Les Paul Standard Review

Pickups: 2 Humbuckers
Hardware: Chrome
Neck Joint: Set
Neck Material: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Rosewood/Trapezoid
Binding: Body/Neck
Body Material: Mahogany/Alder
Top: Flame Maple

Features:	9
Sound:	9
Action:	8.6
Reliability:	9
Impression:	9.2
Overall rating:	9
Users rating:	8.5
Comments:	178

Featured review by: unregistered, on january 13, 2005

Purchased from: Avenue Guitars - Edmonton

Features: I just purchased this guitar, and wow, it is impressive. For almost 3 times less than a Gibson Les Paul, you get basically all the same features. 22 frets, mahogany neck, mahogany/alder body, tune-o-matic bridge, single cutaway, and 2 great sounding humbuckers. // 10

Sound: This guitar fits my musical tastes perfect. I mostly play classic rock, but it suits punk, blues, and metal perfect as well. I use a Marshall MG30DFX, and it sounds great, with no 'buzzing'. If your looking for a full rich sound, this is the best guitar you can buy. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The finish is brilliant. The pickups were adjusted perfect, and I especially like the Tune-O-Matic bridge. The tuning pegs are great, and hold tune very very well, and they look very nice also. The only problem I have had was the top strap button came off, and it looked like the hole was drilled to big for the screw, but that was covered by warranty. Highly recommended. // 8

Reliability & Durability: This guitar is a beast! It is so bulky and feels like it can survive anything you can dish at it. Very very solid, I would definetely gig with this guitar. The finish is very very solid as well, and looks like it will last me a long long time. // 10

Impression: For the money, you cant beat it. If it were lost/stolen, I would definetely buy another, or a Gibson, but I love the Les Paul model so much. I only wish it had a tremolo bar! But an excellent overall guitar. // 10

overall: 9.6

Reviewed by: JadeFalcon5, on october 22, 2005

Price paid: $ 600

Purchased from: Renos Music

Features: First off, I love this guitar, the first night I had, it, I let it sleep in my bed. I'm not sure where it was made, but mannn! does it sound good. It's got 22.5 jumbo frets, and one of the fastest smoothest necks I've felt in a long time. I'm pretty sure it's rosewood. It makes my practice amp sound good! It's got a Tune-O-Matic bridge with grover tuners. I also like the 3-way pickup selector. It has 2 volume and 2 tone knobs. I love the way mine looks to. If you want to see it, go to www.myspace.com/jadefalcon. It has a Vintage sunburst finish, which always looks great on any guitar. // 9

Sound: Second, the sound of this guitar, is unlike anything I have ever heard. You can play any style of music with it, it'll always sound good. I'm playing it with a Marshall MG250DFX, and occaisionally a cruddy practice Fender. It sounds great on either. There is a huge variety of sounds you can make just by flipping the pickup selector. You can change from Jazz to country and twang in half a second. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The action on this guitar is great. The pickups are set perfectly. The only problem I had was one tone knob was too close too the body of it. This problem was easily solved by pulling the tone knob out a little bit. The pickup selector is completely noiseless. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This guitar is always good, live or just practicing. The hardware is strong and sturdy. The strap buttons can hold perfectly. If I ever had a gig, I wouldn't need a backup guitar, this one is perfect. The finish is great, like glass. I dont think it'll wear out for a long time. // 10

Impression: The only problem I had with this guitar was the weight. At first it is extremely heavy. But my guitar teacher told me. With more weight and more dense wood, the more sustain and higher tone. And to my experiance this seems to be true. I've only been playing around one year, but I play for about 4 hours a day (yes I know, I'm a freak). If this guitar was stolen, I would cry. For days, many days. Eventually I would buy it again. This axe beats the snot out of my crappy Squier. The only thing I wish it had was a tremelo bar. But that's one of the only bad things about a Les Paul. It took me forever to find this guitar. I have seen many that looked like it, but not one that played or felt the same. You just have to keep trying until you find one you fall in love with. Which I definately did. // 10

overall: 7.6

Reviewed by: Snuffles, on may 18, 2007

Price paid: $ 410.01

Purchased from: Steves Music

Features: This is a great guitar. Awesome sound and a great fingerboard. Thisguitar has many features such as: 22 Frets with trapazoid inlays, alnico classic humbucker pickups, chrome hardware and a strong and steady stopbar, also a mahogany finish. Its electronics have volume for trebel and rythem modes and tone knobs. But the downside is that it's non-locking and it doesn't with any accessories. But other then that it's a great guitar; second to olny the Gibson itself. // 7

Sound: This guitar has a very full sound. On all the settings it's great. It's not noisy either. It's mainly ment for rock music though but you could play anytype on it but it's best suited for rock. It goes great with almost any amp and the patch chord spot is in a great place, it won't get in your way. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: This guitar was built great, the pickups were perfect it's all even, no unfiled freat or loose controls. The bridge is great to, it was built solidly and it's easy to change strings. I couldn't find bad things about this guitar. The paint dosn't chip a lot either. This guitar can stand up to a lot things, but if you are going to change the pickups or bridge or whatever, if it's your first time, get a professional to do it. // 8

Reliability & Durability: If I where on-stage with this guitar I would trust it. But I would replace the strap-locks with some that are gaurenteed to not break or let go of your strap. I would play at a coffeeshop without a backup but if I where playing a big concert I would just get a Gibson. It's the same thing but better wood and such. I would trust the finish to stay ION fr a while too. This guitar is trustworthy though. // 7

Impression: This guitar suits rock music. It was built for rock music. I have been playing for a while and I have played other music on it but rock suites it. If I were to compare this to another guitar I would say the Epiphone is etter unless the other one was a top of the line guitar. I wish it costed a bit less though, it's a bit pricy it's good though. // 8

overall: 8.8

Reviewed by: steve_slash, on july 28, 2006

Price paid: $ 547.17

Purchased from: Gak

Features: // 10

Sound: My music style varies, But the main band I focus on is Guns N' Roses. I also play, Velvet Revolver, Iron Maiden, RHCP, Foo Fighters, Aerosmith & many others. It handles all of the styles for these bands as I team it up with a Marshall MG15DFX Amp. It gives out a crisp sound when played clean and a chunky rock n roll sound when played with distortion. Fiddling with the amp I can easily find any sound that I need through this beauty. I am only using (along side my DFX amp) a Snarling Dogs wonder wah 2 pedal for my Guns N' Roses solos. This gives off a good enough sound for my taste although some people may want a bit more in the effects area but overall it handles good. I use Ernie Ball hybrid slinky strings to get my sound. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar seems pretty well put together to be honest I have had no major problems up until now when the strap holders have come loose, keep falling out and will not screw back in properly. I am going to try and tackle this problem hopefuly but the main reason of it all is because of the damn weight behind the guitar. It is a little on the heavy side and this causes problems with the strap imo. No flaws other then this everything has worked well, The pick ups could be a tad better though. // 7

Reliability & Durability: This guitar would definatly withstand live playing I would without a doubt gig with it without a backup. The hardware seems like it will last a long time. The strap buttons however arnt too great on my model, As described above. This is the only thing I would worry about when gigging. I was playing the other day stood up and the buttons just fell off but luckily I grabbed the guitar in time. Also with it being a big beast if it falls it falls hard. I also have to use strap locks on the buttons as I dont trust it to stay on without these either as it keeps falling of due to an awkwardly placed front button. The finish looks great. Nice and shiny with a glass like quality, I have it in Heritage cherry sunburst and its sexy. // 8

Impression: For the style of music I play it is a great match. I have been playing guitar for about 2 and a half years and this is a great guitar compaired to my first squire Strat. You can clearly tell the difference in quality as soon as you pick it up. It can pull of slash solos well when combined with my equipment. I wished I had held it before I had purchased it however (as I purchased it off the internet) just so I knew of the weight. If I lost it I would get a new one at the bargain price of £299. This is a great guitar and I can not afford a proper Gibson one yet so this is the closest I get for my musical style. I love the look and sound. I dont so much as "hate" the weight and the strap issue but it is more of an anoyance to me which could easily have been avoided with better craftmanship and a few lbs taking off. I do not really compaire it to any other guitar. It is the style and sound that I wanted therefor it was set in stone in my mind to buy this baby. The only other alternative would be to buy a Gibson les paul which I cant so id go for this every time. All round I would recommend it to any guitarist. Novice or experienced. // 9

Reviewed by: unregistered, on december 13, 2005

Features: I just bought this guitar and I've got to say for the price it is, it's incredible. It was made in 2004 in China. It's got 22 frets medium frets, maple neck and mahogany body with a cherry burst finish. It's got the Gibson Tune-O-Matic bridge which is great and makes restringing a whiz. It's got 2 chrome humbuckers (very sexy) one treble one rhythm and theres a volume and pitch control for both. Not sure about the brand of tuners though they arent locking they seem to stay in tune pretty well. When I bought it it came with a hard body case and a cable, the cable was terrible though and increased the feed back enourmasely, infact it was the only thing causing feed back because when I plugged in another cale it was silent. // 9

Sound: It honestly is one of the most versatile guitars I've played, it's great for clean things, jazz, blues, pop, then into rock, metal, heavy metal, death metal everything. I'm using a Laney amp and its has no feed back if you use the right cable. It has a very full sound due to its large body, very chunky sound is great. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: When I tested the guitar out at the shop it was flawless, great action, the frets were just a litte ruff at the edges but they fixed that up for me, the neck was fine, humbuckers all fine pretty much all fine. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I think this guitar will last me a long long time and I hope it does, I wouldn't use a back up because this guitar is great. Strap buttons are solid just like the rest of the guitar. And the finish looks great and seems like it will last long. // 10

Impression: I play metal and it suits it fine. It's a great overall guitar, just wish it had a whammy bar. If it were lost all stolen they'd have to lock me up because I'd kill someone, but yes I would buy a new one. // 10

overall: 9.4

Reviewed by: lespaul75, on march 28, 2006

Purchased from: Musicians Friend

Features: It was made in China and has 22 frets. I got mine in ebony and it's got the Les Paul Standard look. I'm pretty sure it came with a Tune-O-Matic bridge. It has 2 tone and 2 volume knobs. It came with classic chrome humbucking pickups and it also has chrome grover tuners. // 10

Sound: This guitar fits my type of music perfectly. I play from punk to metal. This guitar just has so many tonal capabilities, it's awesome. It's not noisy. At first I thought that my rhythm pickup was screwed up because it buzzed but then we realized that it was just the amp buzzing. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: This guitar was set up perfectly in the factory and the action was just right. It was good even for dropped tunings. The pickups seem to be adjusted pretty well and I haven't noticed anything wrong yet on this guitar. The only aggravating thing about it being ebony is the fingerprints and marks show easily. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This guitar could definitely withstand live playing. The hardware seems like it will last forever or a really long time. The strap buttons are very solid although some people say differently because they just had defects. I would use this at a gig without a backup. I think the finish will last a long time and that this will be an awesome guitar. // 10

Impression: I play from punk to metal and I think that this is a perfect match. I have been playing for almost two years but I'm better than most people that have been playing that long. I played a Squier Fat Strat before this and it was actually pretty ok. If this was stolen I would definitely buy it again. I love its tonal capabilities and the look and sound of this guitar. The only thing is the weight, it could be a little lighter. But overall, this is an awesome guitar that I will enjoy and gig with. // 9

overall: 10

Reviewed by: hurleydude77, on october 11, 2007

Price paid: $ 399.99

Purchased from: musiciansfriend.com

Features: I'm not sure when or where it was made but it doesn't matter. This is an amazing guitar. There are 22 frets that are actually pretty wide for an electric guitar, not quite as wide as an acoustic but definitely wider than your typical Stratocaster or Telecaster. So if you have big hands, this is the guitar for you. The chrome hardware functions very smoothly, not to mention how awesome it makes the guitar look, the classic humbuckers just Shine. Beautiful finish, nice smooth mahogany neck, transparent Orange control knobs if this guitar were a girl she'd be way out of my league. Absolutely stunning, it'll make anyone look like a pro on stage. // 10

Sound: It's widely accepted that the les paul is the perfect rhythm guitar for any kind of music, blues, pop-punk, metal, you name it. The humbuckers automatically make any amp sound so much richer, warmer, thicker, and more powerful. They sure as hell boost the gain too, with it turned only one-third of the way up on my MG30DFX I had plenty. That same amp has a really boring clean, but this guitar made it nice and bluesy, whereas with my Strat it sounded the same unplugged. I personally play pop-punk music, and with balanced settings this guitar actually had a bit too much bass, but turning bass down and turning treble up a bit made it just what I wanted, a thick, smooth, and filling EQ, but with a bright enough tone to sound fun and catchy. The difference this guitar's humbuckers made just blew me away. The lead tone is pretty good but not perfect, I recommend a Telecaster for that, but the lespaul was designed for rhythm anyway. And to be fair I wasn't playing on a JCM head either. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: You couldn't ask for better action on any guitar. The well sanded rosewood is very kind to a player's fingers and allows for very easy slide-ups and slide-downs. The strings tend to be a little looser on a lespaul than on a regular guitar, with 10s I was fine. bends are effortless, and you're not killing your finger or bending your string out of tune to get that half step up. Also, speaking of tuning, once your strings are set it'll stay in tune for a good 3 weeks if unplayed, and for a full week even if you're slamming the strings with full arm Strokes while standing. The intonation was slightly off when I got it, but this is much easier fixed on the lespaul than on a Strat or tele, just put a flathead screw driver to the two bolts on the stopbar and you can fix it in a pinch. The intonation is also pretty versatile. I play in tunings from Standard to drop C, and all of them sound in tune up and down the fretboard. This is without a doubt the most user-friendly guitar, even more so than a Gibson because of the chrome hardware. // 10

Reliability & Durability: The guitar is at least twice as heavy as a Strat, and whether this is a good thing or bad thing is based on personal preference. I personally love it because it feels so incredibly sturdy and secure. As a pop-punk guitarist, I like to swing my guitar around like crazy and do a couple jumps when I play, and as a rhythm guitarist I don't strum with my wrist, I strum with my elbow and shoulder in full arm swings. All of that can create serious abuse to a normal guitar but this guitar holds up like you wouldn't believe, and the fact that it's heavy makes me feel comfortable putting on an energetic performance. It's been dropped at least 30 times because I'm clumsy and have a bad habit of leaning it against a wall or chair when I'm not using it, and it still feels new when I play it. The finish is still smooth as well after 2 years and I've never polished it. This thing is built to last, and made for even the most reckless performers. // 10

Impression: I just got a Marshall AVT valvestate 2000 half stack, and when combined with this lespaul, this is by far the best rhythm guitar setup for any modern rock music (with the exception of the Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier amp). I couldn't rate any category lower than a 10 because I have no complaints what'soever. This guitar has done wonders for me. If I lost or broke it I would buy the same exact guitar again, no questions asked. It's my permanent guitar, and as long as this thing is still sold on the market you have no reason to spend more than 400 dollars on a guitar. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on february 12, 2009

Price paid: € 400

Features: I hve no idea really when it was made, but some while ago since it has parts that the don´t make any longer, it has 22 frets, and has the same woods as most other epi LP:s. the finish is tobacco burst, 3-way selector and 2 volume knobs and 2 tone knobs. // 9

Sound: I play rock, grunge, punk and a little metal it sounds really good in all genres, I play it with an Marshall MG30DFX and at band practice with som old Peavey amp and sound really good with both anf not noisy at all and you can make all sounds you want with it. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: It was very well set up by factory, cept that I had to adjust one string, all parts were good and I love the finish which is tobacco burst + seems like mine is the only one with a whammy bar. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This guitar definately survives Live gigs, finish wont wear off, only prob might be strap buttons. // 9

Impression: I play punk, rock and grunge and a little metal and it's a really good match, you could play anything on it. I also own a Fender Stratocaster Tie-Dye Band of Gypsies Limited Edition (long name) and both got amazing sound but it's a huge weight difference, but that aint to much of a problem. If it was stolen I would probably save money for a real Gibson, but this one is good too an I love the 3-way switch. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on october 29, 2005

Price paid: $ 430.05

Purchased from: Peter Cook

Features: My guitar was made in Korea, as most Epiphone's are. 22 frets. Nice woods - mahogany/alder body and a maple top. Mine is in a transparent amber finish, which, like all Epiphone's, is stunning! What I like about this guitar is that, despite the deceptively simple tone controls, you can get a huge range of sounds! The pickups, unlike lower end Les Pauls, are quite good. // 9

Sound: My style is mixed - classic rock, Indie, melodic metal, and this suits all of those styles and more. With a bit of fiddling, I can make a perfect Led Zeppelin sound, as well as Guns And Roses, Travis, Coldpay, Trivium, the list goes on. On heavy distortion the sound can be a bit muddy, but my amp (a really old Sony CD amp) only has that, so I wouldn't know about weak distortion. The sound is incredibly full, and never weak. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar had one tiny flaw - a bit of smudged laquer on the headstock. Apart from that, it was as I expected it to be. // 8

Reliability & Durability: I haven't played this live, but it seems pretty heavy. I estimate that I'd only be able to play three songs back-to-back standing up. Having said that, it is solidly built, and I would happily play this without a backup. // 8

Impression: This matches my style well - the sounds are perfect. If it were stolen, I couldn't spend too musch time saving up for another, so I'd probably look at the Studio instead. This is a brilliant guitar, and a worthy copy of the Gibson models. The sound is full, the build is solid and is a bargain at £235. // 9

overall: 9.8

Reviewed by: f-e-z, on august 07, 2006

Price paid: $ 640.5

Purchased from: Johnny Roadhouse Music

Features: My Les Paul (LP) was made in 1998 in China, it has a 22 fret maple fingerboard, I think they're thin frets, it's a solid-top, and is finished in cherry sunburst and is lacquered. The body style sticks primarily to the original LP shape and is roughly the same thickness. The bridge is as it is on a Gibson LP. The tone pot gives a volume for both pickups, and a kind of "balance" control, and a 3-way selector Switch. The pickups are some cheapo chinese ones, I've changed them for Seymour Duncan '59 models. It's a twin-humbucking guitar though, and is good at room volume levels. Included: Hard case, strap. // 10

Sound: The LP suits my musical style to a T. I play mostly "old-school" types of rock, a bit of modern stuff (Velvet Revolver), and as a result, barely touch the gain. I'm currently using a combination of a Fender Mini-twin (it's punchy) and a Fender Rumble 15 (bass amp) other than that, I've put it through my friends 100-watt, 20 year old Marshall, andit sounds like Page re-incarnate. It gives a very sustainable sound, very warm, and it is extremely versatile, so it covers a range of sounds, old and new. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar has barely been altered in this area. The pickups were setup perfect, the action meant it's a joy to play, everything was perfect, saddles were fine, frets fine, nothing out of line, tuning pegs held solid in a British summer for 3 days (temperature went from 30 to 15 and it was bangon every time). The only trouble was the plastic top on the pickup selector, but I'm told this is a common problem with LP models, and even Gibsons. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This guitar has lasted me and my hard-rockin' dad 8 tone-rich years now, and by the feel of it, will last another 10, at least 6 more years before the frets need replacing. The hardware seems like it will last forever. The strap buttons are solid, I've only had to tighten them once every six months or so, no need for a straplock at all. I would use this at a gig without a backup, even if I drove over it's flight case before hand. The finish is a little suceptible to cracking, as it's lacquered. In particular, on the back, there are a number of dings and dents where acoustics and the like have been dropped on it. Other than that, the plastic binding is solid, so there's no likelyhood of it wearing off with playing. // 10

Impression: I play mostly old types of rock, Led Zepp, Van Halen, and a bit of modern stuff, Velvet Revolver, etc. and it suits them all, it's a very versatile guitar. I have been playing about a year now, and it's a very good guitar whethr you're Eddie Van Halen, or some spotty-faced 14-year old like myself. I was given the guitar as a gift, once I'd given up on bass, but there's nothing I'd wished I'd asked before, maybe "can you change the pickups if I get some new ones?". If it were stolen, I would hunt the little scrote down and shove a shotgun barrel down his throat, I would never lose this, I sleep with it sometimes to make sure. But yes, I would get another, maybe the Gibson, if I had enough. I love the fact it's so easy to play, and sounds so great, it leaves all those high gain, power chord Strat ripoffs in the dark. My favourite feature has to be the quality of the thing, even though it's just a Gibson copy. I don't hate anything about the guitar, but I dis-like the original pickups, they aren't much good at high volume levels, but sound great if you get to the top-end of a 30-watt "garage size" amp. // 10

overall: 8

Reviewed by: Slurms, on december 26, 2007

Features: I don't know where it was made or year but it has 21 jumbo frets with a solid laminated top, cutaway body, Tune-O-Matic bridge, ebony with white scrachplate, 2 volume 2 tone knobs, Epiphone pickups, grover machineheads (non locking) and passive pickups, Les Paul style body and has a three way pickup selector. // 8

Sound: This guitar suits my style perfectly which is just generally rock/metal but I play anything really. I use it with my bollocks Starfire amp, but I still gen a nice sound out of the guitar. This guitar has a great variety of styles but are only really within the rock genre but is not much of a problem for me. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: Action was perfect when I bought it as well as the pickups depth. It had some flaws (minor scratches) but that what you get when you buy second hand. Strings were ok when I bought it but I replaced them anyway. I have had to fix the pickup selector more than once though as it has jammed and the finish has a few scratches. // 7

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will and has withstood Live playing and I think it will last me for many years to come but the strap button aren't as solid as I'd like them to be and with all les pauls you need a strap with strap locks otherwise it will fall off. I wouldn't have this as my only guitar at a gig beacause of the unreliable strap buttons but don't let that put you off as I just think it is my guitar that has loose ones and not all are like that so you should check before buying. // 8

Impression: This is a great match for the style of music I play and I have been playing for about 3 years (self taught), not much equipment I use cept cables, amp and a crappy pedal. If this guitar was stolen I wouldn't buy this same one again but I'd probably upgrade to a better model eg black beauty. In general I am very happy with this guitar and it's playability and recommend you buy one if you are looking for a good guitar for not too much money. // 9

overall: 9

Reviewed by: incubusLP33, on november 30, 2007

Purchased from: Zzounds.com

Features: It has 22 frets, with a Rosewood fretboard(about medium width).My guitar is a solid top, made of rosewood, like the fretboard. The finish on mine is cherry sunburst, but you could get in in nearly any color. It's a single cutaway. I'm pretty sure they all come with string through bridges, but you could get what you want. The p'ups are passive. You get a volume knob, tone knob, and the little switch that changes which pickup ur on. The pickup configuration is humbucker-humbucker, and they're Standard Epiphone pickups (I got mine changed to DiMarizzios). The tuners aren't locking I don't think, and I honestly don't know the brand. If you buy the full pack, you'll get everything you need, but I just bought the guitar. // 9

Sound: It suits my music style great, because I play rock, classic rock, etc. this guitar is also great for blues. I'm using it with a Roland Micro Cube and a Boss distortion when I need it. It can be a noisy guitar if you run it through effects, but without them it's not very noisy. It has a very rich sound, great for bends and vibrato. The variety on this guitar is wide, you can go from blues to hard rock. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: I got mine set up, because the action was a bit to high, and I didn't really like the pickups that much. The bridge was routed perfectly, I still have my factory bridge. There's not much to worry about with this guitar except for changing the p'ups (personal preference) and lowering the action. // 8

Reliability & Durability: Yes this guitar could withstand Live playing! The hardware lasts a really long time(not sure about the p'ups because I changed them). The strap buttons are pretty good, the straps only came off like twice in 2 years. Yes you can definately depend on this guitar! Don't think that it's low quality because it says Epiphone, because this guitar is not low quality, probably the best classic rock guitar in it's price range. The finish on my guitar is great, it only chipped where I've accidentely hit it with a pick. // 9

Impression: I play all kinds of rock, and this is a great match for me because this guitar can change tones from soft to heavy. I've been playing for about 4 years, and this is my only guitar, and I own a Roland Microcube. I wish I had asked about the stock pickups, I didn't like their tone. I love the tone of this guitar with my new pickups, and the stock ones werent horrible, but they just couldnt play the harder rock. I don't really hate anything about the guitar to be honest, and the best feature IMO is the tone knob, there's a huge variety of tones. I compared this guitar with other les pauls, but I found this to be the best value. I give this guitar overall a 9/10! // 9

Reviewed by: unregistered, on november 16, 2007

Purchased from: Hames Music

Features: Not really all that many features on this one, but te ones it does have are excellent! Grover tuners, 2 volume 2 tone knobs (two for each pickup which is great) Alnico Classic humbuckers (wonderful) and 24.75" scale. Set mahogany neck, mahogany/alder body with a maple veneer top. Stopbar tailpiece and tune-o-matic bridge. // 10

Sound: This guitar is probably the best value for your price that you can possibly get. The sound is simply emmaculate. Perfect for every style you could possibly play. I have tried this guitar with many amps, and have not found one that this guitar doesn't sound good with. I use a Marshall MG Zakk Wylde micro stack, and this guitar makes a perfect AC/DC type tone with the distortion at about half. I play mostly classic rock and early metal, and I have found that this guitar is the holy grail for those styles at that incredible price. No noise whatsoever. The seperate tone/volume knobs give you complete tone variety and control. Sounds very close to the Gibson Les Paul. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The finish was amazing. I stared at it for a long time when I bought it. The setup as far as action was terrible, but you can't expect a good factory setup on any guitar. the intonation was perfect right out of the store. Everything is wonderful and works great. One complaint that I do have is that the Rosewood fretboard has a line of lighter colored wood under the low E string. It runs until about the 12th fret. Not a big deal, but it is an imperfection nonetheless. // 9

Reliability & Durability: The hardware is all built like a tank. I would undoubtedly take this on a gig with no backup. The grovers will keep it in tune, trust me. The finish seems very good and it seems that it will last a long time. This guitar could be taken on the road for a professional tour as far as I'm concerned (that is if the professionals weren't too embarassed to have Epiphone on the headstock). // 10

