This guide will help you find the best Epiphone Les Paul electric guitars. Epiphone is the lower-cost brand from Gibson. These instruments have come a long way in recent years. They’re excellent beginner and intermediate guitars.
In this article, I’ll focus on the Les Paul style guitar from the Epiphone lineup. Many of these instruments sound almost as good as a regular Les Paul, but at a lower price point.
Quick Look: Best Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitars
★ #1 Best Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitar Overall: Epiphone Les Paul Standard 60s ★
- Best Cheap Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitar: Slash AFD
- Best Les Paul Electric Guitar Under $1,000: Epiphone Figured
- Best Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitar Under $500: Les Paul Classic
- Best Starter Package Les Paul Electric Guitar: Les Paul Pack
- Best Modern Epiphone Les Paul: Modern Les Paul
- Best Standard Epiphone Les Paul: Epiphone Les Paul Standard 60s
You’ll find an instrument listed here for all budgets and playing levels. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner or an advanced player. There’s an Epiphone Les Paul out there for you.
About Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitars
The Epiphone Les Paul is essentially a copy of the regular Gibson Les Paul, which is one of the most iconic guitars ever produced. The problem with the regular Gibson is that it costs a lot of money.
For the beginner guitar player or the intermediate player, there is the Epiphone Les Paul. These instruments are quite nice and well worth their price. This guide takes a look at the iconic Les Paul guitar produced by Epiphone.
Things to Consider When Choosing an Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitar
There are a few things to keep in mind when looking for an Epiphone Les Paul. Here are a few points to think about before you make that purchase.
Playing Level
Your playing level is probably the most important factor. For example, if you’re a complete beginner, you probably don’t want to spend $600 to $800 for a guitar. You might want to go with one of the starter packages.
If you have more experience on the guitar, Epiphone has some nice mid-range priced guitars and even some that are designed for advanced guitar players. You should find something that meets your playing goals.
The Overall Tone & Sound
The Epiphone Les Paul sound is quite good for the price. If you don’t like the pickups that ship standard with it, you’ll find that most of these instruments sound better if you have a high-quality amplifier.
Price
The price of your Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitar may be something important to you. Here’s what you can expect in terms of prices when you buy a Epiphone Les Paul.
- Beginner: $250-$350
- Intermediate: $350-$500
- Advanced: $500+
Types of Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitars
Here are the basic types of Epiphone Les Pauls that you can buy. This will make it easier for you to purchase an Epiphone Les Paul that is right for your needs.
Epiphone Starter Package
For beginning guitar players, Epiphone offers the Epiphone Les Paul starter package. There are quite a few of these available. They come with a Les Paul style guitar, basic amplifier, case, and assorted accessories.
Epiphone Les Paul Standard
This is basically a Les Paul which is modeled after the regular Gibson Les Paul. They tend to have great pickups, a nice neck, and a full set of controls. These guitars are well worth their price.
Epiphone Modern Les Paul
This is a regular Les Paul, but with some modern additions. These tend to be a little bit more expensive than the regular Epiphone Les Paul Standard. Many models come with better pickups as well as locking machine heads.
10 Best Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitars
This guide describes the best Epiphone Les Paul electric guitars. There are quite a few models in the Epiphone lineup, so I’ve picked some of the better ones for all playing styles and levels.
Epiphone Les Paul Ebony 100
- Scale length: 24.75″
- Pickups: 2 x Epiphone humbucking
- Material & finish: Ebony, mahogany, rosewood, gloss finish
- Best for: Beginners looking for their first Les Paul Style guitar
The Epiphone Les Paul 100 is the perfect introduction to the Les Paul style guitar. This instrument features great humbucking pickups, a smooth playing neck, and an authentic Les Paul feel.
✅ Good pickups
✅ Solid wood construction
✅ Good neck
✅ Low price
❌ May need some initial setup
❌ No case
Why I Recommend It
This is a great beginner Epiphone electric guitar. The pickups on this model are perfect for rock, blues, or metal styles. I like the fact that it has solid wood construction even though it’s a lower-cost guitar.
The bolt-on mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard provide a smooth playing experience. You get two tones, two volumes, and a pickup selector switch, so it has a full set of controls. It has a nice bridge and solid tuning machines.
Epiphone Les Paul Pack
Epiphone Les Paul Pack- Scale length: 24.75″
- Pickups: 2 x humbucking
- Material & finish: Maple, rosewood, gloss finish
- Best for: Beginners looking for a full guitar package
The Epiphone Les Paul package provides everything that the beginner player needs. You get a great Les Paul style guitar, an amplifier, a soft case, a strap, and other accessories for one low price.
