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Pros:
- Great Sound
- Beautiful Design
- Reasonable Price
Cons:
- Everybody has one (probably)
There are few guitar designs as famous or easily recognizable as the Les Paul. Ever since its inception, the guitar design has become synonymous with rock and roll, popular culture, idols and being really, really cool, if you were in a band in high school. Today, the Les Paul design stands on a pedestal among all guitar players. The Epiphone Les Paul is highly regarded among all players, especially the beginners and mid-level musicians. Whichever you are, let’s get into the thick of it and find out if this electric guitar is for you.
Build Quality
I know I said it once already, but how can I not repeat it in the place where I actually get to discuss the construction quality of this instrument? The Epiphone Les Paul design is what you probably imagined yourself playing when you pictured yourself on a stage at a gig. The manufacturers, knowing this, have decided to produce as high quality of a guitar as they could. You have a body made of Mahogany, with a Maple top wood, all of it sturdy and well made. You definitely will not have a hard time keeping these in good shape and, because the hardwoods’ lightweight nature, is comfortable to hold.
The neck of this guitar is made of maple and is set in, meaning you will not have to deal with the pesky bolts on the back of your instrument. The maple is high quality and very sturdy, with the slender body providing easy access to the smooth, rosewood fretboard. Honestly, a pleasure to touch and play.
Hardware
All chrome everything is what the manufacturers like to scream when they make their hardware. This is definitely not a bad thing, since the resulting hardware is usually sturdy and serviceable. The same goes for the Epiphone Les Paul. While nothing to write home about, the hardware on this guitar is definitely not complain-worthy. Something along the lines of above average, which is definitely a nice thing to have. With proper maintenance, this hardware cold last you for a very long time. Without maintenance (you need to review your priorities) it is liable to last you a couple of years, maybe.
Electronics
Epiphone shines in the world of electronics, producing some of the best pickups over the years of the manufacturer’s existence. The Les Paul has a double humbucker set up, with one pickup at each end, omitting the middle. I’ve often thought that Alnico Classic pickups are a little too nice to be stock pickups, arriving with the purchase of a new guitar. Which, I guess, makes this Les Paul definitely worth a consideration. These have a very versatile range of sound, with the ability to be as clean as possible or as sustain heavy as you want.
Epiphone Les Paul Sound
As a result of all the stellar construction and design choices, it is no wonder that the sound of this guitar is a little bit exceptional in its price range. The Mahogany body topped with a good dose of maple gives a very balanced sound to the guitar throughout the range of tones. The Humbuckers Alnico Classic pickups provide a great, clean sound with a flexibility that many stock pickups are unable to achieve. The resulting sound of the guitar is very strong and very energetic. Definitely, something that is easy to enjoy.
Conclusion
Overall the Epiphone Les Paul is a very good guitar. While it might not be the best in terms of everything, it definitely deserves all five stars, especially if you consider how affordable the guitar is. Whether you are a beginner or a professional, you will find this instrument useful to you. Just don’t get distracted by how good it looks in your hands and actually play it.
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