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Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged
Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop
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Playability
73
Sound
72
Build
72
Value
57
Score
72
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Playability
68
Sound
70
Build
58
Value
70
Score
65
FIND IT ON:
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Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged vs Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop Specs Comparison
Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop
General
Brand: Gibson Custom Gretsch
Year: 2024 2016
Configuration: HH XXH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States China
Series: Murphy Lab Electromatic
Colors: Natural Black, Natural
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Hollowbody
Body Material: One-piece Quilt Sapele Laminated Maple
Bridge: Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar Chromatic
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Kluson Single Line, Double Ring Die-Cast
Fretboard: 1 Piece Dark Indian Rosewood Rosewood
Neck Material: Mahogany Maple
Decoration: Cellulose Nitrate Trapezoid Pearloid Big Block
Scale Size: 24.75" 25.5"
Shape: 60s SlimTaper Standard U
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.93'' (23.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.83'' (21.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.97'' (24.6mm)
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 20 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Nylon Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 42.9mm (1.688'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Custombucker Alnico 3 (Unpotted) (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Custombucker Alnico 3 (Unpotted) (Humbucker / Passive) Gretsch Mini Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 0 Way
Knobs: Bell Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 2 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Nickel Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged's switch options

Reasons to Get
Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged over Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2024 vs 2016
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
60s SlimTaper vs Standard U
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Body Type
Solid Body vs Hollowbody
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3 vs 0
More tone options
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
HH vs XXH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
22 vs 20
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.82'' (20.8mm) vs 0.83'' (21.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.93'' (23.6mm) vs 0.97'' (24.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Paint Finish
Nitro vs Poly
Thin finish that creates aging marks faster
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone

Reasons to Get
Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop over Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged

Decorative Top
Arched Laminated Spruce vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Number of Frets
20 vs 22
Warmer neck pickup
Neck Profile
Standard U vs 60s SlimTaper
Comfortable neck with more grip
Body Type
Hollowbody vs Solid Body
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Pickups
XXH vs HH
Single pickup at the neck for jazzy warmth
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.83'' (21.1mm) vs 0.82'' (20.8mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.97'' (24.6mm) vs 0.93'' (23.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Paint Finish
Poly vs Nitro
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Value Score
70 vs 57
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged vs Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop

Neck Pickup
Custombucker Alnico 3 (Unpotted) vs Gretsch Mini Humbucking
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Sapele vs Maple
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Nut Material
Nylon vs Synthetic Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged vs Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop

Fretboard Wood
Rosewood
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged Prices

    SET PRICE ALERT

    Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop Prices

      SET PRICE ALERT

      These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.

      Hand Size Comfortability

      And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop favors large hands more than the Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged.

      Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged:
      Big Hands
      Small Hands
      Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop:
      Big Hands
      Small Hands

      Beginner Friendliness

      The Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged meets 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop meets only 3. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

      New Player Friendliness

      Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged
      • Comfortable shape
      • Easy-to-use bridge
      • Tall frets
      • Comfortable neck
      • Comfortable fretboard
      • Narrow nut
      • Short scale
      • Locking tuners

      New Player Friendliness

      Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop
      • Comfortable shape
      • Easy-to-use bridge
      • Tall frets
      • Comfortable fretboard
      • Narrow nut
      • Short scale
      • Comfortable neck
      • Locking tuners

      Sound Quality Comparison

      The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

      Woods Used in Both

      Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
      Rosewood

      Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

      Woods Used in the Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged

      Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
      Mahogany
      Sapele wood pattern used for guitar building
      Sapele

      Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

      It's similar to Mahogany in both color and tone. It can produce warm tones, and it's known for its beautiful figured grain patterns. Find out more about Sapele.

      Woods Used in the Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop

      Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
      Maple

      Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

      Winner: Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged.

      Pickup Configuration

      The Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged has an HH configuration while the Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop has XXH pickups.

      Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

      On the other hand, XXH means there's no pickup in the bridge or middle position. It's a rare pickup combination used for soloing. It's often found in acoustic-electric guitars to give you more power for soloing.

      Pickups Quality

      Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

      Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

      Winner: Tie.

