Epiphone Les Paul
Encyclopedia
The Epiphone Les Paul is a line of solid body electric guitars
produced by Epiphone
as a more modestly priced version of the famous Gibson Les Paul
. Epiphone is a subsidiary of the Gibson Guitar Corporation
and manufactures the Les Paul and other budget models at a lower cost in Asia. Visually and ergonomically, it is almost identical to a Gibson Les Paul. Because of the low price, similar looks, and the close relationship with Gibson, many guitarists buy an Epiphone as one of their first guitars.
There is also "Plain-Top" model that features a plain maple top and a "Plus-Top" model that features a flame maple top.
.
Epiphone discontinued the Les Paul Custom Plus line, which was a normal Les Paul Custom but with a flame maple top and either a Cherryburst finish or a Vintage Sunburst.
Also comes as a Les Paul ES Custom.
These guitars are quite rare.
Only 102 are currently known to exist.
(ex KISS
) made by Epiphone; Based on a custom LP, this guitar comes with a 3 Dimarzio
superdistortion (DP100), lighting bolts fingerboard inlays, and the Ace face and signature on the headstock. Add a multi-bound premium flamed maple top, mahogany body, rosewood fingerboard, and quality chrome-plated hardware, comes in 3 colors: cherry sunburst, translucent black and blue-silver burst. http://www.gugmusic.cl/testimonios/4.jpg
(Ozzy Osbourne
and Black Label Society
) made by Epiphone. It comes with the signature "Bullseye" finish, an unfinished maple set neck with a rosewood fretboard, 2 EMG, Inc.
passive pickups and gold hardware. There are "Camo" and "Buzzsaw" signature models too, but these have been discontinued.
In 2011 the Epiphone Zakk Wylde Les Paul Custom 'Plus' was introduced which included EMG 81 and 85 active pickups and ebony fretboard.
(ex Guns N' Roses
and Velvet Revolver
) made by Epiphone. There is a "Slash Les Paul Goldtop" that comes with 2 Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro-II pickups, a mahogany set-neck with a rosewood fretboard,a Tune-o-matic bridge, a maple top, nickel hardware and a metallic gold finish. There is a "Slash Les Paul Standard Plus-Top" model that is very similar to his signature gold top model but this comes with a flame maple top and a tobacco sunburst finish.
. Its neck is made of mahogany with a rosewood fretboard consisting of 22 frets and a "XII" inlay at the 12th fret. The body is also mahogany with 2 Alnico
classic humbuckers, a tune-o-matic
bridge, and black chrome hardware.
The Les Paul Tribute guitars come in two different "versions": 1960 and 2010. The 1960 version has a 1960s style slim taper neck, whereas the more modern 2010 version has an asymmetrical neck. The bass side of the neck on this guitar is thicker than the treble side, providing a more comfortable feel that fits the shape of the hand more accurately.
- BurstBucker and Burstbucker Pro Pickups
- No coil tapping, and therefore tophat dials for volume and tone
- Comes in two colours, iced tea burst and heritage cherry sunburst
The 1959 Les Paul Standard also comes with a certificate of authenticity.
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
produced by Epiphone
Epiphone
The Epiphone Company is a musical instrument manufacturer founded in 1873 by Anastasios Stathopoulos. Epiphone was bought by Chicago Musical Instrument Company, which also owned Gibson Guitar Corporation, in 1957. Epiphone was Gibson's main rival in the archtop market...
as a more modestly priced version of the famous Gibson Les Paul
Gibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
. Epiphone is a subsidiary of the Gibson Guitar Corporation
Gibson Guitar Corporation
The Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names...
and manufactures the Les Paul and other budget models at a lower cost in Asia. Visually and ergonomically, it is almost identical to a Gibson Les Paul. Because of the low price, similar looks, and the close relationship with Gibson, many guitarists buy an Epiphone as one of their first guitars.
Les Paul Standard
Very similar to a Gibson Les Paul Standard, it has a solid mahogany or alder body, Set-neck mahogany neck (most models) with a rosewood fretboard, Alnico Classic Humbuckers, Grover Machine Heads and a Tune-o-matic bridge. Is considered by some to be the flagship Les Paul model made by Epiphone.There is also "Plain-Top" model that features a plain maple top and a "Plus-Top" model that features a flame maple top.
Les Paul Custom
The Les Paul Custom features multiple bindings around the back and top of the body and has a bound headstock with a split-diamond inlay. Unlike the Epiphone Les Paul Standard, the Custom model features a mahogany back and mahogany top. The split-diamond inlay on the headstock and the block inlays on the fretboard are slightly smaller than on the comparable Gibson modelGibson Les Paul Custom
The Gibson Les Paul Custom is a higher end variation of the Gibson Les Paul guitar. It was developed in 1954 after Gibson had introduced the Les Paul model in 1952.-Notable Les Paul Custom players:...
