Epiphone Les Paul 100 Review

May 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

There are few guitars that are as well known as the legendary Les Paul model. And while the Ephiphone Les Paul 100 isn’t one of the legendary Gibson axes, it is still a very popular guitar. I’ve owned this guitar for a while now, played it daily and am now sharing my thoughts on it with you in this Ephiphone Les Paul 100 Review.

It Looks Great

You’d be hard pressed to tell, simply by looking at the Les Paul 100, that it’s not a Gibson. In fact, about the only giveaway is the fact that the Ephiphone names is on the headstock. Being a lifelong Johnny Cash fan, I opted to get the ebony (black) colored model, though you can pick up the Ephiphone Les Paul 100 in other colors, including the popular sunburst coloring. If you’ve always loved the looks of the classic LP’s you’ll probably be just as impressed with the looks of this guitar as I’ve been. Simply a beautiful guitar…

Epiphone Les Paul 100: How Does it Play?

I’m not going to yank your chain and say that this model plays and sounds exactly like a Gibson Les Paul. Some people say that the only difference between the Gibson LP’s and the Epiphone guitars is the name. Well, there’s some other differences too. Those super-expensive Gibsons sound amazing; with that sweet, yet aggressive tone, they have been used on dozens of classic rock and blues songs over the years. The Epiphone Les Paul still sounds great, but it doesn’t produce the fully nuanced tones of a Gibson.

Order your own Les Paul Right Here!

With all of that being said, though, the Epiphone LP 100 sounds great, and is used by lots of professional players all around the world. Having played for people and recorded with this guitar, I can say that it has the kind of tone that you’d only expect from a guitar that costs nearly twice as much (or more) than this model. No, it’s not on par with the Gibson LP’s, but it more than over delivers for the price. And through the right amp, it can sound downright amazing!

Epiphone Les Paul 100 Features

700T Humbucker pickups really pick up the sweet tones and amazing sustain of this guitar
Easy to play rosewood fretboard
24.75″ inch scale
Mahogany body and Maple top make for a gorgeous guitar
Neck: Bolt, Mahogany

Any Gripes?

I’ve been very happy with my Epiphone Les Paul 100. However, I did notice that the action was set a little higher than most players would prefer. Thankfully this guitar has the tune-o-matic action that allows you to easily lower or raise the action with the turn of two screws. Be careful, though. If you take the action a little too low on this guitar, you’ll end up with a bit of buzzing. That goes for pretty much any guitar, though, so it’s not a problem with this model.

If you’ve always wanted to have your own Les Paul guitar – just like your favorite players – but couldn’t afford the super-high price tag that those axes come with, then the Epiphone Les Paul 100 is the ideal guitar to order. It’s a guitar that new players and seasoned musicians can both appreciate.

Disclaimer: While I do own this guitar (among others), I was in no way compensated for this review. However, as an Amazon Associate, I do receive a small compensation any time someone purchases this item through links from this website. However, you are not compelled to purchase this item based solely upon the views expressed in this review. Take the time to research any products on your own before you make your final purchasing decision.

Filed Under: Guitar & Gear Reviews

Online Guitar Lessons: Secret Guitar Teacher Review

April 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Secret Guitar Teacher Review

If you’re a guitar player, like me, you’re always looking for the tips, techniques and training that will make you better. And if you’re fortunate enough to have the time, money and ability to get lessons with a local teacher, that’s great.

Many of us, however, simply choose another route. And though I’ve been playing for a while, I decided to pursue online lessons. One of the online courses I signed up for (and yes, I really did sign up and follow this program) is called “The Secret Guitar Teacher.”

I’ve put together my thoughts on this course for you here in this Secret Guitar Teacher review. So if you’ve been thinking about taking online guitar lessons, be sure to read every word of this review. That way you’ll know whether or not to spend your guitar lesson money on this course, or choose another one.

