You may be interested in the Epiphone brand of guitars, but not know the best Epiphone electric guitars or which one you should pick. This guide will help you pick out an excellent Epiphone guitar.
Quick Look: Best Epiphone Electric Guitars
★ #1 Best Epiphone Electric Guitar Overall: Epiphone Standard Les Paul ★
- Best Cheap Epiphone Electric Guitar: Epiphone Special II GT
- Best Epiphone Electric Guitar Under $1,000: Epiphone 1958 Korina
- Best Epiphone Electric Guitar Under $500: Epiphone Les Paul Guitar
- Best Single Cutaway Epiphone Electric Guitar: Epiphone Standard
- Best Double Cutaway Epiphone Electric Guitar: Epiphone SG Special
- Best Odd Shape Epiphone Electric Guitar: Epiphone 1958 Flying V
I’ve been playing both acoustic and electric guitars for many years. Over my playing career, I’ve tried dozens of different guitars, including Epiphone. Let’s take a look at this brand and find instruments that will work for you.
About Epiphone Electric Guitars
Epiphone is the lower-cost brand of Gibson guitars. They’re more affordable than Gibson guitars, and they’re the preferred choice for beginners or intermediate players looking for a high-quality guitar.
Some famous players have even used the Epiphone brand. For example, Paul McCartney used an Epiphone Casino in the 1960s. These are excellent guitars that are suitable for all playing styles.
Things to Consider When Choosing an Epiphone Electric Guitar
Here are a few things you’ll want to consider when choosing an Epiphone electric guitar. You should examine several factors before picking up an instrument.
Your Playing Style
Your playing style is a big factor in the type of Epiphone Guitar that you choose. For example, if you like to play rock all the time, you’ll probably want an Epiphone with dual humbuckers.
You may want a hollow body Epiphone Guitar if you’re into playing jazz or blues. If you’re into metal, you might want a Flying V or an Explorer-style guitar. You have a lot of options in terms of different body shapes.
The Overall Tone & Sound
Epiphone guitars are ideal for rock or metal because they come with humbucking pickups. These pickups give you a full sound that sounds great with a lot of distortion.
Price
You can expect to pay between $200 to $800 for an Epiphone Guitar. A few guitars are a little bit more expensive, but this is the general price range for these instruments.
Types of Epiphone Electric Guitars
Here is a list of the types of Epiphone electric guitars that you can find on the market. Epiphone carries a wide range of different guitars to suit most playing styles.
Single Cutaway Electric
The single cutaway electric is an easy-to-play guitar. You get access to the higher frets since a part of the body has been scooped out next to the neck. The standard Les Paul style guitar is a single cutaway.
Double Cutaway Electric
Some instruments have both sides of the body scooped out, so you have free movement for your hand while playing higher up the neck. The Epiphone SG is an example of a double cutaway.
Odd Shape Electric
Some Epiphone guitars are an odd shape, such as a Flying V or an Explorer style. These are essentially copies of Gibson guitars that use this type of shape. They can be a bit harder to play for some people due to the awkward shape.
Hollow Body Electric
The hollow body electric gives you the best of both electric and acoustic sounds. The hollow body features F-holes, which give the guitar a robust sound that’s well suited to jazz or blues.
10 Best Epiphone Electric Guitars
Here’s a listing of the 10 best Epiphone electric guitars that you might consider buying. I’ve included a wide range of different styles and shapes, so there should be something on this list for everyone.
Epiphone SG Special
- Style: Double cutaway (SG style)
- Pickups: 2 x P90 humbucking
- Material & finish: Mahogany, laurel, gloss finish
- Best for: This that like the SG body shape
The Epiphone SG Special is an excellent electric guitar. It features two high output P-90 pickups, which are perfect for playing rock or metal styles. It has an excellent neck and comes in at a reasonable price.
✅ P90 pickups
✅ Easy to play
✅ Full controls
✅ Great tone
❌ May need some setup
❌ No case
Why I Recommend It
I like this guitar because it has great pickups. You pay a little bit more for it compared to other Epiphone guitars, but it’s worth it. It has an easy-to-play neck, and you can easily hit all of the higher frets thanks to the double cutaway.
It has a slim taper neck, so it’ll be comfortable while you’re playing, and you’ll get less hand fatigue. I also like the fact that it comes with a full set of controls so you can sculpt your sound the way you want.