✅ Plenty of accessories
✅ Comes with amp
✅ Good guitar
✅ Soft case
❌ May need some setup
❌ Amp is poor
Why I Recommend It
Beginner guitar packages tend to be quite weak, but this one offers a lot for the beginning player. They get a decent playing Les Paul style guitar, which has a good neck and solid pickups.
The amplifier isn’t that great, but it’s still fine for a beginner. The guitar should be set up from a guitar store to make it play a little bit better. All in all, this is an excellent bargain for any beginner guitar player.
Epiphone Les Paul Studio
Epiphone Les Paul Studio- Scale length: 24.75″
- Pickups: 2 x Alnico humbucking
- Material & finish: Maple veneer, mahogany, pau ferro, gloss finish
- Best for: Intermediate players looking for a quality Les Paul style guitar
The Epiphone Les Paul Studio is the perfect intermediate guitar. It features two great Alnico humbucker pickups, a smooth D profile neck, solid tuning machines, and a Tune-o-matic bridge.
✅ Great finish
✅ Smooth neck
✅ Good pickups
✅ Coil split
❌ No case
❌ No extras
Why I Recommend It
This is a wonderful Les Paul guitar from Epiphone. I like the fact that the humbucking pickups come with a coil split, so you can also get single-coil sounds out of this instrument. This makes the instrument more well-rounded.
The mahogany body makes this instrument slightly lighter compared to a regular Les Paul guitar. This is one of the best Epiphone Les Paul electric guitars for intermediate players.
Epiphone Slash AFD Les Paul Pack
Epiphone Slash AFD Les Paul Pack- Scale length: 24.75″
- Pickups: 2 humbucking
- Material & finish: Maple, rosewood, mahogany, gloss finish
- Best for: Beginners that want a full package deal
For those that want a solid Les Paul style guitar and lots of accessories, the Epiphone Slash AFD package is a great bargain. It comes with an excellent guitar, amplifier, gig bag, and related accessories.
✅ Great guitar
✅ Comes with amp
✅ Full accessories
✅ Gig bag
❌ Guitar may need setup
❌ Amp could be better
Why I Recommend It
I like this Epiphone Les Paul package because it comes with a decent guitar and the accessories the beginner needs. It comes with a lesson package, so the beginner can get started right away.
The guitar has stripped-down controls for easy use. The neck on this instrument is decent, so you’re going to get a great tone out of it. With a little bit of setup from a guitar technician, this instrument will play great.
Epiphone Les Paul Custom Koa
Epiphone Les Paul Custom Koa- Scale length: 24.75″
- Pickups: 2 Probucker humbucking
- Material & finish: Koa, mahogany, gloss finish
- Best for: professionals that want a great Les Paul
The Epiphone Les Paul Custom Koa is an excellent guitar. It features two superb-sounding Probucker humbucking pickups, a smooth finish, an excellent neck, and great playability.
✅ Probucker pickups
✅ Grover machine heads
✅ Tune-o-matic bridge
✅ Great tone
❌ A bit expensive
❌ No case
Why I Recommend It
I like this instrument because it features koa wood, which gives the guitar an excellent sound. The Probucker pickups are also a standout that allow you to play rock, metal, and blues.
It comes with two tones, two volumes, and a pickup selector switch. It stays in tune nicely as it features Grover machine heads as well as a Tune-o-matic bridge. This guitar has everything the player needs to sound great.
Epiphone Les Paul Modern Figured Maple
- Scale length: 24.75″
- Pickups: 2 x Probucker humbucking
- Material & finish: Ebony, flamed maple, mahogany, gloss finish
- Best for: Beginners that want modern Les Paul
The Epiphone Les Paul Modern Figured Maple is an electric guitar with up-to-date technology. It features excellent humbucking pickups along with locking nut tuners, so the guitar stays in tune. It also comes with a coil splitter for additional tones.
✅ Coil split
✅ Locking tuners
✅ Great look
✅ Double shape neck
❌ May not appeal to vintage players
❌ Locking tuners take getting used to
Why I Recommend It
This is a guitar for the modern player. I like the double shape neck, which has a D shape on the base side and a C shape on the treble side. This makes the guitar very easy to play in any position. It comes standard with Probucker pickups.
The guitar has locking tuners that make it easy to change strings and keep the instrument in tune. You get the sound of both humbucking and single-coil pickups with the coil splitter. It also has an excellent-looking flamed maple top.