Online Guitar Lessons

For starters, it’s important to restate that the Secret Guitar Teacher program is a true source of online guitar lessons. There are some guitar software programs and membership sites that are really nothing more than collections of videos. Not that there’s anything wrong with learning guitar online via videos, because there isn’t. But this site goes a step further…

Nick, the Secret Guitar Teacher himself, actually offers members the chance to get a personalized online guitar playing regimen. All you have to do is send him an email – telling him what your guitar playing goals are – and he’ll formulate a unique plan to help you reach your goals.

I am currently working a personalized guitar lesson plan from Nick, and it really is helping me to become a better guitar soloist. One thing you should know about this option, though, is that Nick will ask you to send him a short video or audio clip of your playing. This helps him to put together an action plan that will help you to improve.

Features of the Secret Guitar Teacher Online Guitar Lessons

Aside from the ability to get the personalized guitar lessons that I mentioned, there are other main features to this online guitar lesson course. Here’s what you get when you sign up to be a member of this online guitar site:

You can pick and choose the different things that you want to learn any time you want

Dozens of detailed instructional videos that take you from a beginning player to an advanced guitar player
Lots of downloadable backing tracks to practice to
Lessons are taught for both acoustic and electric guitar styles
Lessons include intros, rhythm and lead guitar parts
Advanced lessons teach you all about the music theory behind the mechanics
Styles covered include Blues, Blues-Rock, Classic Rock, Rock ‘n Roll and some Jazz
Most lessons have print outs that you can download and print to keep on hand during your lessons
Quick, friendly response from the Secret Guitar Teacher about any questions you have
The ability to cancel or renew your membership at any time
A request feature allows you to request new songs and techniques
An all-in-one online guitar lesson course

Nick is an experienced guitar player and instructor. I believe he’s been playing for well over 40 years, so he has the

Nick the secret guitar teacher...

chops to back up everything he teaches. I really enjoy Nick’s teaching style. He’s friendly, but not over the top. He explains everything with plenty of detail, without talking you to death. And most important of all, he explains everything about guitar playing in learnable chunks that build on each other.

Let’s face it – there’s really no “Fast Track” to becoming an instant guitar virtuoso. If there was, we’d all be famous musicians. However, with the help that I’ve received from Nick’s Secret Guitar Teacher course, I am progressing much faster than I had ever hoped.

Blues Guitar Playing

It is important to note that while this online guitar course does touch on several styles, it is firmly founded in teaching you Blues and Blues-based rock guitar. Some people, who may not be hardcore blues fans, may think that this is limiting. But in reality, most of the music that people enjoy – from classic rock and pop to country western – is all heavily rooted in blues music. So before you think that you don’t want to learn blues guitar, you may want to give his teaching a shot.

Workouts for Guitar Players

One of the cool features of the Secret Guitar Teacher membership site is the ability to go into the “Guitar Gym.” This section of the site is filled with video lessons of drills that you can do to become a better guitar player. With exercises to build finger strength, improve speed, become a more accurate player, and several other crucial guitar playing skills, you’ll find that this area really does help you to become the guitar player that you want to be.

How Much Does it Cost?

For a lot of us, price is one of the biggest barriers to getting top notch guitar instruction. The Secret Guitar Teacher costs $16 a month. That’s less than what it would cost to get one lesson from a local instructor. Heck, the gas money it would cost me to drive to my local blues guitar instructor once a week would run more than these lessons. I find that the value Nick delivers – especially with the personal guidance – far outweighs the low monthly price of membership.

Secret Guitar Teacher Review: The Bottom Line

I am a member at several of the best online guitar lesson websites. And I have to rank the Secret Guitar Teacher in my top 3 of the very best currently available. No, it’s not perfect. Sometimes it seems that the video lessons load a little slow, and the heavy emphasis on blues playing may turn a few people off. But other than that, you can’t get this kind of expert, step-by-step instruction at such a low price from any other online guitar lesson website.

I don’t recommend this guitar website to high level intermediate players or super-advanced shredders. But for people who are just getting started or who are looking for a new way to become a better guitar player – faster than they might have ever managed – I highly recommend the Secret Guitar Teacher.