      Versatility Comparison

      Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

      Switch Options

      The Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged gives you 3 switch options while the Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop gives you 0. This means that the Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

      Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

      When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

      Winner: Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged.

      Final Sound Quality Scores

      Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged
      Pickups 90
      Sustain 75
      Versatility 53
      Tuning Stability 70
      Sound 72
      Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop
      Pickups 90
      Sustain 75
      Versatility 44
      Tuning Stability 70
      Sound 70

      Build Quality Comparison

      When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged compares to the Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop.

      Country of Origin

      The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged is built in United States while the Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop is made in China.

      The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

      China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.

      Winner: Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged

      Nut Material

      If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

      The Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged has a Nylon nut. It used to be one of the highest quality materials for nuts (and still is), but it's rare to find nowadays because it's hard to work with. It's a very resistant material with very low friction, so it will keep the guitar in tune and will last for a long time

      On the other hand, the Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop comes with a Synthetic Bone nut. Bone is the best natural material for guitar nuts. However, its tonal properties can be inconsistent. That's the problem that synthetic bone fixes. This is much better than using a plastic nut because the nut is more slippery—which helps with tuning stability—, and it gives your open strings rich harmonics.

      Winner: Tie.

      Fret Material

      Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

      Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

      Winner: Tie.

      Bridge

      The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

      Both come with a similar bridge: Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

      Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

      Winner: Tie.

      Tuners

      Both come with regular tuners. The Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged's are Kluson Single Line, Double Ring while the Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop's are Die-Cast

      Winner: Tie.

      Neck Joint

      Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

      Both have a Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

      Winner: Tie.

      Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

      Strengths & Weaknesses
      Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged
      • Made in United States
      • Expensive Wood
      • Nylon Nut
      • Top Brand Pickups
      • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
      • No Locking Tuners
      • No Neck-Through Build
      • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
      • No Weight Relief
      • No Luminescent Inlay
      • No Tremolo
      • No Compound Radius Fretboard
      • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
      • No Strap Lock
      Strengths & Weaknesses
      Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop
      • Expensive Wood
      • Synthetic Bone Nut
      • Top Brand Pickups
      • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
      • No Locking Tuners
      • Made in China
      • No Neck-Through Build
      • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
      • No Luminescent Inlay
      • No Tremolo
      • No Compound Radius Fretboard
      • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
      • No Strap Lock

      Final Build Quality Scores

      Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged
      Quality of materials 66
      Features 50
      Quality Control 100
      Build Quality 72
      Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop
      Quality of materials 60
      Features 55
      Quality Control 60
      Build Quality 58

      Playability Comparison

      Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

      Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

      Nut Width

      Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged Nut Width
      Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

      The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42.9mm (1.688'').

      This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.

      Scale Length

      Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged's Scale Length
      Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged's Scale Length
      Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop's Scale Length
      Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop's Scale Length

      The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

      The Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop has the longest scale: 25.5". The Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) scale length difference.

      This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

      This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

      Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

      Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

      Neck Profile

      Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged Neck Profile
      Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged's neck profile
      Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop Neck Profile
      Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop's neck profile

      No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

      In this case, both have different neck shapes:

      The Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged has a D type of neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.

      The Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop, on the other hand, has a U neck. This is also referred to as ''baseball neck'' because of its shape. It's usually thick, which is why some people with big hands like it. However, they can also be thin, similar to a C shape, but with more shoulders for a better grip.

      Fretboard Radius

      Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged Fingerboard Radius
      Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

      Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

      Both the Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged and the Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop have the same fretboard radius of 12". This is the radius used in most Gibson guitars. It gives you a good balance for playing chords without muting, but also good comfortability for playing single notes and bending.

      Fret Size

      Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged and Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop Frets Size
      Both have a similar Medium Jumbo fret size

      Both have a Medium Jumbo fret size. These are slightly shorter than full Jumbo frets, so you'll still feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. However, they interfere less with your fretting hand than medium-size frets. This is a good size if you like easy-to-press frets, but would still like to feel a bit of the fretboard when playing.

      Final Playability Scores

      Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged
      Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
      Chord Playability 65
      Solo Playability 70
      Playability 73
      Gretsch G100BKCE Synchromatic Archtop
      Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
      Chord Playability 70
      Solo Playability 60
      Playability 68