Epiphone currently produces dozens of different Les Paul models catering to a wide variety of budgets and playing styles. Combine that with several decades-worth of used inventory, and you're left with a selection of instruments that can be overwhelming, to put it mildly.
But fear, not intrepid tone-seekers—in this guide, we're going to lay out our picks for which Epiphone Les Paul models are the best bet for different types of guitarists, both beginner and veteran. Keep scrolling for insight on the different styles of Les Paul you should consider, and click on the links below to find a fantastic deal here on Reverb. Those guitarists helped define the sound of rock music primarily with the Les Paul Standard by Gibson in the mid-to-late '50s.
The current line up of Epiphone Les Paul Standards are based on that original design and include such appointments as carved maple tops and humbucker pickups. Today, any Epiphone Les Paul with "Standard" in the name is a safe bet for someone looking for this iconic rock platform. Variations with the word "Pro" in the title include more sophisticated electronics for more varied tones, while those with "Plus" in the title sport flashier, flamed-top finishes.
These basic guitars are still excellent and reliable instruments and are a great choice for anyone looking to test the electric guitar waters for the first time. The Les Paul SL, in particular, earned rave reviews upon its release for its exceptional value. While a bit thinner and less substantial than the Standard variation, the SL model offers a lightweight body and comfortable neck—an ideal combination for those who are just starting to learn how to play.
Play what you can afford and have fun! CGRT - That was true decades ago. Today, Gibson is the parent company. Gibson and Epiphone were both bought by CMI back in the s.
CMI sold out to another company in In the s they changed ownership again, and rebranded as Gibson Guitar Corp, and later changed the name to Gibson Brands Inc.
Epiphone, Tobias, Kramer, etc are all under that Gibson Brands umbrella. Gibson doesn't own Epiphone. Gibson was bought out by CMI who later bought Epiphone. They are two separate companies owned by the same parent company. Epiphone was given the Les Paul license, as well as other Gibson licenses, by the parent company because Les Paul himself was a huge fan of Epiphone. Epiphone still competes with Gibson under the parent company. Gibson is struggling while Epiphone is sitting pretty on it's pile of cash.
Well until the tariffs kick in that is Then my friend bought a epi les Paul can custom pro and I loved it. So the next day I found one in Modesto c. Save your money, Epi will get the job done. I think they would be a great alternative.
Thank you for the info. My Epiphone Prophecy comes with Gibson pups and Grover tuners, Mother of pearl and abalone inlays with gold hardware and quilted Maple veneer top with hard case for under a grand.
It sounds as good as I can play it although cos I can't put it down it's improved me immensely. I play at home for fun. I wanted too add to the collection a Les Paul sound.
I am pleased with the quality of sound from my Epi and found it to be pleasingly affordable. The Epi sound is very good and is a different tonality than my Fenders. Different animals for different sounds. I have a epiphone les Paul standard pro and bang for buck I have no complaints what so ever, I've owned both the Gibson and epi model, and in my 40 plus years of playing I still prefer the epi over Gibson, bang for buck!!!!! I currently have an Epi tribute plus Les Paul which comes with Gibson 57 classic pickups and a maple cap and solid mahogany body.
This guitar is top notch and IS a les Paul through and through. Sounds and feels like a Gibson for a quarter of the price. Don't know how Gibson allows this guitar to be built.
Must be taking a huge portion of sales away from Gibson with this amazing guitar. I think today most musicians would love to have a Gibson Les Paul for recording and an equal model Epi for performing.
A change of electronics on an Epiphone can do wonders to the sound. Everything else being equal. I believe this is the main difference. And to upgrade an Epiphone this may be all that is really needed. As things go, I foresee when the bottom of guitar pricing will fall out.
People will be looking to sell guitars and it will be a buyers market. I understand inflation and cost increases but I do feel sometimes Gibson pull their prices out of the air.
I'm also not sure the Ps will fit correctly without modification. If you ask this question over on the Gibson forums they will probably be able to provide you with specifics.
My only complaints with the and versions is they went back to a maple neck and changed the pickups. And the price went up. I recently purchased a Gibson les Paul faded t. I haven't played a yet, but the s I played were very good. My advice is to get out there and play a few and forget about the rumors. You can save a few bucks going with a pre-owned instrument, especially if you are considering a Gibson.
