20 Best Les Paul Guitar Kit (2023 Updated)

Father Christmas got this guitar for my 11yr old son this year and he hasn’t put it down! He started teaching himself acoustic guitar a few months ago and has been absolutely fixated. He asked Father Christmas for an electric guitar and this is what turned up Christmas morning.

He absolutely loves it. It’s not too heavy and playing it through the amp sounds brilliant, much to our neighbours annoyance lol.

My son has been playing the acoustic guitar for some years but really wanted an electric one. He found this affordable package online (which was the same as one used by a friend) and asked whether he might have it for his birthday – I bought it and was delighted both with his reaction and by his continued practicing and the sounds emanating from his bedroom.

An obvious hit. An amazing array of kit for the money and a good tone.

The pickup selection was broken from the start. The price is good for a beginner’s first guitar, however if the pick ups are broken it’s going to create big problems for a new guitarist when finding their way around their guitar for the first time.

My first electric. Got it in a combo kit with amp and bag. Hook it into my computer now and rarely use the amp for anything. That being said, as many people have mentioned the bridge. If this isn’t your first guitar, or you are looking for a second guitar – don’t get this one.

I learned about intonation and action and all that while having this guitar. You can only set the intonation on the outside E’s and everything else is just what you get. My the height of my bridge for medium action on the low E is maybe a 1/16 from bottoming out, any lower it will buzz more.

To get the same range of action on my high E my bridge is almost a 1/4″ in the air. I do not know enough to get into shimming the neck to get it leveled out more, I just know enough to assume a 1/4″ rise over 3″ space probably isn’t a good thing.

However! I’ve learned plenty on it over these last 6 months. I bought this guitar because I did not want to invest a lot of money into it if I wasn’t going to stick with it. I bought this in February of 22.

The first 5 months I probably played on it maybe 50-60 hours. These last 4 months I’ve probably played on it 1-3 hours a day. I started using apps to learn and being able to plug it directly into my computer has been amazing.

It’s served it’s purpose, I’m now getting to the level of playing where I’d like a better quality instrument and am looking in the $400-$500 range. For a first guitar, and you’re not sure if you’re going to stay with it, this was great for me and I will pass it on to someone else to get started with.

Other than the bridge intonation and probably not flat fret board, I have had 0 mechanical issues with it.

I’m an experienced guitarist owning higher-end Taylor, RainSong and Manuel Rodriguez acoustics, and electrics including a Rickenbacker 12-string, Fender Tele, a PRS Custom 24 and a Gretsch hollow body.

I bought this one simply to have it autographed by a Canadian band that’s putting on a concert at my church next month. Their guitarist plays an Epiphone Les Paul Studio, so I got this because it looks similar to his and doesn’t cost much, so will keep it as an autographed souvenir on my wall with other autographed instruments I have.

When I got it home, I plugged it into my electric practice amp, expecting very little in terms of sound and performance; was just curious. Wow, was I ever wrong. Granted, this little Epiphone Special-I doesn’t play/sound like the more expensive instruments, and there is a little flaw where the headstock meets the neck (only cosmetic).

But I absolutely did not expect it to sound and play anything like it does. Dad and Mom: If you’re looking for a really good starter electric guitar for a kid learning to play, this one is far, far better than the starter instruments I learned on when I was in middle school (in the late ’60s).

I have to say that this Epiphone Special-I performs more like a $500-$750 instrument. I’m still in shock at how it plays for the price; having trouble putting it down. I’m not kidding. No fret buzz, bars easily, super clean sound-every string.

Quality to Price Ratio is way up there.

This Epiphone has a unique harmonic growl to it! It’s not trying to be poor man’s Gibson, this shines on it’s own. Most People would dismiss it because of the affordable price but They are missing out! The tone is responsive and gutsy.

I unboxed it and replaced the strings with a set of Roto oranges and the chugging yet chime like tone is addictive. This is so comfortable to play it makes putting it down difficult. Friends Who also play can’t believe the sound quality for the price.

The neck and fretboard are smooth and easy on the fingers. The sustain is long and glossy smooth. Try one out and You’ll never want to part with it!.

I am giving this a 2 star rating mostly because I feel it is misrepresented in the online photos and video. Purchased the TV yellow and color is way off from other online photos and video reviews. Color is not even a decent mustard.

More like a light faded brown/yellow mix lightly washed over the wood. Headstock labeling does not match and the bridge set screws are not black as shown in photos. Bought on sale cheap and it is a cheap guitar.

Far from other entry level budget Epiphones I have purchased. Neck angle way off and needs to be shimmed, frets are rough, pickup adjusting screw heads were rounded out. The P90s are tricky to adjust but once dialed in can get some good sounds.

It took a lot of messing with them to figure it out. Tip for anybody new to P90s. Dial in the clean by backing the gain way off and bring the pickups real close to the strings. If the pickups are hanging up in the cutout like mine were, push them up and down some and rock them a little and then lift up slightly to rest tight against the adjusting screws.

I think the foam spring pad underneath slows adjustment reaction. Snug fit in cavity requires a little wiggling. Would recommend this if on sale only-not full price worthy. Will need tinkering to tweak.

After reading the myriad other positive reviews on this I decided that it would be a great first guitar for my oldest daughter who expressed some interest in playing. Given the cost, it would be easy to unload if she decided not to pursue the hobby.

I want to get the negatives out of the way because, overall, I am very impressed with the product. The cable that ships with this is TERRIBLE. If you get the package, buy a decent guitar cable. It seems to be shielded poorly and is very noisy.

