Pricing and availability
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Store
Reviews
Price
Average Price: $1,347
High-end/Boutique
$400
$1001+
Price Tier
Budget
Standard
High-end
Price History
Based on price data from 2 merchants for "Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.
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Description
The Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty brings a touch of sophistication and rock-solid reliability to any guitarist's arsenal. Crafted with a mahogany body and neck, this guitar offers a warm, resonant sound that is both powerful and nuanced. The ebony fretboard adorned with pearloid block inlays not only adds visual appeal but also enhances playability, providing a smooth and fast surface for intricate solos and precise chord work.
Featuring a SlimTaper neck profile, the Black Beauty is designed for comfort and speed, making it perfect for both traditionalists and modern players alike. With 22 frets and a 24.75" scale length, this guitar delivers a familiar feel that is both accessible and versatile. Equipped with ProBucker 2 and ProBucker 3 humbuckers, this Les Paul Custom ensures that every note rings with clarity and depth, from rich, creamy lows to bright, articulate highs.
The guitar's aesthetics are elevated by gold hardware and a 5-way body binding, exuding a timeless elegance that is sure to turn heads on stage or in the studio. Whether you're playing blues, rock, or metal, the 3-way switch and dual volume and tone controls offer a wide range of tonal possibilities, making it easy to find your unique sound. The Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty is not just a guitar; it's a statement piece that combines classic design with modern performance.
Key Features:
- Mahogany body and neck
- Ebony fretboard with pearloid block inlays
- SlimTaper neck profile
- 24.75" scale length
- 22 frets
- ProBucker 2 (neck) and ProBucker 3 (bridge) humbuckers
- 2 x Volume and 2 x Tone controls
- 3-way pickup selector switch
- Stopbar tailpiece
- Gold hardware
Product specs
| Available since | January 2020 |
| Colour | Black |
| Body | Mahogany |
| Top | Mahogany |
| Neck | Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Ebony |
| Frets | 22 |
| Scale | 629 mm |
| Pickups | HH |
| Tremolo | None |
| Incl. Case | No |
| Incl. Gigbag | No |
FAQs
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What type of sound can I expect from the Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty?
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The Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty delivers a rich, full-bodied tone with a pronounced midrange, thanks to its solid mahogany body and ebony fretboard. The dual humbucker pickups provide a classic rock and blues sound, making it versatile for various music genres.
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Is the Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty suitable for beginners?
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While the Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty is designed with quality and performance in mind, its features and price point might be better suited for intermediate to advanced players who can fully appreciate its craftsmanship and tonal capabilities.
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Does the Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty come with a case or gig bag?
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No, the Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty does not include a case or gig bag. It is recommended to purchase a separate case to protect the guitar during transport and storage.
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What is the neck profile of the Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty?
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The Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty features a comfortable, slim-taper neck profile that allows for smooth playability and easy access to all 22 frets, making it suitable for various playing styles.
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Can the Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty handle high-gain settings?
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Yes, the Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty is equipped with humbucker pickups that handle high-gain settings well, making it ideal for rock and metal genres where distortion and sustain are essential.
Videos
Alamo Music Center
Gibson vs. Epiphone | The Black Beauty Duel. Is the Gibson worth 10x more?!
Reviews
PROS
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Excellent playability; feels natural and effortless when playing
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Packs a massive, full-bodied sound perfect for various genres
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Ebony fretboard is a significant improvement
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Versatile three-pickup setup adds tonal variety
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Stunning black and white finish reminiscent of classic models
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CTS pots and quick change pickup connections enhance functionality
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Comfortable neck profile invites longer playing sessions
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Provides great specs and sound quality for its price
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Attractive "aged" binding adds aesthetic appeal
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Stable tuning for a Les Paul type guitar
CONS
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Minor quality control issues (e.g., damaged truss rod cover, loose toggle switch)
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Fret edges can be sharp, requiring additional work
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Pickups may require upgrades for optimal sound
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Heavy weight could be uncomfortable for some players
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Artificial-looking aging on bindings not to everyone's taste
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty.
Mods and upgrades
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The middle pickup was replaced with a P90 style single coil, and the neck with a Gretsch Filtertron style pickup for tonal variety.
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A push-pull pot was added to activate the middle pickup, allowing any combination of the three pickups.