.
Epiphone discontinued the Les Paul Custom Plus line, which was a normal Les Paul Custom but with a flame maple top and either a Cherryburst finish or a Vintage Sunburst.
Les Paul Black Beauty 3
The Epiphone Les Paul Black Beauty 3 is a copy of the Gibson Les Paul Custom with 3 humbucker pickups, in black finish with gold hardware. It is sometimes known as "the tuxedo guitar", as it is "dressed to kill". Epiphone manufactures 2 variations, one with a traditional Tune-o-matic bridge and one with a Bigsby B6 vibrato unit.Les Paul ES
The Les Paul ES is very similar to a normal Les Paul Standard, although it has F-holes in the top. This means it is a semi-hollow bodied guitar, combining the small body and 'crunch' of a Les Paul, with the warmth of a hollow bodied guitar. The term 'ES' is used by Gibson to signify a hollow (or semi hollow) bodied guitar, so the term was given to this guitar with the same purpose.Also comes as a Les Paul ES Custom.
These guitars are quite rare.
Only 102 are currently known to exist.
Ace Frehley Signature Les Paul
Signature model made of guitarist Ace FrehleyAce Frehley
Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Kiss. He took on the persona of the "Spaceman" or "Space Ace" when the band adopted costumes and theatrics...
(ex KISS
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
) made by Epiphone; Based on a custom LP, this guitar comes with a 3 Dimarzio
DiMarzio
DiMarzio, Inc. is an United States manufacturer best known for its revolutionary direct-replacement guitar pickups. The company also produces miscellaneous guitar accessories, such as cables, straps and hardware.DiMarzio became known for its Super Distortion model, which was the first after...
superdistortion (DP100), lighting bolts fingerboard inlays, and the Ace face and signature on the headstock. Add a multi-bound premium flamed maple top, mahogany body, rosewood fingerboard, and quality chrome-plated hardware, comes in 3 colors: cherry sunburst, translucent black and blue-silver burst. http://www.gugmusic.cl/testimonios/4.jpg
Zakk Wylde Bullseye Signature Les Paul
Is a signature model made of guitarist Zakk WyldeZakk Wylde
Zachary Phillip Wylde , best known by the stage name Zakk Wylde, is an American musician, songwriter, and occasional actor who is best known as the former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and founder of the heavy metal band Black Label Society. He was the lead guitarist and vocalist in Pride & Glory,...
(Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
and Black Label Society
Black Label Society
Black Label Society is a heavy metal band formed by Zakk Wylde, with nine studio albums, one live album, two compilation albums, one EP, and three video albums released since formation of the band.-Formation and Sonic Brew :...
) made by Epiphone. It comes with the signature "Bullseye" finish, an unfinished maple set neck with a rosewood fretboard, 2 EMG, Inc.
EMG, Inc.
EMG, Inc. is the current legal name of a company based in Santa Rosa, California which manufactures guitar pickups and EQ accessories. Founded in 1976, the company was originally called Dirtywork Studios. The name was changed to "Overlend" in 1978 and then to the current name in 1983...
passive pickups and gold hardware. There are "Camo" and "Buzzsaw" signature models too, but these have been discontinued.
In 2011 the Epiphone Zakk Wylde Les Paul Custom 'Plus' was introduced which included EMG 81 and 85 active pickups and ebony fretboard.
Slash Signature Les Paul
Signature models of guitarist SlashSlash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
(ex Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
and Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver is an American hard rock supergroup consisting of former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth. Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland was Velvet Revolver's lead singer from their formation until...
) made by Epiphone. There is a "Slash Les Paul Goldtop" that comes with 2 Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro-II pickups, a mahogany set-neck with a rosewood fretboard,a Tune-o-matic bridge, a maple top, nickel hardware and a metallic gold finish. There is a "Slash Les Paul Standard Plus-Top" model that is very similar to his signature gold top model but this comes with a flame maple top and a tobacco sunburst finish.
Goth Les Paul Studio
This model is part of the Epiphone Goth series, which are a run of guitars unique to Epiphone. This guitar comes in a satin black finish, and is a mid-range model because of its included pick guard and set-in neckSet-in neck
Set-in neck is a method of guitar construction that involves joining guitar neck and body with a tightly fitted mortise-and-tenon or dovetail joint, secured using some sort of adhesive...
