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Gibson L-00 Original
Epiphone L-00 Studio
VS
Playability
75
Sound
84
Build
89
Value
73
Score
83
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Playability
78
Sound
79
Build
72
Value
86
Score
76
FIND IT ON:
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Gibson L-00 Original vs Epiphone L-00 Studio

Reasons to Get
Gibson L-00 Original over Epiphone L-00 Studio

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Neck Profile
Acoustic Slim Taper vs Acoustic SlimTaper D
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Nut Material
Bone vs Plastic
Good quality nut with rich tone
Sides Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Back Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Nut Width
1.725'' (43.8mm) vs 1.68'' (42.7mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Paint Finish
Nitro vs Poly
Thin finish that creates aging marks faster

Reasons to Get
Epiphone L-00 Studio over Gibson L-00 Original

Release Year
2021 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Neck Profile
Acoustic SlimTaper D vs Acoustic Slim Taper
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Nut Width
1.68'' (42.7mm) vs 1.725'' (43.8mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Paint Finish
Poly vs Nitro
Resistant paint that ages well
Value Score
86 vs 73
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Gibson L-00 Original vs Epiphone L-00 Studio

Saddle Material
Bone vs Plastic
Different Saddle Material
Bridge Material
Rectangle, closed slot vs Indian Laurel
Different Bridge Material
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Laurel
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Bone vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Gibson L-00 Original vs Epiphone L-00 Studio

Back Material
Mahogany
Same Back Material
Sides Material
Mahogany
Same Sides Material
Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Hollowbody
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
0
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
0
Same tone control
Number of Frets
19
Same maximum octave
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Type of Frets
Medium vs Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Solid Top Wood
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Gibson L-00 Original is probably the better product overall with its final score of 83 compared to the Epiphone L-00 Studio's 76 score, although not by a lot.

The Gibson L-00 Original wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Epiphone L-00 Studio has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Epiphone L-00 Studio is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Epiphone L-00 Studio is the better choice.

The Epiphone L-00 Studio meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gibson L-00 Original meets only 4. 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 L-00 Original
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Epiphone L-00 Studio
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Gibson L-00 Original Overview

  • From Gibson's 2020 Original Acoustic series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Sitka Spruce top
  • Solid Mahogany back
  • Solid Mahogany sides
  • Mahogany neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: LR Baggs VTC (Preamp/Active)
  • Rectangle, closed slot bridge
  • Acoustic Slim Taper Set neck
  • 19 Medium frets
  • Golden Age tuners
  • Weight around 3.7lbs (1.7kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Epiphone L-00 Studio Overview

  • From Epiphone's 2021 Modern Acoustic series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Spruce top
  • Mahogany back
  • Mahogany sides
  • Mahogany neck
  • Indian Laurel fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman Sonicore (Preamp/Active)
  • Indian Laurel bridge
  • Acoustic SlimTaper D Set neck
  • 19 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Grover Rotomatic with mini buttons 14:1 tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The most important thing that will determine the tone of an acoustic guitar is the wood. Let's take a look at the differences between both .

Woods Used in Both

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce

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.

Spruce has a light color with tight grain patterns. It's very stiff but relatively light. It's known for producing a well-rounded tone with a broad dynamic range. Find out more about Spruce.

Woods Used in the Gibson L-00 Original

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 Epiphone L-00 Studio

Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel

There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.

Winner: Gibson L-00 Original.

Electronics

Both come with electronics that allow you connect them to an amplifier or interface for recording.

Winner:Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Gibson L-00 Original
Sustain 90
Versatility 75
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 84
Epiphone L-00 Studio
Sustain 75
Versatility 75
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 79

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 L-00 Original compares to the Epiphone L-00 Studio.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Gibson L-00 Original is built in United States while the Epiphone L-00 Studio 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 L-00 Original

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 L-00 Original has a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

On the other hand, the Epiphone L-00 Studio comes with a Plastic nut. This is a low-quality nut that you might want to consider upgrading soon. Bone and TUSQ nuts are the best for guitars with a fixed or simple tremolo bridge.

Winner: Gibson L-00 Original.

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.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Gibson L-00 Original's are Golden Age while the Epiphone L-00 Studio's are Grover Rotomatic with mini buttons 14:1

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Gibson L-00 Original
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Epiphone L-00 Studio
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • Low-Quality Material Saddle
  • Laminated Side Wood
  • Laminated Back Wood
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Gibson L-00 Original
Quality of materials 86
Features 85
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 89
Epiphone L-00 Studio
Quality of materials 76
Features 85
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 72

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 L-00 Original Nut Width
Gibson L-00 Original Nut Width
Epiphone L-00 Studio Nut Width
Epiphone L-00 Studio Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Gibson L-00 Original has the wider nut with 43.8mm (1.725'') vs 42.7mm (1.68''). This is a 1.1mm (0.045'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Gibson L-00 Original, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Gibson L-00 Original and Epiphone L-00 Studio's Scale Length
Both have the same 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.

In this case, both have a scale length of 24.75".

This is the scale length that Gibson uses for most of its Les Paul guitars. It's a smaller scale than the typical Stratocaster's 25.5''. Short scale lengths like this make it easier to bend the strings, which is pretty important if you have a fixed bridge. They also have a shorter fret separation, which makes it easier to change position fast at the fretboard.

On the other hand, a shorter scale like this one will make fret buzz more likely, which can affect you if you want to use thicker string gauges.

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 L-00 Original Neck Profile
Gibson L-00 Original's neck profile
Epiphone L-00 Studio Neck Profile
Epiphone L-00 Studio'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 L-00 Original has a C type of neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

The Epiphone L-00 Studio, on the other hand, has a D 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.

Fretboard Radius

Gibson L-00 Original 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 L-00 Original and the Epiphone L-00 Studio 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.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Gibson L-00 Original favors large hands more than the Epiphone L-00 Studio. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Gibson L-00 Original:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Epiphone L-00 Studio:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Gibson L-00 Original Frets Size
Gibson L-00 Original's Frets Size
Epiphone L-00 Studio Frets Size
Epiphone L-00 Studio's Frets Size

The Epiphone L-00 Studio has Medium Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Gibson L-00 Original's Medium frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Gibson L-00 Original
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 75
Epiphone L-00 Studio
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 70
Playability 78

Specs Side-by-Side

Gibson L-00 Original vs Epiphone L-00 Studio
General Gibson L-00 Original Epiphone L-00 Studio
Brand: Gibson Epiphone
Year: 2020 2021
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States China
Series: Original Acoustic Modern Acoustic
Colors: Black Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: Yes No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Sitka Spruce Solid Spruce
Sides Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Back Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Rectangle, closed slot Indian Laurel
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Golden Age Grover Rotomatic with mini buttons 14:1
Fretboard: Rosewood Indian Laurel
Neck Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Decoration: Mother-of-pearl dots Pearloid Dot
Scale Size: 24.75" 24.75"
Shape: Acoustic Slim Taper Acoustic SlimTaper D
Frets: 19 Medium Nickel Silver 19 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Bone Plastic
Nut Width: 43.8mm (1.725'') 42.7mm (1.68'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: LR Baggs VTC (Preamp / Active) Fishman Sonicore (Preamp / Active)