Impression: Overall I would say that this guitar is a perfect match for me. I love playing it. As an intermidiate guitarist that is in a band, I would say that this is a good investment for any beginner, intermidiate, expert or even professional player. You may not have the resale value like a Gibson does, but you'll sure get your money's worth. I love everything about this guitar, and if it were lost or stolen I would be really upset, and I wouldn't buy it again, simply because I don't have the money. I would reccomend this to anyone, and there is nothing missing on this beautiful instrument. Buy it! // 10

overall: 9.2

Reviewed by: philipp122, on january 07, 2008

Price paid: $ 400

Features: I love this guitar. It's no to expensive, and it has lots of features. It has a 22 fret mahogany neck, medium frets, a mahogany body, a beautiful flame top finish, a single cutaway body, a Tune-O-Matic bridge, Alnico dual humbuckers, a 3-way selector Switch that lets you select between the neck, neck&bridge, and bridge humbuckers, and independent tone and volume controls for each pickup. It has Grover tuners, which are great by the way. // 10

Sound: The sound from this guitar is very good. The humbuckers give it a warm, crunchy tone that is really good for rock. I use the guitar to play rock, blues, and some metal, and it's great. I love the rich sound from the humbuckers, which for me is the highlight of the guitar. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: The finish on this guitar is beautiful. The whole guitar is very good quality, so everything fits together smoothly and looks very nice. The action is great, you won't experience any fret buzz but it's no too tight. The Tune-O-Matic bridge is really great. When I got the guitar the inotation was a little off but that's an easy fix. // 9

Reliability & Durability: The guitar is very solid. I think it's very dependable. It's definitely durable and rock solid, but I have heard some complaints that the strap holder by the neck comes loose after a while, though I have not had this problem. The guitar will pretty muchtake anything you can throw at it, but I am gentle with it so I can't really say how durable the finish is. // 8

Impression: I usually play rock and blues, and this guitar seems to match both very well in both sound and looks. I also play some metal riffs, which this guitar has no problem with. I love it. If it were stolen, I would buy another one in a heartbeat. My favorite feature is definitely the pickups because I haven't used humbuckers in the past and I was really surprised about their good sound quality. My favorite features are the Tune-O-Matic bridge and the pickups (and their independent tone adjusters). I was deciding between this guitar and an SG from Epiphone, but in the end it all came down to looks for me because both of them have similar features. // 10

overall: 9

Reviewed by: Tsuchiya, on february 25, 2008

Price paid: $ 457.5

Purchased from: Private seller

Features: // 9

Sound: Like others have probably said before me, it's effectively a cut down Gibson Les Paul. In other words, while it may not be in the same league as it's older brother, this guitar definitely sounds the business. It's very versatile, I will play anything from Eric Clapton to L'Arc en Ciel. It handles everything pretty well. The pickups are fantastic as well, they really can scream. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: It was already setup when I got it, so I can't comment on it's state right out of the box. The guitar is definitely beautiful, most people will stare in awe when they first see it. Generally beautifully made and finished, everything down to the gleam of the polish is top notch. Only gripe has to be the strings. They had small dents in them, with small signs of oxidation. Had to have all of them replaced, as the guitar was new when I got it it was disappointing to say the least! // 8

Reliability & Durability: Is it reliable? Put it this way, if this guitar were to knock into something, I would be more worried about what it hit instead of the instrument itself. I am somewhat clumsy, so I have knocked the guitar into walls, desks, chairs etc. The only time something was damaged was when it hit the wall. The guitar was fine, but there is a nice little dent where the HEAD hit the wall! It's a very reliable guitar, it's essentially made through Gibson so you know it's got the seal of quality backing it up. Would I gig with it without a backup? Definitely. // 10

Impression: I like slow Acoustic pieces, but like most people here I like to crank the amp up from time to time and really let it all out. Like I said before, it's a versitile guitar. I wish I had possibly gone for the Custom or Black Beauty for another £50-100, but that's just me being a snob to be honest. In reality, if I lost this guitar I would replace it in a heartbeat. I have grown attached to it, and I can't see myself playing another guitar. Except maybe it's Gibson predecessor. Why did I choose this guitar? My heroes played Gibsons and Fenders. My budget aimed me more at Epiphone and Squire. Epiphone blow Squire away. It was a simple choice. I loved the design, quality, finish and sound. Ideal for a beginner Who has given themselves a decent budget. The only thing I wish it had was a true Gibson style headstock. // 9

overall: 9.4

Reviewed by: guy_tebache, on june 27, 2008

Price paid: A$ 900

Features: This is a 2005 Epiphone Standard Les Paul made in Japan. It has 22 frets at a 24.75" scale with a 1.68" nut width, a rosewood fretboard with trapezoid inlays and non-locking grover tuners on a set mahogany neck. It has a Flame maple top on a Mahogany body with an Ebony finish, and a Stop-bar Style bridge. It has two active Alnico V pickups, one at the neck and one at the bridge, with two volume controls (vol for neck pickup, and vol for bridge pickup), and two tone controls, as well as a 3-way pickup selector. // 9

Sound: I bought this guitar two years ago when I was really into bands like the Strokes and with my Les Paul and Fender amp I can get a great sound for that style. My rig is as follows: Epiphone Les Paul Standard (hoping to add an American Strat here soon) >> Big Muff Pi USA >> Homemade Tubescreamer (my friend makes them. They're better than any tubescreamer I've ever heard, and I've heard a few) >> Boss DS-1 >> Phase 90 >> Vox V847A Wah (want to change that to a 535Q Crybaby) >> Boss CE-20 >> Boss DD-7 (soon to add DD-20 here) >> Danelectro Reel Tape Echo >> EHX Holy Grail Reverb >> Fender FM 212R solid State Amplifier (want to change to Marshall Tube amp). It's using active (humbucker) pickups so if you're using a noisy amp or a noisy fx unit, this guitar will make the hum as low as possible. It has a great sound for all kinds of punk, rock, blues and plays well on most other styles. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar came pretty well set up out of the factory. The pickups and the action were both set really well which is what drew me to this guitar. All seemed to me to be done really well with it. After a couple of weeks however I noticed 2 things: it had some fret buzz from a high 17th fret and only a huge amount of changing the action and bridge height could stop it, but I had the fret filed down and now it's perfect, and when I used gauge 9 strings the high E string kept snapping. It turned out to be a burr on the bridge saddle, but again a little filing and it was all fixed. So none of the stuff I had to do cost me anything. My local music shop's luthier guy did it for free and it took about 5 mins // 9

Reliability & Durability: Its a Les Paul. it's like the truck of the guitar world, it's solid it's heavy and indestrucktable. Not that I don't take good care of it. I won't wear a belt when I'm playing so it doesn't get scratched. it's great for live playing, unless you're playing a long set cos it's pretty heavy. The hardware is all chrome so it doesn't rust (which is a must living near the beach), the strap buttons were solid, but I replaced them with Schecter strap locks. I would use this guitar anywhere it's that solid and versatile, the only thing you can't get is an authentic single coil/strat sound. The only thing missing from my rig really is a Strat for that single coil sound and a Marshall tube amp. The finish is awesome, I've had it for two years and it barely has a scratch // 10

Impression: These days I'm more into funk, indy, prog rock but still a lot of rock and punk, so this guitar does well, but I'm missing a Strat for a John Frusciante type sound. I've been playing for about six years, but the first few were slow and I was poor so this was my first real guitar (the previous one was a Samick Strat and it sucked), so it's really good for intermediate players, and even a virtuoso would have nothing really to complain about, though there are better guitars out there to be had. The only thing I wish I had asked when I bought it was: "why does it come in an Ibanez Box with an Ibanez Manual?" but hey whatever. If it were stolen or lost I would probably buy a Strat for my next guitar, but after that I'd go straight back to the Les Paul cos it has such a great rock sound. I love a lot and hate very lttle about this guitar. The only thing I'd complain about is that for a lot of The Music I'm playing these days the humbuckers are too fat. I compared this to a bunch of other Epiphone Les Pauls in the shop and they were all good, but what worked for me with this one was that it was simple. The rest all had really flashy flamed finishes and stuff like that, but I liked just the plain black finish. For me it made it stand out from all the more noticable ones. Anything I wish it had? I wish I had a Strat, but I wouldn't trade it for one. // 9

overall: 8.4

Reviewed by: irish_hendrix, on june 20, 2008

Purchased from: Ebay

Features: Was made in 1995 imported from America, you can tell because it's a lot heavier than it's chinese cousins, Standard 23 fret guitar, personal opinion says that 21 is the maximum you should play it at, unless you enjoy ultrasonic. Laminated Cherry burst top single cutaway mahogany, the fingerboard is rosewood with rectangular marble inlays, Standard Les Paul style which to me is 1 of the bes, has nickel hardware an active electronics system, 3-way tone and volume, which can sometimes be too little in terms of finding your own style, I bought my own hard case from P.M.T. // 10

Sound: sound can range from a clean open jazz sound, to a crunchy warm blues tone, my personal favourite though is the rough rock sound generated by the guitar effects, as said, my sound is that of the rough classic rock genre. I use a Marshall Mg at home but when I play gigs I use the Marshall Vintage series cab, the overdrive mixed with half bass and half tone compliments the treble of the Les Paul greatly, I sometimes add a few pedals, the main 1 is a J.D. cry baby, I do use some of the DigiTech and Boss pedals but I find they are bought by preferance. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: The setup of Les Pauls is mostly the same, the action is tight and low yet not too low to allow for high bends, I prefer my action lower as I use both hands to pick of the strings, I aslo like the height of the pickups which have not been changed, they allow good sound and tone without much effort or hard work. The only annoyance's that you would find are the occasional loose screw causing an un-attractive buzz after every low note, the buckle for the strap is also an issue on mine as recently whilst rehearsing it decided to pull the thread out of the wood, if that does happen to yours then I suggest a quick fix as it's something that doesnt't require much attention but plays a key role, that is if you ever want to play standing up again! // 7

Reliability & Durability: I have been gigging for about a year and my Les Paul seems indestructable, it has a few knocks but that doesn't affect the sound, it perfroms every time and the quality never fades. The hardware hasn't tarnished and they are smoothly turned, the strap buttons are mentioned above, but agin I can't say that happens to all of them, if I needed a back up I would use this time and time again, as said it's reliable and like a best mate, always there when you need him/her. The finish is still as emmaculate today as it was when I first set eyes upon it and I have no doubt it will last forever. // 8

Impression: As I'm only 16 and have been for all of 6 months, I am obviously not the most clued up, or the fountain of all knowledge when it comes to guitars, however I taught myself to play at the age of 7, at the age 9 I picked up the Epiphone les paul and have never looked back. I own a Fender Strat and a Washburn 12 string acoustic, I also have an Ovation semi-acoustic, which if you like sum serious acoustic love now and again, is the way to go. If I lost my L P I would probably use the Strat, but I really would consider a Gibson Standard, phoaw! Anyone who has ever played 1 of those knows that feeling. // 9

overall: 9

Reviewed by: expired111, on june 17, 2008

Price paid: C$ 499.99

Purchased from: Steve's Music Store

Features: The Epiphone Les Paul Standard was a wonderful purchase for me to make. I recently bought this guitar in February of '08. Everyone thinks that Epiphone's aren't that good because they are made in China, but Epiphones make some pretty good guitar. 22 frets made for quite a bit of playing space with the added cutaway, rosewood neck and trapazoid's in the neck looked cool. I believe the guitar is a laminated top. The guitar felt great overall. The biutiful Sunburst finish added a very warm, thoughtful look to the guitar. The humbuckers worked great and the guitar had nice harmonic responce. 3-way selector Switch, 2 volume, 2 tone added a very nice touch to the guitar, letting you turn on and off your volume on stage. The two pickups were pretty hot (NOT AS HOT A THE ORIGINAL Gibson Les Paul Standard) and worked well. The guitar did not come with a case but a hard case frome Steve's Music was about 80 bucks. // 9

Sound: This guitar was perfect for mostly anykind of style. The Epiphone LP could do quick metal riffs, some hard rock stuff, blues (my style) and a bunch of other stuff. I'm using a Marshall Master Lead Combo. The guitar wasn't noisy at all. The only thing that bothered me at first was when the guitar had a ton of string buzz once I brought it home. I just took of the strings, reset the Tune-O-Matic bridge the way I like it and I did my own setup. The I put on some Brand New Gibson Brite Wires .10 and it made the guitar perfection. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar wasn't set up well when I bought it. The pickups were adjusted okay for what I play. The top was perfectly bookmatched and the bridge was also amazingly done with pride. The only thing that was loose when I bought it was the bridge pickup tone control. The screws for the pickup were a little messy, but when on stage, you could even notice the screws! // 8

Reliability & Durability: This guitar was really good while playing Live. The only thing was that the top of the guitar would rub into your ribs, so I took some really soft seat foam and used paintion taped to tape the foam on. Do not use any other type of tape. It will ruin your LP). The Epi is my backup for my Gibson LP Studio). The finish is very well done and it won't come off with a little bit of pressure. It takes a gun to take off the paint! // 9

Impression: I play blues, rock, old Elvis stuff and this guitar was perfect. Some of my friends play metal stuff and the guitar worked well and had a nice crunchy sound with a Boss Distortion pedal. If it were stolen, I would buy it again, totaly. I chose the Epiphone because every year, the Gibson's go even more expensive. I own a Gibson Les Paul Studio (Alpine White), an Epiphone 1966 G-400 (SG). a Gibson SG Special and a Fender Stratocaster. The Epi was really good compared to my Fender, and it whipped by in sound quality. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on february 24, 2004

Purchased from: Alto Music

Features: It was made in Korea like most other epiphones, I am not sure what year, probably 2002. 22 fret, rosewood fretboard on a mahogany set neck. 3-way selector and two Gibson alnico humbuckers. The body is mohogany and the top is alder I think with a flamed maple look to it. It has the standard tuneomatic bridge. the neck is pretty chunky but I like it. The guitar's features are all top quality for a 500 dollar guitar. // 10

Sound: I play everything rock, but I like to play the classic stuff mostly like Zeppelin. the guitar is great for rock. I use a Laney hcm65r combo amp and it sounds great through it. It has a rich fuller sound compared to the bright sound of a tele or Strat. The sounds can range from fat to fat pretty much. But I like that sound so it is fine with me. the neck pickup is pretty bassy so I don't use it all too often. I am thinking of replacing the pickups with higher output ones anyways, possible the tony iommi signatures from Gibson. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The action was pretty good coming straight from the factory. I lowered it a little which put my intonation out of whack so I have to go get that adjusted. The pickups looked like they were in the right place to me. The only thing oxidized on it were the strings but that was a standard fix. The controls are all really tight and I am surprised at the quality of the tuners. Stays in tune for a really long time. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I have had this guitar for about 8 months and nothing has gone wrong with it. The strap buttons are nice and tight and the guitar still looks as beautiful as the day i bought it. The one thing is the jack for the cable is a little loose but it can be tightened pretty easily. I took the pickguard off because it looked cheap to me but now it's perfect. I have a crappy Ibanez but I wouldn't want to use that as a backup for the les paul because the les paul is die hard. // 10

Impression: I have been playing seriously for about 2 years this guitar is perfect for me. I played a cheap Ibanez with wicked high action for quite a while. It hurt my hand to play that thing. The les paul may hurt my back after a few hours of standing but I can deal with the extra weight for the extra sustain. I play left handed so when I find a lefty guitar I usually check it out pretty seriously. The les paul was the one I liked the most as far as playability and cost. I love the looks of it and the way it feels in my hands. I guess the only I dont like is the weight but that is not a big issue to me. I would totally try to find another if some one stole this one but who the heck steals a left handed guitar? I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a new guitar but doesn't have cash flowing out their rear end. // 10

overall: 9.8

Reviewed by: slash4lyf, on september 28, 2007

Price paid: $ 760

Purchased from: kosmic

Features: This guitar is an amazing guitar. For the price of it, you'd think you stole it. it has a lot of the same features as a Gibson. Epiphone Les Paul standards have 22frets, made from Asian mahogony, made in Asia, have a Tune-O-Matic bridge, 3-way pickup selector etc. it has all the main features that you could want in almost any style of playing. // 10

Sound: The sound this guitar gives is beautiful. I play a lot of different styles with it and it suits any one of them. I play blues rock metal, almost anything I feel like playing on it, and the sound is quality. I have a Marshall AVT275 that I use with it, and having this guitar strapped to a Marshall can rip anything you can think of. It gives off a very enriching sound. Selecting the rhythm pickup gives of a deep pitch and hollow sound with selecting the treble it gives a classical rock sound. It can give off a variety of sounds and anything you want to play, you can play it on LP. It can give off almost any sound and is very suitable for practically any music style, from rock to reggae from blues to metal. This sound can suit anyone. This is the perfect guitar for anyone that wants a Gibson but doesnt't have the money. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Now the action of this guitar is the perfect action. I've played fenders but the action on this baby is unique, it's a lower action which makes it top notch for ripping a solo. However, not everything is sweet with a Epiphone, my LP came with loose screws and the imput kept loosen and coming out, but I fixed that. Also the nute surrounding the pick up selectors is still loose to this day and is a pain in the ass. If the people at the factory could put ti together right then it would be the absolutely beauty of cheaper guitars. But don't let that put you off, it's easily fixed. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I have played this guitar Live and it was perfect. The sound it gives off in rehearsal is the sound your gonna hear onstage. I have had the guitar for over a year and the hardware is still in top condition. There was a period where the strap buttons did loosen but never fell off, but that was easily fixable and also the strap continually fell off (the straps fault), but all you need is a rubber washer between the nut n strap n it's a ok. It is a very reliable guitar and I would definately take it to a gig with out a backup. I think the finish will be on there longer than the hair on my head. it shows no sign of disappearing. // 10

Impression: I play many various types of music and I can adapt my guitar n amp to sound perfect for the style. I own many pedals that connects with me guitar n amp such as a Vox wah, RP-50, bad monkey, Boss DS-1 and Marshall Regenorator. I would of asked for a free quick service berfore leaving the shop just to save me hassels of DIY repairing. if it was lost or stolen I would definately by tis guitar again or I would buy a Gibson. Love almost everything about this guitar, especially the adaptability of the sound. There isn't anything I hate about the guitar, it is heavy but that doesnt't bother me at all. I did compare this guitar to some others such as a PRS and ESP. I chose the LP over the PRS because it was a lot more expensive, and I chose it over the ESP because you can only really play metal with an ESP, it doesnt't have the same sound adaptability. The only thing I don't like too mcuh about this guitar is the shape of the headstock, it's a dead giveaway that it aint a Gibson. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on july 06, 2007

Purchased from: Long & McQuade

Features: 1996 Korean Made Les Paul Standard, 22 frets, and a 24.75 scale. One word: sof-kingawesome. 22 frets, all mahogany, set neck, plain top. It comes with a pair of two Alcino pick-ups, which give off some of the most diverse tones, I can play everything from B.B. King, to Death, or Children Of Bodom. Passive pick-ups of course, HH configuration as with most Les Paul's. 3 way selector Switch, 2 tone knobs, and 2 volume. Chrome hardware, Heritage Cherry Sunburst, Tune-O-Matic Bridge. Rosewood fretboard, 60s neck, it's a dream! Gibson Deluxe tuners, non-locking keep tune great! Better than the Grovers which came with it in my opinion. Cream binding, but no free case. // 10

Sound: I play everything, and this guitars covers it quite well. I play blues, hard rock, and some of the most obscure metal bands ever, and this handles it quite well. I'm playing through a JCM 900, and a Peavey 6505, and this guitar can do anything. Dark mahogany sound, rich/full/warm tones, and some thick cleans which I love. This guitar can get noisy when I play high gain stuff on the JCM, but that's to be expected when I'm standing quite close to the amp. As I said, this is a very versatile guitar. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: When I got it, there was a bit of fret buzz, and the stock string were too thin for my liking. So, I put some 10-52's on, and adjusted the action myself, and viola! It was perfect, no fret buzz. The pickups were at preferred height, however, when I got it, there was dented frets. However, seeing as this guitar is now 11 years old, that's to be expected after a while. That's really the only thing that bothers me, this guitar is built like a tank, I've hit it time and time again, and it has not dented. However, it does have some dings from the times I've dropped it on stage, and on cement. Dings give a guitar character though, so I like it. // 8

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will and has withstood Live play, the hardware has lasted 11 years and is still in great shape. Strap buttons are a bit small, which is why I got strap locks, but they will hold any strap you put on there solidly. Just don't be swinging it around like a moron, or it will fly off and possibly trash your amp! I would gig without a back up, and have done so, it has not failed me. The finish would Live through a nuclear holocaust. // 10

Impression: Metal, Blues, Jazz, Country, Hard Rock, Shred (not as easy though), etc. Great match for these. If this were stolen, I'd try and find it just for the pure sentimental value it holds, however I'd buy a Gibson after this. If this Epiphone could play so well, the Gibson's definitely play better. I only wish I had an extra $4000 lying around! When I bought it, I compared it to a Dean, and a G-400. I knew this was going to be my guitar from the moment I saw it, love at first sight if you will. It played absolutely brilliant, I played it for 10 seconds, before the guy asked me if I liked it. I said "Oh yeah," I love it. I have a MIJ SSS Strat, a weird little Hamer XP-1 (which is quite nice actually, very middy though), and an Ibanez. All of which are for a different genre and/or tuning. I must say, this is my favourite guitar. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on january 13, 2004

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Features: I got this guitar a few months ago. Color: Black and Creme/Gold It was made in Korea in 2002, assembled in the U.S. 22 frets, solid archtop. It's my favorite affordable guitar ever! Bridge is a Tune-O-Matic. H/H Epiphone covered pickups. 3 Way selector, plus tone and volume controls for both pickups!!! // 10

Sound: This is a great guitar for my style (good classic rock, with pop punk/alternative too!). Very rich sound. I'm using it with my practice amp, a Marshall MG15DFX amp with 2 channels+digital effects. I love the sound. I've even tuned my rhythm pickup to sound like a bass, nice and loud! The lead pickup is great, I have it toned to sound like Kurt Cobain's! // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: This guitar was fast, and good sounding when I first got it, even though I bought used! The finish was scratched from the previous owner, with a few dents in the body, but nothing too serious. Who cares about looks anyway? // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar is great, I depend on it, and I've used it for gigs before without a backup (cuz I dont have one :P). // 10

Impression: I play good classic rock (AC/DC) with stuff like Nirvana, Blink 182, and the rest. // 10

overall: 4.2

Reviewed by: LesPaulverizer, on february 20, 2007

Price paid: $ 436.87

Features: 2004 Korean Les Paul Standard. It has a beautiful translucent red finish, with a book-matched flame maple top and mahogany body. It has a rosewood fingerboard, 22 frets and the Standard Les Paul controls. I replaced the nickel grover tuners that came Standard with Schaller 'green key' tuners to give it a more Vintage look. I also changed out the stock strap pins with locking Schaller pins, 'cause I hate dropping my guitars. It came with a really crappy guitar cable, but the guys at Steve's were nice and gave me a good deal on a leather strap and hardshell case. Overall, pretty Standard, though. It did look nice, though I came to find out that the top was a veneer, not real maple. // 7

Sound: I play lots of rock and roll music with a cover band, and this guitar is versatile to handle anything (though I like to Switch guitars on stage for songs in other tunings, acoustic stuff, etc). The sound is clean and resonant, and like one reviewer pointed out, this thing holds notes for a very long time. With the mahogany body, the tone is really warm and mellow, which I love. After 6 months, the guitar began to show off some less than pleasing attributes, like the neck pickup becoming the muddiest, tone free piece of crap I've ever heard. More on this below. // 5

Action, Fit & Finish: My only real beef with this guitar is that the pickup toggle is really noisy. Other than that, it was playable right out of the box (though I fine tuned the set up when I got it home. I like my action just above buzzing). The bookmatched top is a thing of beauty. However within a year, the following happened: needed a replacement bridge, 3 tone/volume controls, output jack, toggle switch. As mentioned above, I replaced the tuning pegs as well. // 5

Reliability & Durability: Even though I only bought this guitar in March, it has stood up to a great deal of abuse playing Live and travelling. I would absolutely bring this to a gig without a back up, though I'm to anal retentive to Live that freely. And here is the problem. When new, it seemed the possibilities were boundless. However, this guitar was an unreliable piece of crap. It constantly cut out, the neck pickup was essentially useless, and, until I replaced the bridge with a better quality model, constantly out of tune. Absolutely unacceptable. // 1

Impression: Ever since I started playing guitar in 1994, I have always wanted a Les Paul. An Epiphone isn't the same as a Gibson, but it certainly is a worthy substitute. Everything about this guitar screams rock and roll, and I would highly reccommend it to anyone looking to buy a guitar. No matter how many times it gets said around here, an Epiphone is not a Gibson, no matter how badly you want it to be. You get what you pay for, and $500 USD gets you a pretty lousy guitar. I bought a Gibson LPStandard about a year ago, had it set up when I bought it, and have never taken it in for repair work, or had to replace anything on the instrument itself. The quality of Epiphone parts is budget at best; garbage at worst. I would never reccommend buying an Epiphone Les Paul to anyone (at least not the Standard model). // 3

overall: 9.4

Reviewed by: NY773, on july 17, 2007

Purchased from: eBay

Features: It's a 2006 Epiphone Les Paul Standard, made in America. 22 frets on a maple neck, and it's a solid-top. The body is also maple. The finish is a beautiful cherry sunburst. It has a Tune-O-Matic bridge with passive electronics. It also has two volume and two tone controls. There are 2 Epiphone Standard humbucker pickups. It has Grover tuners, and it came in a hard-shell Epiphone case. // 8

Sound: I play a lot of blues and classic rock. For that, the Les Paul is perfect. It is a good foil for my Squier Stratocaster. I'm using it with a Boss Fuzz box, a Dunlop Crybaby Wah Pedal, and a Vox VA15 amp. The amp plays perfectly to the Les Paul's highs and lows when I haven't messed with the settings to much. I usually use equal parts treble, bass, gain, and volume for my amp. The guitar can make all sorts of sounds, from a rhythmic boom to a trebly squeal. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: The action is perfect, not too low or high. The pickups are fine, and they are adjusted correctly to suit me. The top is beautiful, and bridge are fantastic. The guitar had no flaws at all when I received it. The bracing is alright, the fretwire was fine, the finish is great, and the hardware is all together and intact. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will withstand Live playing better than a lot of others. The hardware, especially the Grovers, seem like they should last a long, long time. The strap buttons are rock-solid. I know I can depend on it, and I would use it without a backup if I absolutely had to. The finish also should last a very long time. // 10

