We’ll help you decide which Epiphone Les Paul is the best for you in our complete Epiphone Les Paul comparison for 2025
The Les Paul™ is more than just a guitar. It’s one of the most iconic instruments in music history and a must-have for countless players, no matter what genre you play. From its 1952 debut with P-90 pickups to when humbuckers were added in 1957, the Les Paul shaped the sound of rock, blues, and beyond. Since then, legends like Jimmy Page, Slash, and Joe Bonamassa have used the Les Paul and become synonymous with its shape and sound.
Today, the Epiphone Les Paul comes in a full range of different models and collections that deliver that iconic tone and feel that will suit any playing level or budget. In this Gibson Gazette article, I’m going to give you the complete Epiphone Les Paul Comparison, refreshed for 2025, to help you find the best Epiphone Les Paul that’s right for you.
What are the four main Epiphone Les Paul Collections?
The four main collections of Epiphone Les Paul guitars are: Inspired by Gibson Custom, Inspired by Gibson (which includes Original and Modern Collection models), Artist Collection, and Player Packs. Each collection serves a different purpose—from vintage-accurate pro models to beginner starter kits—tailored to suit professional, modern, artist-specific, or entry-level needs. Here’s a quick overview of the differences between Epiphone guitar collections.
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom
This is the top tier of the Epiphone Les Paul range. These guitars are developed in collaboration with Gibson Custom and feature USA-made pickups, vintage-accurate neck carves, and handwired electronics. Look for the 1959 Les Paul Standard Reissue or the 1957 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue.
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson
This collection splits into Original and Modern sub-collections—classic Les Paul styling or updated, gig-ready performance. Models like the Les Paul Standard 50s and the Les Paul Modern Figured are here.
Epiphone Artist Collection
These are signature guitars made in collaboration with world-renowned Epiphone artists. These models are designed with artists and have their own unique specs. Look for the Jared James Nichols “Blues Power” Les Paul Custom, Kirk Hammett “Greeny,” and the Adam Jones Epiphone Les Paul.
Epiphone Player Packs & Power Players
These Epiphone Player Packs and Power Players are designed for beginners, children, and those who want to pick up a guitar after a brief hiatus from playing. These bundles include a Les Paul-style guitar, amp, cable, strap, and gig bag—all in one box. Perfect for picking up the guitar and hitting the ground (or chords) running. Let’s go into more detail and look at some highlight models.
1. Inspired by Gibson Custom
The Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Collection Les Paul guitars feel like guitars that have just walked out of the Gibson Custom Shop.
If you’re looking for a Les Paul that truly captures the Golden Era of electric guitar building, the Inspired by Gibson Custom Collection is one of the best Epiphone Les Paul guitars you could hope to buy. Developed in close collaboration with Gibson Custom, these guitars combine meticulous vintage specifications, hand-wired USA electronics, and authentic components rarely found at this price point.
As Epiphone expert Aljon Go puts it in the video below, “It looks like a Gibson, it feels like a Gibson, it feels like a vintage guitar.” These are guitars are certainly a highlight in our Epiphone Les Paul comparison.
The Inspired by Gibson Custom Collection gives you the closest experience to owning a high-end vintage Les Paul, without the five-figure price tag of a vintage Gibson or reissue.
It’s like stepping back in time and grabbing a guitar from the past!
On some Epiphone Les Paul guitars in this collection, you’ll find:
Key features:
- One-piece mahogany necks with long tenons for enhanced resonance
- AAA flame maple tops and rosewood fretboards
- Gibson USA Custombucker pickups
- Vintage wiring layouts with Mallory™ capacitors and Switchcraft® toggles
- VOS finishes for a gently aged, vintage-correct look
- Period-inspired brown/pink hardshell cases
These guitars aren’t just for collectors—they’re for serious players who want the sound and feel of a Gibson Custom model with a more accessible price point. Whether you’re recording, gigging, or just obsessed with classic rock tone, this is Epiphone at its absolute best.
