Pricing and availability
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Price
Average Price: $185
Budget/Beginner
$400
$1001+
Price Tier
Budget
Standard
High-end
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Description
Experience the classic power and performance of a Les Paul without breaking the bank with the Epiphone Les Paul Special II. This solid body electric guitar is designed with the beginner in mind, but it doesn’t skimp on the features that make a Les Paul iconic. Equipped with dual uncovered humbuckers, this guitar delivers a robust and versatile sound, perfect for a variety of genres from rock to blues.
The bolt-on mahogany neck ensures durability and a comfortable playing experience, while the 22 frets provide ample room for expressive solos and intricate chord work. The LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge is a standout feature, offering enhanced sustain and stability, keeping your guitar in tune longer and making string changes a breeze.
Finished with a sleek, stylish design, the Epiphone Les Paul Special II doesn’t just sound good—it looks good too. Ideal for both beginners and experienced players looking for a reliable backup, this guitar is an excellent addition to any collection.
Key Features:
- Dual uncovered humbuckers for versatile sound
- Bolt-on mahogany neck for durability and comfort
- 22 frets for expressive playability
- LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge for enhanced sustain and stability
- Classic Les Paul design at an affordable price
Product specs
| Brand | Epiphone |
| Model | Les Paul Special II |
| Finish | Alpine White, Candy Apple Red, Ebony, Heritage Cherry Sunburst, Pelham Blue, Vintage Sunburst, Wine Red |
| Year | 1996 - 2019 |
| Made In | China |
| Categories | Solid Body Electric Guitars |
| Body Material | Basswood |
| Body Shape | Single Cutaway |
| Body Type | Solid Body |
| Bridge/Tailpiece Type | Stop-Bar |
| Color Family | Black, Blue, Brown, Red, White |
| Finish Pattern | Sunburst |
| Finish Style | Satin |
| Fretboard Material | Rosewood |
| Model Family | Epiphone Les Paul |
| Model Sub-Family | Epiphone Les Paul Special, Epiphone Les Paul Special II |
| Neck Construction | Bolt-On |
| Neck Material | Mahogany |
| Number of Frets | 22 |
| Number of Strings | 6-String |
| Offset Body | Non-Offset Body |
| Pickup Configuration | HH |
| Right / Left Handed | Right Handed |
| Scale Length | 24.75" |
| Wood Top Style | Opaque, Plain |
FAQs
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Is the Epiphone Les Paul Special II suitable for beginners?
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Yes, the Epiphone Les Paul Special II is often recommended for beginners due to its affordable price, comfortable playability, and classic Les Paul sound, making it a great entry-level electric guitar.
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What kind of pickups does the Epiphone Les Paul Special II have?
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The Epiphone Les Paul Special II is equipped with open-coil 700T and 650R humbucking pickups, which provide a warm, full sound typical of Les Paul models.
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What is the neck profile like on the Epiphone Les Paul Special II?
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The Epiphone Les Paul Special II features a slim taper neck profile that is designed to be comfortable and easy to play, especially for beginners and players with smaller hands.
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What materials are used in the construction of the Epiphone Les Paul Special II?
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The body of the Epiphone Les Paul Special II is made from basswood, while the neck is constructed from mahogany, and the fretboard is made of rosewood.
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Does the Epiphone Les Paul Special II come in different finishes?
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Yes, the Epiphone Les Paul Special II is available in several finishes, including Alpine White, Candy Apple Red, Ebony, Heritage Cherry Sunburst, Pelham Blue, Vintage Sunburst, and Wine Red.
Videos
OfficialEpiphone
Epiphone Les Paul Special-II Electric Guitar Demo & Tone Guide
Epiphone Les Paul Special-II Electric Guitar Demo & Tone Guide
OfficialEpiphone
Epiphone Les Paul Special II Electric Guitar Demo - Sweetwater Sound
Sweetwater
Epiphone - Les Paul Special II
GUITARGUITAR
Epiphone Special-II
OfficialEpiphone
I Bought the Cheapest Epiphone on Reverb! Epiphone Les Paul Special II review.