Impression: Again, I play classic rock and the blues. This guitar is a perfect match for that style of playing. I've been playing about 5 years, and I own all the things I've mentioned as well as a Squier Bass and bass amp. I can't think of anything I would've asked before I bought it. If it was stolen or lost, and I had enough money, I would definitely buy it again. Compared to the Gibson Les Paul, it's an almost perfect match for hundreds of dollars less. Part of me wishes it had a Bigsby tremolo, but the rest of me thinks that would ruin the aura of such a legendary guitar. // 10

overall: 8.2

Reviewed by: Rourke, on july 24, 2007

Purchased from: Musician's Friend

Features: Hand Crafted in the United States in 2006. With 22 Standard frets on a mahogany/alder body. A fast, set, rosewood neck this guitar is capable of the fastest licks. Two Alnico Covered Humbuckers sets the tone for this masterpiece. These guitars come with a free 10 foot cable. // 6

Sound: I play various types of music, and this guitar fits them all from country to metal this guitar will cover it. I am using a Wahsburn Bad Dog 25 Watt amp set on clean wil a Boss Ns-2 Noise Surpressor and a DigiTech Grunge distortion pedal and this guitar has a massive amount of sustain. It gives a bright sound with a boost of that treble pop but also delivers a warm rythym tone. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: The action was set to a Standard which was good in my case because I'm still on the Standard action. The pickups were set up exactly how I expected which was how my Gibson Les Paul Custom is. The to tone control knobs were wired backwards but this was not a big deal for me because I planned to remove the neck tone knob with a mute Switch and wire the bridge and neck pickup tone knobs to one. // 10

Reliability & Durability: Definately gig capable with its sturdy hardware. I added Dunlop Strap Locks because the strap kept slipping, but overall I would and have used this for many gigs. The finish has stayed as if it just came off the assembly line and dust will not gather on it. // 9

Impression: I liked the appearence of this guitar a lot but the tonal quality is as good as a Gibson. I've been playing for a couple years now and also have an Ibanez Artcore, and a Fender Avalon. If I lost this guitar I would replace it with another Epiphone Les Paul. It would be the perfecty guitar if it only said Gibson instead of Epiphone but that is more than okay. // 8

Reviewed by: unregistered, on august 17, 2007

Purchased from: Long And McQuade

Features: This guitar is a beauty and an accurate imitation of the real Gibson Les Paul both in looks in sound. 22 medium frets on a rosewood fingerboard topped with Trapezoid inlays, 24.75 inch scale, a set neck made of mahogany, a beautiful maple top, and a Tune-O-Matic bridge and stopbar. The body is of Mahogany as is the neck and the finish is a flamed maple top. The hardware is chrome. The humbuckers are two Passive Alnico Classic Humbuckers. It came with a gig bag, a strap and a cable. // 9

Sound: If you want rock, you got it. You want metal? You got it. You want blues? What do you think... Anyhow, this guitar handles almost all music styles I play. It even pulls of grunge fairly well. I run this guitar through a Korg AX1500G Effects Processor and a Fender FM65R Guitar Amplifier. There is barely, and I mean BARELY any feedback and it gives out, on the bridge pickup, a crunchy full sound, and on the neck pickup, it produces a darker, more mellow sound. This thing seems to be able to pull of Pinch Harmonics really well too! // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: The action is LOW. A bit too low actually. There is slight fret buzz when you purchase it. You may want to bring the action up a bit or get it set up at a music store. Besides that, the everything else was great. The pickups were great and needed no modifying. The paint was flawless. There were no dents or scratches and nothing was loose. // 7

Reliability & Durability: I've dropped this many times (half the time on hardwood and even cement), scratched it a bunch and almost snapped the neck off and it still hasn't died on me yet. I can safely say that if this thing can stand my abuse, it should last me a long time. The strap buttons are pretty solid and I would think I could use this thing with out a backup and the finish was beautiful and still is. // 9

Impression: Overall, this guitar is great. It's affordable, reliable and can handle all types of music. If this thing was stolen or lost, I would definitely buy a new one. No questions asked. I compared this to the Fender Stratocaster but the Les Paul drew to me like flies to light. Although, I wish it had a tremolo but, meh not a huge deal. // 9

overall: 8.8

Reviewed by: <Guitar4God>, on july 27, 2007

Purchased from: Bailey Brothers Music, Mongomery, AL

Features: Very impressed with the Les Paul Standard. For me to buy a guitar, it has to be made in the USA, no question. Beautiful 22 frets are lain on a rosewood neck. I chose the Vintage sunburst and I have absolutely no regrets. The body is the Standard LP model. It has four volume knobs that control: the volume and tone of the Treble mode, and likewise of the rhythm mode. Has a very distinct difference in tone of treble and rhythm, thus making the Epiphone Les Paul Standard very diverse in sound. Came with a free padded gig bag and cord. I use a Korg Chromatic Tuner that never fails me. // 10

Sound: LP Standard has a great meaty sound and feel to it. It's great for it's great for rhythm as well as solos. I'm am a diverse guitar player, and the LP fit me perfectly. My Marshall amp overdrive can really deliver the power chords. Again, it has a very deep sound that I thoroughly enjoy. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: My guitar came ready to go. It was even tuned. Conveniently placed pickups, except for one flaw: the front pickup was too high for my convenience, and my pick kept hitting against it. It was and easily fixable problem, though. The strings looked a bit dirty and maybe a bit used but, once again, an easliy fixable problem. Actually, I think that worked to my advantage because they were all warmed up for me. I loved the marble looking fret markers. The pickguard is elevated from the body for perfect convinience. // 8

Reliability & Durability: Seems very durable. This should should last me until college or longer (14 now). The finish seems nicely laminated and durable. As for the strap buttons, one is very loose and I will have to screw it tighter from the inside. It's a very heavy guitar, hard to play Live for an extended time, but with the right strap it'll be fine. // 8

Impression: I've been playing since the age of 12, so that would be 2 years now. I have learned much and the LP Standard can do nothing but help me in my hobby. If I lost it, I would be stuck on whether I should buy a LP Goldtop or a Double Cut. I absolutely love the diversity of the guitar. It fits me perfectly. One thing that would set me aprt from all others is if I had a LP Standard with a maple top fretboard. It's a great product, espeacially if you want to step up from the guitar you got on sale at Wal Mart. // 9

Reviewed by: unregistered, on july 03, 2008

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Features: Up for review is my Epi Les Paul Standard plain top. I purchased her from Guitar Center in August of 2006, and was probably made earlier that year. The body is listed as mahogany with a maple veneer, which is not visible because of the finish which I got in a plain gloss black finish. Ultimately, you get in an Epi almost all of what you get in a Gibson Les Paul, save for the higher end cosmetic differences (nitrocellulose finish, gold/nickel hardware, pots, pickups, high grade flame or quilt top) but for the price all that is almost incosequential and can be upgraded over time. This guitar is heavy as hell! I think moreso than it's pricier counterparts, so I'd invest in very wide and padded straps for this one. The pickups are a pair of Alnico Classic humbuckers, chrome plated, very good for factory installed pickups. I suppose in the end one could say you are really saving about a thousand dollars on a Les Paul by swapping the name on the headstock. // 10

Sound: Does it stack up to a Gibson? Yes, not all the way, but for $400-$600? The difference is not a bother. Some people have told me that the Epi Les Paul sound is a tad darker than a Gibson, and not so much high end treble. It's still a Les Paul, no matter how you slice it, and you can cover and replicate all the good Les Paul sounds we are all familiar with. That said, I'd advise a pickup change to enhance the guitar's tone and versatility. Drop in a set of Burstbuckers, and you'll swear it's a $2000 Les Paul! I wanted something slightly different, so I dropped in a Diarzio Evolution in the bridge and a Burstbucker Pro in the neck position. The sound is full, rich, good overtones, and I can use her for anything from blues to instumental rock to country and it suits them all. At this point, a reason why you should spend the extra money on this instead of a cheap Squire Strat: no noise whatsoever, even on high gain settings! // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: There's one thing about Epi's that bugs me, but it's a do-it-yourself fix: The input jacks tend to come loose. Some of the soldering there was shoddy too, but it's a simple fix, thoguh an annoying one. The other issue is the strap button screws which come loose on occasion, but a simple upgrade (snap-in buttons or go the EVH way and screw in a hook) can fix that. Other than that, everything is set up well, itonation is set up well, rarely a tuning problem. The tuning pegs are very well installed, though I still plan to replace them with Kluson tuners later. Neck action is pretty good, it was'nt made with shredding in mind with a little chunkier neck profile than most wide and flat necks, but it still feels good. // 9

Reliability & Durability: It's a very hardy guitar! I would neve take a Squier Strat out to play with, but this feels very sturdy and very reliable. I've gigged with her before and it's always been there for me. Course gigging without a backup? Well, no matter how reliable, never gig without a backup, because you never know when the theory of spontaneous and unprovoked cumbustion can try to prove itself. // 10

Impression: This is the best all around guitar you will find for $400. It's a Les Paul through and through. I've had her for almost two years and have been playing for four, and I only wish I bought this one first and not the ol Squire. If it were stolen, I would not go buy another, only because I'd want mine back! Lesson to all: never try to steal a guitar that is owned by a lycanthrope. // 10

overall: 8.2

Reviewed by: BusterSword777, on july 07, 2008

Price paid: $ 250

Purchased from: Lisenby's Music Shop

Features: Let me begin by saying that I've had this guitar for about 2 years, and it is my second electric (my first being an Epiphone SG Special). To this date, it is my favorite guitar. It was made in March '03 (I bought it used). I have it in an ebony finish and I've taken the pickup covers off (never really liked the look of them). The guitar features 22 hexagonal frets on a 24.75" scale rosewood fretboard. It has two volume knobs and two tone knobs, each controlling it's respective pickup. It has a three-way pickup selector near the top (which I have since rotated to switch diagonally instead of vertically) and Grover tuners (which stay in tune very well, I might add). The model I purchased also came with a cream pickguard (it now sports a Sobe sticker). I like all of these features, but there are a few things missing that I would love to add when I can cough up the money, such as a Bigsby tremolo and a killswitch (yeah, you can turn the volume on one pickup to zero for that, but then you can only use one pickup). Some internal fuzz effects would also be sweet, but for the price this guitar has some pretty nice features already. // 8

Sound: The stock pickups, while not bad, aren't exactly amazing when it comes to using heavy distortion for things like metal. Luckily, I play mostly progressive rock and blues type stuff, so it isn't a necessity for me to obtain loads of distortion. I use a pretty crappy amp with it (a California CG-60, if anyone's heard of it) but I can still get some pretty decent tones out of the guitar. With the treble pickup, you can get a really crisp clean sound or a crunchy sound that's great for hard rock (or, if you turn down the tone knob, classic rock). I tend to use the treble pickup a lot when playing things like Coheed & Cambria and Alter Bridge. The neck pickup gives a very full clean sound and a nice overdriven sound when distorted, which is perfect for blues soloing (or any type of rock soloing, really). I also find this pickup to be useful for playing grunge music like Bush and Soundgarden. Although coil-tapping would be a great feature to expand the tonal capabilities of the guitar, the tone knobs are sufficient for getting a lot of different types of sound out of it. Also, the sustain on this thing is AMAZING. O.O One of the main things I look for in a guitar is sustain, and this guitar has more than enough of that. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: I bought this guitar used, so the owner before me may have fixed the action beforehand, but this guitar has the most amazing action I have ever felt on a guitar (well, besides several PRS's I've put my grubby hands on). I really hate putting new strings on it because I have to go through those few days where the action feels a little awkward and the strings buzz, but it always goes back to normal with use. There were a few cosmetic problems that popped up at first, such as a few of the knobs being too close to the finish and scratching it (not very much, but enough to be annoying), but that was easily fixable by just pulling them up. Another thing was a massive chunk of finish missing from the back of the headstock, but since I bought it used, that's not really a factory issue. // 9

Reliability & Durability: The first thing I did when I got this guitar was install strap locks (I had heard to many horror stories of Les Pauls falling to the ground beforehand). This served me pretty well for about a year, until one of the straplocks started to, well, not lock. The top straplock would randomly become unlocked while I was standing up, so this guitar fell three or four times before I decided to get new straplocks. However, the first time it fell, I didn't notice any serious damage other than it had gone horribly out of tune (it fell to the ground face-first because I just wasn't expecting it to fall). The next few times it fell, I half-expected it to fall, so when I tried to save it, only the G and B strings really went out of tune. There are several nicks and scratches all over the guitar, although the vast majority of them are from the previous owner (Who must have gigged like hell considering how much of a beating it took from my defective straplocks). I personally haven't seriously gigged with it, so I can't really say how much it can withstand in a Live setting. // 8

Impression: Overall, this is a very solid guitar, particularly for the relatively small amount of cash I paid for it. It's perfect for the style I play (progressive rock, hard rock, blues) and for many other styles. The only guitar I would really trust more would be a PRS Custom (but I honestly would never throw down more than a thousand for a guitar). I've played several Gibsons before this guitar, and I can honestly say that they are not worth the extra $1500+ that would pay over this guitar. Yeah, they have a cooler headstock, but they sound almost the same and don't have the same feel that I love so much (odd, I know, but it's just my opinion, I guess). Hopefully I can scrounge up enough cash one day to customize it like I want (killswitch, coil-tap, fuzz effects, KAOSS Pad). // 8

overall: 9.6

Reviewed by: outlet, on august 18, 2009

Price paid: $ 325

Purchased from: Ebay

Features: This is quite a versitile guitar for what I paid for it. It's pretty much as advertised: all the functionality of a Gibson without all the frill. It *is* built to Les Paul's specifications.

Its got two alnico humbucker pickups; each with a respective volume and tone knob. Tune-o-matic bridge. The selector switch, located on the arch of the guitar's body, is a three way selector with neck, bridge, and simultaneous pickup selection. Its a little heavier than a Gibson but just as user friendly and way, way cheaper. // 9

Sound: I prefer a bluesier based approach to guitar playing so I like to aim for tone. And this guitar delivers. I even still mostly play with my 10-watt practice amp, but it really doesn't detract from the range of sounds this guitar will give you.

Rhythm playing is very tight and playing leads is as smooth as it gets. It gives off a much smoother, mellower, and fatter sound than a Fender. Probably not as useful to a metal player out of the box, but there are dirty fingers models out there for that style. This is a straight up guitar for straight up sound. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: I feel completely satisfied with how this guitar is set up right out of the box. The finger action is nice and low which I like.

I bought this guitar used, so it had some minor esthetic flaws but other than that its beautiful. All black with white trim and pick guard and pearl inlays. This is where the more obvious difference is between Epiphone and Gibson. The finish is extremely simple with no over the head flair, so if you are really concerned with the style you can probably fork over a little more for a flame top Epiphone or a lot more if you absolutely feel like you need a Gibson. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This guitar is a beast. It's heavy duty and durable and has never let me down. No issues with the strap buttons, and the every thing as far as hardware is built to last. The finish is fairly simple and might give way if it gets any really hard bumps, but resists everything in the normal ding and dent spectrum. Just take care of it and it'll keep true. Definitely a gig worthy rig.

It's a Les Paul. If that doesn't suit your standards then nothing will. // 10

Impression: This guitar and I are really a perfect match for one another. I think that every penny was worth it. Even my dad agrees that his Stratocaster is not really as impressive as my guitar. And I paid less for mine.

If this guitar were to ever be stolen or somehow lost I'd first unleash hell and then go and immediately find an exact replacement. // 10

overall: 9.6

Reviewed by: Blktiger0, on march 24, 2009

Price paid: $ 550

Purchased from: CA House Music

Features: Awesome features on this beast. It has 22 frets, a Rosewood fretboard, Mahogany Body with a set Mahogany neck, and Maple top. It has a beautiful Heritage Cherry Sunburst finsish and a LockTone Tune-O-Matic Bridge/Stopbar Tailpiece. It came with AlNiCo Classic humbuckers and Grover Tuners and has 2 Volume and 2 Tone Controls and a 3-way selector Switch. It didn't come with a case, but I picked up an Epiphone LP case at the same store, so that was no problem, considering it is a common guitar shape. Can't complain about it coming with Grovers and a Tune-O-Matic bridge, but the pickups could have been better. // 9

Sound: This guitar is absolutely perfect for my music style. I play mostly Classic Rock (like Kiss, GNR, Sabbath, AC/DC, etc.), Modern Rock(Jet, Rage Against The Machine, System Of A Down, My Chemical Romance, etc.) Metal (Killswitch Engage, Dethklok, Bang Camaro, Avenged Sevenfold, etc.) and then some other stuff that is played clean (Bob Dylan, Eric Hutchinson, Switchfoot, Sublime, etc.), so just about everything, and this guitar covers all of these genres perfectly. The only problems are with the pickups because you can't do fingertaps and pinch harmonics (aka artificial harmonics) don't quite scream enough because the pickups aren't that great, but they are easily swapped for some hotter ones. I have used a Fender Frontman 15w amp, a Peavey ValveKing 112 (50w), a Marshall MG30DFX, a Roland Cube 30X, a Vox Valvetronics 30W, and a Crate V18, and this guitar sounds great paired with any of these amps. I recommend a tube amp, but not everyone can afford tube. I normally play it through a Marshall MG30DFX on a daily basis, and it sounds great with this amp. There is sooooo much variety to this guitar's sound it is almost unbelievable. The only noise I have experienced with this guitar is if you are playing in front of a CRT monitor/TV and you are distorted/overdriven. I use a Dunlop Wah Pedal and a Zoom 505 guitar pedal and it works fine with both of these, plus the effects that most amps have. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar was set up pretty well out of the box. The action and intonation was fine, but the nut needed some work, but that is normal even with Gibsons. All I had to do was file the nut to fit the gauge of strings I use (.11-.48) and I had to put some graphite grease in the nut to prevent pinching. Everything else was great. The pickups sound great where they are, but I might move them around to see what other sounds I can get. There is also one tiny spot on the body binding that I could have complained about, but nobody will ever notice unless they are using my guitar as a pillow (as in they have there head right up next to it). The only other complaint I have is that the volume pot for the neck pickup is too close to the body and rubs the finish, but it's effect can't be seen, and if you pull a little when you turn it it doesn't rub. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will almost certainly stand the test of time. The hardware is all solid and has a good name behind it. Nothing seems lose or weak, and the finish could probably withstand a sandstorm. I have played all my gigs with this guitar with out backup, and haven't sweat over any of them. The strap buttons are perfectly fine, but I am gonna replace them with straplocks soon, because I tend to throw my guitar around a little during gigs, and have had my strap come undone 3 or 4 times now, but have luckily caught my guitar every time. // 10

Impression: Great overall impression. I played this at the store and had tried a few other Epiphones, a couple Gibsons, and some Fenders before settling on this guitar. This guitar matches my music style flawlessly, and if this guitar were stolen from me I would most definitely buy another one. I picked this guitar over the others because of the great looks, amazing sound, and great price tag. The Gibson Les Paul I played honestly sounded worse than this Epiphone, and the Fenders weren't quite the sound I was looking for, considering mt main guitar before this one was a Strat. I have been playing for about 11 years now, with many more to go, and the only complaint I have about this guitar is the pickups. The aren't hot enough for things like fingertaping, and they don't quite scream enough during pinch harmonics. I absolutely love the finish of this guitar. I got the Heritage Cherry Sunburst and it is positively beautiful. My favorite feature is probably the Overall Value of the guitar. The only differences between this and a Gibson is the pickups, the headstock, the tuners, and the price. Considering that pickups can be replaced, the headstock is just looks, the tuners are Grovers and can be changed if desired, and the price is less than half of most Gibsons, I don't think you could find a better value anywhere. // 10

overall: 9.6

Reviewed by: dwarfcar21, on march 02, 2009

Price paid: $ 449.99

Purchased from: Guitar Center-Santa Clara

Features: This guitar I believer, was made in 2007. He was inspected in China and In the U.S. It says it was built in the U.S too. The guitar includes 22 Mahogany regular frets. This is a good sized guitar. (I have long arms). Very, Very good and strong finish. Mine is in a Vintage Sunburst. It is perfect with the Tune-O-Matic bridge. The controls on the guitar includes the 2 way toggle Switch. Switching from effects to clean.(AKA Rhythm, Treble) It didn't have a toggle cap, but I bought one for it. The knobs include Volume, Distrtion, Treble and reverb. // 10

Sound: This best suit's my Metal, Blues, Rock, Alternative, punk, and country styles.(I play with a spider 3). The spider 3 made by Line 6 works great with this. I used to use a small Behringer beginner kit amp. Then I went to Line 6. The sound is wonderful for it's price. It's a great guitar in a great price range. IT also puts up a good competition against the Gibson Les Paul's. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar was set up OK. My guitar was wrecked in the making. It had been chipped so it was knocked off by $350.00. But, I've banged it around a few times really hard and it doesn't eave a mark. The bridge was properly routed, the pickups were a little damaged from the fall too. But, overall it had no flaws. Great work put into it. // 8

Reliability & Durability: This guitar is probably the most durable guitar out there. It's been hit against walls, once fell and there has been no dents and scratches. Perfect for Live stage play. The strap buttons are pretty solid. Mine old strap was worn and ripped. I got a new strap and put washers on them so they wont pop off NO matter WHAT! It is a very reliable guitar. I wouldn't need a backup guitar. // 10

Impression: My type of music ranges anywhere. This guitar is good for ALL types of music. It is a good match. I've been playing for just over a year now. I also own a Line 6 Spider 3, A Behringer beginner guitar and amp, a Rogue acoustic guitar, a tuner, slider, capo, picks, Live wire, Amplitube 2 Live, and Live wire. If it were stolen or lost I would buy another one. Or I would get a Gibson.*$$* This product is fine the way it originally is. I love 2 things about this guitar. The looks of having a Les paul and the rich sound of the guitar. Just... perfect! Nothing is wrong with it. My favorite thing about it is the shape of it. I compared this to the Ephiphone SG and the Gibson Les Paul. I chose this one because it was cheaper and just about had the same quality as the Gibson. I wish it had a whammy. Hendrix! // 10

overall: 9

Reviewed by: WordsAreFrail, on august 24, 2009

Price paid: $ 350

Purchased from: Guitar Center - Arlington

Features: I bought my LPS new in the fall of 2007, actually my first electric guitar. Solid body, single cutaway, 22 fret (medium jumbo), mahogany fingerboard, and dual humbuckers with 3way tone settings. It has 4 knobs, 2 (volume, tone) for the 'treble' setting, and 2 for the 'rhythm' setting. Chrome hardware and tuning knobs. // 9

Sound: This is a very, very versatile guitar as far as sound goes. Pretty much any style you'd ever want to play, you can do it on this guitar. It has a very rich and full sound without getting into 'muddy water', it can be pretty crisp. I play out of a LINE6 spyder 330, which has a ton of sounds and effects built in. But for it not even being the iconic Gibson, this Epiphone is an exceptional guitar, and rather affordable. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Pickups are pretty awesome, bridge was great. All the action was good.

My only complaints when i got this thing were:

- The G's (if playing Standard E) tuning knob was loose and easily came out of tune, but with a small philips-head screwdriver tightened it up, and it's fine.
-The input/output port, was loose, and actually let the receiver fall into the body of the guitar. Easy fix. I just had to take the washer and four small screws out, and removed the cover. After removing the cover pulled the receiver up and tightened it up. I've had to retighten it four or five times since I bought it. // 7

Reliability & Durability: I play this guitar at least twice a week Live, and have been for the last year and a half. And move it around alot. This is a VERY durable guitar. Hardware is all solid. Very dependable in my experience, no need for a backup. Finish is strong, I've actually smashed my face on the thing a couple of times, and bled on it, no damage to the finish. I've put this thing through alot, still play it almost every day. This guitar is pretty cool, just sayin. // 10

Impression: I've been playing since late 2007, I play styles from deathcore, to really fast solo stuff, to church music, this guitar does it all. Stays in tune very well, I can be playing in Bb or Ab and swing it right back to Standard E, no problems.

I was surprised with this guitar, quite a find. If it were lost or stolen, performance wise, I would definitely see if I could find another one of these, excellent guitar. It is a bit on the heavy side, and can wear out your shoulder when playing for extended periods of time.

I love the versatility of this guitar, I love the sound of it. I tried a few Ibanez/Schecters, Lagunas. The closest thing I found (that I liked) was a Fender Telecaster... but it had a price tag well over 3x the amount of this guitar. The quality is simply astounding. Definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone who plays or wants to play guitar. // 9

overall: 7.8

Reviewed by: TheBigBoss, on september 15, 2009

Price paid: € 380

Purchased from: AT Trade (Riga)

Features: It was made in China in 2007. The classic Les Paul pack - 2 volume control knobs, 2 tone control knobs, a 3-way pickup selector, 2 Humbucker pickups, Cherry Sunburst finish. I think it's quite hard not to recognize a Les Paul. On the day I bought it I had to carry it home in the original factory cardboard box because the shop had run out of cases. Only a short cable and an official poster were included. // 8

Sound: I'm a blues player at heart and in my band we play blues, jazz, rock and fusion. Most often I use: 1) the neck pickup (switched to rhythm) - to get the dark, fat bluesy tone which is perfect for my taste. 2) both pickups (swithced in between) with the bridge pickup's tone rolled at least two sections higher than the neck pickup - this is perfect for rhythm parts, especially when you need to add solo fillings because the bridge pickup adds the extra sustain and spice to the tone. I don't like the sound of the bridge pickup alone when playing in clean - it lacks bass and sounds like plastic, while, when switched to more than average Drive, it is perfect for sustained power cords and solos with juicy tone. When playing with the neck pickup and high level of Drive you get a raw and fuzzy tone which is perfect for songs like "Voodoo Child" in my opinion. This guitar is my main "battle-axe" as it is my only electric guitar so far. Currently I use a Vox Valvetronic amp with Boss OD3 overdrive. The Vox amp and my Les Paul is the best combination i've tested so far - even the bridge pickup on clean sounds quite good. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: The headstock has a cosmetic defect which was quite hard to notice at first. There are several grey spots above the "Les Paul Standard" inscription. The pickup selector is noisy and as I would like to say - "moody" as sometimes it makes a disturbing hum, while sometimes after a successful stirring the hum disappears. Many Epiphone Les Pauls has the same glitch as i've noticed. // 7

Reliability & Durability: This guitar gets heavily exploited at least 8 hours a week in rehearsals and gigs which often last for more than 3 hours with jam sessions. Currently I use Dunlop 10 (0,46) strings. These don't break very often (thank God!). The tunomatic bridge has this tendency for the smaller strings to break on high bends. I always carry an extra package of strings and nippers in the case - you never know when they'll break.

