Best Epiphone Les Paul for the money? (our top pick)
The Epiphone Les Paul Custom
The Custom is the best Epiphone Les Paul on the market, and worth the extra money since it gets you closest to the feel of a real Gibson. So while we rate the Les Paul Studio highest in our scoring at 90.0, the Custom at 88.1 is the better all-around choice for most players.
Epiphone makes the best Les Paul copies in the world. In fact, Gibson actually owns Epiphone and treats the Epiphone Les Paul and SG series as their own economy line. Often retailing between $400 and $800, the Epiphone Les Pauls are vastly cheaper than their Gibson counterparts, which routinely run into the $2000-$3000 price range. What's more, Epiphone Les Pauls look and feel almost identical to a real Gibson Les Paul.
While there are differences in parts and sound quality, the Epiphone Les Paul has long been viewed as a sensible and workable alternative to the full-blown Gibson investment. This has made the Epiphones Les Paul lineup one of the most popular in the history of guitar manufacturing.
If you're interested in Gibson, checkout our list of affordable Gibson Les Pauls.
4 Best Epiphone Les Pauls (comparison table)
LEs Paul | Name | Rate | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Epiphone Les Paul Custom | 88.1 | |
 | Epiphone Les Paul Standard '50s | 86.6 | |
 | Epiphone Les Paul Modern | 88.7 | |
 | Epiphone Les Paul Studio (recently added) | 90.0 |
1. Epiphone Les Paul Custom
Best Epiphone Les Paul overall
BEST FOR: All playing styles (rhythm and/or lead), modern rock, metal, classic rock, blues, and a wide skill level range
TONE QUALITY
Bright/Heavy
TONEWOOD
Mahogany
PICKUP TYPE
Stock Alnico
STYLE LEAN
Balanced
- Aesthetics are spot on
- Price point is excellent for a wide range of uses/needs
- Black with gold hardware is a great look
- Versatile enough to accommodate both distinct lead and rhythm players
- Modern or classic rock
- Stock Epiphone parts aren't bad
- Heavier body is difficult to get used to if you aren't familiar with typical LP weight distribution
Epiphone's version of the Custom does a good job of capturing the aesthetics and menacing look of the Gibson version, right down to the gold hardware and split diamond inlay on the headstock. The primary differences between the Gibson and Epiphone version of the Custom are going to be in the parts used.
Stock Parts
Epiphone uses the following stock parts on the Custom:
- Pickups
- Bridge and tailpiece
This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean you're getting cheaper, mass-produced hardware that allows Epiphone to bring down the price of their guitar. Although one important note about the tuning heads: Those are not stock. They're actually Grover® Rotomatic® 18:1 tuning machines in the Custom, which gives you one of the best tuning hardware brands, and an uptick in value.
Potentiometers
Another part of the Custom that isn't stock, but falls more in the electronics category, would be the potentiometers. These are actually built by a third-party called CTS, a fairly large-scale manufacturing company:
These aren't the strongest potentiometers we've ever seen (most of the time we recommend Stewmac for that kind of stuff), but it's worth noting that the Gibson version of the Les Paul Custom also uses a CTS potentiometer.
Humbuckers
The Epiphone "ProBucker" pickups are designed to mimic the Gibson Burstbuckers, but are significantly cheaper.
These pickups sound good, though aren't in the same league as the Gibson's humbucker sets, which are some of the best available, and more expensive. Here are a few examples from Gibson's shop:
As you can tell, it would be much pricier to put these pickups in any guitar. They're a high-end product that Gibson reserves for their nicer instruments. Having said that, the tone of the Epiphone Les Paul Custom is still quite good.
Tone Profile
You get the same brassy, kind of high-end chime on the upper register of the fretboard, along with the percussive, chunky rhythms on the lower notes. In that respect, even with the cheaper pickups, the Epiphone Les Paul Custom can handle a wide range of sounds and styles without much limitation. It's certainly a guitar that plays faster, with the SlimTaper neck design and 22 jumbo frets.
Weight Distribution
If you're used to other electric guitar designs, it might take you awhile to get used to the weight distribution of a Les Paul. Even in the new lighter models, the body feels much heavier than the neck, like it wants to hang from the strap with the body lower than you might want. But it's a small problem, and you'll get used to the weight distribution after awhile.
Ideal User
This is one of the best intermediate-friendly electric guitars that could also be helpful to semi-professionals or those who want a cheap gigging axe. Most modern styles, heavy metal, classic rock, and even blues guitarists are great candidates for the Epiphone Custom.
Read the full review: Epiphone Les Paul Custom
There's very little to dislike about the Epiphone Les Paul lineup. Flickr Commons image via Webernetz
2. Epiphone Les Paul Standard '50s
Best for classic rock and blues
BEST FOR: Classic rock, blues, graduating beginners, and the "now I'm committed and want to invest in a nice instrument" kind of guitar.