Sam Isfeld
Epiphone Les Paul Special II: Metal Test
Brian Bower
Turning an Epiphone Les Paul Special II in to something SPECIAL!
Timmy Joe PC Tech
The BEST Affordable Les Paul Guitar? Epiphone Les Paul Special II
The Guitar Manifesto
![Video thumbnail for Epiphone Les Paul Special II Player Pack [Product Demo] by Long & McQuade Musical Instruments](https://img.youtube.com/vi/VXqYPwqxDvs/mqdefault.jpg)
Epiphone Les Paul Special II Player Pack [Product Demo]
Long & McQuade Musical Instruments
Epiphone Les Paul Special Vintage Edition
Ernesto Lopez
The ULTIMATE Budget Les Paul?! - Epiphone Special II
Zeke's Guitars
Epiphone Special II - Cherry Sunburst
Mario Vaillancourt
Reviews
PROS
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Affordable price point, great value for beginners
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Comfortable neck, easy to navigate
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Good sustain, especially for the price
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Versatile sound options with humbuckers
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Vintage sunburst finish is visually appealing
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Durable and sturdy build
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Easy to upgrade components like pickups and tuners
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Lightweight, not heavy for prolonged use
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Suitable for various music styles from rock to punk
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Decent stock sound, can be improved with minor tweaks
CONS
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Stock tuners often require replacement
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Pickups may sound muddy or boxy to some
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Intonation and tuning stability issues common
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Original components can feel cheap
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Requires setup adjustments for optimal playability
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Potential mechanical noise from certain strings
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Some models may have quality inconsistencies
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Electronics may need upgrading for reliable performance
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Limited tone variety with stock pickups
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Fret buzz issues on certain notes
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Epiphone Les Paul Special II.
Use cases and applications
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Described by some as a "beginner only axe," yet others argue it's not confined to just beginner use.
Source -
Practicing several hours daily and gigging frequently can enhance tone beyond gear improvements.
Source -
Described as excellent for customization and experimentation, especially for trying new pickups or bridges.
Source
User experience
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One user realized the guitar's poor sound was due to their playing technique rather than the instrument itself.
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One owner experienced significant improvement after switching to an Indonesian Ibanez RGA, highlighting the importance of comfort and fit.
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Despite being entry-level, some owners report long-term satisfaction, with one still playing it daily after 15 years.
Source
Features and functionality
Comparisons
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Upgrading to a Boss Katana 50 Mk2 amp significantly improves sound quality compared to a Fender Champion 20.
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Some players found Squier Strats superior in playability and tone compared to the Epiphone Les Paul Special II.
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One owner preferred the Epiphone Les Paul Special II's sound over a Harley Benton.
Source
Mods and upgrades
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EMG pickups, especially their quick connect system, are recommended for easy installation without soldering and include upgraded pots and output jack.
Source
Setup and maintenance
Value and pricing
Critic Reviews
4.0 out of 5
Based on 74 Reviews and 256 Ratings
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154
My first guitar
Looking back, I can definitely feel the quality isn't all that great, but for that price it could be far worse. It sounds and plays well enough for a beginner. And I'd had it for about 5 years, playing on and off, before I bought another guitar. I don't use it much anymore, but will probably always keep it, for the sentimental value.
44
Decent player with better tuners and a setup.
I have a 1999 Epiphone Special II in Alpine White bought used at the Cherry Hill, NJ Guitar Center in 2002 used for $100. Unlike some newer Special IIs, the body is laminate. Its been my main electric guitar since and is a good player. The tuners have been replaced with used Gibson tuners I got for $5 which really helps keep that G string in tune. The pickups were replaced with Gibson '57 Classics taken from a Gibson Les Paul, and the electronics replaced at the same time. This work was done by Rick at the Music Place in Berlin, NJ in 2005. Last year (2016) the stock plastic nut cracked, so I had it replaced with a bone nut at Fret Mill Music in Roanoke, VA. The B string slot was filed too low, so there's a slight buzz when playing it open, but its barely noticeable. The nut slot was filed in a sloppy manner, so the bone nut doesn't fit snuggly in the slot, but it plays OK. Action is pretty low and easy to play. The guitar lacks the sustain of a set neck Les Paul, but other than that I am happy with it. The white poly finish has now faded to a nice cream colour.