The strap is mediocre at best. It is serviceable but feels cheap and flimsy. Again, spend the money on a better quality strap and you will be happy. Now to the better: The gig bag is OK for storage and lugging the guitar if one is careful.

It’s not as heavily padded as the better quality ones, but it will work. The Best Stuff: The guitar itself is fantastic. The construction is solid enough and it is a genuinely beautiful instrument. The AAA Flame Maple laminate top is gorgeous.

I love the binding around the body and the cherry-colored Mahogany back of the guitar pairs nicely with the amber top. The fretwork is good with no sharp edges. The tuner built into the pickup ring is a stroke of genius and a super bonus.

The pickup switch is quiet with no noticeable “pop” when changing PU outputs. This guitar truly IS a Les Paul in terms of its ability to shape sound via the switch. It sounds GREAT and plays well. The amplifier is one of the BEST features of the package.

The 15 watts are definitely LOUD enough for practice and both channels do what they are supposed to, with the “dirty” channel producing significant gain and growl to satisfy anyone. The whole thing came well packaged for shipping.

Depending on how its received, you might want to invest in a professional set up or if you have the skill set, you can set it up yourself. But it has been pretty playable out-of-the-box. To sum up: This is a GREAT beginner’s package.

Throw out the crummy accessories and the budding guitarist will be thrilled; the more experienced player will be surprised at how GOOD it is. I can safely recommend this to ANYONE.

3 years ago I bought the black one first, and after plugging it in and playing it for 30 minutes I got the red one as well. With the right amp and tone settings, these are killer guitars. Mine only needed a slight adjustment at the bridge in order for the action to suit my preference.

For me, the neck has a great feel, the guitar is light, but has really good sustain. I have read some of the negative reviews on this guitar and all I can say is that they must be lemons. Both of mine came setup ready to play.

I’ve been playing for 50 years and owned a guitar shop, have played hundreds of guitars. Now, these aren’t going to compete against every high-end guitar out there (I have a bunch of those) but these definitely round out a collection and also are very playable if they’re the only guitar you own.

The finish is sort of blah, but I don’t play the finish and don’t really care what a guitar finish looks like. All of the Gibsons I have owned have glued on necks, not bolt on, so I was wondering what I would give up with a bolt-on.

not much, I can’t tell that there’s any problem with the bolt-on. all of my strats have bolt-on necks and I like Fenders a lot. The stop tailpiece has been in existence for as long as I can remember (decades).

It’s true, the strings lengths are not adjustable, but I have never had a problem with this type of bridge/tailpiece.

A physically NEW LP bolt-on for VERY cheap! The tiny crack may be only in the finish from the nut bottom back toward the main neck shaft. A tiny bit of thinned yellow glue in the bottom/front of the nut slot may be needed.

Just MAYBE! A handy person can fix this easily and I know how to do setups. so under $135 delivered for a new LP is a DEAL. Nice rosewood fretboard and a very sharp LP and ‘bolt-on’ is NOT a shortcoming for most players.

The dry fretboard will look and feel better with a very light fretboard oil wipe AFTER any re-glue is done. Short scale, well made, well finished and new with a tiny crack for under $135 delivered is a DEAL !.

As the song says: “I’m a Sucker for a Cheap Guitar”. I own over 30 – some cheap, some not so cheap. This one arrived perfectly set up: low action, no buzzing, no sharp fret edges, easy to play – amazing for a guitar in this price range.

Although not great, the pickups even sounded acceptable. It’s heavy, which to me means good, though not as heavy as my Gibson. It’s OK-looking, but needed something to enhance it – a pickguard. I added one and it looks much better – more expensive.

Instead of cutting off part of the guard to accommodate the knob as I’ve seen some others do, I drilled a hole big enough for the nut on the body underneath the knob to fit through the guard (see photos).

Since the guard isn’t much thicker than the nut, it allowed the guard to fit flush with the body and the knob to turn without any restriction of motion, and the pickguard is not butchered. It’s a very clean look – like it came that way – not modified.

So, I am pleased with this instrument, and would recommend it to anyone for any purpose: especially beginners to play or someone like me who just collects cheap guitars to hang on the wall of their studiio.

Im a Fender guy normally, but I needed something humbucker based and I didnt want an hss strat. I tossed up between this and the cherry red worn special II model which is 50 cheaper. I went for this for the maple top and some of the extras I actually needed anyway.

I cant help but be a tiny bit disappointed. From a distance, its really pretty. But up close, its not the finest maple and there are numerous imperfections. Its a cheap guitar, so what do I expect! Also, without the carved Les Paul top, the maple feels less special when youre up close.

The setup out of the box is poor. The strings are old and need replacing, and the intonation is a bit out. I would suggest budgeting an additional 50 to get it setup properly. I got a classic vibe squire a few weeks ago and the setup was top quality out of the box, so I think this is fair criticism.

Other than that, its fine, and sound is good for the money. The tuner is meh, but for a beginner I see the appeal. In hindsight I do kind of wish I had got the cheaper non-maple, non-slash version and used the saving for a setup though.

I bought this to retire my not so well aging 20+ year old Epiphone Les Paul standard. It served me well for a lot of years but with all the trickle-down technology I figured it was the right time to pick out a new one.

I chose the 60s standard for its neck, grover tuners, Bourbon Burst finish and graph tech nut. I never played pro bucker pickups before and I personally would like them to have more gain. Imo the top hat knobs look silly and will be replaced along with the pickups.

None of this is the guitar’s fault, It’s not like you can order a custom shop Epiphone built to your exact specs so I got the closest thing possible and I’m pretty happy with it. The couple faults that I do have with the guitar are the very sharp fret ends and a blemish that looks like a small bubble coming out of the top of the guitar where the maple meets the binding.