I am hearing a lot of negative issues with Gibson quality recently I would like to know if Epiphone is experiencing the same issue seeing that they are both owned by the same company. Should I be looking for an older used Gibson or Epiphone instead? I have both Guitars and both play well and look great. I have had the guitars for over 15 years each. They both play well and both sound really the same.
You can not tell the difference. I have seen newer Epiphones that do not sound as good. I think when I got the guitars the quality of the units were much better. I love them both. Great article. Very helpful and reassuring that Epiohones aren't half bad! Good to know because I just purchased a Epi limited edition les paul custom pro koa! Steve -Glad you love your guitar! The Tributes are a bargain for what you get.
It's scary to see how good Epis can be with a few upgraded components. I love the tuner, usb, and light weight of the Ultra III, but the Tribute with Gibson pickups just feels like my old Gibson Les Paul plus you get the push-pull tone pots to give you a variety of almost Strat like sounds. If I had to own just one electric, it would be the Epiphone Tribute followed closely by a Fender Contemporary Strat.
Just my 2 cents! Conveniently this store also had a nice stock of Gibsons to compare. Bottom line, try before you buy. I love my Epi and it is exceptional in fit, finish and sound. I guess a blanket statement is not valid from what I have seen They are close enough where a one to one comparison needs to be used. A lot of players who loved Gibson Les Pauls and gave up guitar go for an Epiphone when they come back to the instrument.
It's a smart choice. I dreamed a drooled over a Gibson Les Paul when I was a teenager who was sure I was going to be a rock star in a few years. Now I'm a grown up who hasn't played in decades. I want a guitar to use with Rocksmith, so I'm going to buy an Epi. Murray: No hate here, bro! I mostly play a Gibson myself these days. If you or me find the right one, there is sure nothing wrong with that. I do appreciate the Epis though, and I think for many players they are "just right".
Thanks for the kind words, and love the covfefe reference, BTW! John: I suspect Gibson holds the Epis back just enough so they never really cross into competitive territory with their expensive instruments, quality-wise. They came somewhat close with their Elitist series. However, that doesn't mean they aren't awesome guitars, totally capable of doing the job for professional musicians. Glad you love your Epi! It's been great so far, so I'm gonna encourage others to buy it.
Hi Guitar Gopher, great article. It was about 2 months ago when I read this and all the comments. I had just bought a new Epiphone Les Paul Tribute and wanted so much just to love it till the end of days I'm Not to be.
Sorry but there is no comparison and I am now a Gibson snob that we all hate Hate me if you must but just know that there is no covfefe between the Epiphone and Gibson For my 50th birthday bought a Gibson lp standard. Difference is huge frankly. I then found I had some cash for a Gibson lp 'tribute' model which I got for a real saving, getting the model after the models had been released.
Maybe do a comparison between top epi and bottom Gibson, you'll be surprised! I have an epiphone les paul pro plustop. It's really an awesome piece!
The clean sound is unbelievable. I know Gibson is a better guitar but still I'm really satisfied with my piece! Joe: The Standard is a fine guitar, especially for the price. A few dollars more, but totally worth it in my opinion. Either is a great choice. Greg: Congrats on snagging a great Epi! If I were making the choice this year I think I'd have gone with the Epiphone.
Still a hot topic after years. When i started playing the guitar i thought there is nothing better than Gibson on the market I was repeatedly told so. I probably could afford a Gibson by now but as a hobby player that only plays at home for fun the difference is just not worth 2k for me. The was no Custom Pro in stock but i hope i can test that one too soon and maybe get one of them. Very helpful article to justify my own decision :. Thanks for the great article.
It helps explain why there is such an extreme difference in price between Gibson and Epi, and really makes you think about what is important to you when making your decision between the two. I got back into guitar last year after playing off and on for many years. It has the two stage volume and tone controls to switch between single and double coil.
The guitar was six months old and had barely been played. I fell in love with it and was able to get it for about one tenth of the price of the Pelham Blue Gibson I had my eye on. Anyway, I now have a beautiful, great sounding guitar, and still have some money in the bank. I may change my mind and upgrade down the road upgrade? Thanks again for the article. Guy played a Gibson back in the day. Guy quits music. Guy decides to get back into guitar after many years.
