Epiphone, as you probably know, is owned by the legendary guitar manufacturer Gibson. Up until that purchase though, it was Gibson’s main rival. Originally known for its mandolins and archtops, it eventually changed into producing affordable alternatives to its parent company’s models, such as the Les Paul. These designs were quite successful, and many artists, including top musicians such as Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and John Lennon from The Beatles, The Edge from U2, and jazz guitarist Joe Pass, preferred them to the more expensive guitars made by Gibson. Even now, contemporary artists such as Gary Clark Jr and Matt Heafy of Trivium rock out with their Epi models on stage. On a much smaller scale, my Joe Pass Emperor model has accompanied me on countless hours of practice and gigging during my university days.
I had the chance to test drive an affordable entry model recently: the Les Paul Limited Edition Special I. I’ve received three guitars in different finishes, and I’ve filmed a video of my impressions and showcasing their tone (in different settings) and versatility.
The spirit of the Les Paul
True to its name, the Epiphone Les Paul delivers a simple 2 humbucker guitar. These pickups double the coils to produce a louder, thicker sound than the single coil versions. When played with a minimal amount of gain or overdrive, they produce a warm, beefy tone perfect for jazz lines and classic rock accompaniments. With some hair, they produce some of the most satisfying crunch tones guitarists crave perpetually. With thick overdrive or distortion, they sing with massive sustain and personality. Although the particular models in this guitar aren’t the most complex sounding, they get the job done, in any situation.
Being a Les Paul style guitar, it features a 24.75 inch scale which is slightly smaller than Fender’s 25.5 and offers easy playability and bending—ideal for younger players starting off on the electric. The neck is also on the smaller side, especially when I compare it to my Gibson models. This makes these Epiphones a breeze and a joy to play.
Other specs include a basswood body, mahogany neck, and rosewood fretboard. It features no carved maple top usually found on regular, more expensive Les Pauls. The absence of this feature and the selection of basswood help to lower production costs. The classic trapezoid and block inlays are replaced with dots (which I find quite refreshing actually), and a very nice dark binding wraps around the neck.
The tuning pegs’ stability is hit or miss, unfortunately. It’s probably due to the affordable nature of the instrument, but angled headstocks are notoriously hard to keep in tune. Make sure you either have a tuner nearby or some nut lubricant to make your playing experience more enjoyable. Down the road, you might consider upgrading to locking tuners; an upgrade that is well worth the low price of admission!
Three wonderful finishes
The Epiphone Limited Edition Les Paul Special I guitar is offered in three different finishes, two of which salute Gibson’s history. All three of them are worn, meaning they are slightly faded and transparent, something I feel most guitarists will enjoy. The tactile sensation is quite enjoyable also, presenting a satin feel on the body and neck.
The first variation, black, is the least adventurous of the three, but still holds up well and features an understated, yet elegant presence. Black also matches with all colors, so the fashion minded guitarist will enjoy this one!
Next, the worn cherry finish is a lovely homage to one of Gibson’s most beloved colours. Although the sunburst isn’t present on this model, the fiery red is very eye-catching, and fans of Jimmy Page and company will be able to easily channel the raw energy associated with that particular imagery.
Finally, the TV Yellow finish is a sight to behold (and is my favourite of the three options). It’s so easy on the eye that I still find myself scrolling through my pictures of it in my studio. The origins of the colour’s name are also interesting—and are at the centre of an ongoing debate amongst guitarists. Some state that TV Yellow refers to the colour used to finish a certain model of cabinet that housed televisions back in the 50s.
Others believe that Les Paul himself commissioned Gibson to build him guitars in this colour for his TV work. This colour would counteract the distracting glare that his white guitars would produce in the black and white screens of the time. At this point, it seems that it is lost lore to anyone but Gibson employees, but what I know for sure is that this wonderful colour looks amazing in your hands, on a stand, or hanging on a wall.
Affordable, yet built to last
This guitar is ideal in a couple of situations. First of all, for a first time buyer, the price and specs are excellent. With a small, comfortable neck and a 24.75 inch scale, this will be an inviting home base for inexperienced hands. Being able to handle jazz, pop, and all shades of rock, it’s quite versatile. As you can see in the video, it also plays very well with different pedal and amplifier combinations.
It’s also an excellent guitar to grow with. It’s no secret that guitarists love to tinker with their instruments. As you cultivate your style, you’ll probably want to also. Some popular upgrades include changing the tuning pegs, the bridge, and pickups. This is the perfect affordable platform to experiment with.
Also, for guitarists that already own another type of guitar (such as a stratocaster, telecaster, hollow-body, etc), this is a very affordable entry point into the magnificent world of Les Paul style tones. If you are looking for something to complement your single coil tones without breaking the bank, look no further.
Source of Inspiration
The Epiphone Limited Edition Les Paul Special I guitar is impressive, especially when you take into account the price tag. What surprised me the most was that I had an easy time extracting riffs, melodies, and solos from this guitar. Finding inspiration to build songs also came naturally. Not all entry level guitars award that kind of individuality.