The Les Paul is famous for its heavy weight and yes - it sure is heavy! I spend the rehearsals mostly sitting because standing with this rock on your shoulder can be very exhausting. But the strap buttons are solid! // 8

Impression: If you are a blues oriented player then this is the right instrument for you! I know that I will be a Les Paul fan until the end of my life. This guitar has tone and sound you can't miss if you play jazz and blues. Roll the tone knob to the minimum and switch to the neck pickup and you get a perfect jazzy warm tone! // 8

overall: 8.2

Reviewed by: Rocks ur Life, on september 29, 2009

Price paid: $ 429

Purchased from: Musicians Friend

Features: made in 2008, this guitar is a Standard 22 inch fret with a 24-3/4" scale with 1-11/16" frets. The neck is Set Mahogany, slim-tapered design with a rosewood fingerboard and mother-of-pearl trapezoid inlays. The body is a Les Paul style made of Mahogany with maple veneer over the carved top, solid finish, Ebony in this case. The bridge is a LockTone Tune-O-Matic style. The pickups are Gibson Covered Humbuckers with active electronics. The controls given are a single 3-way selector with 4 knobs, 2 for volume and tone of the neck pickup and 2 for volume and tone of the bridge pickup. // 8

Sound: I play mostly metal and its subgenres, emo, alternative, as well as some jazz and blues, and this guitar fits my styles perfectly. Currently, I am using a Boss Distortion DS-1 and a classic Dunlop Crybaby, and they compliment the sound of the clean guitar very well. The guitar provides a rich, warm tone. This guitar, overall, has proven that the Les Paul can span many genres and still sound like it was made for that particular sound. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: The is guitar was set up almost perfectly in-factory, the only problem being the bridge needed to be set to reduce hum. The pickups were routed and adjusted to meet the highest of Epiphone quality. The Bride was properly routed, but needed height adjusting and the top was properly bookmatched. There were not visible or audiable flaws when removed from the box, as well as playnig it now, only a few months later. // 7

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will definitely last performing Live, with the hardware being extremely durable and the strap buttons being solid. The guitar is dependable and I could play a show without a backup, however it is never smart to play a show without at least 1 backup in case your guitar slips out of tune, you break a string, or you need a different tuning and don't want to detune over and over. The finish does seem like it will last over time. // 8

Impression: Overall the Epiphone Les Paul Standard is a good match for my playing styles (mentioned above). I have been playing for over 3 years now and I currently own a Peavy Vyper 15w Modeling amp, a Gibson Signature Series G-400, a Washburn Acoustic guitar, the Les Paul I am reviewing, and the 2 effects mentioned above. There is really nothing I would have asked before purchasing this product, except "is there anywhere that I could find a better deal on this piece of equipment?". If this guitar was stolen, I would definitely buy it again, but I would also look at other products to keep my options open. I love the fact that the upper frets are very accessible and the tone it delivers is perfect for nearly every style. What I hate about it is that the guitar slips out of tune fast when tuned down to drop D. My favorite feature is the accessibility of the high frets.

I compared it to a similar SG model, and decided on this one because I prefer the Les Paul body shape as well as the Gibson pickups. The only thing I wish this guitar had was a pair of EMG pickups. // 9

overall: 9

Reviewed by: McBaino, on september 15, 2009

Price paid: £ 400

Purchased from: R and B Music

Features: The body is a Standard Les Paul shape which is amazing and has 22 frets. The neck is Ebony and has Mother Of Pearl Trapeze inlays. The body is a gold flame top. The brodge is just Standard with no support for a Whammy/Tremolo Bar.It has a rhythm/treble switch. The tuners are locking tuners and are made by Grover. It has 2 humbucker pickups with 2 volume knobs and 2 Tone knobs, 1 for each pickup. I got a TGI strap because the guitar is really heavy and the TGI strap is a nice thick strap to support the shoulders while playing. // 9

Sound: It suits almost any kind of music, from Rock to blues to Death metal. I mainly play Classic Rock but like to play a bit of Metallica and Megadeth and it does the job well. I use a line6 Spider IV30 which I purchased for £80 from R&B Music also. The amp has 4 preset tones, Clean, for which it gives a great sound like Dire Straits. Crunch, which is perfect for AC/DC kind of stuff. Metal which I use for Metallica or if I want to make noise and Insane which I do not recommend as it is too loud and sounds terrible. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar is perfect aside from one minor thing. The screw that you attach the strap to kept coming out. I just superglued it to the inside and it seems fone now although I believe that that should of been sorted when I bought the guitar. Nothing has gone wrong with the guitar so far aside from that and I have had it for 9 months so I would like to think that it has been well made and set up. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I have had the guitar for about 9 months and it is in almost perfect condition although I have played it almost every day I have had it. It seems like it will last a bit longer. I am about to get an ESP Ex guitar and I will use that for the metal songs and stuff and as a backup to the Les Paul. // 10

Impression: I play a variety of different genres and it suits all of them well, some better than others. I have been playing for about 4 years, and had an Ibanez RG before this guitar and I must say this guitar is better by a long shot. The thing that stands out for me is the look of it, The shape is amazing and the gold top colour just makes it look great. I was going to get the Fender Strat but when the shop assistant let me try them both, the Les Paul felt more "comfortable" and I am glad I got it. // 9

overall: 9.2

Reviewed by: page_jimmy, on february 20, 2004

Features: I love this rig, I don't know how old it is, but I'm guessing mid 90's, it's your basic Gibson Epiphone les paul, although I've replaced the factory pickups with a 496R and 500T (highly recommended). It has a beautiful honeyburst finish, more faded to give it that Vintage look. It was perfect when I got it 5 years ago, although now the finish has started to checker, which is no big deal to me, does not effect the playability, just gives it that much more "character". // 10

Sound: The original pickups had much to be desired of. They sounded nice, but for my playing style (Zeppelin style crunch and munch) they just didnt hack it. So I put in the adored 496R and 500T, all I can say is WOW WOW WOW! It has amazing sound, amazing sustain. I think due to the fact that of all the Epiphone pauls ive played, this is by far the heaviest beast of them all. It weighs a ton. I think that is its biggest advantage, and also it's biggest disadvantage. It gets a little old after a four hour show. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: I don't know about factory setting, I traded a Strat for this from a buddy, he was a rhythm player, so it was a bit high, no big deal, these are so simple to adjust, took a whole minute. Now it plays like butter. The top is not a perfect bookmatch, but who cares, im not so much into the cosmetics anyway. All the gear on it is good, great, she stays in tune, selector Switch is tight, works like a charm. // 8

Reliability & Durability: This is a VERY reliable guitar. This guitar can and has withstood hour upon hour of sweaty frantic stage picking. The hardware is lasting, mine is at least ten years old, with all original hardware other than pickups. The finish is great, as with all finishes (depending on how much you play and travel) it will start to crack with time. This guitar has been all around the country, and played day in and day out. Keep it in a good hard case, and no worries. // 10

Impression: I love it, I play 90% Zeppelin related material, and this fits the bill at a fraction of the cost. If you play classic rock, and are on a budget, take a serious look at these rigs. I have a tele and Danelectro, but this guitar receives most of my attention. If this guitar were stolen or lost, I would retire, I've never heard another Epiphone les paul that sounds like this one. Everyone that plays this guitar wants to buy it. (Maybe I just lucked out). // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on january 05, 2009

Price paid: $ 500

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Features: I've had this guitar for about four months now, and I couldn't be any happier to the point of time of where I've been playing. I've been playing for almost a year now, and I absolutely love this guitar. The mahogany neck is very smooth and I can easily move my fingers with no trouble at all. The sunburst finish is absolutely beautiful. In general, this guitar fails to disappoint looks and features wise. // 10

Sound: I play many styles, but I usually play metal and blues. Those are probably the best styles to play on this guitar, but it plays great on any other style. The sound is rich, and the sounds of playing a chord are stunning. I use a Fender G-DEC and it sounds great on just about any mode they have on there (even though some of the modes are rather pointless). Overall, the sound on this guitar will blow you away. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Just about everything about this guitar is amazing. The pickups are great, and the wood is pretty durable. I've accidently dinged it a couple times, but it didn't even leave a mark. However, when I bought mine, there was a slight crack in the back of the neck, but it didn't affect my playing style one bit, and I got a discount for that matter. Another fault is that this guitar sometimes gets out of tune pretty easily, but it's not that big of a deal. // 9

Reliability & Durability: Being in high school, I'm sure this guitar will last me through high school, if not college, but that's probably because I will upgrade by that time. That doesn't mean this guitar will not last, I'm sure it will last a very long time. The strap buttons are pretty solid, and I would deffinatly use it at a gig of some sort without needing a backup. However, e string sometimes gets caught on the fret, but this only happens rarely, so buyers wouldn't need to worry about it. // 9

Impression: This guitar is amazing! I couldn't be any more happy with this guitar at my point of playing. This fits my style of music perfectly, and I'm sure I'll keep playing with a Les Paul in the future. This is my second guitar, my first being a crappy First Act, but everyone has to start somewhere. I'm so glad I got this guitar, and I have a bright future ahead upgrading it. // 10

overall: 8

Reviewed by: oneblackened, on september 09, 2008

Price paid: $ 399

Purchased from: Daddy's Junky Music

Features: This guitar was made in December of '06 in the Unsung China factory. Well, it's the normal 2vol, 2tone, 3way, 2 humbucker LP. Mahogany body and neck, plain maple veneer top, rosewood F/B. It has a tune-o-matic/stopbar bridge, and Grover tuners. The pickups are Epiphone's AlNiCo Classics, they're OK, but are a bit muddy. This may be due to the covers. // 7

Sound: This guitar doesn't do metal too well, because the pickups are muddy. I use it straight into a Marshall VS30R, and it sounds good considering the amp. It's not noisy at all. LP's are one of the most versatile guitars, only surpassed by the Stratocaster because it has a tremolo system, and I have no problems getting a decent sound out of it. I'll bet that the covers are the big tone(and brightness) - sucker here. // 7

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar was set up surprisingly well at the factory, with the only problems being that the bridge was flexed in, and a tall fret. That wasn't a problem for me, since I had an extra bridge from my G-310 which has broken down (non reinforced basswood necks for the loss). The pickups weren't adjusted well, but that's about 4 turns of a screw to fix. There were a couple of finish flaws, but unless you're looking for them, you can't see them. // 8

Reliability & Durability: I think this guitar would withstand live playing quite well. The only mod I've done so far is change out the tiny strap buttons for some straplocks, but otherwise it's totally stock, and perfectly OK. I wouldn't gig without a backup but that's just a rule of the trade. The finish will probably last. // 9

Impression: If this guitar were stolen, I'd hunt the guy down, get my guitar, and beat HIM to unconsiousness with it. I almost got a Schecter C-1 over this, but I didn't, because the Les Paul has a certain charm to it. I really like the feel of the guitar, but I don't really like the pickups (again, it may just be the cover). The only thing I really wish it had would be a bone or Tusq nut instead of a plastic one. // 9

overall: 9

Reviewed by: Drool_Mouse, on september 04, 2008

Price paid: $ 250

Features: I'm not sure about a whole lot of this guitar, ie. where it was made or any of that, and to be honest, I'm not even 100% it's a Les Paul Standard, since the piece that covers the neck adjustment is gone. There are 21 frets on this guitar, not sure of the type of wood in the neck or body. It has a 3-way pickup Switch and 4 control knobs: 2 for volume and 2 for tone. I know it has custom pickups, can't exactly remember what the neck pickups are, but the other set is a Seymour Duncan Invader. It has locking tuners, planet waves. I really just bought it from this guy, case included, and that was it. The guitar and the case. He put the tuners and the pickups in it before I bought it. // 9

Sound: I usually play anything from The Offspring to Iron Maiden, to Atreyu and Bullet for My valentine, and this guitar takes it extremely well. I'm using a Zoom GFX box with it, and a Kustom amp (not sure what type, since it doesn't say on it, it's old as hell, so). It's not really noisy, doesn't have a whole lot of buzz when you're not playing, and it has amazing tone. The lead work I do now is so crisp and clear, and so full, even way up on the neck. It got a good versatility, I'd say, based on the many different styles of music I can play with it, and have it sound so close to the real thing. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The set-up overall was good, I mean, I bought it used from a guy who liked to work on it a lot, so the action was good, and the pickups are just awesome. The only real flaws it has are that the screws holding the pickups in seem a bit rusted, and some of them are going to be near-impossible to remove, and one of the tuners broke, so I have a random Ibanez tuner on it (it's what the guy said) and one of the knobs he put on is missing, but for the price and the sound, those are minor flaws to me. // 8

Reliability & Durability: I think this guitar would do just fine in a Live performance. The hardware seems to be doing great, and I know the strap buttons are solid, since I put a strap lock on the buttons, since I was having trouble standing, and having the guitar stay on the strap. I would definitely use this guitar on a gig, without a backup, I believe it's ready top handle anything I throw at it. The finish is just fine. It's still extremely shiny, and doesn't seem to have any flaws in that department. // 9

Impression: I like to play metal of all kind, occasionally some punk rock, but mostly metal. And this guitar can handle anything really, with the proper set-up of effects paired with it, I think you could get this guitar to sound any way you want. I think it's a perfect match for me on all counts. I've been playing for almost 4 years, and I have a Washburn X-Series, and my effects box (Zoom GFX-1). There really isn't a whole lot I didn't ask before I bought this guitar, so I have no regrets about it what'soever. // 9

Reviewed by: unregistered, on august 14, 2008

Price paid: $ 449

Purchased from: Sam ash

Features: This guitar has really good features. 22 rosewood medium frets, very smooth. The body is mahogany and alder, and the neck is mahogany. Great sustain. Pretty heavy though. The finish is just absolute breathtaking, I have the cherry sunburst finish. Great tune o matic bridge, that makes changing strings a breeze. Has a 3-way pickup switch, and a tone and volume knob for each of the 2 humbucker pickups. Has great grover tuners that look good and hold tune the best. One thing that isnt so good is that is didn't come with anything except a jack for my amp. // 9

Sound: I play every style of music except for country, and there's not one thing that I can't play on this guitar. It can hold a nice clean sound perfectly, and it plays sick distortion even better. The sustain on this guitar is awesome, it has such a great sound. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: Of course every guitar needs to be set up right out of the factory, but this guitar was very close to what I wanted. The strings weren't that bad, changed them anyways, and the action was pretty close to perfect. the pickups were adjusted pretty good, except the back pickup is a lil high for my taste. All in all the gutiar holds up to it's value. // 10

Reliability & Durability: this guitar will definetly withstand Live playing, although for how long I couldnt say. It's reliability is pretty good, but basically you get what you pay for. A Gibson les paul will hold it's value over time, but if you need a wicked sick guitar to jam on and play Live for a few years you can't go wrong with this beauty. The strap buttons are very solid. I definetly would use this guitar without a backup. The finish is probably in the middle, if you really take care of it, clean it often and make sure not to bang it on stuff, it will definetly last. // 9

Impression: I paly everything and this guitar definetly holds up to my standards. I've been playing 2 and a half years, and I own a few other electrics but this is my best one by far. If it were stolen or lost, I would probably get a Fender Stratocaster, because that's the other gutiar I've been dying to get and the only reason I didn't get it is because I got the Les Paul. I compared this guitar to a real les paul when buying it, and the difference is almost minute. Yes, there is a slight difference in tone, and durability, but for the price you can't beat this guitar! It is hard getting use to the rosewood fretboard though. It's a little bit harder to maneuver. But better for practice in the long run. // 9

overall: 8.8

Reviewed by: synister legacy, on november 05, 2008

Price paid: $ 399.99

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Features: I bought this guitar about 3 years ago from guitar center in Vintage sunburst with a case (extra $120). It's pretty much a typical Les Paul, single cutaway provides so so access to the upper frets (the heel gets in the way), Grover Tuners keep in tune for the most part. The tune-o-matic bridge provides easy adjustment so you can raise/lower the action and pretty much whatever else you want to do to it. It comes Standard with two volume nobs, two tone nobs, and a 3 way pickup selector. Unfortunately with the Standard pickups, it doesn't really make much of a difference in sound if you turn the tone nobs up or down. I've heard that with different pickups that there's a huge difference so I'll have to put some EMGs in and see. // 8

Sound: The solid mahogany body provides a deep, rich sound that, paired with heavy distortion, is perfect for metal or hard rock. It's not noisy at all, no buzzing or noise like with strats. Right now I'm running it through a Boss MT-2 Metal Zone pedal into a Marshall Amp and it's a dream. The two pickups do give completely different sounds, so you can play anything from jazz to metal solos at the flip of a switch. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: When I bought the guitar from guitar center, I found the action to be slightly too high for my taste. All I did was go home and lower it a tad. The pickups needed no adjusting at all. The finish and all hardware was in perfect condition, even though it was a floor model. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This guitar WILL withstand Live playing. I've dropped this guitar, had the strap pop off, knocked it into walls, etc and it's still going strong. When the strap popped off (cuz I had a cheapo strap and it broke, the guitar's heavy, you need something strong) It fell about 3 feet to the tile floor and now it has a 2 inch dent in the corner with a little missing finish, but... the guitar stayed in tune, nothing functional was damaged, and where the dent is, you can't even see it unless you crouch beside me and look. So, you could probably throw this thing out of a moving truck on the highway and it still be playable, though I'm not suggesting it unless you like that beat up look. // 10

Impression: I already mentioned that I play metal, and the sound matches well. Also already mentioned that I play it through a Marshall amp, you can see it on my profile. I would probably buy this guitar again if it were lost or stolen. It's been a really good guitar, and it's lasted through all kinds of abuse. The reason that I bought this guitar is that I fell in love with it. I played pretty much every other guitar in the store, and I just kept coming back to this one. It felt right, that's the only way I can describe it. The only thing I wish it had is an EMG 81/85 setup but I'll probably fix that soon. // 9

overall: 8.6

Reviewed by: BFMV481, on december 08, 2008

Price paid: £ 300

Purchased from: andertons

Features: The Epiphone Les Paul Standard sunburst, lovely guitar, it has treble and rythm and normal control. lovely colours on it, it comes from the middle yellow then Orange then red it look like a sunset it's really beautiful. It has a middlished sized fret board which is really easy to play on. It's also very easy to strng because it has a bridge. // 9

Sound: It looks really beautiful this guitar, if it was a girl I would Kiss it. I chose it because I like rock n metal n stuff, so I'm kinda like Slash, but I didn't want a Flying V or a razorback or anything choppy like that, so this was my perfect answer. a perfect guitar for after your fed up with your cheap starter guitar. I use my guitar with a lin 6 spider 3 amplifyer, and it goes so well! Because this guitar will sound original, you can make it sound like any type of music like metal, rock, classical, blues and much more! // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: Every part of this guitar was mint condishion exept for one tiny part which noone could notice but it was there. It was where the elevated scratch plate joined up to the fretboard, at the very end of the scratch plate there was a bit chipped of which made it look a little unfinshed, but nobody can notice it unless you have studyed the guitar for hours because it the tinyest thing! // 8

Reliability & Durability: Everything is dependaple on this guitar, nothing with brake off unless you dilibratly smash it up. It should last a very long time till it breaks simply because it's a strong guitar and it's so nice and beautiful you just wouldn't be able to, you probably would be taking to much care! // 9

Impression: I love this guitar to bits, it's just stunning!! look it up on google and u'd be amazed. If this guitar got broken badly and couldn't be repaired or it was stolen or lost I would may get it again but I may not, I love the thrill of playing the guitar I have but I do like other guitars as well // 9

overall: 9.4

Reviewed by: rocker dude 736, on january 05, 2009

Purchased from: Thomann

Features: Some of the nicer features of this guitar are the number of frets (22), The mahogany body and and maple neck with rosewood fingerboard. The Tune-O-Matic bridge is nice too. There are two volume and tone controls and a 3-way pickup selecter. The pick-ups on this guitar are just regular P-90's but should be changed for some styles of music. The finish on mine is ebony but can vary depending on the money you spend. It has a set-in neck The only things I don't like are the chrome pickups and hardware. // 9

Sound: I think this guitar suits many styles of playing as well as my own style of classic rock including blues and country. I am currently using a Zoom G1X with it and it is ok. I personally prefer playing it plainly on the amp which is a Kustom tube amp. The Epiphone LP can make a variety of sounds and is bright and has a rich sustain. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: This guitar is set up almost perfectly at the factory. The action was good and nothing was rattling about in there (thank goodness! ). However my guitar came with a slight bend in one of the strings causing just one dead note. So my advice to you is to change the strings ASAP and if that doesn't work sometimes the areas where the strings pass through the nut needs sanded (get an expert to help with this! ). Other than that though it's all perfect. // 8

Reliability & Durability: The Epiphone LP is a very durable & reliable guitar. If you get one with gold hardware it tends to tarnish however. The strap buttons are very solid and I would definitely play Live with it. I would be so confident of this guitar live that I wouldn't bring a back-up. Though it may be necessary to bring one if I were to play in different tunings. The finish seems solid and looks to last a very long time. // 10

Impression: I have said before I play classic rock. You will notice many 70's and 80's rock guitarists use an LP of some kind and this guitar is almost the same guitar as the Gibson version. In fact the tuning stabability is better on the Epiphone. If it were stolen or lost I would get another one but maybe in a sunburst colour. The other differences between this and the Gibson is the hardware material is chrome as oppose to nickel or gold and the Gibson would have a better grade of wood. If only it had a tremelo arm then it would be the only guitar I would ever need. // 10

overall: 10

Reviewed by: slashfan189, on december 26, 2008

Price paid: € 439

Purchased from: Goodwins

Features: Made In 07 in China, 22 Frets, Regular Les Paul Scale And Nut, Rosewood Fretboard, Mahogany Body and Neck, Maple Top, Ebony Finish, Left Handed, Bridge and Stop-Bar tailpiece, PAF style Humbuckers, 3 way selector, Grover Tuners, 2 Tone Knobs, 2 Volume Knobs, the tuners on this thing stay in tune perfectly BTW. // 10

Sound: First Thing I Did Was Plug It into My Old micro Cube, Sounded Like my old Lp-100, Then Plugged it into My Fender Frontman 212R And... WOAH!, The Vintage tone and fat sound from this beauty is amazing!, I Had a loan of a 1990 Gibson Lp a few weeks ago and TBH This sounds the same, Honestly. I'm Running it straight through my FM212R And it sounds amazing, I Play Stuff Like Led Zeppelin, Guns N' Roses, Sabbath And The Cult And this guitar fits perfectly, Great Sound! // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Action Was set up perfectly out of the factory actuly, Unlike My Old Lp-100, Pickups are perfect hight, No Flaws what-so-ever, Everything is set perfectly and this guitar will last for a long time, it's as heavy as a few gibsons I've held before and sounds as good! // 10

Reliability & Durability: This Guitar I know for a fact will go through Live playing without a back-up, I Like to have my guitar so that it's not polished every 5 minutes or that extreme care is taken with it, If it's worth the money it's gonna withstand what I'm gona put it through, I'm sure it will. // 10

Impression: Like I Said I Play Zeppelin, Sabbath, The Cult And GN'R and this fits perfectly, I've Been playing 4 years and I'm 14, I wud buy it again for sure, I Traded in my old Lp-100 and got 189 for it so got this for just 259! Pickups have a nice Vintage fat tone and the neck pickup is just great for some nice blues In C Or B! // 10

overall: 7.6

Reviewed by: Bizz, on december 18, 2006

Price paid: $ 677.1

Purchased from: Sound Control

Features: My Epiphone Les Paul was made in Japan, it has a nice rosewood neck with 22 frets. I think it was made in 2005. It has a awesome Tobacco burst finish, that looks even better when the scratch plate is taken off. It's got a Tune-O-Matic bridge, two volume, two tone controls, 3-way pick-up selector and some nice alinco humbuckers. It has a good size neck and I think almost anyone could pick up a les paul and play with no problems. // 7

Sound: Now the sound of a les paul is the reason everyone wants to buy one! The humbuckers on this bad boy are fantastic, they give a lovely creamy rich tone when on the 'rhythm' pickup they scream out bends and has the sort of sound you might expect to come out of Slash's Marshall (which is the sound I wanted to achieve). But the Les Paul is also very versitle and can handle soft blues, to punk rock, to heavy metal, to anything! I use my Les Paul through a Marshall 30MGDFX, which I recently bought to, it sounds amazing, it also sounds cool through a Fender amp or a Vox. I also have a Jim Dunlop Cry Baby which sounds absolutely awesome with the LP. The Les Paul suits my style of music because I play a variety of punk and classic rock but I reccomend if you only play punk music do not buy a Les Paul Standard go for a junior! // 7

Action, Fit & Finish: I'm proud to say, that this guitar is very well built and has no flaws really, it doesn't make any weird sounds or doesn't come apart. The pickups were well adjusted too although I decided to higher them up a bit for a touch more output. The woods also descent so no complaints here! // 9

Reliability & Durability: I haven't played with my Les Paul (live) yet. So I'l tell you what it is like to just play! At first when I got my Les Paul I really wasn't used to all that weight tugging on my shoulders cos I play a Tele, but after a few days you get used to it and you feel like it's a guitar you can really rock out with and it feels like you have a lot of control over it. There are no problems with the finish or anything as of yet but I might see things happening to it in a few years time. I probably wouldn't take it to a gig without a backup but that's just me. // 8

Impression: My overall impression of this guitar is a very good one. I have a Fender Mex Tele and a Les Paul so I can create a wide range of sounds now I was looking for a classic rock sound to match the likes of Slash, Angus Young etc. And I definately found it. If you're thinking of buying a Gibson, don't! Unless you really have a lot of money to spend the Epiphone is a better alternative and the Gibson Les Pauls don't offer much more for the extra grand. Although I've only been playing for the better part of a year and a half I think I really know my stuff, I've played a lot of guitars and searched every where for a classic rock sound and the Les Paul provides it. The only thing I'd change to this guitar is perhaps put some Seymour Duncans in but that's my opinion. If I got it stolen or lost it I would probably experiment with something else but that is only because I feel I want a bit more scratch to the tone of my next guitar. The only thing I could compare this too soundwise would be a PRS but they tend to be a little pricier! // 7

overall: 8.6

Reviewed by: kfong03, on november 25, 2006

Purchased from: tom lee music

Features: Gibson makes some of the best guitars in the world, and the les paul is no exception, but too bad for many of us, Gibson guitars are just way too expensive, so here come one of Epiphone's brand of Gibson's famous models-the les pauls Standard. This guitar's got 22 frets, a mahogany neck, a mahogany/alder body, Tune-O-Matic bridge, single cutaway, and 2 humbuckers and 4 tonal/volume controls, it's made in china but I don't know when. It comes with nothing at all but I don't actually mind, I just bought a gig bag, strap, cloth, cable for it. // 9