If I paid full price for this I’d probably send it back or try to get money off to get the frets fixed. but I got a stupidly good deal on it. If adding humidity doesn’t swell the fretboard and make the sharp frets disappear I’ll probably attempt to file them down myself.

I wasn’t real surprised by the pickups not meeting my expectations, but the rest of the specs were right for me. Other than the one blemish I mentioned the flame maple veneer sprayed bourbon burst looks beautiful and is otherwise flawless.

however the deep red stained back, sides and neck look a little out of place on the bourbon burst. I think the red would compliment a brighter burst but I’m not exactly crazy about it on this darker finish.

But that’s more personal preference. I will say that trying to get a brand new guitar in the box from these guys is next to impossible. I call in every order and have them verify that they have a brand new one sealed in a factory box.

I got a call later in the day from a GC about 2 hours away telling me they don’t have a new one in the box but they did clean a open box (demo) they have really well and think I’ll be very satisfied with it.

I ordered a new guitar, specifically called and verified this was a new guitar sealed and a factory box in the warehouse and they try to pull this again. After canceling that order and having my gear advisor or whatever they’re called go fishing for one that was sealed in the box.

He finally located one that was in stock at a GC. This has happened several times in the past and seems like bait and switch if I ever saw it. I keep coming back for the discounts and the points. but it’s got so bad it’s almost not worth dealing with anymore.

Anyway, overall this is about what you’d expect from a modern day Epiphone Les Paul in this price range.

I bought one of these several months ago. Ok I’m not good guitarist so take that into into consideration but I have player series strat and have always played strat style guitars and I’m not saying i love this guitar more than the Fender I love them both but as far as the guitar is concerned she got so much potential tonally.

I have no complaints about the ascetic she beautiful sexy gorgeous took a little getting used to the weight and contours compared to the strat there is adjustment period but she just rocks. I never played a Gibson but if this guitar had Gibson I guess it be a little better but also 2grand more.

If I have any complaint is she is finger print magnet always wiping down get some dunlop 65 and microfiber cloth. The Glossy neck won’t appeal to all but I can deal with it. Fret work perfect. I’m not a gigging musician but i have no doubt she gig worthy.

Oh also, get the pro coverage cause I found out ALL Les Paul are extremely fragile at the neck,It has to do with the angle of the neck, Google it, do your research on owning a led Paul little different than strat anyway the guitar is 600-GREAT VALUE then with 2 years pro coverage plus tax it was under 900 or somewhere around there.

And if you get a bad quality then ask for another cause it is coming from Asia so there is variability in workmanship but mine is PERFECT. If I ever get rich maybe ill buy a Gibson but for now this satisfy my Les Paul needs.

I wanted an alternative to my strat to emulate Slash sound lol I need to work on my technique but this definitely rocks a Les Paul sound. I did see a review or 2 that liked the sound of the 1950 better but I played them both and liked the 60s better but check them both out the inspired by Gibson line is definitely worth the money if you want a Les Paul without breaking the bank.

Just take your time do your homework if you can go to a GC and play it then do that In rarely write reviews especially this long but I love this guitar.

It’s unfortunate the QC with Epiphones has been suspect lately. However, the one received was set-up fairly well. I was a bit surprised! The finish is really nice. the online pics don’t do it justice.

The action and intonation were set pretty well. I only tweaked it a bit for my taste. The pickups are warm and round. Their tonal characteristics are what you would expect from an Epi. The fret work was excellent on mine.

no sharp edges or high frets. The neck is super easy to play, and the weight relief was spot on. I don’t care for Epi’s new “wider” headstock, but it’s still OK. The Grover machines are stable and smooth.

Overall, this is a great purchase in this class and at this price range.

Great guitar package for those on a budget. Good quality guitar for a beginner. Comes with everything you need to start your guitar journey with.

The guitar kit arrived in perfect condition by FedEx and went together fine. My wife, the gift recipient, loves it. The guitar, being new, is taking a little while to stabilize on tuning but it’s working out okay.

The red color is nice. My wife’s only complaint is that the little amplifier doesn’t have “fuzz” settings, but I told her they will come when she learns how to play. Individual pieces of the kit can be upgraded in future as desired.

Product arrived in perfect condition, and was using within 15 minutes. Has a very nice range considering the cost. Wish they would however raise the cost a few dollars if necessary and include a digital tuner with it.

Already had one so was not an inconvenience. If is your very first guitar, you’d save some grief by obtaining the digital tuner while waiting for the guitar to arrive. Otherwise I give this package a 10,.

This was a great starter kit for my teenage son. It was much nicer than we expected and it sounds great. He is super happy with the purchase. Everything came according to the description and in a timely manner.

Sound: Not much more to add, but if you have a pedal-friendly amp (the Fender Champion 100 series leaps to mind) then all you’ve done is make life easier for yourself. Those humbuckers go from a growl to a roar with a decent overdrive or distortion stomp box.

Cut the humbuckers to single coils and set the pickups to out-of phase and you’ve come dangerously close to a classic Stratocaster. This is not a bad thing. Features: No complaints here as to features, sound, playability, price, although the Epiphone-branded hard-shell case is worth the price paid.

Fits like a glove. Ease of Use: The ease of getting a great sound out of this instrument is about as difficult as plugging the cable into the guitar, the cable into the amp and turning the amp on. Yeah, that’s pretty much it.

Quality: Is the product well made? Watch any of these guitar shows and watch them do the blind-fold test between the Gibson and the Epiphone of the same model and how often the guy being tested gets it wrong! Value: Is this guitar worth the asking price? It’s worth that and then some.

