Epiphone Les Paul Standard Left-Handed Electric Guitar  

This model featured the bare bones essentials as far as a smokin' Les Paul model: A set neck, tune-o-matic bridge, Grover tuners and potted alnico humbuckers with a 2 volume/tone configuration. Single binding acorss the front edge and of course, your pickguard! Whoo Hoo!

I've owned 5 Epiphone guitars during my years of playing. This one, a Les Paul Standard Plus, The Les Paul Custom, a G-400 and a Sheraton II. Some noticeable improvements I've seen on this model vs. the older ones: The Tune-o-matic bridge is a vast improvement over the older models. The new lock method makes for better sustain. The Grover tuners are high quality. The pickups are adequate. The internal wiring leaves a lot to be desired (It's a modern configuration with a harness from the 3 way selector switch that comes down and connects to the 4 potentiometers). The neck was in great shape. I only found one dead spot on the entire fretboard (under the B string on the 19th fret). There were a couple of dings on it that were missed during inspection: There was a small blemish underneath the pickguard, and there was a crack in the finish where the pickguard screw goes in on the top. But I don't consider these deal breakers, so I didn't return it. As far as setting it up (I do my own) all I had to do on this one was tighten the truss rod 1/8th of a turn and lower the action 1/64th of an inch. I got a really good "player" for the money.

This is the best Epiphone Les Paul you can own. It's worth into a set neck vs. the cheaper left handed models, and you get all of the best stuff that Epiphone is putting into their other guitars. The polyeurethane finish actually makes these models more attractive looking vs. the Standard plus models. It will probably hold up better than a Custom since all of that gold hardware tends to flake very quickly. (It's also a very tough finish that will hold up to years of abuse.) In truth you could pay more for the Standard Plus, or the Custom, or another model, but why bother? They don't play any better, they don't sound any better, and they don't look any better than this model. As stated...best value for a Les Paul from Epiphone.

The last time I purchased a new Epiphone was in 2007. That was a Les Paul Custom, and this guitar blows that model right out of the water. Can't say enough about the value.

I purchased this model with the intentions of modifying it right off the bat. I did as such. There are some things which leave a bit to be desired as far as the components in the guitar. If you plan on buying one of these and keeping it, a new nut is a very worthy upgrade, as are new potentiometers and capacitors. I went a bit further and puchased cloth wiring for mine and did a full rewire. I really like the way this guitar plays and sounds....I own 2 Gibson Les Pauls (a 1980 Custom and a 2005 Studio) and this one's right in the mix with them. If you're thinking about buying an Epiphone, I personally think this is the model to consider, along with a Dot. The more expensive Epiphone Les Pauls don't really give you any added features or improved quality. The G-400 model (which is in the same price range)...it sounded great, but it was very neck heavy and it had a tendency to neck dive whenever I stood up with it. I tried a few of the bolt on models (Special II, Les Paul 100) and I don't think those are worth considering in light of the construction and materials used to make those. At 414 USD this is about as good as it gets for a Les Paul model. I'd give this guitar high marks, a thumbs up.

I like the way the guitar feels for the most part (Not as solid as the Fender Strat) but i find myself getting out of tune way more than i like. The pick ups are pretty sweet sounding. Maybe i just need to have better tuning knobs put on.