Epiphone 1958 Flying V
- Style: Flying V
- Pickups: 2 x ProBucker humbucking
- Material & finish: Mahogany, rosewood, maple, gloss finish
- Best for: Those that like the Flying V shape
The Epiphone 1958 Flying V is a superior guitar for heavy metal or rock guitar styles. It has a fast and easy-to-play neck. It comes with two exceptional humbucking pickups that sound great through a distorted amplifier.
✅ Great sound
✅ Good pickups
✅ Fast neck
✅ Great look
❌ Hard to hold
❌ No case
Why I Recommend It
I like the Epiphone Flying V because it’s well suited to rock and metal guitar styles. While its shape takes some getting used to, it has an excellent tone, and you get full access to all of the frets.
The ProBucker pickups sound great. They’re controlled via two volume knobs and one tone control. You can get a wide range of sounds out of the instrument. If you want to play rock guitar, this is the ideal option.
Epiphone ES-339 Electric Guitar
- Style: Double cutaway hollow body
- Pickups: 2 x ProBucker humbucking
- Material & finish: Rosewood, maple, mahogany, gloss finish
- Best for: Those that want to play blues or jazz styles
The Epiphone ES-339 Electric Guitar is fantastic for playing blues or jazz styles. The F-hole body projects a full and robust sound. You get a good tone through the ProBucker humbucking pickups. The neck is smooth and easy to play.
✅ Superior sound
✅ Great pickups
✅ Coil tapping
✅ D profile neck
❌ A bit heavy
Why I Recommend It
A regular hollow body guitar can cost a lot of money, but this Epiphone is a great bargain. You also get the option of coil-tapping, so you can get both humbucking and single-coil sounds out of the guitar.
The D profile neck is comfortable, and you get a full range of sounds with the two tone and two volume controls. This instrument has a lot of tonal options to suit your own playing style.
Epiphone Special II GT
- Style: Single cutaway (Les Paul style)
- Pickups: 2 x humbucking
- Material & finish: Maple, mahogany, rosewood, gloss finish
- Best for: Those that want a Les Paul style body
The Epiphone Special II GT instrument is an excellent introductory guitar for anyone that wants a Les Paul-style body. The best part about this instrument is that it also has a tremolo, which regular Les Pauls do not. It has good pickups and a nice neck.
✅ Tremolo
✅ Easy to play
✅ Good pickups
✅ Solid construction
❌ May need some setup
❌ No case
Why I Recommend It
This Epiphone Les Paul copy has a great tone even though it’s a lower-cost instrument. It has an easy-to-play neck and sounds great. You may have to give it a little bit of a setup through a guitar tech for maximum performance.
Unique features of this guitar include a tremolo system and a push-pull control on the master volume knob, which allow you to get different sounds out of the instrument.
Epiphone Korina Explorer
- Style: Explorer
- Pickups: 2 x ProBucker humbucking
- Material & finish: Mahogany, rosewood, ebony, gloss finish
- Best for: Those that want an Explorer style body
The Epiphone Korina Explorer is an excellent instrument for rock guitar players. It features two high output pickups, a smooth playing neck, and a compelling look thanks to the gold-plated hardware. This guitar is ready to rock right out of the box.
✅ Good pickups
✅ Fast neck
✅ Excellent look
✅ Great tone
❌ No case
❌ A bit expensive
Why I Recommend It
The Epiphone Korina Explorer is an excellent rock and heavy metal guitar. It has two great-sounding ProBucker pickups, which are capable of a wide range of tones. The Tune-o-matic bridge helps keep the tuning stable.
It has a comfortable slim-taper neck with 22 frets and full access to the entire fretboard. You get two volume knobs, one tone control, and a pickup selector switch to sculpt your own individual sound.
Epiphone Les Paul Guitar Pack
- Style: Single cutaway (Les Paul style)
- Pickups: 2 x humbucking
- Material & finish: Mahogany, ebony, gloss finish
- Best for: Those that want a cheaper electric guitar package
The Epiphone Les Paul Guitar Package has everything that the beginner needs. They get an easy-to-play Les Paul-style guitar, an amplifier, and plenty of accessories. You’ll be rocking out in no time with this instrument.
✅ Plenty of accessories
✅ Comes with amp
✅ Good pickups
✅ Easy to play
❌ Guitar may need some setup
❌ Some accessories could be better
Why I Recommend It
I like this Epiphone guitar package because it comes with a decent guitar. It may need a little bit of setup, but it’ll play nicely once this is done. It also comes with quite a few accessories the beginner player will need.
This is one of the best Epiphone electric guitars for beginners. All of the accessories can be upgraded if you prefer, but this is a pretty good deal for the beginner. I like the pickups on the guitar. It has a decent neck and a good tone.