41029
oh wow, I used to do tech work at that guitar center for like a week before I lost it with their manager LOL
33
Horrible quality Chinese flat top guitar made of crappy metal. DO NOT BUY
This guitar is sure to give you intonation issues in the first 5 mins of playing. 1 to two semitone bends are sure to knock this guitar out of tune! Not to mention the fact that the 17th and 18th fret on the high e string are the exact same note. And the pickups... they are like apple earphones mics hooked up to an amp. HORRENDOUS!
46
The Epiphone Special II, Great for its pricepoint
I own this les paul in the red/orange burst, and for 200$ its amazing! all I did was intonate and it was perfect
59
Great first guitar
This is an amazing first guitar. Had it for over 9 years and it still plays very well. You can get great heavy sound and is very comfortable to play on. Definitely needs set ups and intonation checks to play shows with it but for practice it is outsanding. The only upgrades done from the original was the tuners as getting standard Fender tuners seemed to help a lot of the strings stay in tune longer
184
OK beginner guitar good value for the price.
This guitar taught me the value of setting the intonation and working on the bridge. I also replaced the bridge pickup with Reilander Reverenb humbucker to get some definition and clarity of sound from the bridge position. This guitar can be a solid work-horse, just needs attention paid to it.
71
Incredibly Good Value
Very nice sound for a guitar that cost me around $350. May not be very reliable, as the pickups stopped working due to disconnected wire within about 8 months of use, but was an easy fix with a solder. Very nice looking guitar, and very portable, as you don't need to treat it like a diamond (unless of course you are romantically attached, like me).
Artist usage
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In an Instagram post by greendayfan_, Billie Joe Armstrong's guitar collection is highlighted, featuring the Epiphone Les Paul Special II.
In 2003, Frank Iero briefly used an Epiphone Les Paul Special II, as shown in a user-uploaded photo on Tumblr.
In this screenshot from the music video for the song "Picture to Burn", Taylor can be seen playing a black Epiphone Les Paul Special II
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In the video titled "Green Day - All By Myself [Live @ Rome, Italy 1996]" on YouTube, Tré Cool can be seen playing an Epiphone Les Paul Special II.
James Bay's first ever guitar. He captions his Instagram photo, "#Tbt to the first guitar I ever bought. Hand painted when I was 14 and still hanging in my room at my parents house"
The body shape, pickups configuration, knobs, switch, and rosewood fingerboard match those of a Epiphone Les Paul Special II electric guitar. James Bay's is of course hand painted by him.
James talks about selling his Yamaha Pacifica to buy the Epiphone Les Paul Special II https://youtu.be/3DQJSkYl5rY?t=13m31s
In an interview with Live School, Mr. Bill mentions owning an Epiphone Les Paul Special II, highlighting its role in his music production setup.
Aparece en el minuto 11:09 no sabe si quedársela
At 0:3 in this video, we can see Patty playing a Epiphone Les Paul Special II
The guitar is shown both in this image and the music video for the song 'duality' (https://youtu.be/ojkFvg9r4jY?t=75) The headstock is also the same shape as other Epiphones as opposed to Gibsons. The pickups are double humbuckers, classic to the factory Epiphone Les Paul Special II and the fret board markings are all circular in shape. The style of the body and the coat of it also match up to Les Paul and Ebony standard.
In this youtube video Elizabeth can be seen playing this throughout the video, you can get a good look at it when she is introduced at around 1:50.
Liam Caldwell used the Epiphone Les Paul Special II as a budget-friendly guitar, as noted on Liroca's Bandcamp page.
Album Usage
The Epiphone Les Paul Special II has been featured on the following albums:
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 Special II, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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Community setups
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