a classic les paul.. whether you like it or not.

it does what it needs to do, it has two beefy actually pretty good stock pickups which i didn't find a need for changing. of course, since its a les paul, i hate how heavy it is and the tuning (in)stability. like, i have grover tuners and they're supposed to be good but the stupid nut and the way the strings go into the tuners makes the tuning slip (its not straight like on PRS Custom and Fender strats). The switch and pots work pretty good. If you need more versatility and stability id say go for a PRS Custom SE instead, it has the same pickup configuration plus a more "fun" bridge and coil tapping. its just the more "modern" version of this thing that i believe should sadly be left in the past. newer les paul models are also worth considering because of the weight relief and such stuff if you REALLY want a les paul.

Preferred Settings + Usage:

My little mod project

One of my first good guitars. Bought for almost nothing. At the time, I thought it sounded amazing but it probably didn’t help that, at that time, it was the best guitar I had ever played. Several modifications and years later, it does sound a lot better, however it’s a little heavy for my liking and it still doesn’t stay in tune as well as I would like. Oh well.

I just don’t like Les Pauls

Well, I learnt I didn’t like Les Pauls.

• the neck broke (so I know it’s a ‘real’ Les Paul)
• the pickups sounded flat (but this was 2004, and I’ve heard Epiphone now shippers better pickups)
• the tuners fell art after 10 years
• the bridge never intimated the low e properly (again, 2004 quality)

Worst of all, I just don’t like the feel. That’s nothing against the guitar, it’s just personal al preference.

Nevertheless, I have played Gibson’s and I prefer my Epiphone, and I don’t even like it that much. I’ll never sell it because it was my University guitar, so it’s sentimental, but I never reach for it!

Solid workhorse

This is my second guitar which intended to be upgrade for my super cheap first guitar (aria-mac or some). Only after years of using it and playing it in band situations (Metalish punk rock) I realised how good actually this guitar is. It sounds mazing, never had a single issue with pots or any other parts. Maybe once I did setup myself lowering string action. I also bought some other guitars and they all had something: jack issues, sound/tone knob issues, something just not being right. Not with this little bastard. When I felt that I need to upgrade ("Better/more expensive guitar"), I put JB in bridge position and oh boy I fell in love with this guitar just like moment I bought it. Probably never selling this one :)

Good build quality, even if stock pickups are shocking..

I picked this guitar up for very cheap as used, but in excellent condition. I mean seriously, one tiny hairline scratch behind the headstock. This meant the frets were perfect, everything was where it was supposed to be, so I was able to do a pretty special set up and get a surprisingly low action. After that, I started to put it through it's paces and really test her out.

Within about 30 seconds I found that the pickups were lacking in pretty much everything... They were muddy, lacked definition and generally just sounded rubbish. I hung it up after that and went out and bought some Seymour Duncan humbuckers for it!

The guitar itself is not a bad guitar at all, the neck is a bit chunky for me but that's just down to preference, but the overall build quality is pretty good for a "cheap" guitar. With a bit of attention to the set up and a change of pickups I made it sound and play like a much more expensive instrument. It's still not perfect but it's definitely the cheapest way to get a reasonable quality Les Paul if you swap the pickups out!

This IS a Les Paul. Period.

I've played Gibson Les Pauls here and there during the 4 decades I've been playing guitar.

Once fully set up, this performs the exact same way every Gibson I've played does. You can upgrade the pickups to taste - which I did with the bridge pickup (put in a DiMarzio to make this a Tom Scholz Boston guitar). It's a great guitar and fully worthy of the Les Paul name, in my opinion and with my experience using Gibson Les Pauls.

Incredible Sound

Well, what can I say? Obviously, an Epiphone is not a Gibson, but even so, Epiphones have an excellent sound and this one is no exception. Although its clean tone is not so clean due to the fact that the guitar is more designed for something rockier, it still sounds very good. Honestly, I really like it.

is good

Is slowly becoming one of my favorites, it has a very distinct growl too it that some things just require, mine is a 1993, cherry burst made in Korea. For some strange reason mine has an ultra slim neck like an Ibanez. It isn't refinished so my best guess is a factory mistake that some how got past QC. The pickups have been replaces with the whole lotta humbcuker set

Solid guitar

If you’re starting out on the electric, I prefer this to the Squier Strat. It’s a little more appealing to the eye, and doesn’t break the bank

The other classic

Think of an electric guitar and the two that spring to mind are usually the strat and the Les Paul. If you can't afford a Gibson what do you go for? I chose the Epiphone version as its as close to the Gibson as you can get. My one I got from a friend who lent it to me for a gig and after using it I didn't want to let it go. I've played various Gibson and Epiphone versions but the one i have just felt better to me (It sound great too).