So much offered (push/pull pots, etc. ) for a $500 price point? Yeah, you’re not going to beat that. Manufacturer Support: Other than to buy my guitar, no previous history with the company. The Wow Factor: Appeal of this instrument? 100% if you are anywhere near shopping for your next guitar.

ASAP if you ask me. Overall: I paid $549. 00 for the Epiphone Les Paul Classic in Honeyburst, a beautiful finish for this guitar. That this guitar features push/pull pots on each volume control for split coils on the humbuckers and one tone control to have the humbuckers play in/out of phase says a lot about what Epiphone is willing to do to offer a guitar worth the price paid, and then some.

Typical for the Les Paul guitar, thus model isn’t chambered to keep the weight down so it is heavy, but the weight isn’t a deal breaker, especially if you’re used to heavy guitars, i. e. 335’s, etc. The play ability of these Les Paul’s is off the chart—smooth and easy, genuinely comfortable but it’s the sound, that smooth purr that grows to a growl that speaks so much and so well, that legendary Les Paul voice that testifies to everything that the Les Paul hangs its hat on.

Bear in mind that the Epiphone brand isn’t seen as an inferior instrument, the problem still suffered by Squire by Fender; my Epiphone is all the guitar I could want and then some. What can I say with a final word? If you have one of these Classics then you know what I’m talking about; if not, then make a promise to yourself to get one soon.

For real!.

I’m an experienced musician but a novice guitarist, so I spent a lot of time hemming and hawing over whether I really *needed* to upgrade to a nicer guitar than my $150 entry-level model. Holy wow, am I glad I did.

This is still a pretty budget-friendly instrument, but I am absolutely blown away by the night-and-day difference in both sound quality and playability (previously I had the Epiphone LP Special I. ) It’s got an enormous personality and a fantastic range of tones, and it is quite literally making me a better player – when I’m doing things right, it rewards me with this big, fat, juicy, kick*ss old-school sound that I am quite frankly becoming addicted to.

The TV yellow color isn’t an exact copy of the Gibson look, it has a thicker and shinier finish, but it’s still beautiful. In person it’s more of a creamy butterscotch shade than the bright yellow it shows up as in pictures.

Action was way too high out of the box and the strings it came with were pretty lousy, but those were both a very easy fix. The wraparound bridge makes string changes and action adjustment almost idiot-proof.

Basically, I don’t know that I’ll ever need a further “upgrade” guitar in my life, absolutely iconic work from Epiphone here and absurdly good for the price. I’m obsessed. Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s calling for me and we need to practice again.

Overall: I’ve been a guitarist since the late 80’s, but I no longer play professionally, but I do play at home a lot. I’ve sold off most of my Gibsons (I held on to my ’19 Les Paul Traditional) and I’m having a blast with these new Epi models.

Everyone is raving about the Standard and the ’59 models, and rightfully so. I own both, as well as a new Custom Silverburst and they’re all great. This Classic is no exception. It actually arrived needing the least amount of setup work of all the others.

The Alnico Classic Pros are brighter and a bit hotter than the Probuckers, but they’re not at all harsh. The electronics work as expected, the neck pickup sounds sweet when split and the Phase feature sounds good with some moderate gain.

The nut was cut extremely well and the frets don’t need really much dressing. The neck is a little slimmer than what I’m used to, but it’s easy adapting. The fretboard is a bit dry, but that’s normal.

Actually, these new Epiphone models all arrived in better condition than most of my Gibsons did in the past. The new Epiphone models are players guitars. Not wall art or collector’s (cork sniffers) guitars, I wouldn’t hesitate to take any of them to a gig and have fun with them.

That’s the whole point, right? I just wish they had made import guitars of this quality when I first started playing.

I’m used to high end fenders and other guitars like music man, Michael Kelly, deans, and epiphones higher end guitars…all I knew was I wanted a semi hollow tele body with a humbucker…not knowing if I would like one this caught my eye not having any locally to try out…so I said what the heck, if I don’t like it I’ll mod it…well upon arrival the guitars action was way to high and intonation was a disaster!! I lowered the action and gave it the perfect intonation( which shocked the crap of me for such a cheap guitar) it now plays as good as my authentic fender tele!!!! It’s super light which I love too!! The body is flawless and beautiful! Frets are almost perfect and the humbucker is lovely! Man it sure can howl!! The bridge pickup is ok…typical tele sound for it! The tuners could be a little better but holds tune pretty good!!! My only complaint was the setup from the factory…but other then that once I set it up I have a dang good player! Glarry you won my business when it comes to cheap guitars! I will say that you will want to oil the fretboard when you get it…transport will have it dry upon arrival which is usual! Some lemon oil or string ease will make it slick and play nice!.

The guitar kit came in fairly quickly, but right away there was a problem. It came with five strings, with what was left of the sixth stuck in the guitar, the tuner was shattered, and the kit was missing the Allen wrenches and the picks.

The box was loosely packed with no styrofoam or anything, with the guitar in the gig bag and the rest of the stuff thrown into the pocket besides the amp. Seems like it was either a rushed job, or all come boxed like that.

The guitar plays alright once the strings were replaced, but it loses tuning pretty quick. Theres obvious signs of neglect such as body chips near the neck, and scratches on the pick guard. The finish on the guitar is pretty nice, and it feels alright in the hands.

I wouldnt recommend if you expect everything to come as described in the picture though.

This is a solid build guitar, perfect for beginners. Mine worked well right out of the box (after tuning, of course). The amplifier works well also, for what it is; a low-power practice amp. If you’re looking for a way to start learning to play guitar without breaking the bank, this kit should work for you.