TONE QUALITY
Bright
TONEWOOD
Mahogany
PICKUP TYPE
Stock Alnico
STYLE LEAN
Vintage
- Great for vintage lead styles
- Epiphone nails the aesthetic of the older Les Paul designs
- Mahogany top veneer hides all the joints
- Higher register notes sound great with a little bit of overdrive and reverb
- Neck feels fast and easy on your hands
- Not as good on the modern side of the style spectrum
- Weight distribution can be hard to get used to
- Low notes and heavy chords lose some thickness compared to the LP Custom
The difference between the Epiphone Custom and the Epiphone Standard is primarily one of style. While the '50s Standard has a lot of the same parts and features as the Custom, it seems to be voiced a little more vintage, without as much aggression as the Custom.
You still have the same chimey high-end, but the low-end chords and notes seem to have a little more grunge and edge to them, as opposed to the smoother heaviness of the Custom. You can hear in this demo by Arianna Powell that the guitar is really bluesy, and responds almost like a Stratocaster on those higher notes:
A second video demo, this one by Musician's Friend, gives off a similar response:
Overall it just "bites" more than the Custom, which can be a good or bad thing depending on what kind of sound you're looking for.
Similarities Between the Custom and '50s Standard
The profiles of both guitars are very similar, where aesthetics play a bigger role in distinguishing the two. For example, the '50s Standard uses Epiphone's Vintage Deluxe 18:1 tuning heads, which give the headstock a more "old school" look. You also have the gold or sunburst finishes that we typically see on older Les Paul models.
Pickups
Pickups are the same Epiphone ProBuckers that we see in that Custom, though we would contend that these sound a little more like a classic PAF set. If you've ever heard Lindy Fralin's PAF set, they sound and play similarly. This leads us to assume there are some subtle differences in the construction of these humbuckers, though it's not listed anywhere that we can tell. You still have an Alnico 2 magnet and four-conductor wiring with the vacuum wax potting.
A lot of Epiphone LP Standard owners, like the ones on this thread, plan on swapping the Epiphone ProBuckers for nicer pickups.
Construction and Body Features
While the Standard is made from multiple pieces of Mahogany, the joint lines are only visible on the sides of the guitar. On the top you have a full sheet of Mahogany veneer covering the body, which also makes the guitar a little thicker. We like the long tenon join in the neck, which is a rather unique and desirable feature for such a cheap guitar.
The Ideal User
Given the similarity in the pickup design and tonewood profile (Mahogany again), it's fair to say that the Custom and the '50s Standard sound appreciably similar. This all means that the Standard is going to appeal more to those on the vintage side of the musical style spectrum. It's also a little stronger for lead guitar players. Though we should caution - as is true with any guitar - the style you fit into is going to depend a lot on the gear you put around your electric guitar.
Given the right environment, the '50s Standard could handle just about any style of music. Graduating beginners or intermediate players who are looking to get into the classic rock or blues styles will be most satisfied.
Read the full review: Epiphone Les Paul Standard ' 50s
3. Epiphone Les Paul Modern
Best for heavier rock styles
BEST FOR: Those who want a Les Paul with a lot of versatility and tonal capabilities at the guitar level (coil-splitting is a major selling point)
TONE QUALITY
Bright
TONEWOOD
Mahogany
PICKUP TYPE
Stock Alnico
STYLE LEAN
Balanced
- The coil-splitting gives you a lot of different tones
- Can sound like a Stratocaster if you tinker with the push-pull controls and pickup selection
- Some added weight relief
- Body seems to sustain a little better than other models
- Price point is decent
- Not as "modern" as we would have liked
- Potentiometer source is a mystery
There are only a handful of technical differences between the Les Paul Modern and the two other Epiphone LPs we've tested. First, the Modern has some additional weight relief in the body, which makes it less cumbersome to play standing up. It feels more like a "typical" guitar in regards to how weight is distributed. Though we noticed that it loses some of the "punchiness" in its tone, which is probably a result of said weight relief.
It also uses the same pickup combination as the Les Paul Custom - the ProBucker 2 and ProBucker 3 - but with coil-tapping enabled, giving you some additional flexibility. We also noticed that the CPS brand is not mentioned in the description of the potentiometers, which leads us to believe they're provided by a different company, perhaps for the push-pull functionality.
Otherwise, the electronics are pretty much the same.
For the "Modern" title, we actually found this guitar to be fairly vintage in its tonal lean. If you listen to the Musicians Friend demo below, you'll hear the vintage tone pretty clearly:
It sounds good, but we wouldn't consider it distinctly modern. When we tested it with some heavier sounds and high-gain distortion pedals, it didn't seem quite as punchy as more modernized guitars like PRS or Ibanez.
