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Introduction

There is something so mesmerizing about the very sight of the Epiphone Les Paul Standard. Be it the attractive colors and maple veneer with an almost regal finish, the elegant plain-top, single cutaway body or the familiar trapezoid in-lays on the finger-board that we’ve associated with all our favorite rock stars for ages, there is an absolute and undeniable ‘wow’ factor for sure. Classic, timeless and legendary is how the global musical giant Epiphone describes its own marvelous creation, and we certainly agree!

Apart from the signature Les Paul solid mahogany body and hand-set mahogany neck, the key defining features of this marvelous electric guitar are the pair of Alnico Classic Humbuckers, renowned for warm, robust sound, beautifully sustained by the specialized wax vacuuming technique that saturates and seals the entire body with wax twice, for ensuring zero bass response. Aided by the premium quality Grover Machine Heads and a user-friendly Tune-o-matic bridge, the Epiphone Les Paul Standard can certainly be deemed as a legendary, mid-priced electric guitar model which is a class apart from many similar-priced competitors. In fact, the very reason for Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitars continuing to reign the market of premium guitars despite having been around for more than 50 years, is their sheer class, elegance and unmatched quality.

Review and Experience

Hearing rave reviews about a popular guitar is one thing, but looking at it from a critical point of view is quite another ballgame. Especially in case of the Epiphone Les Paul Standard, which has been considered as the flagship model of this age-old company, dating all the way back to 1873! Don’t get me wrong, this guitar was introduced much later and was hugely inspired by the enormous musical frenzy and fan following of guitar icons like Jimmy Page, Ace Frehly, Zakk Wylde and so on. When the Les Paul Standard was initially launched, it came in two variants of plain maple top and plus/flame maple top. Over the years, the former has taken the centre-stage. Other than this variation, the classic features like Alnico Classic Humbuckers, Stop-Tail Bridge Piece and Grover Machine Heads have essentially remained the same.

As my shipment arrived three days prior to the estimated date of delivery (thanks Amazon!), I was glad to observe that the guitar was very carefully packed, and not a single scratch could be seen on the buttery-smooth body. Just so you know, I ordered the Ebony color and trust me, it is a sheer beauty. In fact, this guitar looks so enticing and stylish in itself, that it motivated you to get started right away. So the mere aesthetics enhance its playability! With a scale length of 24.75”, the string tension is less and conducive for beginners who aspire to become seasoned professional players in the long run. Another great factor that improves the playability is that despite being a solid body guitar, it weighs only 8 pounds and has a very ergonomic, slim design to nicely fit in your arms and around your fingers. With such high comfort levels to begin with, it is imperative that you catch up really fast on your lessons.

The next big review criteria would be sound, and let me tell you that the Epiphone Les Paul Standard is a hallmark for warm and deep tones. If you’ve been wondering all along, why you should pay so much for a beginner’s guitar, then the biggest reason crops up here- the double wax vacuuming system. Any hum from an electric guitar, no matter how low, is a sheer deterrent to the sound quality, and the full-fledged percolation of wax in the already solid body, ensures amazingly pristine sound. Despite years of usage, you’ll be surprised at the consistency and richness of tones, absolutely perfect for grunge, punk, thrash, swing, metal, jazz, rock and the likes.

Next in line is the craftsmanship and build, and I should tell you that this is amongst the few ‘under $500 electric guitars’ that actually employs the crème-de-la-crème of construction material with great finesse, for each and every part of the guitar. Take the Humbucker Pickups for instance. You will find a whole lot of really cheap, mass-produced single, dual even triple Humbucker Electric Guitars in the market. But the use of premium Alnico magnets, ABS Plastic Bobbins, pole screws and cold rolled steel pole shoes, makes this Les Paul Standard really create a milestone as far as construction is concerned. Lastly before I forget, a word of appreciation is due for the impressive neck and body binding, several leagues ahead of cheap bolt-on necks. That’s an extra point for durability, and you anyways don’t have to worry because the Epiphone Lifetime Warranty is always there to save your back!

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Pros

•  Set Neck (rather than a bolt-on one) assures fantastic string to body resonance, and is much more durable in the long run
• Exemplary sound which is 100% free of microphonic hum, thanks to the advanced double vacuum waxing technology and the signature Les Paul Humbucker Pickups
• Very sturdy Stop-tail Bridge with six variable saddles and well finished die-cast tuners on either end
• Available in two different styles, to suit left handed and right handed guitarists, as well as in 4 awesome colors- Ebony, Metallic Gold, Red and Pelham Blue
• For extended budgets, purchase choices can be extended to constitute the complete Accessory Bundle, Amp Bundle or even the Hard Case Bundle
• Consistently smooth, rich and warm tones that are characteristic to Les Pauls, makes it the ideal electric guitar for playing Jazz, Heavy Metal, Blues and Hard Rock numbers

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Cons

•  Not the right electric guitar for thrifty buyers or beginners on a very tight budget
• Despite the sheer finesse and extremely meticulous craftsmanship, this happens to be a made-in-China electric guitar (depends on whether you consider that as a downer or not!)
• Will not suit your musical tastes if you are a fan of Funk, Surf and Country Styles with crisp tones
• String Changing with the Stopbar Tailpiece is sustainable, but needs some fair amount of practice

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Features

•  Classic Les Paul Solid Body Electric Guitar made of Mahogany with a classy Maple Veneer and Set Mahogany, Slim-Tapered Neck
• Rosewood Fingerboard with Trapezoid In-lays and medium-jumbo frets for exquisite sound quality and heightened playability
• Dual Alnico Humbucker Pickups coupled with Double Vacuum Waxing Process for hum-free experience
• Tune-o-matic bridge, 24.75” standard Les Paul Scale with Grover Tuners, Chrome Hardware and 1.68” nut width
• Weighs close to 8.5 pounds in total, measuring 17 x 45 x 7 inches in terms of overall dimensions
• Epiphone Lifetime Warranty along with use of top-notch magnetic wire, pole screws and ABS plastic bobbins for construction of pickups for increased longevity

Conclusion

A very stylish, sleek and ethereal-sounding guitar that is built to last, the Epiphone Les Paul Standard offers much more value vis-à-vis the price you pay. If you are beginning your professional journey as a guitarist or you are looking for an upgrade from a dirt-cheap beginner’s guitar to a classier and bankable instrument to fine tune your already-acquired basic skills, this Epiphone Les Paul model is best suited for your needs. At the end of the day, Epiphone is a name you can implicitly trust and for a reasonably flexible budget, you get a premium electric guitar on the lines of your favorite guitar idols!

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