This is a great starter kit for a young player. The strap does not fit a. well rounded. adult. The sound is decent for a starter guitar and the included tremolo bar will make learning riffs fun. Construction quality of the guitar is decent.

the action is not too high. The sound is clean. The guitar is lightweight and has light strings which are perfect for the beginning guitarist. The amp is small, has built in overdrive and can give that rock sound without the pedals, though don’t expect too much.

The amp does not get very loud and this will limit the quality of the overdrive some, but again, for a starter kit this is great.

Overall: The Epiphone Custom in Ebony is one of the most beautiful looking guitars you’ll ever see. The workmanship is on par with Gibsons. The Probucker pickups sound to me to have been designed for this model.

The neck is comfortable, with a little broader fretboard compared to a standard. The short tenon doesn’t impact the sound negatively, the axe has a slightly compressed sound with distortion, which goes with Customs.

The cap appears to be thin, but that makes the guitar resonate more than a 1/4″ cap, giving it a hint of acoustic harmonics. I am sure that the cap has a lot to do with the tone. This axe plays, sounds, and looks great.

You absolutely can’t go wrong, get it. I have played a 60’s black beauty. This is a better guitar. I will revisit to verify it. I will probably try a Gibson bridge and Duncan neck pickup soon just to compare, but doubt the bridge pup will be an improvement.

Others with this axe swear by replacing the pups, as always a personal preference. Lastly, this axe required the least setup “tweaking” of anything I have used in decades. I usually toil for a couple of weeks before being satisfied with a low action spot on setup.

The guitar was excellent out of the box, I didn’t have to do a thing to it, and it sounded and played great. But I’m an old timer who loves 70s-80s rock and low action LPs, so here is what I did:#1. Very lightly used emery cloth to slightly widen (.

001-. 0015″) the top (back) end of the G string nut slot toward the G tuning post, because that catches on bends with standard nut cuts. People spends thousands and luthiers often don’t even know this.

They blame G string detuning on a ton of other things and charge all day to fix it. Just slightly curve open the ends of back G nut slot, like a driveway ramp, but not as dramatic, just a tiche. I recently figured this out myself, in a year you’ll be reading it everywhere lol.

#2. Very slightly tighten the truss rod to the right (right is looking from the headstock top down the guitar neck, your face behind the top of the guitar) 1/4 to 1/3 the distance to horizontal. This will put the fretboard nearer to flat.

They probably stopped shipping with allen keys because they could damage the axe in shipping. You can do this yourself, get the allen wrenches/drivers, don’t use a plain screwdriver. #3. Put on Ernie Ball pink pack 9s strings.

The stock strings are Gibson Brite wires 10s, and they sounded excellent, but I had to go 9’s. I also use Eb tuning and check intonation, that’s just me. (I think I had to tweak one string, the rest held intonation in Eb with the 9s.

) If I were focusing on cleans or studio work I would probably put the brite wire 10s back on. They work. That was it. I did a little bridge and pickup height tweaking to taste but these adjustments were all I needed to make this play like an awesome Custom machine.

It responds to the tweaking like a high-end instrument. That makes it a high-end instrument in my book. The clean tone has shimmer, movement, and slight acoustic harmonics, and when you use pedals it is extremely expressive.

I congratulate and Thank the Epiphone designers, craftsman, and setup people for an outstanding job on producing this instrument. I’m looking forward to more outstanding axes at reasonable pricing from them!! And Thanks to zZounds for making it affordable.

I’m in a Fleetwood Mac tribute band. I wanted a period-correct guitar but could not afford a Turner or a Gibson Les Paul so I settled for the Epiphone. I was pretty happy with the guitar the first month.

until at rehearsal, I “lost” my high E string. At first, it appeared to have disappeared off the fretboard. But upon careful examination, I found the string caught under the 5th fret ‘tang'(?). The fret itself was not perfectly flush with the fretboard, leaving just enough of a tiny gap to catch the string as it rolled off the fretboard during playing with finger vibrato.

Upon further examination, it looked like frets 4, 6 and 7 were not quite flush either. I remedied the situation somewhat by purchasing a Stew-Mac roller bridge that allowed me to slightly shift the string positions further in and away from the fretboard edge.

I had previously attempted to pressure-seat the offending frets with a woodblock and hammer, but they would not budge. The roller bridge seemed to help somewhat. But today at rehearsal, I felt some stinging irritation on the inside of my left thumb near the ‘web’ between thumb & forefinger when I moved my hand quickly up and down the neck.

Looking closely at the frets, I noticed that the end edges were extremely sharp as if having never been dressed properly. All that said, I realize this instrument is a ‘budget’ one when compared to American-made Gibson / Fender / PRS products.

I’d read some great reviews on this guitar and made the purchase on that basis. But, once again, it is the same old story – “you get what you pay for”. I should not have expected the same build quality and attention to detail like that found on instruments costing four times as much.

I suppose a refret is the only solution now. Buyer beware.

I’m an intermediate player and the only other electric guitar I’ve played was a Fender Starcaster(not Stratocastor). I needed something to get closer to that hard rock tone. The single coils were just too “chimey” in the bridge position and the neck of course didn’t cut through at times.

After picking up this Epiphone Les Paul, I finally get to appreciate a true humbucker sound! Chords are so powerful and my pentatonic licks have a fuller and stronger sound! I love the clean sound in the middle position with both pickups as well! Nothing is more upsetting when your guitar sounds in tune on some notes/chords and not on others, but up and down the neck on this guitar, all notes are in tune! When your guitar gives confidence like this, you will start playing better! Tuning it was so smooth as well! The tuners allow you to just creep up to the notes very nicely and so easily.