With some tweaking this guitar was really similar to the Les Paul Custom, which is what got it on this list. It can definitely sound heavy, but isn't more modern than the Les Paul Custom that we already really like.
The LP Modern has some nice sustain and really bright harmonics, which could be another feature of the lighter body design. We found higher notes to be a little bluesier, with a lot of definition coining out of pick scrapes and right hand movement. For heavier tones, we'd recommend the middle pickup position without coil tapping. That'll give you the full effect of both humbuckers, which sounds really good.
For cleaner tones, this guitar handles well on both pickups, and gives you a lot of different sounds to tinker with when you incorporate the coil-splitting feature. With coil-splitting engaged, it sounds Stratocaster-esque.
Maybe We Should Rename the Les Paul Modern
Considering all this, the naming convention of the LP Modern is strange. It can do a modern tone, but it's almost more versatile than the Custom and Standard, able to mimic a lighter Stratocaster sound with the coil-splitting. And that brings us to this guitar's most ideal user:
The Ideal Les Paul Modern User
If you want an Epiphone Les Paul that can sound heavy, but can also give you that wailing, bluesy sound that you get from a Fender Stratocaster, the LP Modern can handle it. You'll be able to run the table from extremely light, nuanced picking, to heavier power chords and saturated distortion levels.
Manufacturer Page: Epiphone Les Paul Modern
Honorable Mentions
One of the reasons economy guitars - like Epiphone Les Pauls - are cheaper is because a lot of the variety you get between more expensive models goes away. For example, most Epiphone Les Pauls use the following:
- Mahogany tonewood
- Epiphone ProBucker pickups
- Maple veneer
- Stock bridge hardware
The variation from guitar to guitar just gets a lot smaller, outside of basic aesthetics like colors and finish types. That means there are some other Epiphone Les Pauls that we should at least mention in passing, as good options if you've narrowed it down this far. They include the following:
- Epiphone Les Paul Junior
- Epiphone Les Paul Studio LT
- Epiphone Les Paul Studio regular version
- Epiphone Les Paul Standard '60s version
- Epiphone Les Paul Custom Pro KOA version
As mentioned earlier, we've chosen the guitars in this list based on personal experience and use. These honorable mentions are all quite good, though we have less experience with them, which means we'll avoid including them in a formal recommendation list until we can get more information.
Consistent Features
Within the Epiphone brand and their Les Paul lineup, there are a few features that show up really consistently. Knowing those features will help you pick out where others might change that could help you decide which one is right for you. For example, Mahogany tonewood is common, while tuning machines tend to change between guitars. Let's go over the features that are more consistent.
Mahogany Tonewood
Almost every Epiphone Les Paul - at least the ones we've researched - use Mahogany as their base tonewood. While Mahogany isn't the most visually-dazzling wood, it's the cornerstone of fretted instruments, as one of the more plentiful wood types that also produces a great-sounding instrument. You can read more about Mahogany tonewood here.
Epiphone ProBucker Humbuckers
There are three different versions of the Epiphone ProBucker, all of which use an Alnico II magnet.
- ProBucker 1
- ProBucker 2
- ProBucker 2
We aren't just listing them. They're actually numbered that way. The difference between each one isn't particularly clear. In the Epiphone Les Paul Standard, you have ProBucker 1 at the neck and ProBucker 2 at the bridge. Yet, in the Custom, it's a ProBucker 2 at the neck and ProBucker 3 at the bridge. There's also the coil-tapping version we get in the Les Paul Modern. Whatever the distinction is between each set (my guess is precious little), you're usually going to have them on most of the best Epiphone Les Pauls. In rare cases, we've seen Epiphone throw a set of Gibson humbuckers onto their Les Paul Electrics. Rare cases.
Maple Veneer Top Wood
Epiphone Les Paul bodies are put together in three pieces. To cover up the joints, and to add some natural resonance to the body, luthiers put a top piece of wood called a "veneer" over that body. In most of the Epiphone Les Paul Standard models, this veneer is a piece of Maple. The same is true of the Epiphone Les Paul Modern series. You'll sometimes see the Customs use a more ambiguous "Multi-Ply Custom" which we're assuming is some kind of laminate covering.
Best Places to Buy an Epiphone Les Paul
Reverb is a great place to land deals on Epiphone Les Pauls and other guitar gear.
We typically break down our retail recommendations based on whether you're buying new or used. For those looking to get a new Epiphone Les Paul, we'd recommend going through Sweetwater, who we've partnered with and link to in this article (at no extra cost to you, of course).