Here are some of my favorite Epiphone Les Paul models from this collection:
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1959 Les Paul Standard Reissue
Pictured: Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1959 Les Paul Standard Reissue Washed Bourbon Burst
- One-piece mahogany neck with 1959 Rounded Medium C profile and rosewood fretboard
- Gibson USA Custombucker pickups with CTS® pots and Bumblebee paper-in-oil capacitors
- Mahogany body with maple top and AAA figured maple veneer
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Standard Reissue
Pictured: Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Standard Reissue in Iced Tea Burst
- One-piece mahogany neck with 1960 SlimTaper™ profile and rosewood fretboard
- Gibson USA Custombucker pickups with CTS pots and Bumblebee paper-in-oil capacitors
- Mahogany body with maple top and AAA figured maple veneer
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue
Pictured: Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue in TV Yellow
- One-piece mahogany neck with 1960 SlimTaper profile and rosewood fretboard
- Gibson USA P-90 Soapbar pickups with CTS pots and Switchcraft hardware
- Solid mahogany body in classic double-cut shape
2. Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Les Paul
This is the core of the Epiphone Les Paul range. The Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Les Paul collection gives players access to Gibson shapes and tones at an accessible price – hard-working Les Paul guitars that sound great and feel amazing too! These guitars have classic tonewoods like mahogany and maple, set neck construction, ProBucker™ pickups, and solid hardware – and they’re built to play night after night.
Now, what sets this collection apart is that it splits into two sub-collections: Original and Modern. One stays true to the Golden Era of Gibson, while the other brings the Les Paul into the present day with features designed for contemporary playing.
Epiphone Original Collection Les Paul
The Original Collection celebrates the sound and style that helped shape music history. If you love the feel of 1950s necks, traditional finishes like Goldtop or Tobacco Burst, and classic wiring setups, this is the Epiphone Les Paul collection for you.
Key features in the collection:
- 50s and 60s-style neck profiles
- ProBucker humbuckers or P-90s
- CTS potentiometers and vintage-style knobs
- Period-correct body shapes
Here are some of my favorite Epiphone Les Paul models from this collection:
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s Plain Top Goldtop
Pictured: Epiphone Inspired By Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s Plain Top Goldtop
- Mahogany neck with 1959 Rounded Medium C profile, long neck tenon, and laurel fretboard
- ProBucker 1 (neck) and ProBucker 2 (bridge) pickups with CTS pots and 1950s-style wiring
- Mahogany body with a maple cap
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Les Paul Standard 60s
Pictured: Epiphone Inspired By Gibson Les Paul Standard 60s in Blueberry Burst
- Mahogany neck with SlimTaper profile and laurel fretboard
- ProBucker 2 and 3 humbuckers with CTS potentiometers
- Mahogany body with maple cap and AAA figured maple veneer (on translucent finishes)
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Les Paul Junior
Pictured: Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Les Paul Junior in Tobacco Burst
- Mahogany neck with 1950s profile and rolled edges
- Single Dogear P-90 PRO™ pickup with volume and tone controls
- Solid mahogany body
Epiphone Les Paul Custom – Heritage Cherry Sunburst (Exclusive)
Pictured: Epiphone Les Paul Custom in Heritage Cherry Sunburst, Exclusive to Epiphone.com
- Mahogany neck with Modern Medium C profile and ebony fretboard
- Dual ProBucker Custom humbuckers with CTS pots
- Mahogany body with figured maple veneer top
Epiphone Modern Collection Les Paul
While still rooted in classic Les Paul DNA, the Les Paul guitars in the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Modern Collection are the best Epiphone Les Paul guitars for players who want more modern features. These guitars introduce coil-splitting, phase switching, treble bleed circuits, weight relief, and some unique finishes.
They’re ideal for gigging musicians, multi-genre players, and anyone who loves a traditional shape with modern features that make playing that much faster, or in some cases, louder.
Some key features in the series:
- Asymmetrical SlimTaper necks with contoured heels
- Locking tuners and Graph Tech® nuts
- Coil-splitting, phase switching, treble bleed wiring
- AAA figured maple veneers and bold finishes
Here are some of my favorite models from the Epiphone Modern Collection:
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Les Paul Tribute
Pictured: Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Les Paul Tribute in Ebony
- Mahogany neck with tapered neck joint
- Epiphone 650R and 700T ceramic humbuckers
- Carved mahogany top
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Les Paul Modern Figured
Pictured: Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Les Paul Modern Figured in Purple Burst
- Asymmetrical SlimTaper mahogany neck with modern contoured heel and ebony fretboard
- ProBucker 2 and 3 pickups with coil-splitting and phase switch
- Mahogany body with maple cap and AAA figured maple veneer
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Les Paul Prophecy
Pictured: Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Les Paul Prophecy in Aged White Tiger Burst
- Asymmetrical SlimTaper neck with ebony fretboard
- Custom-voiced Fishman Fluence pickups with three selectable voices
- Mahogany body with ultra-modern weight relief
3. Epiphone Artist Collection Les Paul guitars
Next up in our best Epiphone Les Paul comparison is the Artist Collection. Some of the world’s most iconic guitarists work closely with Epiphone to bring their signature sound and style to life, and the Epiphone Artist Collection is where you can find incredible Epiphone signature Les Paul guitars. These aren’t just tribute guitars; they’re fully spec’d, stage-ready instruments built to the artists’ own standards, with unique features based on the artist’s requirements or certain features they prefer in a guitar. Like unique pickups, neck shapes, and finishes.