The overall finish on the guitar is fantastic! The few downsides is the frets are a little scratchy. Seems to get better as I do more bends and break it in but was hoping to be fine from the get go. There are some minor imperfections in the binding on the front but only noticeable if you are up close.

Lastly, small turns on the tone pots actually cause huge changes to the tone.

I used one of these exclusively in the 70’s and 80’s. Hands down, the best playing, best sounding guitar ever made. The mini humbuckers cut through the mix, and screamed with the most fabulous tone ever when plugged straight into my 120 watt Peavey Duce! I worked this guitar hard, and it always put a smile in my face, and I was constantly asked how I was getting that wonderful tone.

Some of the best guitar players of the 70s and 80s used this guitar. A lot of iconic recordings were made using this guitar. Nothing Compares. I made enough money with this guitar to buy my first home and several new cars, and finance my first business.

A trusted friend that I could always count on for every show I played. It was always constant and never let me down. If you can live with a club for a neck, buy this guitar. You won’t be sorry! The original 70s Deluxe had a slim taper neck.

A true delight to play for hours. Learning new songs and 4 hour gigs were a breeze. As you move up and down the neck on any guitar, your wrist changes position. A slim taper compensates for this change and makes the transition seamless and effortless.

The big club neck guitars force you to compensate, causing fatigue and errors. I actually had one of these new Deluxe in my cart and was ready to happily pull the trigger, then I saw that for some reason, they changed the neck.

I waited for days. I tried hard to justify the baseball bat neck, but after about a week, sadly I removed it from my cart. Hopefully next year they will make a real 70s Deluxe, and I will be first in line.

I’d say a lot of players are waiting and hoping they will give us a slim taper neck on this fabulous guitar. If you are a fan of big Gibson necks, and want the best guitar you will ever love, buy this guitar.

You will never be sorry.

Starting with the good. This guitar has great sounding pickups and I love the neck. Unfortunately it arrived with multiple quality issues. The first thing I noticed was when I opened the case to find the remnants of a shattered volume knob.

After a quick call to customer service I was refunded 25$ for a new pack of knobs and I thought my issues were done. Unfortunately after looking it over some more it looks like someone attacked the neck binding with a chisel from the low e side of the 12th fret to the end of it on the body.

There’s also glue dripping out onto the fretboard in that section. Great player but I feel like I paid full price for a damaged item. Please be aware this is my first issue with an item from AMS after ordering from them for years.

Ever since I was a teenager I wanted a 73 Cherry sunburst Les Paul. Well I found a 76 and really liked the guitar except its weight and it had been modded too much for my taste so I sold it. I just bought the a new 70s Cherry burst Les Paul and love it.

All the modern features plus those mini humbuckers really sound great. The neck is between a 60s slim and some of the traditional thicker necks. Just right! Its my favorite Les Paul now even after buying others.

The weight is still heavier than a new standard, but the mini humbucker sound makes it worth it.

I’ve installed and removed several of these now on Gibson Les Paul’s with a Bigsby B7. They really do not damage the guitar in any way. Using common sense while installing, you will have no problems.

In my opinion, you will need a new longer modified strap screw, which is not provided. I never thought the screw they provide has the same threads as the one’s I’ve removed from the guitar. By modified, I mean get a long screw with the same threads as the original, and belt sand or file the head so it will seat into the strap button just like the original screw.

You don’t have to tighten the stud screws overly tight, work it all in easy and you’ll see. Also, go easy when screwing the smaller screws to the Vibramate. They don’t line up perfect or seat perfect, but they do line up, thread ok, and seat well enough to look good.

Just leave one loose when you start the other. Like I said, common sense. I use the Bigsby’s felt pads that are taken off on the base of the tailpiece so the metal doesn’t contact the guitar.

Used on my 1994 Les Paul 1960 Classic. Works perfectly with my B7 Bigsby tailpiece. Easy install!

Made installing a Bigsby B7 on my Les Paul a breeze. No drilling necessary.

I purchased this guitar because a Les Paul was missing from my gear arsenal and I didn’t want to drop three grand on a Gibson. I played a wall model at a local GC store and decided to buy, but requested a factory new model sent to me, because the wall model I played had some nicks in the fretboard, a sketchy 3 way switch and had worn strings and the intonation was way off above the 14th fret.

I paid for next day air shipping to expedite the process because I tend to want the things I pay for fairly quickly. The shipping tag originated from the same city I live in, meaning they had a factory new either in the warehouse or at the neighboring store about 20 miles away.

So I essentially paid 42$ for expedited shipping and could had likely gotten it same day if I asked the right questions I suppose. Shame on me. The next business day my guitar is delivered to my residence, I open it and immediately inspected it for possible shipping damage or factory flaws.

It arrives with a broken 3 way switch, all strings tuned nearly 2 steps flat and also needed to make a truss rod adjustment to straighten the neck. Completely unacceptable that these issues left both the factory and GC’s “quality control” in the condition it did.

Luckily I work at a local small box music store and worked with our own luthier after hours to set it up and correct the problems. All that said, this guitar is absolutely fantastic. It plays and sounds very good and even though the stock pickups aren’t top tier, they are excellent performers at a very reasonable price point.

Monster value in this guitar. If you can acquire one some where other than Guitar Center, do it. If you do purchase from guitar center, make absolutely certain to have it looked at by a professional before accepting it.

5 stars for the guitar and it’s value. 1 star for guitar centers lack of QC shipping items.