If you plan to buy used, we'd recommend going with Reverb.com and browsing through their various stores and sellers. We don't partner with them, but they're a great place for used gear because they curate a bunch of little local shops and stores that have used music gear they're willing to ship to you. Reverb basically functions as the online broker of all those deals.
How much should I spend?
Epiphone keeps their Les Pauls under a $1000 price tag, though within that price there's still some significant fluctuation. For example, the Epiphone Les Paul Special and Slash AFD signature model are between $180 and $250, which is fairly cheap by most electric guitar pricing standards.
I would anticipate spending between $450 and $650. That's the average price you'll pay for a decent Epiphone Les Paul.
If you go on the higher end, the Custom and Thommy Thayer models are between $700 and $850. Which side of that track should you lean towards?
The cheaper Epiphone Les Pauls make great beginner guitars, but not much else. For most people, I would anticipate spending between $450 and $650. That's the average price you'll pay for a decent Epiphone Les Paul. Any less than that and you're getting firmly into beginner guitar territory. If you end up paying too much more, you might as well take the leap to a real-deal Gibson.
All three of the recommendations we've made in this article are in keeping with that price range.
Conclusion
Epiphone's Les Paul line truly has something for everyone. Over our years of playing guitar and being in communication with other musicians, we've found the Epiphone brand to be one of the most consistently well-liked and favorably-reviewed brands available. If you've already narrowed your choice down that far, there aren't too many "bad" options. Buy confidently.
If you want to know the exact specs and dimensions of a Les Paul body, see our Gibson Les Paul dimensions guide for measurements you'll want to have when comparing models.
Your Questions
Do you have questions about our best Epiphone Les Paul recommendations or something else mentioned in this article? If so, feel free to leave a note in the comments section below and I'll help out as much as possible.
Related Epiphone Les Paul Content
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I own the Epiphone Modern and while you mentioned the coil tapping you failed to mention the push/pull pot that changes the pickups from in-phase to out-of-phase. This widely increases the possible tonal variations. I believe this is why it’s called modern.
I consider the Custom Koa by
Epiphone the most beautiful six string I’ve ever seen
ga. Blue Island IL.
It would nice to see Epiphone put some of their LP Customs out in a cream color with yellow binding instead of all bright white
ga. Blue Isl. IL.
Koa might just be tired of winning. 😆
What about the standard 59 with Gibson Burstbuckers, CTS pots, switch craft pots and jack, and Mallory capacitors? Why didn’t that make the list?
Is that a custom Epiphone LP? Or something that ships with Gibson Burstbuckers?
No, it ships standard with the American made Burstbuckers. Not a custom job. I’m trying to decide between that and a standard 50s. The 59 comes with a hard shell case too(!), but it is $200 more, retailing at $799. I don’t care much about the case, so I’m wondering if they’re Burstbuckers are $200 better than the Probuckers. The upgraded electronics are a nice thing too, though.
That’s a good call. Certainly worth consideration for future renditions of this article. For your dilemma, I’d go with the Burstbucker version. Just my two cents.
That’s what I was thinking too! Thanks!
Oui j’en ai une et ne pas oublier la les paul 1960 norm burst Joe bonama ssa avec manche slim taper + long tenon mais elle possède des pro bucker
Good call! https://shop.jbonamassa.com/products/2019-ltd-ed-joe-bonamassa-1960-les-paul-standard-norm-burst-standard-outfit-custom-epiphone-w-case-us
Love ❤️ this article !!!
In 1998 I purchased @ $400 a Epiphone SG400 in Cherry red with black pick guard because the store was closing .. and I was there to buy any acoustic guitar. Man was I happy I did that!!!
In 2008 I purchased a Epiphone Les Paul Custom Signature LP Series in brownish/golden body …and store was in a rush to move to another nearby location I got this $1400 guitar for $500.
My time with both guitars were breath taking with great tones and play ability.
Yes .. the LP is heavier than the SG model but who cares when the best tones are coming at you thru a 100watt Fender Frontman amp ..
I’ll tease ppl if LP series is too heavy for them and suggest hitting the gym before getting a LP guitar – 😂
And yes I’ll purchase another Epiphone guitar anytime!!!
Thanks for sharing. Was the LP Custom $1400 in the store originally? That seems way too high. $500 is still a deal though.
Hi ,
I was told by clerk , selling for $1400 for a year now and price was drop to $500 because of their new relocation in a week and less stuff to move he explained..
There’s no such thing as a $1400 Epiphone Les Paul!!!
Somebody was lying to you man. My ’59 LP Standard was only $799 and that’s the best they offer!!!
Hello from the future. The Epiphone Greeny and Adam Jones Les Paul’s are $1500.
Yeah, they’re higher than most though.