. Its neck is made of mahogany with a rosewood fretboard consisting of 22 frets and a "XII" inlay at the 12th fret. The body is also mahogany with 2 Alnico
Alnico
Alnico is an acronym referring to iron alloys which in addition to iron are composed primarily of aluminium , nickel and cobalt , hence al-ni-co, with the addition of copper, and sometimes titanium. Alnico alloys are ferromagnetic, with a high coercivity and are used to make permanent magnets...
classic humbuckers, a tune-o-matic
Tune-o-matic
Tune-o-matic is a name of fixed bridge design for electric guitars. It was designed by Ted McCarty and introduced in the Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar in 1954. In 1955, it was used on the Gibson Les Paul Gold Top...
bridge, and black chrome hardware.
Les Paul Studio
Same as the Epiphone LP Standard, but with open 498 alnico pickups, instead of covered, and the body is not bound. This model is the same as the "Goth", but there is no XII fret marker, and is available in various colors rather than the Goth's all-black look. This guitar retails around 549.99 US Dollars.Les Paul-100
The Les Paul 100 is a Les Paul model. The biggest difference is that it has a bolt-on neck rather than the typical Les Paul set-neck. It comes with 2 open-coil humbucker pickups (700T/650R), mahogany body (slimmer than most Les Paul bodies), mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard (with dot inlays) and a tune-o-matic bridge. It also lacks the Grover Machine Heads in recent production.Les Paul Special II
The Les Paul Special II is manufactured by Epiphone with a retail price starting at under $300 USD. It has two Alnico classic humbucking pickups, one master volume knob, one tone knob, a three-way pickup selector switch and a rosewood fretboard (with plastic dot inlays). A Tune-O-Matic bridge and stop-bar tailpiece come standard. It is usually constructed of a basswood body and a bolt-on mahogany neck and comes in black, white, red, cherry sunburst and vintage sunburst. Company marketing literature occasionally refers to this model as Epiphone's most popular Les Paul model, in part because of both their classic design, as well as their over all simplicity. Although the design has gone largely unchanged over the years, Special IIs have been manufactured in different locations, including China most recently. Unlike some older models, current Special IIs (which are priced slightly cheaper than in years past), do not bear a "Gibson" labeled truss cover, nor does name appear anywhere on the headstock. Instead the truss cover reads "Special II" in bright lettering. On the used market, some players seek out older models due to this difference. Special IIs comes standard with either nickel plated Chrome or Black hardware.Les Paul Ultra series
The Les Paul Ultra has a mahogany body, and rosewood fretboard with large mother-of-pearl inlays, the Ultra's body has been hollowed out to create resonation chambers, producing a deep and rich sound, and also reducing the weight of the often heavy Les Paul body. This model has also an ergonomic notch like a Stratocaster to feel comfortable against the player's body. Finish choice is limited to faded Cherry Burst with a quilted maple top. Alnico Classic Humbuckers, Grover Machine Heads and a Tune-o-matic bridge are standard features. Based on the Ultra, the Les Paul Ultra II has several unique features, including a Chambered Mahogany body, a NanoMag low impedance pickup, and other electronic changes to produce a unique sound. Available finishes for the Ultra II are traditional Faded Cherry Burst, or Midnight Ebony.1960/2010 Les Paul Tribute
To celebrate the life of the late Les Paul, Epiphone released a series of premium Les Paul guitars. Available in two faded colours, translucent black and heritage cherry sunburst, these are essentially Epiphone Les Paul Standard guitars with notable upgrades. These upgrades - which include Grover Locking Tuners, Mallory 150 Electronics, Gibson Classic '57 and Classic '57 Plus Pickups - bring this Epiphone Guitar into a class of its own, which is just about as close as being a genuine Gibson as you will get for so much less than its Gibson counterpart.The Les Paul Tribute guitars come in two different "versions": 1960 and 2010. The 1960 version has a 1960s style slim taper neck, whereas the more modern 2010 version has an asymmetrical neck. The bass side of the neck on this guitar is thicker than the treble side, providing a more comfortable feel that fits the shape of the hand more accurately.
1959 Les Paul Standard (Limited Edition)
Only 1959 of these guitars have been created. Again, a Les Paul that comes very close to Gibson territory with specs that are very similar to that of the 1960/2010 tribute guitar, with the exception of the following differences:- BurstBucker and Burstbucker Pro Pickups
- No coil tapping, and therefore tophat dials for volume and tone
- Comes in two colours, iced tea burst and heritage cherry sunburst
The 1959 Les Paul Standard also comes with a certificate of authenticity.