Check out the Epiphone Limited Edition Les Paul Special I (coming soon online at Best Buy) and other Epiphone products on Best Buy’s website.
I need to learn, probably something by Big Wreck.
Myself and AC/DC
I did take some guitar lessons in my youth, but had to give it up when my guitar was stolen and my parents could not afford to replace it. I think I would start with some of the basics, maybe some nursery rhymes or lullabies for my granddaughter.
I WOULDLIKE TO LEARN TO PLAY – I LIKEWESTERN – THE RING OF FIRE
ME FIRST – JOY TO THE WORLD
YELLOW SUBMARINE by the Beatles would be the first song I’d learn to play
FOR ME – I WANT TO PLAY DANKE DOODLE
The guitar would be for my husband and he would love to learn how to play the song “I’m broken by Pantera” or anything by Deftones.
I would love to learn guitar along with my daughter. She loves Eric Clapton and we would love to work our way up to some of his songs.
Imagine by the Beatles would be the first song I’d learn to play
I’ve always wanted to learn to play guitar — and now is probably the perfect time, what with spare time due to the pandemic. Would love to play some Fleetwood Mac!
I want to learn to play a guitar so I can play songs for my grandchildren like Yellow Submarine & Christmas favourities like Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer & Frosty The Snowman.
I have always wanted to learn how to play guitar! I would love to learn how to play Wonderwall!
My kid playing By My Side.
I love all three of the colours in this article, but the red is awesome! I’d love to learn how to play. I took a class in highschool, but that was a million years ago now. I’m home for the next year with my tiny humans and we’d have fun learning together for sure.
My sister should learn how to play guitar. The first song she should learn is Never Too Late by Three Days Grace.
My son needs to learn to play the guitar and his first song to learn should be: Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
I would love to learn myself and the first song I want to learn to play Tears in Heaven.
i would learn how to play panama. It was my late husbands favourite
I’m really digging the black finish
I’d love to learn guitar and would learn a Christmas tune to play during the holidays,
I would say me, and I would try to learn “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison.
I need to learn how to play guitar and I would learn and play Purple Rain
I need to learn to play the guitar. Especially if covid continues on all winter… I need a productive hobby to keep me busy inside.
I need this because I love collecting guitars and playing guitars and that’s, that’s about it.
My wife would love to pick up the guitar again, though I’m not sure what song she would learn first.
would love to win one of these guitars for my son who plays acoustic guitar but has always talked about learning to play electric. the song i’d love to hear him play is “Here Comes The Sun”… a perfect song to end 2020 with.
Both my kids are in jazz band at school and would enjoy learning a new instrument!
My son needs to learn to play Paranoid.
If my grandson get’s an electric guitar for Xmas (he will) then I need to win this so we can jam together. Maybe we’ll try Eric Clapton’s riff on ‘Bad Love’.
Myself Queen we will rock you
my son needs to learn to play guitar, he should play nirvana – smells like teen spirit
My Grand daughter would love the Epiphone Les Paul for its size.
The Epiphone Les Paul would be perfect for my young grandson, Paul
I need to learn to play guitar.
I would like to learn to play Welcome to the Jungle
My wife is the musical one in our family and did take guitar lessons at one point in her life. I think she should learn to play some Pink Floyd or Beatles songs.
This would be great for my mother who is just learning. She loves Johnny Cash so I hope she learns Ring of Fire!
Love to win one, then I could learn to play “Smoke on the water”.
I have wanted to learn how to play guitar for years. This beautiful Les Paul guitar would allow me to fulfill my dream and to finally learn how to play Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven”!
What a beauty!! My daughter is a terrific singer but it would benefit her to learn an instrument like the beautiful Les Paul guitar! I think the first song she should learn is the basics, an oldie Smoke on the Water!! 🙂
My youngest has started to play an instrument. It would be nice for her to learn to play the guitar and in the future play some John Denver tunes.
My husband and myself. We’d both LOVE to learn the guitar. Eruption by Van Halen should be an “easy” one! LOL
I would like my son to learn the guitar. He loves music and it would give him a good after-school activity to participate in. He loves the classics. He should learn to play I love Rock and Roll because he really does love it!
My brother should learn to play guitar. Blackbird by The Beatles would be the song.
I need to learn how to play a guitar. I would try to learn how to play Enter Sandman by Metallica first.
My wife needs to learn to play and she should start with “Lose Yourself” by Eminem.
I’d like to learn to play guitar. I’d like to learn Smoke on the water
My son Sam should learn how to play guitar because his dad is a fantastic player and could teach him! Plus, Sam loves music of all genres (he’s 17) and is talented! The first song he should learn would be anything by The Tragically Hip!
My brother wants to play robinson on this guitar.
I’d love to win one of these guitars. The 1st song I would learn to play would be “Finish what you started” by Van Halen in honour of Eddie’s passing. A true legend and one of my all time favorite guitarists. I think it would sound great on one of these Les Pauls. I like the red one personally.
Comments are closed.