The Epiphone Artist Collection Les Paul guitars are as close as you can to their signature sound and the guitars they use, because they actually use these onstage!
Here are some of my favorite Epiphone Artist Collection Les Paul guitars:
Epiphone Adam Jones 1979 Les Paul Custom – Antique Silverburst
- Iconic Antique Silverburst finish
- Three-piece maple neck with custom Adam Jones profile and ebony fretboard
- Gibson Custombucker (neck) and Seymour Duncan (bridge) pickups
- Mahogany body with maple top
Jared James Nichols “Blues Power” Les Paul Custom – Aged Pelham Blue
- Mahogany neck with 1950s-style profile
- Single Seymour Duncan Silencer JJN P-90B pickup (bridge)
- Mahogany body with classic Les Paul Custom styling
Kirk Hammett “Greeny” 1959 Les Paul Standard – Greeny Burst
- Mahogany neck with 1959 profile and rosewood fretboard
- Gibson USA Greenybuckers with reverse-mounted neck pickup with reversed magnetic polarity
- Mahogany body with maple top
Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins – Bone White
- Mahogany neck with SpeedTaper D profile and contoured heel
- Custom-voiced Fishman Fluence™ pickups with three voicing options each
- Mahogany body with maple cap and modern weight relief
4. Epiphone Power Player & Player Pack Les Paul Guitars
Next in our Epiphone Les Paul Comparison is the Epiphone Player Packs and Power Player guitars. If you’re just starting out on guitar, or you need one of the best Les Paul guitars for children, the Epiphone Player Packs and Epiphone Power Player Les Paul are the way to go. The Player Packs are all-in-one bundles that give you everything you need to start playing right out of the box – no extra shopping, no guesswork. Just plug in and go.
Player Packs include a Les Paul-style guitar, a small practice amp, cable, strap, picks, a gig bag, and free online guitar lessons via the Gibson App. The guitars in these packs are lightweight, easy to play, and a comfortable starting point for learning chords, scales, and riffs.
The Epiphone Power Players Les Paul is a 3/4+ version inspired by the legendary Gibson Les Paul shape. It has a slightly shorter 22.73” scale length and a slightly smaller mahogany body, making it light, easy to play, and one of the best guitars for children who want to learn how to play guitar.
Best For:
- New players of any age
- Students and beginners
- Casual players looking for a home practice setup
- Parents buying a first guitar for their child
- Experienced players looking for a more compact “travel” guitar
Here are some of my favorites in the collections:
Slash Appetite Les Paul Special-II Performance Pack – Appetite Amber
- Designed in collaboration with Slash himself
- Mahogany neck with SlimTaper profile
- Epiphone open-coil humbuckers (bridge and neck)
- Mahogany body in Appetite Amber finish
Power Players Les Paul – Dark Matter Ebony
- Bolt-on mahogany neck with sculpted heel and 22.73-inch scale length
- Dual Epiphone humbuckers for classic Les Paul tone
- Slightly smaller solid mahogany body for comfort and portability
Les Paul Melody Maker Starter Pack – Vintage Sunburst
- Comfortable maple neck with granadillo fingerboard and pearloid dot inlays
- Epiphone 650SCR (neck) and 700SCR (bridge) open-coil single-coil pickups
- Solid alder body based on the classic Gibson Les Paul shape
So which Epiphone Les Paul is best for you?
The best Epiphone Les Paul is the guitar that suits your needs and strikes your fancy! Select the Inspired by Gibson Custom line for vintage tone and pro features, the Original or Modern models for gig-ready reliability, the Artist Collection for signature artist specs, or the Player Packs if you’re a beginner starting your journey.
The Epiphone Les Paul range has every type of player and every stage of the playing journey covered. But just remember: no matter which guitar you choose as part of your own Epiphone Les Paul comparison research, you’re getting a great guitar that’ll last you a lifetime.
Oh, and if you’re on the fence about choosing between a Les Paul or SG, I also wrote this comparison for you, too.
