What is the best amp to pair with an Epiphone Les Paul? Our top pick
The Boss Katana 50 or 100
The Boss Katana amp series is one of our favorite budget-friendly recommendations. It also matches the quality level of the Epiphone Les Paul making it a good parallel . The Katana sounds great on both the clean and distorted side, and can handle a lot of different tones and styles, not unlike the Epiphone Les Paul series.
There are a lot of Epiphone Les Paul electric guitars to choose from, so I suppose the ideal amp pairing will depend on which one you have. For some context, the guitars I have in mind are primarily the following:
- Epiphone Les Paul Custom
- Epiphone Les Paul Standard
- Epiphone Les Paul Modern
Read more: Best Epiphone Les Pauls
There are cheaper options, but these are sort of the "flagships" of the Epiphone Les Paul lineup. We'll use them to frame some context around our amp recommendation. For example, the best amp for an Epiphone Les Paul should be in roughly the same price and quality tier. In other words, we're not going to recommend a Marshall JCM800. For an Epiphone, we're looking for the following qualities, in roughly the $200 to $1000 price range:
- Flexible
- Great clean tone
- Simple
- Budget-friendly
Our top pick is the Boss Katana, so we'll cover that amp in detail as well as some honorable mentions.
Read the full review: Boss Katana 50 MKII
We love the guitar. So what's the best amp pair? Image via Jamie Morrissey
More amps we like for an Epiphone Les Paul
Amp | Name | Rate | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Fender Blues Junior | 87.3 | |
| Boss Katana 50 | 89.8 | |
 | Marshall DSL40C | 94.2 | |
 | Orange Crush 35RT | 83.5 |
The Boss Katana 50 is our top amp recommendation for an Epiphone Les Paul. It's a very versatile and underrated amplifier.
Recommendation methodology
Our process for making recommendations includes first-hand testing, thorough research, and third-party researchers that have also used this gear. We also have years of experience in the guitar gear market at large. For example, Bobby actually used and tested the Boss Katana 50 for his review, taking his own pictures.
This does not mean that we always have our recommendations in-house, but in a lot of cases we do. When that's not possible, we base our picks on a ton of research and folks we know that have used the gear in question.
We also have relationships with brands and retailers we trust, so in a lot of cases we know a product is going to be solid based on a brand's reputation. If you have questions about our review and/or recommendation process, please for free to get in touch.
This is an area where we want to be clear and transparent, to give you the most authentic experience possible.
Features we like in the Katana 50
For an Epiphone Les Paul, the Katana 50 checks off all the boxes we wanted. It's versatile, in a good price range (very affordable), and is very easy to use. You also get multiple channels to work with and a bunch of Boss-modeled effects. Since the Epiphone Les Paul gets used in a lot of different sounds and playing styles, it helps to have an amp that can keep up.
The Katana sounds great, meeting tone standards above its pay grade. Cleans are thick and warm, and all levels of gain (distortion) from onboard amp models are really full and professional-sounding. We wouldn't complain even if it was in a higher price range.
Features that make it a good fit
- Selectable wattage is an underrated feature
- Multiple channels crosses off an important box
- High gain is great for a smaller-form combo amp
- Can hang with the style versatility of an Epiphone Les Paul
- Has a direct out that can also be used for headphones
Difference between the 50 and 100 watt versions?
While there are some fairly subtle spec differences between the 50 and 100, the most obvious difference is the wattage. This means the 100 can get a lot louder than the 50, which will only matter in some situations. For performing without a mic'd amp or direct out, the 100 is worth considering.
Read more: Boss Katana 50 VS 100
Conclusion
The Boss Katana 50 is a particularly solid choice if you're looking for an Epiphone Les Paul amp companion. Though it's important to keep in mind, there are variables in each person's situation that I can't account for.
My job is to make a high-value recommendation that would make the most sense for the most possible people in this situation. It's up to you to take other factors into account.
So if you have questions, feel free to hit us up in the comments section below and we'll chat.
Thanks for hanging out.
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