Epiphone Les Paul Classic
Epiphone Les Paul Classic- Scale length: 24.75″
- Pickups: 2 x Alnico Pro humbucking
- Material & finish: Mahogany, plain maple, gloss finish
- Best for: Beginners that want an easy to play Les Paul
The Epiphone Les Paul Classic is a solid guitar. It features two Alnico Pro humbucking pickups, which sound great. It has a coil split, so you’ll get plenty of tones. The C taper neck is comfortable and easy to play.
✅ Coil split
✅ Great pickups
✅ C taper neck
✅ Grover tuners
❌ No case
❌ No extras
Why I Recommend It
The Epiphone Les Paul Classic is the perfect guitar for any intermediate player. It has a vintage gold look along with excellent Alnico pickups that sound great with distortion. You also get a coil split feature for additional tones.
The slim taper C profile neck is comfortable for both soloing as well as rhythm guitar playing. It’s smooth up and down the neck. It also has Grover machine heads, which help keep the tuning stable.
Epiphone Les Paul Standard 60s
- Scale length: 24.75″
- Pickups: 2 x Probucker humbucking
- Material & finish: Mahogany, flamed maple, laurel, gloss finish
- Best for: Those that want a Les Paul Standard style guitar
It’s an excellent reproduction of the 1960s Les Paul Standard. It has great Probucker pickups and a comfortable C profile neck. It has solid tuning machines and a Tune-o-matic bridge for extra stability.
✅ Great pickups
✅ C profile neck
✅ Tune-o-matic bridge
✅ Easy playing
❌ No case
❌ No extras
Why I Recommend It
This Epiphone Les Paul guitar is easy to play thanks to its slim C profile ’60s style neck. The Probucker pickups sound great for both rhythm as well as lead guitar. It has two tones, two volumes, and a pickup selector switch.
This guitar will come quite close to that vintage Les Paul style sound. The mahogany body gives this instrument a lot of resonance and a great tone. It’s one of the top Epiphone Les Paul electric guitars.
Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy
- Scale length: 24.72″
- Pickups: 2 x Epiphone Prophecy humbucking
- Material & finish: Mahogany, ebony, carved maple, gloss finish
- Best for: Professionals that want a high-quality Epiphone Les Paul
The Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy guitar features great-sounding multi-voice pickups. It’s all set for rock and metal, as it has 24 frets. It’s kept in tune with a NuBone nut, and it’s easy to play at thanks to the comfortable taper neck.
✅ Multi-voice pickups
✅ 24 frets
✅ NuBone nut
✅ Taper neck
❌ Expensive
❌ No extras
Why I Recommend It
The pickups on this guitar are unique and give you three different voices. Use the volume and tone controls to activate these voices. You can get both vintage as well as modern sounds out of this guitar.
You get a neck with 24 jumbo frets, so this guitar is capable of playing all guitar styles, and it’s comfortable in all positions. This is one of the best Epiphone Les Paul electric guitars for professionals.
Epiphone Les Paul Muse
- Scale length: 24.75″
- Pickups: 2 x Alnico Pro humbucking
- Material & finish: Laurel, maple, okoume, gloss finish
- Best for: Intermediate players that want a Les Paul copy at a good price
Les Paul Muse is a great guitar that comes at a lower price. It has two Alnico Pro humbucking pickups, a solid wood construction, an easy-playing neck, and an excellent tone.
✅ Good pickups
✅ Solid machine heads
✅ Full controls
✅ Great tone
❌ No case
❌ No extras
Why I Recommend It
This guitar is lighter when compared to some other Les Pauls from Epiphone, thanks to the okoume body. You get a great humbucking tone thanks to the Alnico pickups. It comes with 22 jumbo frets for easy playability.
The Grover machine heads help keep the guitar in stable tuning. You get two volume controls, two tone controls, a pickup selector switch, and coil splitting for a wide range of different tones. You get all this for a reasonable price.
Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitars Aesthetics & Build
Here are a few of the things you must keep in mind before buying an Epiphone Les Paul guitar. These are excellent instruments for beginners to advanced players.
Here’s what you should look for.
Material
These are the basic materials that go into making an Epiphone Les Paul electric guitar. Keep in mind that the wood used for these instruments tends to be a lower grade than higher-cost guitars.
- Maple or maple veneer: Maple is often used for the guitar neck because it’s a dependable hardwood. On some guitars, it’s used for the top.
- Mahogany: This wood is used for the guitar body in many cases. It has a great tone and resonance.
- Rosewood/laurel/ebony: These woods are often used for the guitar fingerboard. They make playing the guitar easy because they’re smooth.