Sound: Amazing sound, covers a wide range, I can easily switch between the different options available and play greenday to Bowling For Soup to something else with no problems whilst sounding authentic. I use a Ibanez 10G amp, which isn't great, but the sound of it certainly sounds good, it can play softer sounds but can distort real nicely when you want it to. Brill. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: When I bought thhis from the store it looked okay, but by the time I got home I had to polish it, so the finishing isn't really good, but the action and set-up is really good, I can easily fret strings and have no problems when sliding, bending, etc. Pickups, bridge pins were all professionally set up and it looks, sounds, feels great. // 8

Reliability & Durability: I haven't performed with this axe yet I can't say for sure, everything's put together very well so I think it should be ok, the hardware has lasted my playing on many occasions. When performing with any guitar I would bring a spare backup, so this is no exception, but this guitar is certainly very sterdy so I won't worry too much about it anyways. // 8

Impression: I play rock and I try other styles occasionally, and this guitar certainly delivers th tones I want-whether it be soft twangy tones to heavy distortion, this axe has got it all. The high playibility in this guitar definitely stands up to it's Gibson counterpart, it would also compare well with a Fender Strat, and even an Ibanez RG. If this guitar was stolen I'd probably kill somebody, steal his money and buy ten more of these back, they're so worth the money I payed, when you're deciding on your next electric guitar purchase, and yu haven't got an Epiphone Les Paul Standard in your collection, go get one. // 9

Reviewed by: unregistered, on july 11, 2005

Purchased from: Gak.co.uk

Features: My Epiphone Les Paul Standard was made in 2004 in Korea. It has 22 frets, the neck is maple and is a solid top. Heritage cherry sunburst (flamed top) finish. Made of mahogany I think. Has as HardTail bridge. Two volume knobs (one for the ryhthm pickup, one for the treble) and two tones aswell. 3-way pickup selection. 2 humbucker pickups not entirely sure the make and model of pickups sorry. Tuning heads are made by grover and are chrome, all hardware is chrome. I got a pathetic 5 foot lead with my Les Paul which broke after a couple of band practices with it. // 8

Sound: I play varying styles of music. Emo, rock, alternative (Taking Back Sunday, Brand New, Blink 182, Funeral For A Friend). This guitar suits it well, I bought this guitar as two of my favourite bands funeral for a friend and brand new use Les Pauls, and at the time I couldn't afford a Gibson, so an Epiphone was a comprimis really. Still sounds very good. I play it through a Marshall MG100 combo. So I get that real rock, distortion sound. I am very happy with the sound, the clean sounds very very fat. The treble on my Gibson SG isn't as fat as the rhythm on my LP! So that gives you an idea. Could be something to avoid if you are after a really raw distortion. The clean is very rich and fat, but its only when you play it with distortion that the guitar really shows you what its capeable of. Still sounding fat on distortion, sounds great and like a true british rock guitar. The one thing that really lets this guitar down is the noise. I stand about 15 feet away from my amp at our practices and I still get feedback, I can tell this isnt the amp as my SG doesn't have this problem. // 6

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar was fully set up at the factory, and tuned, it obviosly lost its tune slightly during its shipping but its was more or less tuned. The action on this guitar was a big selling point to me, the neck is alot "lower down" which I like, the les paul is unique in this way. The bolt around where the input jack goes in unscrews every 2-3 days and the pickup selection has gone loose and is upside down from the words and wont Switch back! so I'm left confused alot of the time. Finish is nice, I didn't choose black due to fears that it will get covered in fingerprints and look bad. I didn't realise that Les Pauls were so heavy, the body is very solid and chunky which is fine wen sitting down, but makes jumping around stage hard. // 6

Reliability & Durability: This guitar has been through a couple of gigs and has lasted me. I hardware is fine apart frm the flaws mentioned earlier exept, the strap button which comes loose evry now and then, no matter how hard you screw it in, it'll find a way to come loose again. The hardware has dissapointed me but its not going to completly fail on me on the middle of a gig. // 6

Impression: This guitar is a good match for what I play, I have found a better though, my Gibson SG Special. I have been playing for three years now and I bought this in my second year of playing, I was over the moon and has been my prized posession since that day, I recently bought my SG and my opinions on my guitar have matured. I still love it, but my love in the first place hindered the bad point so I didn't mind. If this guitar was lost/stolen, I wouldn't buy it again, it is a great backup guitar for gigs but I am no way dishing £320 quid 4 it again. I love the action the fat tone, even though I am into the raw sound of my SG at the end of the day, although £180 more, the Gibson beats this on every feature by a long way. But if your looking for a decent priced, sounding guitar this is probably a good bet, there are better out there for that price though. // 6

Reviewed by: unregistered, on june 24, 2005

Features: I haven't got a clue when this was made I didn't even get a box for it when I bought it. Its made in korea which is nothing to be proud of but the build quality is excellent. The 22 frets are perfectly adequate for any type of music I've never needed any more anyway. The body and neck are both mahogany which give it an excellent tone quality. It's finished in honey burst and it looks absolutly excellent there isn't a mark on it it. But on the scrach plate there seems to be little black marks ingrained into it. The Tune-O-Matic bridge allows for easy ajustment of the action which is a good thing as I had to change this quite a lot when I bought it. The pickups are excellent and combined with the high quality materials in the rest of the quitar give a sound quality that is almost as good as a Gibson Les Paul. The guitar did not come with any accessories so it a good job I had everything I needed already. // 10

Sound: This guitar definately suits my musical style. I play quite a bit of Zeppelin and other classic rock and this guitar suits these perfectly. It is also very adaptable to many other musical styles such as punk and heavy metal. The Mahogany body gives it a great rich tone and long sustain. I'm using the guitar with a Roland Cube 15 amp and a Boss MT-2 Metal Zone pedal and this is a great combination however it would benifit from a better amp such as a Marshall, on these it sounds mind blowing. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar was not set very well by the factory at all for some reason it came with incredably thick strings which almost madfe it sound like a bass! I also had to adjust the action as it was very high and the pickups also needed adjusting to get the sound I wanted. However now its setup correctly (for me), it's great. // 4

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will almost certainly withstand live playing but I'm not sure if the selector swich will last. I don't know whether I would use it without a backup as accidents do happen. The strap doesn't come off unlike my squire which lead to a rather large chunk of wood coming off the headstock. // 10

Impression: It's a great guitar and an excellent alternative to a super expensive Gibson, just a pity I had to do so much setting up. // 8

Reviewed by: unregistered, on may 09, 2005

Purchased from: Second Hand

Features: The Korean made LP Standard really is a popular guitar, and for good reason too. Gibson quality at a fraction of the price equals a sensible choice for many a guitarist. The twin humbuckers, 4 tone/vol coupled with solid mahogany body all conspire to give you a hard working guitar (& bad back). The only real let down is the toggle Switch crackles when there's an output. I got the guitar 2nd hand off a friend who's now into dance music! // 8

Sound: I play mine with a Marshall 30w Valvestate. I use the LP to Drive the 30w amp to breaking point instead of relying on circuitry to get my bluesy tone, using the neck pickup. Switching the pickups mid-song allows for face melting solos and it really rings through. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: The cherry sunburst, apart from being a classic colour is great. The flamed laminate looks good and reminds me every time I pick it up just how cool the guitar is. I bought the guitar second hand and it was flawless but the high gloss finish does tend to get scratches quite easily, and belt buckles are a prime suspect. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I would choose to play this guitar over any other humbucker guitar out there, and use another LP as a back up. In comparison to the 335 the LP holds tune and with 11s sounds the bollocks. The G does break but I guess that's just through consequence. // 10

Impression: I play Strokesy chords, bluesy shit, and that kind of Clash/Gang of Four and Libertines style all thrown together. A quick roll of the tone, vol and toggle all lends to the aforementioned styles. I wouldn't ever give this guitar up (unless for a Gibson) but I do wish I had a Fender Strat then I'd have all my tonal angles covered. Your standard guitar in the real sense of the word sets the benchmark for which all others must follow. // 10

overall: 8.4

Reviewed by: Znasser, on july 25, 2005

Features: // 8

Sound: This guitar has a very full sounds. It has a thick solid bady and this gives the tone a great bottom. I play mostly heavy metal with a Boss MT-2 Metal Zone pedal through various amps. It sounds great. There is really some punch in this guitar. Heavy metal is however not the only use for this guitar. It has a nice and warm clean tone as well (though it sometimes tend to get slightly distorted trough certain amps). The tone is full and ranges from quite deep to warm and bright. This guitar can be used fro a wide variety of styles. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: I have played this guitar for about 6 months now and I have to this day not changed the setup of the guitar. I have simply not have any problems at all. // 10

Reliability & Durability: // 8

Impression: This guitar is a great purchase. It has a great and variated tone for it's price range. When I bought it I tried several other guitar in the same price range (a Peavey, an Ibanez and others) and it was simply way above the rest. They did not have nearly the same range as this guitar has and the seemed to get quite distorted when playing with a clean tone. This guitar was simply way above them. It has a great timeless (though with a hint of oldschool) look too it. The only minus on this guitar is that it is quite heavy. But with that extra weight comes extra tone. It is absolutely worth buying. // 8

Reviewed by: unregistered, on august 22, 2005

Price paid: $ 378

Purchased from: Aage Jensen

Features: My Les Paul was made 2004 in Korea (I think), mahogany body with a beautiful Heritage chery sunburst maple top and also a mahogany neck with 22 jumbo frets and trapez inlays. The bridge is ofcourse a Tune-O-Matic and like all Les Pauls it has 4 knobs (two volume and two tone), two Gibson humbuckers. // 10

Sound: Well this baby is proberbly the most versitale guitar I have ever played, it suits every thing I play from punk to Metallica-like-things to classic rock like Led Zeppelin and the Beatles. I use mine with a Marshall 15DFX (best practice amp ever by the way) and a Boss DS-2 Turbodistortion. I tend to like the screaming sounds so have the tone knobs all the way up´, though I only use the bridge humbucker. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Well this was my guitars BIG weakness, after a month of playing the output disappeared, but no problemo the guys in the store where I had bought it was quick to fix the issue. Other than that it was just fine. Thumbs down to Epiphone for that! // 6

Reliability & Durability: After the little thing with the output disappearing there hasn't been any problems and now I certainly trust this baby live (and I have done so before), no backup needed at all. The finish would withstand anything as it tend to jump around while playing and so far nothing happened to the finish. // 10

Impression: I wouldn't trade this guitar for any other(expect maybe a Gibson Les Paul). I've played for almost 2 years now and I've tried a lot of guitars and my baby outshone them all. If was stolen I'd track the b--ch down and beat him up and ask my guitar to do the same (and it would, and it could). // 10

overall: 8.6

Reviewed by: IlIk2plygUItAr, on september 25, 2005

Price paid: $ 599.99

Purchased from: musicians friend

Features: This guitar features two Gibson-made humbuckers, 22 frets, and trapezoid pearl inlays. I purchased the Heritage cherry sunburst finish, which is one hell of a good looking finish. It was definately worth the extra $100. This guitar was made in China, but the quality is amazing. The body is made of mahogany and maple with an alder top. The body type is the standard single cut away les paul body, which is beutiful. It came with a little surprise in the box: a nice little cable, which is good because mine just went out. // 8

Sound: This guitar has an great tone for such a cheap price. The bridge pick up has an amazing soloing tone. Perfect for Blues. The bridge pickup kicks some major ass. It is perfect for hard rock, metal, or anything else you can think of. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: The action was a little high, but that can easily be fixed. The pickups were perfect. The bridge pickup put out a little less than it should of, but when I lowered the action if work. The finish ws shinig with out sustaining so much as a scratch on it long flight up to Alaska. This guitar has very good tuning stability. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This guitar can definately withstand live playing, although I wouldn't play without a backup because you can break a string on any guitar. The finish is very durable. The strap buttons are a little small, so I'm going to replace them with a strap lock system. // 8

Impression: I play anything from blues to hard rock and occasionly metal. Except no country. I hate country. This guitar is a good match for anything I play. I have played for two years and own an Epiphone dat 210, a digitech hotrod and metal master, a dunlop wah and a Marshall MG15DFX. This is easily my favorite peace of equitment. If it was stolen I would curl up in a ball and cry, and then take a shotgun and go look for it. Or buy another. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on september 17, 2005

Price paid: $ 553

Purchased from: Steve's Music Ottawa

Features: 2004 Korean Les Paul Standard. It has a beautiful translucent red finish, with a book-matched flame maple top and mahogany body. It has a rosewood fingerboard, 22 frets and the standard Les Paul controls. I replaced the nickel grover tuners that came standard with Schaller 'green key' tuners to give it a more Vintage look. I also changed out the stock strap pins with locking Schaller pins, 'cause I hate dropping my guitars. It came with a really crappy guitar cable, but the guys at Steve's were nice and gave me a good deal on a leather strap and hardshell case. Overall, pretty standard, though. // 8

Sound: I play lots of rock and roll music with a cover band, and this guitar is versatile to handle anything (though I like to Switch guitars on stage for songs in other tunings, acoustic stuff, etc). The sound is clean and resonant, and like one reviewer pointed out, this thing holds notes for a very long time. With the mahogany body, the tone is really warm and mellow, which I love. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: My only real beef with this guitar is that the pickup toggle is really noisy. Other than that, it was playable right out of the box (though I fine tuned the set up when I got it home. I like my action just above buzzing). The bookmatched top is a thing of beauty. // 8

Reliability & Durability: Even though I only bought this guitar in March, it has stood up to a great deal of abuse playing live and travelling. I would absolutely bring this to a gig without a back up, though I'm to anal retentive to live that freely. // 10

Impression: Ever since I started playing guitar in 1994, I have always wanted a Les Paul. An Epiphone isn't the same as a Gibson, but it certainly is a worthy substitute. Everything about this guitar screams rock and roll, and I would highly reccommend it to anyone looking to buy a guitar. // 8

overall: 9.6

Reviewed by: hendrixx0046, on may 04, 2005

Price paid: $ 650

Purchased from: New York Music

Features: I've played many guitar abd this is by far one of the best. The 22 rosewood frets are perfect for slides. Also the thick body helps hold a note. I timed it and it hold a single low E for over 30 seconds! It has two volume knobs and two tone knobs to custimize sound. // 10

Sound: The sound on this guitar is amazing no matter what music style you are playing. When played clean it has a low rythm sort of growl and is overpowering if not used on a quality amp. I prefer the Line 6 amps. When distorted it is a strong and powerful guitar that is perfect for rock or metal. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The action on this guitar is great. The only flaw in this guitar is that the fretboard color fades quikly, especially down near the high E around the 12-19 frets. Everything else was top of the line including the maple head. // 8

Reliability & Durability: The high gloss finish on this guitar makes buffing scratches and dents easy. It is a solid body with mahogany neck. I would put complete trust in this guitar for a live show. Also, just for reference, mine came with a lifetime warranty any trouble and you gt a new one. I've never had trouble though. // 10

Impression: Most of the music I play on the Epiphone is Metallica. If it can keep up with the different sounds they make then I think it is diverse enough for everyone. Try it with a Line 6 amp and heavy distortion, you will be surprised at the full powerful sound it produces. If this guitar were stolen I would not think twice before buying it again. As to other products, this tops them all. I do wish it cames with 24 frets though, only a very minor drawback. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on february 07, 2005

Price paid: $ 549

Purchased from: Aire Guitars

Features: Made circa 2000, 22 frets, solid mohogany body with contoured flame maple top, rosewood fretboard. Cherry burst finish, chrome and cream hardware, Tune-O-Matic bridge, passive electronics, 2 vol, 2 tone, 3 way selector Switch. Standard neck and bridge position Epiphone humbuckers. Standard Gibson style non locking green tuners. // 10

Sound: Excellent sound and impeccable playability as nice an action as a genuine Gibson! Much easier to tap and bend than on a Fender neck I think, although a 9 guage E string will tend to snap at the bridge graphite would be a good upgrade here, use use 10 guage strings. Keeps tune excellently unless you do a lot of bending. Very versatile sound, but best suited to rock and R&B. Over 30 seconds of sustain with distortion. Pretty weighty, not for wimps. I would recommend replacing the pickups if you are serious, the shelf ones can be a little underpowered. Originally it would pick up hum if near TV's etc, but I have since fully shielded the elctronics and it's silent now. I use a '70s HH Musician 100W and a selection of home made effects. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: I bought this as a factory second it had a chip in the varnish on the headstock and a couple of cracks in the plastic hardware where some screws had been over tightened. Action was good to begin with, but was like butter after a little adjustment. Top is a beautiful mached book of flame maple I rarely see one as nice in any music shop. // 8

Reliability & Durability: I wouldn't choose to play any other guitar (not even a Gibson unless the flame was just as good), definately gig worthy, although I wouldn't risk using a 9 guage top E string. The strap buttons were fine, although I have replaced them with locking ones for safety's sake. Finish seems very durable, althouh I've added guitar armour as it's just too perfect to risk scratching! // 10

Impression: As a lead rock player this is my ideal axe. I bought it 3 years ago soley because it's a reputable company and the most beautiful guitar I can imagine. I wasn't dissapointed! I would definately buy the same (or an equally nice Gibson) if it were stolen. I replaced the pickups with Swineshead's which are much better than the originals. The fact that I can't use less than 10 guage is a slightly annoying, but I'm well used to it now. // 10

overall: 10

Reviewed by: AimlessAmoeba, on november 05, 2004

Purchased from: Omer's Pawn

Features: It's a 1982 Epiphone Les Paul Standard. Cherry Sunburst, 22 fret, with all the standard LP looks. Beautiful finish with the 4 standard Les Paul adjusters. Dual pickups, one is onboard but the other is a battery operated standalone. The onboard is the Epiphone factory model and the standalone I'm not sure. // 10

Sound: Wow. Enough said. With a dual stacked Marshall or with a single practice amp, wire it through your rig and it'll sound insane no matter how you play it. Distorted the sound of the actual guitar kicks through or clean it sings like something that can sing a trumpet or something. Either way it never buzzes and is responsive as hell to whatever you want it to do. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Bought it used (it's an 82) and it came perfectly tuned and ready to go. No flaws, there's one scratch on the neck but that's about it, the strings were set a little more raised than I am normally used to but it didn't take much to get used to. // 10

Reliability & Durability: The guy I bought it from said he'd played bar after bar with it for years and it still looks as nice as any picture you can find on the manufacturer's website. You can play it for hours with heavy bending and it rarely detunes itself. // 10

Impression: I play a lot of oldschool rock and metal and it fits those styles perfectly. I've had friends who are into country/blues/jazz and whatnot and they could still make it talk in those languages. It's the jack of all trades guitar, man. I've been playing for just under 2 years and the noname guitar I had before doesn't even compare to this thing. If it was stolen or lost after crying like a little girl for a few days I'd definetly get another one. My favorite feature? Everything. I love the tone, the look, the feel, everything about this guitar is perfection. // 10

overall: 9.2

Reviewed by: charger356, on september 27, 2004

Price paid: $ 550

Purchased from: Musician's Friend

Features: This guitar features a mahogany/alder body and carved maple top. It has a 22-fret rosewood fingerboard, chrome hardware, grover tuners, and classic chrome humbucking pickups. Of course, it has a tun-o-matic bridge w/ a stopbar tailpiece like many other Epiphones. Two tone and two volume controls (seperate for each pickup). I love the cream body/neck binding and the flame top. Looks absolutely marvelous. It did not come with any accessories, but still a great deal. // 8

Sound: I play rock, blues, and metal mostly and it suits my musical style just fine. It takes a bit of tinkering to get the exact tone that you want, but you will definetly get it out of this guitar. I play it through a Fender Stage 160 DSP and I use a Zoom 505 II multi-effects pedal. It sounds wonderful! I think that the wonderful tone of the Les Paul really shines through when you play it clean or with a little gain. Not like death metal gain, but maybe played through a blues driver. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar seems to have been built perfectly at the factory. I did lower the action a little (just to suit my taste, though). The pickups are awesome. Everything seemed perfect. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I've used this guitar during gigs without a backup, and I feel completely comfortable. Pretty dependable, I would say. // 8

Impression: Overall, I would definitely purchase this guitar again. It is impossible to get that unique Les Paul tone from any different model guitar. If it were stolen or lost it never will be! I can't seem to take my eyes off of it! The bottom line is that I love this guitar and I can depend on it. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on august 27, 2004

Purchased from: Kays Music Shop

Features: This guitar is a les paul, so there is only so much to expect by way of features, but I was still satisfied. The guitar is mahogany alder (creating a balance between great sustain and manageable weight) with a mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard, which has 22 frets. My guitar has a gorgeous cherry sunburst flame maple top and crimson stained back sides and neck - beautiful. The classic Gibson headstock shape is used and tuning is held via 3 a side kluson machine heads. The classic tune o matic/stopbar combination is here for great intonation and sustain.

The guitar has two humbuckers and a selector unit offering bridge neck or both. I can't honestly state the year of construction, but I think it was assembled in korea. The price include a £30 gig bag and several spare string sets - bargain. Overall the fetures are great and were up to or better than my expectations in all cases. However a mark off because some may want coil tab or whammy bar, which will cost extra. // 8

Sound: Compared to my Strat copy, which I began on, this is phenomenal, a huge improvement. The two humbuckers distort brilliantly and are fantastic for power chords and lead runs. Less distortion and performance is decent, the neck is warm and full, great for blues while the neck is less impreesive clean it is not bad, just not as good as the neck.

My only qualms with the pickups is that they are a littly to flabby with distorted chords than I would like, but I intend to fit a couple of seymour duncans, and I still won't have paid the rrp. Oh, and the humbuckers do exactly what they're meant to - all the eletrics in my room can be switched on and I won't hear a thing until I strike the strings. I play mostly rock, with a generous number of bendy solos and the bridge didn't disappoint, while the neck was nice for more bluesy and ballady moments. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Flame top - great. Pickup height - fine. Bridge - perfect. Finish and binding - flawless. I'll be honest, I couldn't believe this guitar's looks. For a "budget Gibson" its hard to see where the money was saved. The tuners are sturdy and I really like the look of them. Special mentions to the neck and fingerboard, which make this guitar great to play. The neck is perfect it makes evrything I play feel fantastic. And the finger board is just what I want from rosewood - smooth, but grippy enough to regulate bends and vibrato. // 10

Reliability & Durability: Les Pauls are very durable as a rule and this looks set to continue the trend. I'm not sure the pickups would last anyone forever, but it's hard to expect that at this price, however I'm sure they'll do for most people - I'm just a little precise about how I want to sound (hence the upgrade). Strap button are mushroom shaped for maximum stability. the hardware and electronics appear fine, but I may upgrade as I wish to record with this guitar, so I want the best performance possible. I wouldn't take this guitar to a gig without backup, but that is not because it's unreliabl, I just think that you can break a string on any guitar so its smarter to have some backup. // 8

Impression: This guitar is great for rock, and has a nicely balanced refined side as well. It should cope with most things, though shredders may not like the neck - it's more Slash than Kirk Hammet, but I love it. I have only played for 11 months, but I assure you that I know what I am talking about, I practice a lot. I write my own song (about 35 so far) and I can Sweet Childe o mine to Enter Sandman, so don't dismiss my opinion due to short playing time - I'm better than friends who have played for 3 years. This guitar join a truly crap Shine Strat, an american made Peavey Bandit 75 and a Zoom 505 pedal as my gear and the Epiphone is currently my pride and joy. If the guitar was stolen the thief had better be able to run very fast. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on december 20, 2004

Price paid: $ 330

Purchased from: Nashville used music

Features: I got an icredible deal on a 2001 LP standard. This is a list of the feutres: mahogany body, rosewood fretboard, flame top (blue to pearl is an awesome look), pick gaurd. This guitar has been customized with a bigsby whammy bar and rolling nut and bolt (wich eliminates the tuning problems some bigsbys add). It had the volume knobs of the sunburst LP but I got some black Gibson knobs at strings'n'things and now everybody wants to play my baby. // 10

Sound: One thing that makes this guitar sound even better is a Roland Cube 30. It has a built in delay, reverb, flanger, phaser, tremolo and chorus. (I would suggest that amp over a Marshall 30 watt) I play several types of music but I play punk rawk the most. I can play clean and the guitar has a phat tone. With this it sounds just as good as my freinds $1,000 Strat. I can play any type of music with this thing. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: My freind Bought a new LP Standard for around $550 it was awesome sraight from the factory ( mine was a used one). My pickups were perfect. Because of the whammy bar there is a quarter of a circle showing from underneath the bigsby wher the filled the whole from the origial stopbar with a filler just bareley off of the finishes color. But straight from the factory my friends Heritage cherry sunburst finish looked just like the Gibson $3000 finish. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will take whatever you can give. The hardware is awesome nothing is loose at all. My strap has fallen off one time but that was myfault because I a really really cheap strap that had holes that were to big. The finish again is awesome and whereever they make these things those poor people working in overcrowded factories deserve a raise for this finish! // 8

Impression: One thing about a Les Paul is that no matter what kind of music your playing it looks awesome. From AC/DC to blues, to folk music this guitar loks cool and makes the player look cool. I have been playing about four months now and have mostly taught myself. I also own an Epiphone acoustic wich is so awesome. I wish I had asked if this thing was still under warranty when I bought it not becauase anything has happened but in case something does. So don't forget to ask that question if buy a used one. If it got stolen then I would probably save up and get a another just like and if I had enough money I might upgrade to Gibson.