I’ll start by saying I was super super hesitant to get a Slash Epiphone Les Paul. I like GNR but I am by no means a fan-boy. I am not Slash or will I ever be able to play like Slash. I have an Inspired By Gibson Epiphone ES-335 and was impressed with the quality so I was open minded to a Epiphone LP.

I am a hobbyist so it’s hard to justify the huge upcharge for the Gibson name, especially with the great quality Epiphone is pumping out. I was wavering between the Epi LP 50 standard, ’59, and Slash because I wanted a chunkier neck that these three only seemed to provide.

Though the ’59 is probably the best bang for your buck, I wasn’t a fan of the fact they all have the aged look. I love a glossy/ polished looking guitar- so the ’59 wasn’t doing it for me. I know some people dig the aged look and I get it, but it ain’t for me.

I didn’t go with the 50 standard because the colors didn’t speak to my soul even though it had the polish I was looking for. Which brings me to the Slash collection. Man. I was really digging the Anaconda and Vermilion Burst.

I loved that it wasn’t the traditional colors. In my opinion (that means absolutely nothing), I think these non-traditional colors gives the timeless Les Paul more personality. I searched far and wide until I found a Slash LP with the top I liked the most.

I settled on the Anaconda Burst because I think a green-flamed Les Paul is just the coolest thing since sliced bread. Here’s the thing. This isn’t the best valued Epi Les Paul. It’s a signature guitar, which you pay more for the artist royalties.

The pick-ups are nothing to be impressed about. I’ll probably end up upgrading them. It doesn’t have a rosewood finger-board (it’s Indian Laurel). The Epi Les Paul customs have an ebony finger-board and are cheaper.

The Jerry Cantrell’s Signature Epiphone LP Custom has an ebony finger-board, a case, and that beautiful diamond headstock; It still manages to be cheaper than this. The Epi LP ’59 comes with a case, has Gibson USA pick-ups, AND is cheaper.

If you want a good “Bang for your buck” guitar, this is not it. This is not a guitar you get for “the value”. Not to mention, since the Slash collection is now going to be apart of the regular line-up, it won’t hold it’s value like other signature models that come out temporarily (though my understanding is that the Anaconda and Vermilion burst are limited runs so maybe those will be the ones that hold value).

Bottom line, if you’re the person who values specs and value, look else where. This is a guitar you get because you WANT it. Period. And that should be the only reason you need to get this. Despite all the flaws, all the alternative options, all the better Epi values out there, I love this.

I feel like I own a proper Les Paul. I love the chunky neck, I love the proper weight, I love the AAA maple top, the piece of Indian Laurel on mine looks beautiful and dark, and it feels well crafted despite being made in the Far East.

The pick-ups can always be changed. But the weight, feel, and looks are much, much harder to tweak. Play the guitar you want, not what a reviewer on YouTube or the internet says is the best. I wanted this despite everything I ranted on about and still couldn’t be happier.

Overall: I was excited to receive this guitar, my first Gibson. FedEx delivery, three days from ordering it. Let it sit for twenty four hours in the box to acclimate. It was fairly well packed, guitar was in a leather-like softcase (very nice).

Took the guitar out of the case and noticed a powdery substance on both the front and the back. Further inspection and I noticed the front and the back of the guitar had a lot of scratches. Pick guard showed more scratches and one very deep that I could put a fingernail in.

It appears this guitar was either a demo or a return and sold as new. I was extremely frustrated as it appears someone tried to polish or buff the scratches away and even got polish on the fretboard and inside the serial numbers.

I tried cleaning it up the best I could with a microfiber towel but some oily type of residue remains as well as some dried whitish gunk on the cutouts. grossed out. Called zZounds and was told guitars do not get inspected by their employees so I’m guessing Gibson is either sending out guitars in this condition or this was sent from some store zZounds works with.

Either way, this was a huge letdown, expected much more from Gibson especially since they’ve made a new commitment to their customers as their financial situation becomes dire. Well, this isn’t going to help them much.

I’ve have a few guitars from expensive PRS, Fenders, and a much cheaper Epi which came in in pristine condition. I’m now debating whether I should exchange it or move on to another brand. This is unconscionable.

Not sure if this an issue with zZounds or Gibson. Hopefully the exchange will be better but I feel a bit reluctant to try again. Called zZounds got very little support and forget calling Gibson, phone rings but no one ever answers.

The burst buckers with coil splitting provide both the PAF and P90 sounds. The bridge pickup is amazing with the gain up (get ready for that feeling only a Gibson can give). The neck is slim and fast.

The nitro finish is amazing and the gold hardware makes a statement that draws the eye to the guitar. The locking tuners are rock solid and keep the guitar in tune under all conditions. The soft case interior is just as plush as the hard case and provides perfect fit and security.

For the price, this is a LOT of guitar! Delivery was fast and packaging was very secure. Buy with confidence and get busy creating!.

Overall: First, I need to say that zZounds has taken care of me and gone above and beyond any expectations in my recent purchases. I made two big returns prior to buying this Les Paul and zZounds did an amazing job.

I’ve heard stories about issues on payment plans and returns – not for me though. They went above what they needed to do for me. So on to the guitar. Wow. The photos don’t do this thing justice. I’ve been playing for over twenty years and never cared for Gibson guitars much.

I also realize now I’ve never played one above their lowest end faded or lpj type guitars – what a mistake! I’m literally angry right now that I didn’t buy one sooner because I’m pretty sure I’ve set myself back years in playing ability by not owning one.