Epiphone Sheraton II PRO
Epiphone Sheraton II PRO- Style: Double cutaway (hollow body style)
- Pickups: 2 ProBucker humbucking
- Material & finish: Mahogany, ebony, gloss finish
- Best for: Those that want a great jazz or blues guitar
Epiphone Sheraton II Pro is an excellent instrument for those that want to play blues or jazz guitar. This acoustic-electric guitar features ProBucker pickups, a nice playing neck, and a solid tone.
✅ Acoustic/electric tones
✅ Great pickups
✅ Good neck
✅ Push/pull port
❌ A bit big for some
❌ Not suitable for some styles
Why I Recommend It
You get a lot of guitar for not a lot of money when you buy the Epiphone Sheraton Pro II. This is an exceptional guitar for any blues or jazz fan. You get a big tone thanks to the instrument’s f-holes, and it also has great pickups.
It has an easy-to-play and comfortable neck. It also comes with a full set of tone and volume controls for the pickups. It has a coil splitter, so you can also get single-coil sounds out of the humbucking pickups.
Epiphone Les Paul Standard 50s Guitar
Epiphone Les Paul Standard 50s Guitar- Style: Single cutaway (Les Paul style)
- Pickups: 2 x ProBucker humbucking
- Material & finish: Mahogany, maple, Indian laurel, gloss finish
- Best for: Those that want a great Les Paul style guitar
The Epiphone Les Paul Standard is a great reproduction of the Gibson Les Paul. You get a great-sounding guitar since it comes with two ProBucker humbucking pickups. It has a smooth playing neck and a cutaway for easy fret access.
✅ Authentic Les Paul feel
✅ Great pickups
✅ Solid construction
✅ Good neck
❌ A bit expensive
❌ A bit heavy
Why I Recommend It
The Epiphone Les Paul Standard is a nice-sounding instrument for its price. It comes with two volumes, two tones, and a pickup selector switch. The pickups on the instrument are decent-sounding and great for rock, metal, and other styles.
The neck is smooth and comfortable, and it feels like a real Les Paul. There is great attention to detail, and you’ll have a nice-sounding instrument that you’ll enjoy for years to come.
Epiphone Firebird
Epiphone Firebird- Style: Firebird style
- Pickups: 2 x ProBucker humbucking
- Material & finish: Mahogany, walnut, Indian laurel, gloss finish
- Best for: Those that like the Firebird body style
The Epiphone Firebird is a great reproduction of the famous Gibson Firebird guitar. It comes with two excellent ProBucker pickups, a smooth playing neck, and a full set of controls for your pickups.
✅ Easy to play
✅ Good pickups
✅ Slim profile neck
✅ Tune-o-matic bridge
❌ A bit expensive
❌ No case
Why I Recommend It
Epiphone is making some excellent guitars, and this Firebird is no exception. It has a nice Tune-o-matic bridge for added tuning stability, great pickups, and it’s easy to play thanks to the full access neck cutaway.
It features 22 medium jumbo frets, so it’s setup for playing fast guitar solos. It has two tones, two volumes, and a 3-way pickup selector switch, so you have plenty of sound options with this guitar.
Epiphone Tony Iommi SG
Epiphone Tony Iommi SG- Style: Double cutaway (SG style)
- Pickups: 2 x Toni Iommi humbucking
- Material & finish: Mahogany, ebony, urethane finish
- Best for: Those that want a metal/rock guitar
For those that want an SG just like the Epiphone Tony Iommi SG the guitarist from Black Sabbath plays, this signature guitar from Epiphone is a solid bargain. It has two excellent Tony Iommi pickups, a 24 fret neck, and an amazing tone.
✅ 24 frets
✅ Amazing pickups
✅ Easy playing
✅ Iron cross inlays
❌ A bit expensive
❌ Not for all styles
Why I Recommend It
Many signature guitars from players are expensive, but this one from Epiphone is a pretty good bargain. One of the nice things about the instrument is that it has a 24 fret neck and solid pickups, great for metal and rock.
The guitar has two tone controls, two volume controls, and a pickup selector switch, so you get a full range of tones. I like the extras, such as the cross inlays, which give the guitar some visual appeal.
Epiphone Electric Guitars Aesthetics & Build
Here are a few things to keep in mind when looking for the best Epiphone electric guitars. There’s a wide range of models to choose from, so pick what you want.
Material
Here’s a rundown of the types of wood you can expect to find when purchasing an Epiphone electric guitar. It’s important to note that the wood isn’t as good as the wood found on a regular Gibson.