Just keep in mind that you will still need to put in plenty of practice. While Nick is an amazing teacher, and the courses are very thorough, there are simply no shortcuts to becoming a proficient guitar player. But you will be happy to find out that you’ll be playing cool intros, rhythm parts and even leads to some of the most famous rock and blues songs of all time, after just a few lessons with your Secret Guitar Teacher.

Get started with your online guitar lessons right here!

Disclaimer: I am an actual paid member of the Secret Guitar Teacher online guitar lesson site. This review is my honest opinion about this site, and I am not compensated for posting a favorable review. Your experience with this site may differ from mine; such is the way of life. I am also an affiliate for the Secret Guitar Teacher site; which means that if someone signs up for the site via one of my links, I am paid a small commission. However, you are not required to use my links to sign up, nor are your compelled to sign up for this web site’s services.

Filed Under: Online Guitar Lessons Tagged With: online guitar lessons, online guitar reviews, secret guitar teacher

Learning Pentatonic Scales: Minor & Major

April 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The majority of new guitar players start off learning the minor pentatonic scale. For some people, the learning starts and stops right there. For guitar players who don’t pride themselves on knowing a lot of music theory, the thought of branching out past the minor pentatonic scale seems to be a bit scary or overwhelming at times.

I know this was true for me when I first started playing. Thankfully, though, some knowledgeable friends and instructors nudged me past my fears and helped me to learn to appreciate all that the major pentatonic scale had to offer.

The really cool thing that I discovered (along with millions of other guitar players over the years) was that there weren’t any new patterns to learn. The minor and major patterns overlap, making the transition a lot less painful.

If you’ve been on the fence about broadening your horizons and learning the major pentatonic scale you may want to check out this link – Major & Minor Pentatonic Scales Explained.

It is a bit of a stretch when you first get started, but the link above explains the basic theory and gives you some diagrams on how to apply your new found music theory knowledge.

Remember, the great blues and blues/rock players never locked themselves into only the minor pentatonic scale. If you like Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page or Freddie King, and have been wondering why you can’t seem to cop all their licks from your minor pentatonic scale knowledge, then you may surprise yourself by taking just a bit of time to get comfortable with the major pentatonic scales.

Filed Under: Blues Lessons Tagged With: blues guitar, guitar licks, guitar scales

Online Blues Guitar Lesson – Cool Bends

April 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

If you love the blues, or blues-rock genre, you know that bending the strings is an absolute must. However, many people don’t take the time to do string bends correctly, and the end results end up being a bit less than impressive.

Animation of a bending played on acoustic guitar. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here’s one of my favorite online guitar teachers showing how to do a basic, yet very impressive blues lick – featuring a a classic blues bend. Be sure to pay close attention to Marty’s fingers as he does the bend, so you can see how to do a bend without putting unneeded stress or wear and tear on your fingers…

Bends, slides and vibrato are all essential techniques to making your guitar playing sound less flat and more bluesy. Always keep in mind that you are bending the strings to reach a particular note (usually one half step or one whole step up from the natural note that you begin to bend on.) I know that early on I would just bend as much as I could, and my bending sounded pitchy and flat out terrible.

I would recommend doing blues licks, like this one, hundreds of times in a row. Don’t aim for perfection in the beginning, but keep repeating to build up that finger memory. And aim to make that bend hit the right target note.

One of the advantages of living in the “Information Age” is the availability of so many online guitar lessons, and access to great online blues guitar instructors. Some of these instructors have membership sites that you can pay to join, while others offer all their teaching content online for free. Most do a combination of both.

So if you can’t afford to take guitar lessons with a real live instructor, or simply don’t like the idea of taking in-person lessons, you can find great instructors, lessons and software online. Of course, no matter what type of instruction you use, it’s still essential to practice every chance you get – even if it’s only for a few minutes at a time.

So why not give the guitar lesson above a quick look and then spend some time practicing it on your own. It’s a classic blues lick that you’ve probably heard in dozens of your favorite songs. And once you get it down you can easily incorporate it into your own killer blues solos.

Filed Under: Blues Lessons Tagged With: blues licks, blues solo, online guitar lesson

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