Guy passes out when he sees the price of a new Gibson. Guy grabs an Epiphone instead and loves it. This is why I always say Epis aren't just for new players. They're for anyone who loves Gibson guitars, but for whatever reason doesn't love the price. I had several gibsons les Paul black , custom horn cream 3 pu, sg , sd in the 70s when i was playing pro. I also had Fender telecaster, jeff beck signature, , i still have photos as proof on my website LOL.
I own both, I play my Epiphone because it is more comfortable sitting down or standing up. Whatever,,I love both guitars. Of course the Gibson will increase in value while the Epiphone probely will not,,but at my age it doesn't matter,,I will always keep both. Just for your information my Epiphone is a Korean model,,the Chinese models I will not comment on,,A Chinese Epiphone will just not do it for me.
I've been playing guitar for forty years and still gig on weekends so have owned many guitars and three of them gibson les pauls and two epiphone les pauls. I've had alot of problems with the gibby's as far as bad necks and tuning issues but only needed a small set up with the epi's except one bad pickup selector switch. Just purchased a new epi trditional pro and can't get over the quality of this one from past epi purchases.
The bad part is I lost alot of money selling my gibsons because of problems but very happy with the sound of this new epi. I havent read any comments about buying U.
Here in beautiful Flint Mi. They used to take it pretty serious. You couldnt drive a foreign built car without getting keyed or at least spit on. Then G. Worker by leaving this town in a cloud of haz-mat dust. Im just starting to play guitar. Im 55 and have always wanted to play but kids and work took up my leisure hours. I appreciate your honesty and will ne looking for a epi Les Paul. Southern rock and slide rule the southern rock I love demand it.
I have both, Epis and Gibsons and my Epis are easier to play and the sound's as sweet or sweeter than the Gibsons. I've played junk my whole life so an Epi is a step up for me in quality.. I've owned a Gibson Les Paul before. It plays and sounds amazing! I think Epi has really stepped up their game over the years. After owning my first Epiphone and playing it out one gigs, I have no issues and it continues to impress for a fraction of the cost of the Gibson.
Being at the point in my life that I could afford a new Les Paul. I drove into a big guitar shop up in the LA area to try a few guitars and amp combos. The shop had a bunch of new and classic used guitars. I spent the largest part of the day. To my 65 year old ears with me and another person playing so I could listen it sounded and felt the best. I am very happy with my Les Paul. John: I'm glad you were able to get the guitar you wanted, even if it took a little perseverance.
It has to be so tough finding the right lefty guitar, especially if you are into the Les Paul single-cut design. I just bought an Epiphone. Les Paul Custom Pro. I play left hand, so its always difficult for me to find a good guitar. I keep hearing and reading, "Try out many guitars! And they are always so pricey.
I have a Gibson LP studio, lefty. Its been a very nice guitar. It fell over in the case last month and the head stock broke. You know how that goes. I got it repaired, but I decided to look for a new on as well. Gibson doesn't offer a huge selection of lefty Les Pauls. I went to Guitar Center to look at the Epiphone. Les Paul Pro.
They told me they wouldn't special order it for me. I said, "but its available at Epiphone", he guy said, sorry dude, and walked off. Guitar Center sucks! I finally called Sweetwater, ordered it cold online. I love it! Like the article said, Eddy V. I love to play I will never make a living with my guitar, so I don't see the advantage of a Gibson. But for me, the Epiphone was the right choice.
I don't feel let down, but it has always been my dream to have a Gibson. With age, I've decided, to others, it may look better for me to play a Gibson, but for me, the Epiphone does the trick. Look at the wood on the top of the Gibson LP above. See that line down the middle where the two pieces of top flamed maple join together? The thickness is just enough to accomodate the contour of the top.
No manufacturer in their right mind would build that kind of top from a piece of solid 2" thick piece of high quality flamed maple. And they would not make the top from two pieces split down the middle when they can use a slab of inexpensive mahagony and top it off with thinner piece of maple. Besides the top isn't really "veneer" anyway. Keyboard Accessories. Home Pianos. Stage Pianos. Portable Keyboards. Analogue Synths. Drum Machines. View All Synthesizers. Akai Professional. Native Instruments.
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