I love the finish the best and there is nothing that I really hate about except that some people think that I must be an idiot for buying one with a whammy bar (but I don't really care what people say the whammy bar certainly doesn't take anything away from the guitar it just adds to it and make very rare). The whammy bar is probably my favorite feature that actually effects the sound. I compared it to a Strat before I bought it and for the value it didn't even come close thats why I bought the LP. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on january 03, 2005

Price paid: $ 477.95

Purchased from: Long & McQuade, Saskatoon

Features: This guitar is amazing, it was made in China and I think its an '03. 22 frets. Relatively thin. Laminated top. The neck is mahogany and the body is mahogany/alder. Very nice. The finish is transparent, it's unbelievebly smooth. It's a Les Paul, so it's the standard Les Paul body, single cutaway. It's got a tune-o-matic. Active electronics, it's got volume, tone control for all pickups. I bought it straight on boxing day so I didn't get anything with it. // 10

Sound: I play mostly blues, or rock, or rock/blues, and it suits that perfectly. It has a very round sound. I'm using it with a Danelectro Vintage amp and I've been using the dirty sweet effect as well as a flanger/chorus pedal. The sound quality varies it can be very grungy and also perfect clean and clear. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Everything on this guitar is perfect as far as action, fit and finish. It's flawless. In the store where I bought it ther was another one that had some problems but as far as the one I bought it's amazing. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will take pretty much anything you can five it. It is completely solid. It's completely dependable I would totally use it without a backup. I see this guitar lasting for a long time. // 10

Impression: I play alot of blues and rock like Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan and this guitar is perfect, the sound it produces and the action is like sticking my fingers in butter. I've been playing for quite awhile, my other guitar is an Ibanez G10 and there is absolutely no comparison between these two guitars. If it were lost or stolen and I had the money I would absolutely buy it again. I love everything about this guitar, especially the playability. I would highly recomend this guitar to anyone whos looking for something in the bluesy rock area. // 10

overall: 10

Reviewed by: EvilKal, on january 31, 2005

Price paid: $ 915

Purchased from: Chris' Guitar Shop

Features: I think it was an '03. This guitar is simply amazing. 22 mahagony frets sure to keep your fingers gliding when you're playing even the toughest riffs. Its lamented top with a transparent finish with a Tune-O-Matic bridge which comes in handy. Has a cut away frame and very light. Mine is a Wine Red which are pretty valuable but they look great and sound amazing. Simply the best features out of any of my guitars. // 10

Sound: I play mostly for myself and friends. I play a variety of stuff. Things they like, what I like. I can go from playing the Eagles to playing Guns N' Roses within a matter of seconds. I use one of the new Line 6 Spider amps. Rich sound, also digital so amp will never short or bust. I hear no buzzing what-so-ever and with my channels, I can make it sound like whatever I want. It had no scratches or anything and I've surely put it to the test. I've put every bit of musical talent I have into this guitar and I get the same rich sound every time. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: This thing has the most perfect pickup adjustments ever made. Its great, made light and easy to play and with no flaws. Tuning pegs nice and tight for some easy touch up tuning. Easy to tune down which I do frequently. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I could drop this guitar on concrete and it wouldnt make a difference. I'd go live with it any day over any of my other guitars. And I've played this everyday and play everything from slow picking to tearing up a GnR solo, so I know it can withstand almost any playing. If there's a problem, you didnt get a good deal then because mine has no problems at all. // 10

Impression: All I can say is wow. I play any style of music that comes to mind. If it was stolen or lost I'd go buy another. If I tried to play something else I'd cry. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on february 07, 2004

Price paid: $ 450

Purchased from: Pianos Plus

Features: This is a suprisingly great guitar for being made in Korea. Everything's up to Gibson's standards and I just love this guitar. It's a 22 fret, anvil perloid inlay, rosewood set neck with a solid mahogony, dark gloss finish on the back and a gorgeous gold top on the top. Standard 3-way Switch. Gibson-Epiphone pickups sound great with the neck, middle, or bridge and are good on anything from Zeppelin to jazz. // 10

Sound: Good tone on the neck and screming treble on the bridge and nice mellow tone in between. No feedback thanks to the opposite poll humbucker Alnico 5's. It sounds good with rectified amp models on my POD and just as great clean with chorus. Nice rich sound and a variety of styles you can play it with. Good for down-tuning too, I play at D and Eb alot. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar has a great, classic Les Paul setup. Nice gloss finishing on the front, back, and neck with a nice dark mahogany giving nice looks. The gold top is really nice and shows off that it's just as good as a Gibson. The chrome hardware looks really nice and contrasts with the gold perfectly. Nice polished frets too. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar is really durable. Seeing as it has a set neck and not a bolt on, the neck doesn't warp as much as my Strat. Sometimes goes out of tune, but it could just be my stringing :) Nothing has worn off or anything like SRV's "Number 1", lol. It's a very reliable instrument and will greatly survive gigs and preformances and will be good forever. // 10

Impression: This is an AWESOME guitar. It's a VERY good alternative to spending $1500-2000 on a "real" Gibson. It's sounds just as good and has all the derability and sounds of a Gibson. I can play anything on it and it will sound good, and that doesn't happen alot. I'd recommend this guitar for anybody, especially if you're on a budget. And take my word for it, this is just as good as a Gibson, just a fraction of the price. // 10

overall: 8.2

Reviewed by: BritRock, on october 03, 2005

Purchased from: Imuso.com

Features: This guitar, like most Les Pauls, dosen't have that many features. The standard 3-way Switch between 2 humbuckers and a volume and a tone control. Fair enough. Also, the guitar has a laminated top which is really annoying because of fingerprints. A mahogony fingerboard, dot inlays, the basic. It would have been better with more controls and Gibson pickups instead of humbuckers. Also, with the traditional single cut away that you find on all Les Pauls. // 7

Sound: Ths sound is pretty good. And it has a hell of a variated sound between, a "whole" sound (bridge) and a very bassy sound (neck). I mostly use the bridge pickup as I play mostly Indie, and it has a brighter sound. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar came pretty well built. Can't complain, although the lead jack does come lose from time to time, which can make stop the guitar working properly. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will easily withstand playing live, unless I was head banging, then the starp would probably come off. If your planing on head baging, then get some strap locks, or just get them anyway. the guitar is very realiable, although you wouldn't realy on it itself, you would want to bring a backup, incase of the worst. The finish stays on but the fret board does suffer a bit of wear and tear. // 8

Impression: This guitar is brilliant if you want a guitar and you've just started playing, the cheap price is great due to the qualtiy of the guitar. Although, its really annoying as the other guitarist in my band has Gibson pickups on his SG, and humbuckers and Gibson pickups don't work out that great. If it was lost I would probably get another guitar, because I want to try something different, but if I wanted to get another Les Paul, I would get a Standard or better. // 8

overall: 5.2

Reviewed by: Howlin´Yngwie, on january 13, 2004

Price paid: $ 600

Purchased from: Local retailer

Features: This is a Epiphone Les Paul Standard made in Korea. It has 22 quite large frets (the size bigger than on Fenders) and has a 3way pickupselector and a tone and volume control per each humbucker. It has two passive humbuckers made by Epiphone. The neck is as thick (maybe a little bit thicker) as on a Fender Stratocaster on the low frets, but it gets thicker than the Stratocaster´s neck higher up. The tuners are some kind of crap that doesnt stay in tune for longer than 10 minutes.

The neck scale is 24.75" which is the most common for LP models. There were no accessories included. It looks beautiful though. The fretboard is abslolutley magnificent! // 6

Sound: The sound suits my style quite well. The sound is quite bassy, but the sound is really falt. Not really clean, sounds a bitt messed up. Nothing intresting happens with the sound when you play it. The bridge pickup is in my opinion useless because of the horribly bad sound. The sound seems a bit "delayed" and has no full sound at all. I've tried to adjust the microphones, but nothing seems to help. At least you can get a wide variety of tones, with help of the pickup selector and the tone controls. Another cool thing is that the sound changes as you rise/lower the volume on the guitar. // 4

Action, Fit & Finish: I've had it for a while so I don't really remember how it was set up, but I have changed the action and some more minor things. Looks great! // 8

Reliability & Durability: As I said it can't stay in tune for longer than 10 minutes or so. And that´s when play at home. I would never use it on stage, not even with a backup.

The frets, finish and guitar will last for a long, long time, just don´t count on that the mechanics (tuners, microphones,saddle...) will last very long. The strap buttons tend to loose easily. // 4

Impression: I´ve played for four years and I must say that i know kinda lot for just been playing for four years. This guitar is good for rock, new as old, and hardrock and metal. Of course you can play punk with it too. If it was lost or stolen I wouldn´t buy another one and that is mostly because I think i need a better guitar. If I did lose it when I wasn´t so good at playing guitar i wouldn´t replace it. I would have boughgt another guitar, like a cheaper Ibanez or so. However, if you change the microphones, the tuners and the saddle you would get a guitar as good as the cheaper Gibsons (worn and faded).

Don`t buy this guitar for the fell of the neck and fretboard as I did!

I think that the looks and neck (and fretboard) of this guitar is really good, BUT almost everything else is really bad. // 4

overall: 10

Reviewed by: eeppeliteloop, on january 08, 2004

Price paid: $ 406.85

Purchased from: Montreal

Features: It must has been made by the last years, because it wasn't that expensive. It has 22 frets, and a Solid Top. By default, 2 pickups (nose and bridge) are given. A volume and a tone button are included for each pickup. The selector has 3 way. No tremolo bar, nothing else. The pickups are two humbuckers, two Epiphone pickups, but I bought a Seymour Duncan one on ebay last year (treble, neck) and it's pretty good sounding. I think, but not sure, the neck wood is Mahagony or Maple, and the finish is flamed top, Cherry Burst. The body style is unique. It's a Les Paul style. There's no locking tuners, but I bought a bone note because the plastic one was making my G string detuning. There was no accessory included. I bought it at Ital Melodie, at Montreal. Pretty nice store. Please excuse my English, I'm originaly French Canadian. // 10

Sound: The Les Paul's made for the hard rock, and the metal. Big bands like Eagles, Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Joe Perry, BB King, Neil Young or Van Halen or Rhandy Roads used it. I'm using a little 15w Vox amp with it, with a Metal Zone Mt2 (Boss) Pedal, a Zoom 505 Guitar Multieffect, and a Marshall Guv'Nor 2 GV2 grunge pedal. The sound is just perfect. Every Les Paul users can tell you how great it is for rock, compared to Stratocaster or Ibanez. By the way, the LesPaul has a very large varierty of sound. By moving the volume button for a Pickup, you can get different sounds. Let's say there's 10 steps for the volume buttons, and 10 for the tune button. That's 10X10 (100) sound for a pickup. So it's 200 for the two pickups, plus the middle way of the selector = 300 sounds. Nice. I'm crazy. I love it. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: // 10

Reliability & Durability: It will dure as long as I want, but someday I'll buy a real Gibson one. // 10

Impression: I wanna play now, got to go... no time for this textbox. Go visit www.Gibson.com for more information !

For the begginers, Epiphone is very less expensive and has quite the same sound as the Gibson ones, except the sustain. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on july 03, 2006

Purchased from: A small local Shop

Features: It was a 22 fret I just assume since it was new when I bought it, it was a 2005 model made in, and this may be completely wrong, but I think it was made in China. It was a solid body with a sunburst top. Honestly I'm not positive, but I believe the body and neck woods were maple. The bridge is fixed. It is a string-through. There are two tone and two volume controls. They work nicely. The tuners are nice. I don't plan to change them any time soon. They overall lock nicely. I didn't get any real "accessories" from the store, except a card good for 10 manual string changes. // 8

Sound: I usually play punk or grunge, or even occasionally the '70s ballad. It adapts pretty well, but I think that's due to my G-Dec amp, which is amazing! It can get pretty loud, but only on a few settings on my G-Dec amp. In a normal or average amp the sound is pretty soft and adapts well to ballads or a pretty wide amount of modern rock. // 7

Action, Fit & Finish: I haven't gotten any major changes done to the guitar except I changed the bridge a small bit. Every thing else was set of great! // 9

Reliability & Durability: The most major thing I've changed about my guitar is have the input/output jack changed, because there was a loose wire. I've had the guitar for about ten months and every thing is working great. Evreything is stable and solid. Ace Frehley (Kiss guitarist) uses a Gibson, because it's probably better made. The finish is always pretty nice. // 8

Impression: I do usually play harder stuff, but I'm not sure if it's the "perfect" match. I've been playing, seriously, for about three years. I don't get lessons, but I consider my self an intermediate guitarist. I definitely should've asked if I was getting a good deal. I think I got an okay deal, but I would've liked it to be cheaper! If I lost this guitar, I would move on and buy a guitar a guitar with more, should I say "grungy sound." Honestly I didn't shop around like I should have, but I'm so far pretty happy with this guitar. I think it's a good "transition guitar." I think it's for the player Who is between beginner and advanced/intermediate. Overall the only thing I would change is the soft sound. // 7

overall: 10

Reviewed by: red_wolf_rocker, on june 17, 2006

Purchased from: My uncle

Features: This is a 1980 Epiphone Les Paul Standard Limited Edition guitar. It's reall a gorgeous thing, it's gloss black with a charcoal-gray flamed classic Les Paul "burst" and black hardware. I don't know anything about guitar technics, but bear with me and I'll give ya what I got. Like I said, it's gloss black, with black hardware. It still has the original tuners (not bad for a 26-year-old guitar). And original pickups, too. Neither I nor my Uncle touched much of anything, he simply took the pickup covers off and raised the pickups. I'm working on digging up the original covers so I can undo that. He also had it tuned to DAGDAD tuning down one whole step. The best aspect was the pearlized pickguard and truss rod cover. // 10

Sound: I play a lot of metal, so the dropped tuning was right where I would have put it anyways. I'm currently playing it through and old Crate GX-15R amp w/ built-in overdrive. It's not a very noisy guitar, like my old Yamaha can be. I didn't have much trouble out of it at all. When set on the rhythm pickup, it had a real good clean tone, even with the overdrive on. When I got through the beginning of System Of A Down's "Toxicity", I quickly flipped it over to the treble pickup and was shocked at how seamlessly it made a pedal-type transition. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The action is great. I got way high up on the fretboard with no problem. The only flaw it had was old strings (Whoopee). // 10

Reliability & Durability: This is a stage weapon. I've never had any problems out of it since I purchased it at the beginning of May. // 10

Impression: I've been through three guitars, and this is the absolute best one yet. There's one interesting aspect about it. It says "Limited Edition" on the back of the headstock, right where the headstock joins the neck. I think this means that it was one of the few Epiphones that came out of the Gibson plant in America, but I'm not sure. // 10

overall: 9.4

Reviewed by: Thunderstrucked, on august 02, 2006

Price paid: $ 554.4

Purchased from: Musik Produktiv

Features: // 8

Sound: This guitar suits my style nearly prefectly which is anythig from hard rock (AC/DC) to thrash metal (Metallica). I use it with a Marshall MG15DFX and a Boss MT-2 and its absolutely not noisy.Sometimes the Neck pickup is a litlle to bassy, the bridge pickup is perfect for solos. I mainly use it with both pickups on, because its a full rich sound with enough highs and bass. With dist. it sounds really heavy (like for whom the bell tolls), but also you can get very nice cleans sounds vor stairway to heaven or nothing else matters. Very versatile. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Action was perfectly set up, but I don't know if they set it up in the factory or at the shop. No fret buzzing, not to high, intonation was good. I had nothing to change. The finish is amazing, no flaws on the paintjob, just two dings on the neckbinding and fingerboard. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This is a tank. It will definetly withstand live playing, I used it twice at 30 minute "concerts", but I'm sure it will last for ever. The strap button were solid but I chnged them with securitv lockes because they were on my strap. The finsh will last, I´m sure. All in all a very solid guitar. // 10

Impression: As I said before I play mainly metal and hard rock and this is just perfect for that, but it works well for everything. This is one of the most versatile guitars ever. If I´d have to buy it again, and I would definatly buy it again, it will be stolen because I'll never loose this guitar, it's my precious. I've been playing for 2, 5 years but I think I'm pretty good (a friend of mine plays 7 years and we are at the same level) before I got this I played a stratcopy (55 EUR) and it is really worth it. // 10

overall: 9.6

Reviewed by: gingertom25, on february 16, 2004

Price paid: $ 530.7

Purchased from: Cactusaudio Birmingham

Features: My guitar was made in Korea. I bought it second hand at cactus audio in Birmingham. Although its second hand it still good quality which shows the person who owned it before me looked after it very well. It is two tone translucent cherry sunburst and it has a 22 fret rosewood bolt on neck which is very rare nowadays in Epiphone LP standards. It has a 3 way selector Switch and two volume controlls and two tone controlls. The bridge is a stop tail. There are two standard Gibson pickups. // 10

Sound: The tone has a lovely sound to it with both rhythm and treble. I use a Marshall MG30 and a DigiTech RP100 with it and with my les paul they are a perfect combination giving a good distorted and clean tone. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: I got it second hand so I don't know how the action was set up but now it is quite low so it makes it easy to play fast. The rhythm pickup is set quite low and the treble high. // 10

Reliability & Durability: The guitar chips very easily so I wouldn't recommend carrying it around in a soft case. The hardware will surely last I couldn't see anything wrong with it at all when I got it and as far as I know it hadn't been changed along the line. The strap buttons are solid it is quite hard to get the strap on at times. I am in a band and I don't usally have backup with me. // 8

Impression: I play lots of differnt styles of music but mainly rock and punk so a les paul is a great match. I also own a Strat copy, a custom Kga amp, a Marshall MG30, a DigiTech RP100, a couple of acoustics and a Marshall pedl10008. I have played alot of guitars including fenders, gretch guitars and gibsons and my les paul is definatly rated highly.

If my guitar was lost or stolen I would definitely consider getting another Epiphone. I love all of my guitar but I like the colour the most.

If anyone is considering buying a budget Les Paul I recommend you look arond and get an Epiphone. After all it's the closest to the real thing. // 10

overall: 7.4

Reviewed by: Silent_64, on september 11, 2006

Price paid: $ 640.5

Purchased from: Musikhuset Aage Jensen

Features: Made in Korea, 2001, 22 frets, 24.75" scale, chrome hardware, solid top. Body and neck is Mahogany, with a rosewood fretboard with mother of pearl inlays, Tune-O-Matic bridge and a stopbar tailpiece. 2 Gibson designed humbuckers (I cannot stress this enough Gibson designed, not by any means actual Gibson humbuckers). A 3-way switch, and 2 tone and 2 volume controls. // 7

Sound: It suits my music style alright, I play blues and rock. Such as Clapton, Mayer, AC/DC, Springsteen and Maiden, obviously a single coil would fit better in many cases, but it handles itself alright. But the humbuckers are terrible, they aren't very good, they sound is flat with to much bass, and without any real dynamics, I've changed them to a SD SH-2 And SD SH-1, which really fits this guitar nicely. The soldering and electronics inside is far from pretty, but sturdy, if you're willing to invest some money into the guitar you can get an alright sound, but stock it's not very convincing. // 7

Action, Fit & Finish: The action was pretty much spot on, but the pickups were terribly adjusted, and when they were corrected they sounded even worse. The jack plug keeps loosening, but besides from that it's pretty decent. The finish is alright without being flashy, about the same as you'd expect from a budget brand like Epiphone. // 8

Reliability & Durability: As I said, it's pretty sturdy built, it could withstand gigging quite well, I wouldn't bring it to a gig without a backup, because I wouldn't stand on scene tightening the jack plug. I wouldn't expect the finish to last a lifetime, even more so if you have a laminated top version. But so far I've been positively surprised. // 8

Impression: I've been playing for 5 years, and this one is decent, and a good consideration if you're just getting into electric guitars, and with an upgrade like the pickups it'll give you a pretty good sound and lots of fun. If it was stolen, I wouldn't buy a new one, I think that the money it takes to make this one decent would be better spent in good second hand american Strat or perhaps even a new one. It's good as a beginner guitar, but as an intermediate and advanced guitar it's lacking in both finish and sound. // 7

Reviewed by: unregistered, on august 28, 2006

Price paid: $ 500

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Features: I believe my Les Paul Standard is an '06. It is made in China, which is where I think jus about all Epi's are made these days. It has 22 frets on a rosewood fretboard with the mother-of-pearl inlay. Flamed maple top with mahogany body and neck. Tune-O-Matic bridge with Grover tuners, and chrome-covered humbuckers. Wow. Just wow. I had been looking at a new guitar for several months. I had always liked the LP-style, but I don't have the money for a Gibby. This is the next best thing. I have the Heritage Cherry, and it looks so beautiful. // 9

Sound: I play classic rock and a little bit of hard rock. This suits me perfectly. I can be bustin out the Jimmy Page or Alex Lifeson one minute, and be playing some Coheed And Cambria the next minute. The humbuckers, while not Gibsons, sound quite excellent, and the LP tone is unbelievable. Heavy and full, very soulful distortion. It's not noisy until I turn my amp on full gain, and even then, it's only a little buzz. I use it mostly with my crappy practice amp, but I also have played it through a Marshall stack, and it sounds awesome. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: I'm no expert at guitar setup, but it's quite easy to play, and looks quite nice with no flaws whatsoever. The neck pickup was and still is a little low, but I'm going to adjust it soon. The neck is easy to play, and doesn't get sticky, like I expected. I will give it a nine, but like I said, I'm no expert. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will most definitely withstand live playing. I have heard bad things about Epi pickups, and they may need to be replaced in a couple of years, but the rest of the hardware is dead solid. The strap buttons are big enough to make me not worried about the guitar taking a stage dive, and aren't loose or anything. Yes, you can depend on this guitar. I don't play gigs, but I don't think I would need a backup. I have owned this guitar for two months, and still haven't broken a string. And yes, I play it every day, usually around an hour. Finish is excellent, sure to last. // 9

Impression: Great guitar for distortion-controlled music, but also sound excellent clean. I've been playing for around 18 months, and have a cheap asian Strat copy, but this thing embarrasses it. If it were stolen or lost, I would hunt down the person that took it and murder them. And if they had destroyed it, I would save up and get another. I love the gorgeous looks and great tone. I played an Epi LP custom, and this thing was easier to play, because it seemed to have a thinner neck. I also played an Gibson LP studio, and this thing more than gives the Gibson a run for it's money, for less than half the price. I wish it had Gibby humbuckers, but I can add those later. All around, great guitar. Good job, Epi. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on june 10, 2006

Price paid: $ 567

Purchased from: Klangfarbe, Vienna, Austria

Features: The guitar was made in China, I guess it's a 2006 model. It has 22 frets, maple neck and a mahagony body with a light sunburst finish. The two chromed Hummbucker pickups are being regulated by four volume controllers and a treble/rhythm switch. I think the other reviews for this guitar give a pretty decent impression on what to expect and since I don't want to repeat facts you can obviously read in the other reviews, I'll skip this part. I just wanted to say that the strap buttons were quite small, or my strapholes being to big, just being too big to constantly slip out. I replaced them by security strapholders. // 9

Sound: I mainly play rock, reinterpretations of pop songs, ballads and blues. At home I'm using a Hughes & Kettner Edition Blue 15DFX amplifier and I haven't been able to test it on a hugher amplifier yet. The sound is amazing compared to the guitars I played before. I bought the guitar because I tested it for various playstyles I have and it was simply the best overall guitar for me. Anyone who yet had the possibility of playing a Les Paul knows what I mean: The guitar applies every playstyle pretty well so in my oppinion it's a solid overall guitar in every aspect. You can do quite everyhting with it. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Just perfect! Except for the strap buttons I mentioned before (but this might just be a problem of the strap I use). // 10

Reliability & Durability: The guitar itself is massive and solid, so I figure it would withstand live playing easily. Since I replaced my strap buttons with more reliable ones, I can clearly say I would depend on this guitar. // 10

Impression: As already mentioned, I like digging into some old school and new school rock and ballads a lot. On the other side I like reinterpretations of pop songs I used to like when I was little and blues. The guitar just plays perfect in every aspect. I'm really thankful I picked this beauty over the other guitars I tested. I'm quite new into playing the guitar, I started half a year ago, but I play 6 hours a day. If this guitar was stolen and I would catch the thief, I'd kill him. Really. Nobody should steal a guitar, it's an instrument that brings joy to other people and people Who steal guitars are the worst. And yes, I would get the same one! I simply love the feeling of it and especially the chromed hummbucker pickups are great, since I used to play on single coil guitars till I got this one. I compared it to the Ibanez RG Series, Fender Telecaster and Stratocaster made in Mexico and to a Gibson SG and I think it was the most versatile guitar of those. That's why I prefered it over the others. I wish it had a Gibson name on it. I could not afford a real Gibson. // 10

overall: 9.6

Reviewed by: Obie, on april 19, 2004

Price paid: $ 550

Purchased from: american musical

Features: Made in korea, 22 rosewood fretboard, solid top, two volumes, one rhythm and treble, two tones, one rhythm and treble. Alnico humbuckers. There are lots of different finishes they offer, and I got transparent amber, a really classic looking color. tune-o-matic bridge. I got a nice hard case for 50 extra bucks, as oppose to 80. // 10

Sound: i play a lot of different things, i play some jazz, classical, but mostly rock. its great for rock, i play lots of chili peppers, incubus, queens of the stone age, all kinds of rock, metallica, zepp, it sounds great on rock. for jazz its an amazing sound too, its pretty versatile, you can make some really different sounds to fit your needs with this axe // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: I replaced the pickups because they just didn't cut it for me, the action was great, the factory pickups are okay just for a beginner. A few days after it came in the mail, a strap nut came loose, but I rescrewed it back on, and it hasn't come lose since. The pickup selector is nice and tight. // 8

Reliability & Durability: This guitar can withstand hours of live playing, you'll get more worn out than it will. This guitar can suit your needs cuz its pretty versatile and itll last you a long time. I would depend on it. If it got stolen id go out and desperately hunt down the robber before I went crazy. I would use it on a gig without a backup, but only if I didnt have a backup. If I had a backup id still bring one no matter what just because thats my old paranoid self, always needing backups. // 10

Impression: I own a DigiTech RPx400 and a Zoom 707II which I've had forever and my guitar sounds great going through these. I'd go out and get it back with a vengeance if it was stolen, I compared it to a Fender Strat, and id choose a les paul over a Fender anyday. Fenders just don't cut it for me (it still puzzles me why they put pickguards on their basses, no true bassist uses a pick) once again a great product made by Epiphone approved by Gibson, this guitar is worth all $540 because I didn't have 1900 bucks for a Gibson at the time :D // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on july 07, 2004

Purchased from: Musicians Friend

Features: The Epiphone Les Paul is what I would say about the greatest of the Epiphone Les Pauls you can get. It has 23 frets, and is very easy to slide, bend, tremolo, hammer, pull-off, and tap. You name it, this baby has everything. // 10

Sound: This guitar suits my style perfectly. I'm not the biggest hard rocker in the world, and since this guitar isn't exactly a metal rock guitar, it's perfect. I use it right now with just my 120-watt amp, nd even without the pedal it can have a variety of different sounds. The sound is perhaps the greatest thing about it, it doesn't quite sound like a Gibson, but for the price, I could care less. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The thing I noticed about most Epiphone Les Pauls is that the "rythem/treble" Switch can sometimes break. It's not to worry about though, just go to a music store and buy a Gibson Switch and have it installed. // 8

Reliability & Durability: This guitar is excellent for live playing. I used it with no backup and sounded great. The tuners are great, and they don't come loose. The Vintage honey burst finish on mine has been through a lot, and so far so good, not any wear marks. // 10

Impression: If you are looking for a guitar that can be rocked away on, or a guitar that can be used in a softer mood, this one is for you! I've been playing for about 2 years now, and I'll admit I'm no Jimi Hendrix, but this guitar makes it look like I've been playing for longer. I compared this to the LP Special, because I was low on cash, but I'm glad I chose this one, because to me the special just wouldn't have cut it for me. // 10

overall: 8.2

Reviewed by: thekevinfoltmer, on november 02, 2005

Price paid: $ 500

Purchased from: Musicians Friend

Features: // 9

Sound: The sound that comes out of the amp when I plug in no matter what amp (I have a Line 6 Spider 120 watt if you wanted to know) the guitar sounds terrible. I mean the pickups are just ridiculously terrrible. I am planing on putting Gibson pickups on it later this year which I recomend everyone does if they buy this guitar. // 6

Action, Fit & Finish: The action is just right not too high not too low. I love the body and the way Epiphone sets up this guitar. The neck is nice and slim which I love and it just feels really good when your playing it. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will withdstand live playing, although I highly doubt anyone would want to becuase of the poor sound and the Epiphone name. The hardware on the guitar will last for years to come. My strap buttons weren't solid when I bought it. They came right off when I was playing all the time sometime nicking the finish, I eventually put strap loks on it. // 8

Impression: I play rock and I think this is a decent match for me even though I might have been happier with a Gibson. With many updgrades such as a straplok system and new pickups you'll then have a very nice guitar. // 8

overall: 9.6

Reviewed by: tdacdc, on august 06, 2004

Purchased from: Music World

Features: This is a great Epiphone with a lot of features. It was made in Japan in '03. It has 22 frets and has the traditional built in neck opposed to the bolt on necks, this is one of the features that makes the playing and especially the soloing easier. This is a solid mahogany body with a flamed top finish. The body style is the tradional one cutaway les Paul,(not the double cutaway). This Guitar includes the controls such as volume, tone, and a threeway pickup configurator. The pickups are just the standard Gibson humbuckers. The tuners are non-locking and are Epiphones, comes with case. // 10

Sound: This is a great guitar for playing different types of music. I like to play blues, rock, some punk and a little rockabilly, but mostly classic Rock. When I play it I use a Roland Cube 30 and a Digitech Guitar processor. This combination makes a great rich and pure sound. The guitar can make sounds such as soaring solos or pulverizing penatonics. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The setup factory on my guitar was fine, but there was a little buzz. The only other minor problem was that the neck pickup needed to be raised to get more sound. // 8

Reliability & Durability: Yes this guitar will withstand live playing, in fact I have already played live with this guitar at indoor and outdoor gigs. It also has good hardware so it will last.The strap buttons are good but because the les paul is so heavy my strap sometimes falls off. It is a dependable guitar, I wouldn't be worried if it were the only guitar I had at a gig. To finshing seems to be very well done and thick so it probably won't thin out. Also Epiphone/Gibson does a great job on there finshing so it will most likely last. // 10

Impression: Like I said I play a quiet a bit of Classic Rock so having the Les Paul like Jimmy Page, Ace Fehley, Joe Perry and Slash makes it a good match. I've been playing for about a year and have had this guitar for about 10 months, I also have an acoustic guitar, a Roland cube-30 and a digitech Guitar Processor.If it were stolen I would be extremley angry but Would save even more this time aroungd and upgrade, for instance get the Epiphone Standard plus.