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Removing pickup covers is a popular mod among owners, inspired by Peter Frampton's iconic guitar setup.
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The Floyd Rose FRX is designed to be swapped out for a regular bridge if desired, offering flexibility in setup preferences.
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Build quality
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Owners praise the smooth fret edges, even after years of use, despite potential environmental challenges like low humidity.
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Korean-made models, particularly from the Saein Plant, are often praised for their craftsmanship and attention to detail.
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The cream-colored binding and yellowish split diamond logo suggest aging; fretboard material may vary from rosewood in older models to ebony in newer versions.
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User experience
Comparisons
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An owner prefers their Epiphone Black Beauty over a Fender Strat, highlighting personal preference in playability and sound despite potential authenticity concerns.
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The headstock design and logo placement are crucial for dating models, with '97 models having distinct features compared to later Chinese-made versions.
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Features and functionality
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The guitar's weight is noted as significant, making it heavier than some other models like the Nashville Tele or Les Paul Junior.
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The standard factory pickup configuration includes neck, middle+bridge, and bridge, but many mod for unique combinations like out-of-phase settings.
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The Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty features Gibson Pro Buckers and a Floyd Rose Bridge, with pickups that are splittable using push/pull pots.
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4.5 out of 5
Based on 7 Reviews and 38 Ratings
120
True Epiphone: great guitar!
Great sounding from those stock Epiphone 57 stock pickups: middle position is just what i was looking for and was always missing in humbucking guitars, pretty similar to the Gretsch's Filtertron pickups. Grover tuners do the job, but i miss some real locking tuners for all those string bends i do in gigs and tunings to be made in the middle of the concert. Tune-o-matic bridge ain't nothing special, as well as the Stopbar... Anyway, swapped mine for a Bigsby B70 Tremolo and StewMac Roller Bridge, so the stock one is irrelevant. Never had a single problem with its electronics, and mine is from Korea, made in october 2005. Great guitar overall, and i must say it is on a professional level along with all my other guitars, great sounding and use. 9.5/10 for the tuners.
299
I love it!
It's my first Les Paul. It just oozes sustain and tone, and the neck is comfortable to hold. A bit heavy though, but I play sitting down most of the time so that doesn't bother me. I've a soft spot for guitars with 3 pickups cos the middle one adds a dash of spice to the tone!
Preferred Settings + Usage:
Bridge / Middle, add treble to taste.
351
Black "Hard Rock" Beauty
Excellent guitar with thick sound and much more solid to my taste than the standard epiphone. A good overdrive / distortion and this beauty does her thing, if it is fuzz you will be in awe. Highly recommended.
143
An incredible mod platform
I have updated my Epiphone Black Beauty with a DiMarzio X2N in the bridge, PAF Pro in the middle, and Air Norton in the neck, as well as a custom wiring job with bridge and neck on the switch like normal, the middle humbucker wired directly to a third volume pot (where the bridge's tone pot would originally be), and the neck tone pot as a master tone for all three. Grover locking tuners. It's a versatile beast and my main guitar for metal.
3 pickups that knock you out!
It was a surprise to find out how this guitar works with the 3 pu's, but it is solid and great for any kind of genre. Complete and reliable, I recommend it!
Artist usage
Add artist
In this video you can clearly see Janick playing an Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty.
Jesse Welles is confirmed to use the Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty, as evidenced by the performance of 'Dead Indian' at The Tiniest Bar in Texas during the Best Lil' Big Fest on March 13, 2014, recorded at SXSW 2014. This information is sourced from the YouTube video titled "Dead Indian - If the Sun is Real SXSW 2014," uploaded by thewicke. And many other performances from 2010-2014.
In the official video for "You Can't Steal My Love" by Mando Diao, Björn Dixgård can be seen playing an Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty.
In this user-uploaded photo, Garrett Stevenson is seen with an Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty.
Origem's Adriano Fernando is seen playing an Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty in a photo shared by bandaorigem on Instagram.
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
Community setups
Show yoursSimilar
Add recommendation1 alternative for Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty, curated by the Equipboard community.
$689.00 - $799.00
I think a used Epi lpc might be worth looking at if you cant get your hands on a black beauty (they're not commonly found used). Essentially the same guitar with 2 pickups.