Finish
Several types of finishes are used on Epiphone as well as other electric guitars. These are the basics that you need to know.
- Lacquer: One of the common types of finishes is a lacquer. This is durable and long-lasting, and it gives the electric guitar a nice shine.
- Nitrocellulose lacquer: This is one of the most common types of lacquer used on electric guitars. It has an excellent shine, it lasts a long time, and it’s durable.
- Poly finish: Poly finishes are another type of finish used on electric guitars. Polyurethane is probably the most common. It’s long-lasting, has a nice shine, and is often preferred over lacquer.
Color
There is a wide range of color options for Epiphone Les Paul guitars. Typical colors include natural wood, black, red, blue, and so on.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Here are some frequently asked questions that people ask about Epiphone Les Paul guitars. This will help you make an informed decision before you buy.
Are Epiphone Les Paul Guitars Worth It?
Yes. The Epiphone Les Paul guitar is an excellent beginner or intermediate guitar. They’re put together nicely and have a great tone as well as playability. They’re not quite as good as a Gibson Les Paul, but they come close.
Do I Need Better Pickups?
No. Most models ship with decent pickups. With some of the lower-cost guitars, you might want to change the pickups, but for the most part, the instruments come with a decent set of humbucking pickups.
What Is a Coil Split?
The coil split is a nice option to have because it allows you to switch from a humbucking sound to a single-coil sound. This sound is not quite as good as a regular single-coil pickup, but it comes quite close.
The coil split gives you more tonal options because you can have your regular humbucking guitar sound like a single-coil guitar when you want. Not all models have this feature, so you have to look for ones that have it installed.
How Much Do Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitars Cost?
Epiphone Les Paul electric guitars come in a wide range of price points. Here is what you can expect to pay for various Les Paul style Epiphone Guitars.
- Beginner: $250-$350
- Intermediate: $350-$500
- Advanced: $500+
Keep in mind that these are basic prices. The price you pay all depends upon the features that your guitar comes with. Instruments that have better hardware, pickups, and wood cost more.
What Are the Best Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitars?
Here are three of the best Epiphone Les Paul electric guitars that you should consider buying.
I picked one for each playing level to make it easier for you.
Epiphone Les Paul Starter Package: Best for Beginners
Epiphone offers the Les Paul starter package. There are several of these available, but they’re all basically the same. You get a decent guitar, gig bag, small amplifier, and some of the best electric guitar accessories for one low price.
Epiphone Les Paul Studio: Best for Intermediate players
Epiphone Les Paul Studio is a great guitar for intermediate players. It’s a little bit less expensive than the Les Paul Standard Epiphone, but has the same basic features. It has great pickups, a nice neck, and easy playability.
Epiphone Les Paul Standard: Best for Advanced Players
The Epiphone Les Paul Standard is the best bet for intermediate or advanced players. These guitars are modeled after the famous instruments from the Gibson lineup. They have excellent pickups, great necks, and sound great.
Where Are Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitars Made?
Lost Epiphone Les Paul electric guitars are made in China. This is where the bulk of the production is now located. You can find older models that were made elsewhere, but the newer ones are made overseas.
What Is the Best Sounding Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitar?
The best-sounding Epiphone Les Paul is the standard model. It gives you the best of both vintage as well as modern tones. They have superb pickups, an easy playing neck, and everything you want out of a Les Paul style guitar.
Where to Buy Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitars
Here are a few places where you might want to consider buying your Epiphone Les Paul electric guitar. There are several places to buy them online, which I’ve outlined below.
Amazon
I prefer to purchase my guitars and accessories through Amazon. They have an excellent selection, great customer service, fast shipping, and I like to read the reviews prior to placing my order.
Online Music Retailers
Sweetwater and Guitar Center are two other excellent locations to purchase musical instruments. They have a wide selection, excellent customer service, and fast shipping times.
Your Local Music Store
You can also purchase an Epiphone guitar through your local music retailer. These stores may not have every model in stock, so you may have to wait or go with something else.
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Table of Contents
- Electric Guitars
- About Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitars
- Things to Consider When Choosing an Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitar
- Types of Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitars
- Electric Guitar Brands
- 10 Best Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitars
- Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitars Aesthetics & Build
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- In Conclusion
In Conclusion
Thank you for reading my guide to the best Epiphone Les Paul electric guitars. Epiphone is producing some excellent guitars, and their Les Paul lineup is a standout. You’re sure to find an excellent instrument to meet your requirements.
Please comment, like, and share this article. I look forward to hearing from you about Epiphone guitars or music in general. Now, go play your new Epiphone and rock out on your favorite songs.