One thing that I love about it is that most people espsecially guitar players can tell right away that it is a les paul because it really is a one of a kind guitar, even though there has been many rip-offs of it, it will always be the best solid body. The only thing that I dislike about it is that it is so heavy that itgets tiring playing it standing up. Overall I like evrything about this guitar so I can't single anything out. The only other guitar that I really compare it to is other Epiphone Les Pauls.I chose this one because it played the best. The only thing I wish it had was the type of bridge to put a whammy bar on it. Overall this is a great guitar. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on january 03, 2006

Price paid: $ 499.99

Purchased from: Sam Ash (Used)

Features: My guitar was made in 2000 probably in Korea. 22 Frets, and all those other normal Les Paul features maple body rosewood neck etc. It looks very nice and is in amazing condition aside from some rust on the strap buttons (however I replaced them with straplok's anyways). Chrome hardware, and nice inlays on the fret board. I'm not sure if this is the right kind because mine has an oldschool-like whammy bar (and it's amazing). // 10

Sound: This guitar sounds awesome and is a very big step up from my $120 squire. It has a nice deep, rich sound great for anything. Solos sound amazing and barre chords work well too. I have a Line 6 Spider 150 watt head played though surround sound with all the cool effects and all of them sound good except for the clean setting which sounds like light distortion using the lower pickup. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: Nice setup. The action is perfect and the pickups are just right. Everything is properly made, although because of the whammy bar it is a little harder to keep in tune. It also makes putting new strings on a little more of a pain. // 8

Reliability & Durability: As with all Epiphone Les Pauls, this is quite heavy compared to some others. However, I don't seem to mind any more than I do with other guitars. Definately usable on a gig without a backup. Easily played live. No problems except the weight. // 9

Impression: I've been playing for 2 years mostly hard rock and hardcore power chords and solos cool stuff like that. I have a nice little cheap Squire that weighs about 2 ounces and sounds like hell. The Humbuckers are a great change from the Squire. If it were lost/stolen, you would find another person in jail for murdering whoever took it (JK). I absolutely love the tremolo bar, although it takes it out of tune if you use it too much. Sorry anyone who does not have one because I do. // 9

overall: 9.6

Reviewed by: buckethead_jr, on january 30, 2006

Purchased from: Merchant City Music

Features: // 9

Sound: The rosewood fretboard is very smooth and nice to the touch. The neck is fast and sturdy, good balance and action. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The tuners are just as good as any Gibson tuners and that means that they are all okay but not great. This is why Iommi and Zakk Wilde have Sperzel locking tuners on their set-ups. Next, is the neck, it is solid, fast, smooth, and set well without any signs of weakness. Truss rod is nice. Bridge, saddle and such are all excellent. Action typically needs raising because it is normally set too low and will buzz the low E. Third, is the pickups. They are Gibson designs. Just like all other makers, the design is a cheaper version than the original. So, these pickups sound like the 490 + 498 that is found in the Gibson but are slightly less loud, sharp and clear. The translucent blue finish was very beautiful and looks like it will last me quite a few years. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I am sure the hardware and electronics are not quality stuff but match the price of the guitar. No problem with the strap buttons yet! I'm sure it will last me until my skills require a better guitar. I would love to upgrade this guitar because I like the weight and the finish but have been advised against it, as the costs of customizing would be better put towards an Epi LP Custom. // 10

Impression: Looks and sound pretty damn good. Great for a guitarist on a budget. I just bought this guitar and haven't put it down yet! I highly recommend this guitar. The look of the les paul is very cool. I like that it is heavy, gives a hell of a workout when performing for people. Keeps in tune very well. The only flaws are that the toggle Switch is not the best. The pickups could be a better but just Switch them out with actual Gibson pickups and this is solved immediately. // 10

overall: 9.2

Reviewed by: Zepplinne, on march 06, 2006

Price paid: $ 414.75

Purchased from: Long and Mcquade

Features: This is a great guitar, golden tophat and tone knobs, 2 nice humbuckers, a 3-way pickup Switch (neck pickup, bridge pickup, and both) and has a beautiful flametop sunburst finish. It also has nickel tuners and a Tune-O-Matic bridge. It has 22 frets, a dark fretboard finish and pearl trapezoid inlays. One thing that greatly increases the look of the guitar is the cream body and neck binding. The cream pickguard is another great feature. // 10

Sound: This guitar is great for my music style. I play classic rock, thats it. I might play a little blues here and there but blues and classic rock are similar. If there are lots of amazing classic rock guitarist like Jimmy Page and Slash (to name a few) then it has to be good! The only problem that I have with the sound is when you use both of the humbuckers at once you get a bit of a scratchy sound. It actually sounds quite good in some situations. The neck humbucker has a nice warm sound that is very deep and very bassy. The bridge humbucker has a great dirty sound that works for almost everything. Overall the sound is amazing. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: This guitar has a slow action neck that is very easy to play and very comfortable to hold. This guitar contained absolutely no flaws save one (ironically the one that makes it impossible to play) the patch cord imput got very loose and went into the guitar. This made it so that I could not plug in my patch cord to play. I took it back to the store and using their tools they put it back on tightly in 10 minutes. Since then absolutely nothing has been wrong with it. // 8

Reliability & Durability: This guitar would be a great choice for live playing. The strap buttons are very solid, but the only problem with them is since the strap button thats near the neck is almost vertical it has a tendancy to fall off. Using strap locks which cost about 2 dollars takes care of this problem immediately. This guitar is very durable, did I meantion that it's heavy? Much heavier than a regular electric guitar. I doubt that anything would ever break off on this guitar. I would never use anything on a gig without a backup but if I had to, this would be the choice. // 9

Impression: This guitar is an amazing match for rock and roll. I love the look, the weight and the rich sound, I hate the location of the neck strap button (it's a small price to pay for such an amazing instrument). If this guitar got stolen I would not only buy another one, I would seek out the poor sap who took it and beat him. Another feature I love is that it has Les Paul's signature on the neck, horizontally so that it's readable while playing. If you are looking for a guitar that you'll use for rock, or want to try a different style, the Les Paul is the choice. // 10

overall: 8.6

Reviewed by: theMARSvolta5, on february 07, 2006

Price paid: $ 370

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Features: I bought this guitar yesterday and I have to say I am very pleased with what I got for the price. The guitar has a nice, fast neck, slender body, and responsive elecronics. The guitar is well equipped with a Mahogany neck and body with a flame maple top and a rosewood fingerboard. It looks exactly like a Gibson Les Paul Standard and comes in a variety of colors. // 8

Sound: This guitar fits my styles very well (I play Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones basically classic rock and shred). I use this guitar with a Marshall MG30 DFX and it gets a really nice Vintage crunchy sound when the gain is up and with the clean channel can get perfect tone for songs like Over the Hills and Far Away. The guitar is set up very nicly in terms of intonation, no buzzing and barely any feedback. The guitar has enough sound variety to play any classic rock and some arena rock songs. This things sound is very similar to that of a Gibson Les Paul Studio. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: I purchased this guitar perfectly set up and nothing had to be adjusted in terms of action. The guitar contained some scratches due to the fact that it was a floor guitar at Guitar Center. No flaws effected the sound whatsoever and the guitar remained a real beauty. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I bought this guitar to be a beat-it-up guitar so I would not have to carry my Ibanez JS100 to my friend's house for band practice or anywhere else it may get hurt. This was without a doubt not meant to be my main guitar but it is alot better than I expected. I would say it is a very dependable guitar becuase I carry it to my friends without any casing and it gets along fine. // 9

Impression: As I said I play shred and classic rock and I already have a JS100 for a broad soundscape but I got this guitar for travelling. I have been playing for 5 years and I think this is the best guitar I have ever played for the money. The guitar is about the same quality as a Gibson Les Paul Studio (no joke) and it saves you almost 800 dollars. If this guitar were stolen I dont think I would buy another becuase I am broke. Compared to my JS, this guitar is above average without a doubt the best guitar around for intermediate players or advanced players who need a beat it up guitar for traveling. The perfect match for people with a budget who play classic rock. // 8

overall: 10

Reviewed by: Duv, on august 12, 2004

Purchased from: FAIRDEAL MUSIC BIRMINGHAM

Features: I got my guitar last christmas and it is the Standard Les Paul, 22 frets, mahogany neck. Cherry sunburst paint finish. I got a gig bag free but it is not Epiphone or related to the guitar. Same with strap cable etc. // 10

Sound: I play a variation of styles from rock to blues to some heavy stuff and I find that my LP is perfect for all and provides a nice 'loving' sound to my music and oozes class and slick. I use a Marshall MG30DFX with it and my lp works great in the clean and overdrive channels well and sounds great with both. It meets my needs and provides a great lush sound for when I play. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: It was all good except the nut holding the strap in place came straight out a few times but putting in a screwcap did the job and I've had no problems whatsoever. The paintwork and finishing is all fine and there are no complaints. // 10

Reliability & Durability: Haven't played live but have dropped it and had other minor accidents when playing (namely getting too carried away lol) but there are no signs of damage at all which I find quite crazy. The hardwarre and all the tech looks fine and I wouldnt need a backup for a gig. Also the finish looks good etc. // 10

Impression: I think the above sums it up but I feel I can safely give my Epiphone Les Paul a perfect review as it is perfect for me and I have no complaints about my baby. // 10

Comments

[dimebag7]

Is it hard to axcess the 15 down frets?

[mysteryguitar]

thats a lot of ****ing reviews

[Justice_Fish]

Because it's a ****ing good guitar!!!!

[C40.is.hot]

How heavy are these?

I'm going to get one in "hollowbody". How does it differ from the standard model?

[Homer F.]

I think i won´t write a review on this, there are enough I think

[Homer F.]

It sounds like AC/DC Live

[g-unitie]

to many reviews if you ask me.....plus you have to go original gibson les paul over the epiphone because you wont get as much respect without the origin of the guitar

[realic]

g-unitie wrote:

to many reviews if you ask me.....plus you have to go original gibson les paul over the epiphone because you wont get as much respect without the origin of the guitar

o kay buddy...im pretty sure respect doesnt come from what is written on the guitar....simply how well u play...i own a Epi, and with some adjustments is very comparable to the gibson... it all depends on the person (and how good the person is...if u are anyone except g-unitie)

[DFH/CFH]

dude on the second review it said that he paid 600 for it. thats redicules you could get it for 380 in black or 500 in any other color on musicians friend.

[DFH/CFH]

realic wrote:
o kay buddy...im pretty sure respect doesnt come from what is written on the guitar....simply how well u play...i own a Epi, and with some adjustments is very comparable to the gibson... it all depends on the person (and how good the person is...if u are anyone except g-unitie)

what a tool. i totally agree that it doesn't matter what brand it is

[Nerdo-sez-bo]

what a tool. i totally agree that it doesn't matter what brand it is

Quality of sound and action does tend to help quite a bit though. Try making hendrix sound good on an Encore!

[vanhalenrule]

OMFG the brand matters! you honestly believe an epiphone is gonna be as well put together as a gibson or sound as good? YOURE CRAZY! why you think gibsons are so much more expensive. my mate's epiphone lp's pickup fell out, what does that say!

[vanhalenrule]

and im sorry, nut an epiphone will NEVER out do a fender stratocaster, eeppeliteloop

[guitargeek]

I love this guitar. It was the second guitar i ever bought and was perfect for the time. Huge versatility with added playability. The only fault is it weighs an absolute tonne so if you're into energetic stage performing then maybe not the right choice. Also the strap buttons fell out of mine pretty quick. Other than that, a nearly flawless guitar for the price!

[JacksMyHero]

doesnt feel too heavy to me... although u cant pretend to do crazy tricks with it as well.... lol sometimes i just have to do that, dont tell me none of you people have

[Homer F.]

I got mine in honeyburst for 440? at musik produktiv!

[CDawg211]

mine is a sunburst that plays perfectly. some people say that you can only play the freebird solo on an explorer, screw that i can play it on my les paul with no problem.
:
)

[johnstca]

I've owned my ebony LP Standard for 5 years and it is awesome- a great buy if you can't afford Gibson. Although Gibson is better, Epiphone makes awesome guitars. Unless $$ is no option, you'd be a fool to blow all your money on a Gibson. The sounds is good, but the LP Classic (I think) has a better sound for rough, hard rock sounds (I own one of them too). The epiphone LP is the best buy for those looking in the ~$500 range.

By the way-- Fender strats suck-- Les Pauls rule...

[Mrfro]

i recently bought a lp and im relitivley happy with it but it was horribly set up and the jack came loose and part of it fell off and the paint job has a few flaws. i should probably dave my money for a gibson

[meharvan]

Just bought this guitar a couple of weeks ago for 300 pounds. Bought it in a heritage cherry sunburst colour. Great guitar. Low action. Great vintage sounding humbuckers. One of the heaviest guitars i have ever played. i think even if u drop a 100 kilos of weight on it nothin will happen!! yes, its that solid. highly recommended. buy it in heritage cherry sunburst colour only. u'll love it!!! 10 out of 10 for this one...

[ArcherTheVMan]

i love mine, but i wish you'd all stop winging that there too heavy!! you need to do some exercise if you think les pauls are heavy, although, if your the size of angus young then i'll let you off THEY ARE NOT HEAVY. mines in heritage cherry sunburst too and i also got it for 300 bob, mint guitar. i wish they came with a maple top tho like the gibsons or the epi les paul ultra.

[ArcherTheVMan]

really honzo you cant say theyre better because its simply a preference of humbuckers to single coils(unless your another person who thinks a guitar slightly heavier than a strat weighs 3 tons).

[meharvan]

can u tell me what a tune-o-matic bridge is????

[Dr_Feelgood'87]

the les pauls shape doesnt allow u to reach the higher frets easily. go for the sg.

[Bloody Headache]

^^^
To be honest for me it makes very little difference but he LP is nicer to hold.

[Bloody Headache]

^^^
For me personally I find very little difference but the LP is nicer to hold.


And for all complaining about the weight, Jimmy Page owned an LP and he is so skinny he is probably incapable of doing one press-up. I find the weight adaquate, no problems.

[Stop Messin']

Epiphone' LP is a great guitar. The only thing i didn't like when i tried it was the neck puck up was too bassy, even for an LP.

But for $500-$600 it's great. Don't listen to the people that say Epiphone sucks because they don't. Sure it's gonna sound different when put against a $3000 Gibson.

Didn't Chuck Berry(amps) and The Beatles(guitars) use Epiphone back in the day? Hmm, yes i think they did

Epiphone=good all around guitar, noit just for beginners, but for pro's too.

[Stop Messin']

dimebag7 wrote:

Is it hard to axcess the 15 down frets?

Depends on your hand size. I have little hands and i can reach 17 with a stretch. You can put your thumb on the back of the guitar and stretch, or skip a fret or 2 like Gary Moore.

I don't like playing past fret 13 or 14, it get's too squealy for my playing.

[axejam123]

^^^ true dat. there are very few times while im playing that i have to go past 13 or 14th frets. Epi's are awesome man, no doubt about it. Sure, id rather have a gibson, but i like my epi standard (with duncan pearly gates p-ups) more than a strat or any prs. its perfect for my style.

Checked.

[wigers will die]

Stop Messin' wrote:

dimebag7 wrote:

Is it hard to axcess the 15 down frets?


Depends on your hand size. I have little hands and i can reach 17 with a stretch. You can put your thumb on the back of the guitar and stretch, or skip a fret or 2 like Gary Moore.

I don't like playing past fret 13 or 14, it get's too squealy for my playing.

I guess you dont do much soloing

[Stop Messin']

wigers will die wrote:

Stop Messin' wrote:

dimebag7 wrote:

Is it hard to axcess the 15 down frets?


Depends on your hand size. I have little hands and i can reach 17 with a stretch. You can put your thumb on the back of the guitar and stretch, or skip a fret or 2 like Gary Moore.

I don't like playing past fret 13 or 14, it get's too squealy for my playing.



I guess you dont do much soloing

Why's that? I didn't know it was a MUST to use all of the frets.

[rdineen]

no he's saying that most solos are played on the higher frets.

[Abnormal_Omish]

yer.. because you can only solo on the higher frets or it wont look cool

[valdemar 17]

im getting one

[wigers will die]

guys guys, im saying that most of the soloing are on higher frets.... which i play, now you can solo on lower frets too depending on your style... sure i do that too some times also depending on the song, but must of the solos are above 12 frets....

[otherkid]

Im using this guitar right now untill mi epi les paul 100 is fixed and it is ok but it wont stay in tune, some places on the neck are in tune and others arent. Playing yesterday wen i bent the 2nd string it got caught under a fret. When the switch is in middle prosition only one volume know works, which is fine but it gets annoying to have to guess which one. The only i find good about it is the strap buttons which havent failed. So i dont know if my older bro (the guitar owner) got a dud but im just waiting to get mine fixed.

[Arora]

The Epiphone is a great guitar in it's own respect, but you can't compare it to a Gibson Les Paul. Anybody who's has played with both will tell you there's a HUGE difference.

[realic]

that is so not true. epi. sucks compared to gibson. epi. is just a cheap verson gibson and actually you do earn more respect owning a gibson, because people take you more seriously. people take you more seriously because a gibson les paul is a serious piece of american made musical equiment. not some half ass piece of crap made in korea.

i guess the beatles werent taken seriously...and many others for that matter (check out epi website for artists)

[mikecappa]

in my opinion, the guitar you play doesnt or shouldnt have ANYTHING to do with respect for a guitar player. I play a fcukin Peavey Raptor Plus and not to sound like a f*g or nothin but i play better than my buddy whos got a Gibson Melody Maker. To me high quality brand names like Fender, Gibson etc.. just mean you have more money to spend than a person with a Peavey Raptor Plus like me. Maybe the better brand guitar will give you a better sound quality but the playing is good no matter what. If i were to watch 2 people jam, 1 with a Epiphone, and 1 with a Les Paul but the dude with the Epi played better, i would respect with guy with the epi cuz he plays better and thats all that matters, i would respect the other guy cuz he might have a better financial situation or hes a spoiled poser. either way

[realic]

in my opinion, the guitar you play doesnt or shouldnt have ANYTHING to do with respect for a guitar player

agree entirely

To me high quality brand names like Fender, Gibson etc.. just mean you have more money to spend than a person with a Peavey Raptor Plus like me

comparing gibson products to epi is one thing
but to say that a peavey raptor is in the same league as a Fender MIA Strat or a Gibson les paul are totally different IMO. Though, it does not affect the respect of the player, just the limits. If thats the way you feel im sorry if I offended you in any way.
And for the record, and yet again IMO, Gibsons are better quality instraments on average, overall, than Epi, but i definatly do not think the price gap is comprehendable. i've played both. Epis are 90% the instrament (IMO) at 25% the cost (Fact). And with upgrades is compareable. yet again IMO.
But, whatever you rock rock it well

[pfricky98]

realic wrote:

that is so not true. epi. sucks compared to gibson. epi. is just a cheap verson gibson and actually you do earn more respect owning a gibson, because people take you more seriously. people take you more seriously because a gibson les paul is a serious piece of american made musical equiment. not some half ass piece of crap made in korea.

i guess the beatles werent taken seriously...and many others for that matter (check out epi website for artists)

those are all endorsed artist. there is a difference from being endorsed and actually playing the instruments. disturbed guitarist is listed on washburns site but plays paul reed smith. so to mean being listed on a website mean nothing.

[pfricky98]

i guess the beatles werent taken seriously...and many others for that matter (check out epi website for artists)[/quote]

i don't really care if the beatles where on epi. website. disturbs guitars is on washburns website and plays paul reed smith. 3 days graces singer is on schecter website, but records tracks with paul reed smith. atreyu are on esp website, but record with gibson. metallica is on esp website, but i have seen them play gibson. being on a website means nothing to me.

[realic]

alright pal all im saying is if you are more concerned about what you play rather than how you play you should not be allowed to hold a guitar...I admit and admitted earlier gibsons are better instraments but not +2000$ better IMO, and will by no means make u play better. Who is more respected a great guitarist with an epi or a good guitarist with the gibson. What you play doesnt define how good you are and in turn the respect u get.

there is a difference from being endorsed and actually playing the instruments

And if you look at the epi site the majority of the artists photos are taken live with various epi's in hand, what more proff do u need that they are actucally playing them.
I have nothing more to say...just please accept that i feel gibsons are the better instrament but for me and others (as per this site) feel they are extremely overpriced, while epis give 90% the guitar for 25% the price.
stop trying to justify spending 3000$ on a guitar by bashing other's.

[Thunderstrucked]

pfricky98, Metallica plays sometimes gibsons because the song sounds better with a gibson, but they´re using ESP most(95%), and metallica is on ESP website because james and kirk have signature guitars(maybe 9 or 10 different models)

[pfricky98]

realic, i'm not trying to justify over priced guitars. i really have no problem with epi. guitars or the people that play them. i'm trying to help people be more aware of what they are buying. i'm trying to justify investing in music. my dad invested in music in the 60s and bought a 1500 dollar martin acoustic. how much do you think that guitar is worth now? it is worth around 6000 dollars. the great thing about gibson guitars is that they go up in price if kept along time in good condition and a 600 epi. simply won't. so you might be getting a great deal on your epi. standard now, but i wouldn't expect to get much out of it in the long run. as far as artist that play epi. i'm gonna have to agree with you. i was wrong for saying that people can't be respected if they don't play gibson. i really didn't mean for it to come out like that. i was trying to say is that buying an expensive guitar can give someone more motivation to play better, because it makes them feel like they have more at stake if they don't progress. when i bought my first expensive guitar which was a paul reed smith McCarty which i still own my skill as a guitarist improved derasticly. after i got that guitar i felt that if i didn't use this guitar to the fullest i wasted my money so i did. i learned years of theory in about a month and my playing matured after buying that guitar. i really owe it all to buying a real guitar. it really did change my life. so i'm sorry if i sounded like an ass. you can play what you want, but i really recommend owning a guitar that is expensive, because you really do get your moneys worth.

[realic]

now that is a post i agree with pfrick98...
though for those on a budget looking for a gibsonesq guitar but dont hav the cash epi is the best choice there is...point is if u hav the money and are looking for an investment, grab the gibson...if not epi is great for the not so rich gibson lovers

[realic]

and i am glad we found some middle ground on this issue

[realic]

i dunno if this has already been said cuz im lazy and dont wanna read all this shat but when they say mahog/alder, they just meain either or, not both....found this out in sum epi forum...so odds are if ur epi is 10lbs its mostly mahog, if not, u got sum alder there too

[MrCarrot]

I went to the guitar shop a few days ago to try my new guitar. I tried Fender Strat, Fender Tele, Epi SG, and this.

I was really surprised.

I'm a Fender fan, but this Epiphone just blew it out of the water...

