was very surprised at the sound after i put the strings I wanted on it. Great starter Instrument for anyone, and for those on a budget this is agood one to buy..

I bought this for a friend on Christmas. I contacted him and he said it is a real good guitar. The action and tone are really good.

I am planning to buy this as a second guitar for myself.

Ordered this for a "signature guitar" to keep at The Harvester Performance Center in Rocky Mount Virginia where I work. Plan to have artists (especially guitar players and guitar playing vocalists) sign it. Very pleased to learn how well it played for a budget guitar. I have other Epiphones and should have anticipated good value for a dollar spent.

I needed something cheap that I could take to the beach that could handle rough travel, sand, bumpy roads and humidity, lots of humidity. Based on the reviews, I bought this Epiphone. Happily surprised that it does exactly what I wanted at such a low price point. Great sound, comfortable neck, holds its tuning. It did need a complete set up, but even my luthier was surprised at how nice this guitar sounded when he finished. After almost three months exposed to daily 85-90 degrees and 60-90 percent humidity, I recommend without reservation. Money well spent for excellent travel guitar, or entry level acoustic.

this is a nice guitar for a $100. It plays a little rough but a set of Elixer strings will do wonders for that. The frets are rough but like I said it's a $100 guitar. It is okay for what I bought it for, a haul around instrument for places you wouldn't want your Taylor, Martin, or Gibson to go.

Sadly, after about 4-months, the neck on this guitar has warped horribly! Excuse me, but it was not in the sales agreement that I had to store my instrument in a specially climate-controlled space! Being in Colorado, the wood just dried out, and went flooey. I hope my sales "engineer" will help me with this problem. Did you know there is NO WAY to access any truss rod for adjustment? Very sad.