I’ve owned fenders and they’re great too, but nothing like this. I mostly played cheaper asian guitars because I was a shredder type. This is a whole other instrument. Action and setup were 9/10 out of box which is impressive.

I’m also impressed by Gibson’s stock strings – I’m considering changing. It’s setup for 9s out of box. Don’t be put off by the gig bag, this is an impressive bag. the fit and finish on the guitar are perfect.

It really couldn’t be better. People saying 490r and 498t are a bad combo are snob elitests who have no idea what they’re talking about. These pickups are perfect. This is a REAL guitar. Nothing else I’ve ever owned even comes close.

zZounds, you need to do something about your cameras because your photos do not do this thing justice! I had apprehensions about gold hardware or do I want a honey burst LP tribute. No regrets now after seeing the thing.

Played till my fingers were raw now I have to wait a day before I pick it up again!.

The myriad of tone settings for this guitar is pretty incredible. Ive played humbucker much exclusively all my 45+ years of playing so I was looking to buy a strat to replace one that had been stolen years ago to provide some tonal range to play covers in a band.

The drawback is strats are so limited to the strat sound. I played this in the store and was amazed at the variety of sounds generated by the split coils, out of phase taps and standard humbucker tones.

(I havent even played around with the SIP switch yet) I bought it so I could take it home and run it through my rig at high volume and wasnt disappointed. While it doesnt produce a true strat or tele sound it is pretty darn close if you are just looking for something to play gigs and not have to hassle with guitar changes in the middle of a set.

I dont get these other reviews about the satin finish and p/u covers. Gibson has been making SG’s for decades with a satin finish and the p/u covers actually dampen the signal slightly just for some added bling.

And I actually like the satin finish on the neck for playability. Gloss finishes can be “sticky” if your hands get sweaty and if you play gigs that is always an issue. My chief complaint is the set-up out of the box.

I expect to have to adjust the neck relief and hence action the minute I take the guitar out of the store because I live in an extremely dry climate, but the strings shouldnt be touching much less bending over the back of the bridge.

The tail piece was clearly not adjusted at the factory. The nut has extremely sharp points at each side of the edge that should be rounded. Gibson really needs to step up their game with some of these QC issues.

I’ve had this guitar for a couple of months now, and I absolutely love it. It is by far the most versatile Les Paul I have ever played! The weight-relief is just enough to take some of the edge off when playing on stage for long periods of time but not enough to affect the tone.

The finish is beautiful; the grain is beautiful; the sound is beautiful! Overall, this is an exceptional guitar. I have two (minor) complaints. The first is with Gibson: while they put effort into creating a quality instrument, they ship it with a thin, cheap guitar strap.

Obviously, I bought this for the guitar itself, not the strap, but still, I would think that if Gibson wanted to bother to send “extras,” they would match the quality. It would be like getting a brand new Corvette that came with a pawn shop 8-track.

(hyperbolic, I concede) My second complaint is with Musician’s Friend. When my guitar arrived, it was on my front porch in a box that was emblazoned with the Gibson logo on all sides. This was a nice sight, and it did make me a little more excited.

(Christmas morning in early February!) My concern, however, is what could have happened if I were not home at the time. A giant Gibson box on my front porch seems like a good invitation for thieves. I’m sure MF has to balance the possibility of theft with shipping and packaging costs.

Is it cost-effective to ship a box within a second box? No. (And it’s obviously wasteful, too!) I’d like to think that, had the guitar been stolen, MF would accept liability, but even then, I KNOW I would be extremely disappointed and upset that I had to wait for a new one to arrive.

These two things combined certainly don’t even warrant cutting a star off the review, though. Bottom line: it’s an awesome guitar–one of the best purchases I’ve made!.

The vast majority of us will never even touch an original ’59 Les Paul, probably the most valued electric guitar model of all time. So when Gibson decided to have Epiphone build and deliver a faithful re-release of the OG, it was immediately something to check out.

Watching reviews, I found that it comes with ’50 style wiring, top-notch electronics and Gibson USA Burstbucker pickup, I decided I had to check it out. I of course checked with AMS and found one in the Southern Fade and pulled the trigger.

Two days later, my new guitar was delivered (per usual with AMS!). I opened the box to find that the case looked just like the vintage tan Gibson case complete with pink interior. Then I saw it — beautifully finished in what I would call a semi-gloss finish, fit and finish to die for, looking GREAT.

I took it out and played for a while wihout plugging it in and was blown away by the tone and sustain for days. So I plugged it in to check out those Gibson USA pickups – Wow, so many tones with the ’50 wiring and great quality pots and switch.

I didn’t want to put it down. Since then I find new tonal surprises every time I play this great instrument. I know that if you love or even like Les Pauls — you will love this one. My advice — GET YOU ONE OF THESE!.

I’ve been playing Les Pauls for 30 years, I’ve owned many Epiphones and about a dozen Gibsons. My favorite so far is my 2019 Gibson Les Paul Traditional. But this Epi comes in a very close second, and for a third of the price.

The Burstbucker 2 and 3 are the stars of the show here. GREAT pickups! The feel of the neck is just about perfect. A little chunky, but by no means too fat. At first I was a little underwhelmed by the “aged” finish, but the AAA flame shows thru just fine and it feels great on the neck.

The electronics on this guitar perform better than any Epi I’ve ever owned. The vintage looking hard case is also a winner here. Also, I recently bought a new 2021 Epiphone Les Paul Custom, and although that guitar looks really great, it doesn’t play or sound anywhere near as good as this ’59.

I bought mine from another online retailer in a “Southern Fade” finish as every other shop was sold out. This is genuine Gibson tone and playability for a fraction of the cost. Well worth the money spent.