- Mahogany: This word is often used for guitar bodies because it’s durable and has good resonance.
- Walnut: This is another wood used on lower-cost instruments which has a decent resonance.
- Maple: This wood is durable and often used for guitar necks or the top of the instrument.
- Rosewood/laurel/ebony: These woods are often used for guitar fingerboards because they make them easy to play.
Finish
There are several types of finishes used on Epiphone electric guitars. These are standard on many different types of instruments, not just Epiphone. Here’s what you can expect to find.
- Lacquer: This is a common finish that has durability as well as a nice shine. It’s long-lasting, and there are many different lacquers used on guitars.
- Nitrocellulose lacquer: This is the most common type of lacquer. It’s used on a wide range of different instruments because it’s durable, has a great shine, and is easy to apply.
- Poly finish: Many types of poly finishes are used for guitars. Polyurethane is probably one of the most common ones. These finishes are durable and long-lasting.
Color
When you purchase an Epiphone electric guitar, you usually have a wide range of different colors to choose from. Some models come in more colors than others do.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Here are some frequently asked questions that people ask about Epiphone or other electric guitars. This will help you decide whether this brand is right for you.
How Much Do Epiphone Electric Guitars Cost?
Here’s what you can expect in terms of cost when choosing an Epiphone electric guitar. There’s a broad range of prices when it comes to Epiphone instruments.
- Beginner: $200-$350
- Intermediate: $350-$500
- Advanced: $500+
Please keep in mind that these are just average prices. You may pay more or less depending upon the features that you get with your instrument.
Does My Guitar Need Setup?
A lot of Epiphone guitars won’t need much setup at all. Some of the ones that are in the lower price bracket may need a bit of setup. A good guitar tech can do this for you, and it won’t cost you all that much.
Which Epiphone Is Right for Me?
It’s difficult to determine the best Epiphone Guitar for you because you may have a different playing style from someone else. Thankfully, Epiphone has a wide range of instruments that you can choose from.
You should be able to find an excellent instrument if you choose an Epiphone. They have reproductions of Gibson Les Pauls, Flying Vs, SGs, and other popular Gibson electric guitars.
What Are the Best Epiphone Electric Guitars?
Here are three of the best Epiphone electric guitars that you might want to consider. All of these instruments make excellent options.
Les Paul Starter Package: Best for Beginners
The Les Paul Starter Package includes an excellent Les Paul style guitar. It includes an amplifier, gig bag, and plenty of accessories that the beginner needs to start with the electric guitar.
Epiphone SG Special: Best for Intermediate Players
The Epiphone SG Special guitar has excellent pickups, a smooth playing neck, and it’s easy to access all the frets thanks to the double cutaway. You’re going to sound great with this guitar. It’s a faithful reproduction of the famous Gibson SG.
Epiphone Les Paul Standard: Best for Advanced Players
Epiphone Les Paul Standard is an excellent Les Paul copy by Epiphone. It has excellent pickups, a great neck, a full set of controls, and an authentic Les Paul tone. It has everything you want in a lower-cost instrument.
Where Are Epiphone Electric Guitars Made?
Most Epiphone electric guitars are made in Asia, specifically China. Some older model Epiphone guitars were made in the United States.
What Are the Best Sounding Epiphone Electric Guitars?
The best sounding Epiphone electric guitar is the Epiphone Les Paul Standard. This guitar gets you pretty close to the sound of a regular Les Paul guitar. There are several different models that you can choose from.
Where to Buy Epiphone Electric Guitars
There are several places where you can buy the best Epiphone electric guitars. Here are a few locations that I recommend you purchase your instruments from.
Amazon
I like to shop through Amazon because they have good prices, a money-back guarantee, fast shipping, a large selection, and you can read reviews before ordering.
Online Music Retailers
Guitar Center and Sweetwater are two other places where I like to shop online. Both of them have a large selection of instruments and other music accessories. They have fast shipping, reasonable prices, and great customer service.
Your Local Music Store
You can also pick up an Epiphone electric guitar at your local music store. This will allow you to go and check the instrument before you purchase one. The downside is that many stores don’t carry all models in stock.
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In Conclusion
Thank you for reading my guide to the best Epiphone electric guitars. Gibson has created an excellent lower-cost brand with Epiphone. You’re sure to find a great instrument, as they have a wide selection.
Please comment, like, and share this article. I look forward to hearing from you and your experiences with Epiphone or other guitars. Now, go pick up your new guitar and play something amazing.