[lofty162003]

Has anyone actually said the main difference between the epi and the gibson? Not really no. The most noticable difference is in the way the neck is set up, the frets are not all at the same hight (test by running a ruler along the fretboard) which means the feel is different and the intonaton is not quite right. Simply take it to your nearse guitar tech and get them to set it up properly and its much much better. So still a Gibson at a quarter of the cost, even better if you get one with gibson pickups in it.

[Thunderstrucked]

imo, gibsons are nothing special, i played a few and the jackson dk 2 owned them all

[guitar extra]

i ave one of these les paul standards and an sg310 they both f*ckin rock! anyone thinkin bout buyin one of these? get one! les pauls rock!!!

[guitarist41]

Think this would handle a full-on thrash sound if i bought one and put some bareknuckles in it?

[Empo]

If you want to buy good, cheap and strong guitar i recomend this guitar.

[Anas al-Diwanji]

it's got 22.5 jumbo frets???

[feathersmcgraw]

Wish everyone would stop whinging about the weight of an Epi...sure, they're heavier than Strats, but if you can't deal with this one, you won't be able to touch a Gibson...

[led_zephyr]

this guitar is by far the best at its price point. however, if you play at a school jazz band and don't want to take your gibson/Fender Custom/PRS, this is a great substitute. however, if you are serious, i recommend buying the gibson humbuckers, for they are 110 each and drastically improve your tone. In addition, the feel of this guitar rivals that of gibson, the main diffrence is the quality of wood, hardware, and electronics

[Leeviva]

just got one of these, and I love it!

[!CC]

saving up for one of these and a roland cube 60

[Rocketboy]

My bro got one of these for christmas in an absolutley georgous honeyburst colour.Identical to jimmy pages. Anyways i have an 01 custom and his is an 06 standard, yet his sound so much better than mine. Has epiphone made socme changes in the last few years?

[sdyulolo]

I'm planning on getting this guitar as Gibsons are way too expensive and it's not like I deserve a Gibson as well..lol. But the moment i've read the PRS SE Singlecut specs and some user reviews, I found it quite tempting. now i'm confused..

Man.. *sigh.. If i'm planning on buying fender, ill focus on squier; on Gibson, to epiphone; on PRS, to PRS SE..

[StratoSlayer]

vanhalenule wrote:

OMFG the brand matters! you honestly believe an epiphone is gonna be as well put together as a gibson or sound as good? YOURE CRAZY! why you think gibsons are so much more expensive. my mate's epiphone lp's pickup fell out, what does that say!

your friend is stupid and he doesn't know how to care for his guitar.

[led_zephyr]

What do you think is gonna sound better, Hendrix with a squire and sh!tbox amp, or some noob with a gibson. It depends whose playing the guitar, not the name on the headstock buddy. thanks. peace.

[led_zephyr]

Oh, and squier can't be compared to epiphone, squiers suck Ba!!$.

[Leeviva]

I just realised what a piece of overrated crap this guitar is! I had one, and the whole thing broke in less than 1 month! it didn't stay in tune and it hummed. in the end, the pic ups broke and the neck broke from the tiniest impact you can imagine.

[epicold]

keh!, i dropped mine and its still ok., you sir, you just got boned by your musicstore!

[Musicislife539]

this thing is just plain AWESOME. i just got one and the humbucker sound is just plain great. i play a veriation of punk, classic rock, and classic punk, and this thing sure as hell get the job done. to anyone that is reading this article, stop stariing at articles and get your ass to guitar center.

[Musicislife539]

vanhalenrule wrote:

and im sorry, nut an epiphone will NEVER out do a fender stratocaster, eeppeliteloop

dude, it just did. my cuzin got a fender strat for $600, its suposed to be a great deal, but i think he just payed 600 well earned dollars getting the word "squier" off his guitar. we both hung out over my grandparents and we both brought ours, and mine dominated paying half the price.

[Musicislife539]

i meant i brought my les paul sorry

[Thunderstrucked]

i have that guitar and it´s great!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO0QOjY4unM

[Thunderstrucked]

i have that guitar and it´s great!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO0QOjY4unM

[Sammoo]

I have this guitar and an epiphone sg g-400 and I never play my sg anymore, I don't see why anyone would by a sg over a les paul.

[Eamon Fethers]

feathersmcgraw wrote:

Wish everyone would stop whinging about the weight of an Epi...sure, they're heavier than Strats, but if you can't deal with this one, you won't be able to touch a Gibson...

wat the hell, i've got one of these guitars and it ways nuthin compared 2 my fender jagmaster, that thing is a f***kin tank! Les Pauls rock my socks off!

[j-boy199]

Nerdo-sez-bo wrote:

Quality of sound and action does tend to help quite a bit though. Try making hendrix sound good on an Encore!

lol tried that myself,i got a crap encore. you got more chance of making trumpet sounds on it then getting a good hendrix sound

epiphone les paul rocks! i just bought one off the net last night i cant wait for it to arrive!

[kfong03]

epi les pauls own, near gibson quality for fraction of price.

[Duff B]

"He used to carry his guitar in a gunny sack." "He could play that guitar just like ringing a bell."

I'm sure Johnnie B. Good didn't have a flashy new, expensive guitar. The concept here, IMHO, is that his soul and talent were effective in producing star quality results from meager beginnings. If he was a real person who later became a star, maybe he would buy a pile of awesome guitars and s**t. But he'd probably always dream about that bank by the tracks and the sound of the trains, and that special old treasured guitar protected by that funky old gunny sack. All the fancy guitars in the world could never make those remembered sounds. Ask Chuck Berry. See what he says.

[kfong03]

wtf?

[DEK431]

I've owned a 1998 Epiphone LP studio , a 1999 Gibson LP studio, a 2006 Epiphone LP Boneyard {USA Burstbuckers} I now own a 2007 Epiphone LP Standard in ebony, Grover tuners, better pickups than my Epi LP studio and my mate has my LP Boneyard there's little difference in sound. When i bought the Boneyard i compared it to a Gibson LP standard (Bursbuckers) in the store, a small crowd gathered none could tell a difference in sound, sales assistant's included. Planned on upgrading my 2007 LP but decided against it after comparing it to my old Boneyard. Try this, Epi LP average £350 Gibson LP £1399, walk into guitar shop put £1000 in one pocket and £399 in other (£50 to cover strap+case) play both and look at the £1000 does Gibson justify it? I made my choice i've spent the money and owned above guitars take it from me there's nothing i could play on Gibson that i cant play on my Epiphone. Also Epiphone's standards have improved along with the competition (mim Fender etc) Hope this helps with your decision.

[mr. ...]

C40.is.hot wrote:

How heavy are these?

I'm going to get one in "hollowbody". How does it differ from the standard model?

these are like 7 pounds. i had to wiegh it cuz i got a wall hanger and i had to make sure it could hold the dam thing

[mr. ...]

i have this in vintage sunburst. i love this guitar. perfect guitar for the price

[mr. ...]

vanhalenrule wrote:

OMFG the brand matters! you honestly believe an epiphone is gonna be as well put together as a gibson or sound as good? YOURE CRAZY! why you think gibsons are so much more expensive. my mate's epiphone lp's pickup fell out, what does that say!

that means he didnt take care of it. stop whining and just put it back in!!!!

[bgarnham]

i don't know if buy this or the squier fat strat
the strat have tremolo but the les paul is better

[zoso1016]

does the epiphone les paul standard plain top sound as good as the epiphone standard? anyone please answer this!

[RoyalzPawn]

OMFG!
i just bought this guitar today!
and let me tell you guys...
its SEX!
i paid $540 (ca)
and for this price its perfect!
this guitar sounds sooooo good, and so clean, no crappy high pitched noise, and all, its not too heave, buitifull, and great sounds..
over all i give this a 10/10
best guitar ive ever owned
my guitars>
Fender Strat.
Epiphone SG
Epiphone Les Paul Standard(

[AnusFace]

First off, I love this guitar, the first night I had, it, I let it sleep in my bed.

Ha That reminds me of whe i had my First Guitar.

[epi les paul69]

Frank Iero from My Chemical Romance plays one of these things. It's so awesome that a famous guitarist would play an epiphone instead of a Gibson guitar, as he's probably filthy rich.

[Kurai-sama]

The "OMG dis barnd pwns dis brand" "nu, teh otha bradn ish beta" arguments are inconsequential.

If we talk about 'own' in the conventional sense, yes, Gibson own Epiphone, since they bought them.

As for 'pwn', one can't rightfully say that about most guitars. For example, compare a high-end Ibanez JEM and a homemade log of wood with strings. Yes, you'd prefer the Ibanez, but that DIY guitar would most likely have a unique sound - a merit of the instrument.

Epis have their merits by comparison to Gibson (such as a lighter body, due to the sectioning).

I'm not saying "omgg epi = gibsn lolol", but balanced debate will get us a lot further than fanboyism.

Doesn't Frank Iero use an Elitist LP Standard? I think it's rather awesome as well...Wayne Static used a signature Epiphone as well (a stripped-down Flying V, with one volume knob and a pickup toggle, in basic black).

[SnowMan1]

This guitar is great! It is just as good as a gibson les paul standard. And it's also cool because as epi les paul69 said Frank and also Ray from My Chemical Romance plays epihpone and their one of my favorite bands.

[Shredder Guitar]

i would sure hope it would last the july 27 reviewer longer than college! its a les paul, man. 10 years is hardly on scratch on one of these beasts. and btw, an elitist les paul costs over $1000 new, so that really isnt that much of a statement people. its almost as much as a gibson lp studio.

[sum41freak8733]

alright everyone saying youll get more respect if you own a gibson .....is dumb .....i own a epi lp black beauty .....i dont have the money for a better one but ive been playing for about 9 this guy i know owns a vintage gibson les paul .....not to sound cocky and arrogant but im a hell of alot better then he is .....i get more respect because i play better not becuase of the guitar i have .....your comparing a epi and gibson imo the only difference is what type of pickups / wood you use thats like saying that handing a 3 year old a gibson will give him more respect then lets say ....jimmy page if he played epi's seriously the guitars are to close to judge i mean if you were to compare a squire and gibson THAT i can understand but these guitars are to close to judge on sound its more about skill

[sum41freak8733]

sorry i meant to say ive been playing for about 9 years not since i was nine i was a tad bit younger i think

[bgarnham]

epi les paul69 wrote:

Frank Iero from My Chemical Romance plays one of these things. It's so awesome that a famous guitarist would play an epiphone instead of a Gibson guitar, as he's probably filthy rich.

he is gay, all my chemical romance fans are gay, my chemical romance is completly gay,
he play the epiphone because gibson aren't sell to gays so he have to buy an epiphone

[bgarnham]

SnowMan1 wrote:

This guitar is great! It is just as good as a gibson les paul standard. And it's also cool because as epi les paul69 said Frank and also Ray from My Chemical
Romance plays epihpone and their one of my favorite bands.

GAY, GAY, GAY, GAY, GAY, GAY, TOTALLY GAY

[howZz]

SnowMan1 wrote:

This guitar is great! It is just as good as a gibson les paul standard. And it's also cool because as epi les paul69 said Frank and also Ray from My Chemical Romance plays epihpone and their one of my favorite bands.

Totally wrong my friend... it can get fairly close to lower end gibsons after pickups change and hardwares mod but it can never be compared to high end gibsons.
However I do agree it's an awesome guitar for the price, and more money to spend on guitar doesnt mean more respect you would get. Cheers

[rokknrollldude]

replace the pickups with hi end gibson ones and u got one AMAZING guitar

[James2311]

replace the pickups with hi end gibson ones and u got one AMAZING guitar

Exactly, you get one amazing guitar, but still nowhere near the price of a real gibson! The Wine Red is HOT

[epi les paul69]

Whatever, my uncle is gay, and he has a sweet Gibson les paul junior

bgarnham wrote:

epi les paul69 wrote:

Frank Iero from My Chemical Romance plays one of these things. It's so awesome that a famous guitarist would play an epiphone instead of a Gibson guitar, as he's probably filthy rich.

he is gay, all my chemical romance fans are gay, my chemical romance is completly gay,
he play the epiphone because gibson aren't sell to gays so he have to buy an epiphone

[saulhudson69er]

I own a epi les paul standard and a gibson les paul standard faded honey burst, ****en gibsons totally blow away epiphones by far. you kids are talkign about stuff that you dont even know jsut cuz you own a epiphone. its like talking about how one chick is tighter than the other when u havent even ****ed it

[pie_man_25]

saulhudson69er wrote:

I own a epi les paul standard and a gibson les paul standard faded honey burst, ****en gibsons totally blow away epiphones by far. you kids are talkign about stuff that you dont even know jsut cuz you own a epiphone. its like talking about how one chick is tighter than the other when u havent even ****ed it

you do have a point, but you need also remember that the epiphone is a budget instrument, and just that, I've played a few epis before, and they are pretty good, I'm a non professional guitarist, but I can tell that the epi pales in comparison to a real gibson, but they make a good start at least. the epi has less attention to detail, but is still a good playing, good sounding guitar.

[saad_nirvana]

i think strats are better because gibsuns can only produce warm sounds on clean...but the strat can produce warm and scratchy sounds



this guitar aint good if you play wiht alot of variety

[dutch5367]

I was looking at both and ended up getting the Gibson... and I'm very happy about that.

[Prog_On]

This was my first electric guitar 7 years ago and it still ROCKS ¡¡¡ I use it for jazz and i even shred on this beauty. Great guitar for the price, i totally love it. I bought a Gibson Les Paul Standard last year and it obviously blows my epiphone away BUT the epi´s got more personality with its scratches and dents. I would hate to scratch my Gibson lol. And plz remember... there are not such things as crappy amps, crappy guitars or crappy guitar effects... THERE ARE CRAPPY GUITAR PLAYERS¡¡¡ Keep that in mind

[ROCKAHOBO]

heyim rather getting this in blue or sunburst for 300quid should i get that ot a epiphone explorer for 255 quid?

[I am punk "BF"]

This is an awsome guitar. They also look so so cool

[es_kraken]

les paul + bigsby = awesomeawesomeawesomeawesome!!!!!

[joshgalloway]

What colour is it in the picture at the top?

[MrChris]

Sorry I have played one of these and I could not justify the $3000 price tag of a similar gibson branded model. None of you can tell me the difference in woods, pickups and construction justify the extra $2400. Gibson is a very strong brand and I know they play on this a fair bit. Epi's are probly the most price competitive brand on market

[Uncle Gibson]

Is it hard to move on stage with this guitar?
I heard it's quite heavy.

[FloyDZeD]

i believe the color is "honey burst" but im not quite sure.

[acid eaters]

i own a cherry burst les paul standard and for the money it's worth it it's true that gibson's guitars are better but we're talking three times more in cash i say that epiphone makes a great guitar for the price and the pwn the strats.

[88Gnr88]

these guitars are great dont listen to the fags sayin they are nothin compared to gibson, just to let u guys know SLASH himself owns 2 which he received a week ago after releasing his SIGNATURE edition LP brand new runs for 600 - 700 dollars and let me tell you these guitars are AMAZING, if you dont believe me stop by Guitar Center they have some set up and test em yourself i tried one out of a Marshall amp and it was amazing i had to buy it i did and i never regret it using a Digitech GX FP im able to get some amazing sounds!

[AwesomeDrummer]

this guitar rox my jox! it's bloody awesome!!!

[KY_GuitarMan]

I've two of these. One with Pearly Gates pups and the other with EMG's. They're great guitars for the price. Any moron on here that says these aren't as good as Gibsons is just an idiot. No SH!T Sherlock! Guess what Genius? Not everyone has $2300 lying around to buy a Gibson.

This is one hell of a guitar for the price. Much better than the cheap guitars we had available in the 70's and 80's.

[MikeG D]

how much does this guitar weigh?

[Tsuchiya]

MikeG D: It's a pretty heavy guitar. I would say as heavy as picking up a few Strats at once heavy. It won't pull your arm off, and it's meant to be slightly lighter then a normal Gibson, but the weight is definitely the first thing you will really notice when you pick it up.

[HomerSGR]

My top strap-button also fell of! The first day I had it, I went back to the shop and they fixed it there. I love the guitar, and if I buy a new someday I will definitly not go for anything other than a Les Paul-model.

[marxophone]

my girlfriend caught me in my pants with this guitar, a big muff, and a marshall valvestate..... she just couldnt understand. shame.

[evhdawg999]

i just bought this guitar today brand new but the treble won't work
when the switch is set to neutral or rhythm it works just fine but on treble i cant hear it at all what might be wrong? (and please don't say that the volume is off lol cuz its not)

[Oblivion_Rps]

i bought this guitar a couple of weeks ago in Tobacco Burst... and I'm really impressed with the quality.. an expensive epiphone (expensive as in its own price range) is better quality than a cheap Gibson (once again, in Gibson's own price range).

The original price for my Epi was £500, and the quality is much better than the £600 Gibson Les Paul Studio I played.

[jacobrocker131]

well I bought this for 600 dollars, IN LEFTY. it was in black, but the control knobs were brown, so i replaced them with black speed knobs from an SG. looks AMAZING, i was really impressed by what some control knobs would do. OBVIOUSLY not the best guitar, nor the worst, (i am at near the best:P)
this was my first electric guitar, i play all types of metal, because im a ****ing metalhead. this is very nice, i can get some nice zeppelin tones to some slayer or lamb of god sounds... i wasnt impressed by the pickups though. not so hot. i play it threw a line 6 spider 3, sounds amazing. only problem is that people say epi's are junk, so i really wish epi's would step up in quality and compete with other good companies.

[..::ALEX::..]

Avery solid guitar. even though you would think that just because it's an epiphone it's not worth anything. well, honestly, if you taped up the headstock to hide the logo, people would mistake for it's Gibson counterpart. And for the price, it's a workhorse. The finish is enough to bring you to your knee's. I purchased th eblue one, and the color is like melted chocolate. honestly, I would say that it's better to have an expensive epi, than a cheap Gibson. So enjoy this guitar, it's a keeper. definitely the new coronet.

[g-griezejs]

bgarnham wrote:

SnowMan1 wrote:

This guitar is great! It is just as good as a gibson les paul standard. And it's also cool because as epi les paul69 said Frank and also Ray from My Chemical
Romance plays epihpone and their one of my favorite bands.

GAY, GAY, GAY, GAY, GAY, GAY, TOTALLY GAY

What, is that what you tell yourself in your mirror with pink binding?

[g-griezejs]

vanhalenrule wrote:

and im sorry, nut an epiphone will NEVER out do a fender stratocaster, eeppeliteloop

More a question of taste but in my opinion anything with 3 singlecoils bites.. Humbuckers rule baby!!

[g-griezejs]

evhdawg999 wrote:

i just bought this guitar today brand new but the treble won't work
when the switch is set to neutral or rhythm it works just fine but on treble i cant hear it at all what might be wrong? (and please don't say that the volume is off lol cuz its not)

And the tone knobs, were they up? My friend guitar has an interesting thing to it, you change the volume not with the volume knobs, but with the tone knobs :P what's up with that??


Damn did everybody leave this discussion? 3 comments in a row.. come on

[BloodHorn]

IS Epiphone a trustable Brand??? i own a Squire Strat and I was wonderin since squire is by Fender, and im not very impressed by the overall sound i was wondering if Epiphone was the same way??

[Devil Biscuit]

a squire was my first guitar , like u some ppl find them quite dissapointing but for the price tag i dnt reli think u can complain, Epiphone are different , with them u get a gibson without the logo , there great and are preaty much the same thing, u wuldnt b dissapointed, i wasnt i luv my Les Paul ! !

[Pingis_Or_Death]

So many people use this guitar with an mg, makes me wanna cry.

[leony03]

IS Epiphone a trustable Brand??? i own a Squire Strat and I was wonderin since squire is by Fender, and im not very impressed by the overall sound i was wondering if Epiphone was the same way??

Epiphone is owned by Gibson now so i would say so. i have one and nothing has gone wrong with it for 4 years. absolutely nothing

[Anjohl]

Epiphone's are meant for people who want the look of a particular guitar without the craftsmanship or the sound of the guitar. IE, the Epi LP or SG will LOOK like the guitar you want, but won't sound or FEEL like it. Sure, you can switch out the pups for a better set, but the craftsmanship is still terrible, plus, you know, you are supporting china's rise to dominant superpower status.

[munkyRobb]

ive had this guitar for nearly a year now

great guitar lovely sound but theres loads of buzz that i cant get rid of

and the headstocks rediculously weak
it fell off my guitar stand and hit eh wall and crack teh neck basically all teh way thro
and its a solid body so i cant just change the neck ffs!!

but i got an ibanez that rules to replace it ^^

[Zangetsu 101]

Anjohl wrote:

Epiphone's are meant for people who want the look of a particular guitar without the craftsmanship or the sound of the guitar. IE, the Epi LP or SG will LOOK like the guitar you want, but won't sound or FEEL like it. Sure, you can switch out the pups for a better set, but the craftsmanship is still terrible, plus, you know, you are supporting china's rise to dominant superpower status.

Did Mr Epaminondas give you nightmares as a kid? The craftmanship is not terrible.

[CustomCustom]

I would say in general any Korean made Epi has a chance of being a good guitar.

[rocnroll4evr93]

epis r way underrated. they're tough, and they sound and play close to a gibson. although, if you can afford one, buy the gibson.

[rocnroll4evr93]

saad_nirvana wrote:



i think strats are better because gibsuns can only produce warm sounds on clean...but the strat can produce warm and scratchy sounds



this guitar aint good if you play wiht alot of variety

dude. all i have to say is tht you are an idiot. i hav one of these and i can play anything from clean, to absolute metal and it always sounds great

[whitebluesboy]

Epiphone Les Paul's sound great. I will never sell mine. Besides everyone knows its the indian not the arrow.

[goblin_king14]

Whoever sets these things up really needs to double-check their facts. First of all, there is the matter of the top. Epiphone has two separate models that they fancy calling "Plain-top" and "Plus-top". If it has a flamed maple top, that'd make it plus-top.

Second is the matter of the body wood. Where the hell did this /alder business happen? Check Musician's Friend or the Epiphone website. There's no /alder. It's solid Mahogany on every one of these guitars.

And where the details aren't wrong, they're vague. I think it's worth mentioning that the humbuckers are Alnico Classic humbuckers.

Overall, the featured review sounds like it was written by a teenager who got it as a first guitar and was so starstruck by it that they went out and wrote a review the next day--not so much like it was written by someone who knows guitars.

[appetite4gnr]

Anjohl wrote:

Epiphone's are meant for people who want the look of a particular guitar without the craftsmanship or the sound of the guitar. IE, the Epi LP or SG will LOOK like the guitar you want, but won't sound or FEEL like it. Sure, you can switch out the pups for a better set, but the craftsmanship is still terrible, plus, you know, you are supporting china's rise to dominant superpower status.

I happen to love my G400. And no, not because it looks like an SG. It sounds, plays, and feels exactly the way I want it to. which is the reason I bought it. Sure, if I had a couple thousand $$$ floating around, I'd get a gibson, but to me, It's just not practical. I gig regularly, and to risk breaking a Gibson doesn't make sense to me.(I've gigged with my epi for 4 years now, and it hasn't let me down yet.)

[mosherhamish]

realic wrote:

alright pal all im saying is if you are more concerned about what you play rather than how you play you should not be allowed to hold a guitar...I admit and admitted earlier gibsons are better instraments but not +2000$ better IMO, and will by no means make u play better. Who is more respected a great guitarist with an epi or a good guitarist with the gibson. What you play doesnt define how good you are and in turn the respect u get.

there is a difference from being endorsed and actually playing the instruments

And if you look at the epi site the majority of the artists photos are taken live with various epi's in hand, what more proff do u need that they are actucally playing them.
I have nothing more to say...just please accept that i feel gibsons are the better instrament but for me and others (as per this site) feel they are extremely overpriced, while epis give 90% the guitar for 25% the price.
stop trying to justify spending 3000$ on a guitar by bashing other's.

donno if any of you know this but before gibson owned epi they actually made custom made guitars. .

[mosherhamish]

epi les paul69 wrote:

Frank Iero from My Chemical Romance plays one of these things. It's so awesome that a famous guitarist would play an epiphone instead of a Gibson guitar, as he's probably filthy rich.

they dont play epi anymore though - they now use gibson (and 50% of the tym they would smash there epis)

[Quinj]

i love this guitar, its ****ing awesome. I play this through a Laney GT100 head and a Marshall 1960 cab. along with a couple of added effects. And i can safely say, On the price alone. That this guitar is better then a Gibson. Now dont get me wrong, Gibsons are fantastic Guitars, but they are not worth the £2000+ for them. The sustain and tone from a Epiphone is amazing, almost as good as the Gibsons. Id much rather spend £400 on a Epiphone then £3400 on a Gibson.

And as for all these Gibson snobs, you can go **** right off. Its not just the make of guitar that makes the player, its the ability to play well.

You know, im gonna review one myself soon.

[Brunorocks]

I had one of these for a couple of years and while it was an ok guitar for the 25.00 I paid for it at a yardsale it certainly has little in common with my Gibson. The main thing that makes a gibson a gibson is the maple cap. Without that piece of wood the body loses all of its sustain. The epiphone pickups I found to be terrible sounding and squealy. If you replace them this is a pretty good axe but for the extra 250 bucks a good set of pickups will set you back you can get a hell of a lot more guitar for your money. The faded series pauls while lacking a maple cap at least have decent electronics. You do know that all of the "figured" finishes on the epi's are fake right? Gibsons are a far better value due to the fact that they hold on to most of thier value. This guitar would be ok for a beginner or someone who played music where tone didn't matter but any serious player would very soon become aware of its limitations. I have been working in the retail instrument business for years and believe me the quality of the entire epiphone line has been taking a big time downward trend recently. I would never for any reason pay even half of the normal price for one of these things

[Jdwcomic]

Quinj wrote:
And as for all these Gibson snobs, you can go **** right off. Its not just the make of guitar that makes the player, its the ability to play well.

I'm not a snob I just prefer a good sound over a cheap price. Epi's are made with lower quality materials giving them a lower quailty sound no thanks

[jerry666]

I agree, the Gibson's are a superior guitar. Unfortunately, most of us on here don't have two grand for a real Les Paul. I think the Epi's, for the cost, offer a pretty good alternative. I paid $400 for mine last year at the Hollywood Guitar Center while on holidays, and think it's been worth every penny. Saying that, can't wait until the day I have the money to buy a Gibson Les Paul or SG.