Epiphone was returned to premium brand in 2019/2020... here's the specs of a 2021 epiphone custom koa Les Paul..real koa top premium electronics hardware and build....Les Paul Custom Bound All-Mahogany Body w/ Koa Top 24.75" Scale Rolled Mahogany Neck w/ Ebony Fretboard & Pearloid Inlays Dual ProBucker Humbucker Pickups Era-Appropriate Wiring & CTS Potentiometers Fixed Bridge, Graph Tech NuBone Nut '60s Style Kalamazoo Headstock & Grover Rotomatic 18:1 TunersThe new Epiphone Koa-topped mahogany body Les Paul Custom is part of Epiphone’s Inspired by Gibson Collection and honors the 1950s classic designed by Mr. Les Paul himself in 1954 as the “tuxedo” version of his groundbreaking solid body masterpiece! Featuring the traditional Custom bound all-mahogany body, 60s SlimTaper™ neck profile, ebony fingerboard with block inlays, gold Epiphone LockTone™ Tune-O-Matic™ bridge and Stop Bar tailpiece, a pair of critically acclaimed Epiphone ProBucker™ humbuckers, and Custom split-diamond inlay on the headstock. This Epiphone Inspired by Gibson model also has the 60s style Kalamazoo headstock, rolled neck for a comfortable feel, Graph Tech® NuBone® nut, era-appropriate wiring, and CTS® pots.Body Type: Solidbody Body Shape: Les Paul Custom Body Material: Mahogany Top Material: Koa Body Finish: Gloss Color: Natural NECK Neck Material: Mahogany Neck Shape: Slim Taper Neck Joint: Set Neck Radius: 12" Fingerboard Material: Ebony Fingerboard Inlay: Pearloid Blocks Number of Frets: 22, Medium Jumbo Scale Length: 24.75" Nut Width: 1.693" Nut Material: Graph Tech NuBone HARDWARE Bridge/Tailpiece: Epiphone LockTone Tune-O-Matic Bridge with Stopbar Tailpiece Tuners: Kidney-style Tuners ELECTRONICS Neck Pickup: Pro Bucker 2 Humbucker Bridge Pickup: Pro Bucker 3 Humbucker Controls: 2 x volume, 2 x tone Switching: 3-way toggle pickup switch
For the ES-355 colours, the Custom Shop currently offers black, natural and red (2 or 3 different shades of red) finishes so I would expect a black model as the next colour but not much else. About the headstock use of mother of pearl, if the specs list it then all of the guitar uses it, fingerboard and headstock.
Spending time with a guitar is important. I spent an hour playing my Les Paul special, and inspecting it from top to bottom after that. Other people wanted to try it, but I dropped the hammer on it, so sorry for them. I've seen people buy guitars in minutes, and I wonder how many of them still have those guitars (Maybe just reselling them for a flip, who knows). Luckily I have a store close by because I'm not a fan of online buying. I know there's return policies and such, but still....a hassle.
The new Les Paul Custom is supposed to have quite a thick C shaped 50's Gibson style neck. Could be good for some, but unfortunately, I have smaller hands. Ebony with a 60's neck would've been a dream.
My white Epiphone ES-355 is arriving tomorrow. All the specs are there, and bonus points for the headstock. The Chinese factories are making some *very* nice guitars these days.
Got that guitar on Sunday, it is a beauty, it feels better than my Sheraton II. The lacquer is a bit thick where joining the binding on the neck and body but with the VOS finish it may dull those areas with time.
A McDonald's Quarter Pounder with cheese meal is $13. It was $7 a few years ago. People didn't mind paying $650 for an Epiphone a few years ago, but now $1299 is too much? With an ebony neck, Custom buckers, CTS / Mallory electronics, hard case, and Gibson headstock, I consider that a great price! If people are upset about the price, just buy a Harley Benton. You get a lot of value for the money, and you can upgrade the electronics as you get more money. I'm sure the people who are whining have no problem with their $75k Ford F-150. It's just about priorities. All my friends who have been musicians for 30-40 years find Epiphone quality and sound to be equal or superior to Gibson now. The idea that to be a 'real player', I need to pay $7k for a Gibson ES-355, when I could get nearly identical specs on a $1300 Epiphone makes the argument silly.
It's all needless loyalty/gatekeeping to a name on a headstock. I'll admit, there is something Gibson has that Epiphone lacks. But as a guitar in it's own right just as good in most cases. Especially after a good setup. Sad folks get hung up on stupidity like that where they are just missing out.
I PREFER the full gloss POLY finishes… they age better and as long as both you and the Axe are BOTH CLEAN, and the axe has a fresh coat of wax on it, I find there to be zero stickiness or drag when playing…. Quite the opposite actually… it’ll play fast with a “slinky” feel to it. Also, every IBG guitar I’ve played has been EXCELLENT, and I can only speculate that these top of the line IBG models are SICKNESS! I only hope they release a Tuxedo Black SG Custom 2 Pickup model with upgrades and Stop tail Bridge… I’d buy one in a heartbeat!!!
Ah, no. Epiphone was an equal quality instrument maker longbago until Gibson farmed the name to their budget offerings. Now? Not so much, I agree there.
I think the Gibson headstock on the New Epiphones SUCK ! Shoulda left them as they were . I have the Original ‘59 Limited Edition version with the Burstbucker 2/3 . The New New version has Custombuckers but those have the same output value and don’t sound much different when you go from neck to bridge position . They shoulda wound the bridge hotter , IMO .
@@thecreepycrawl1413 I got the Original Epiphone ‘59 used , Near New from a guy on Reverb , $625 with shipping . Definitely didn’t pay New price and considering the Burstbucker 2/3 are $300 a set from Gibson … I’m ahead of the game . Nothing to mod .
The best epiphones ever made better than paying Gibson prices
Epiphone was returned to premium brand in 2019/2020... here's the specs of a 2021 epiphone custom koa Les Paul..real koa top premium electronics hardware and build....Les Paul Custom Bound All-Mahogany Body w/ Koa Top
24.75" Scale Rolled Mahogany Neck w/ Ebony Fretboard & Pearloid Inlays
Dual ProBucker Humbucker Pickups
Era-Appropriate Wiring & CTS Potentiometers
Fixed Bridge, Graph Tech NuBone Nut
'60s Style Kalamazoo Headstock & Grover Rotomatic 18:1 TunersThe new Epiphone Koa-topped mahogany body Les Paul Custom is part of Epiphone’s Inspired by Gibson Collection and honors the 1950s classic designed by Mr. Les Paul himself in 1954 as the “tuxedo” version of his groundbreaking solid body masterpiece!
Featuring the traditional Custom bound all-mahogany body, 60s SlimTaper™ neck profile, ebony fingerboard with block inlays, gold Epiphone LockTone™ Tune-O-Matic™ bridge and Stop Bar tailpiece, a pair of critically acclaimed Epiphone ProBucker™ humbuckers, and Custom split-diamond inlay on the headstock.
This Epiphone Inspired by Gibson model also has the 60s style Kalamazoo headstock, rolled neck for a comfortable feel, Graph Tech® NuBone® nut, era-appropriate wiring, and CTS® pots.Body Type: Solidbody
Body Shape: Les Paul Custom
Body Material: Mahogany
Top Material: Koa
Body Finish: Gloss
Color: Natural
NECK
Neck Material: Mahogany
Neck Shape: Slim Taper
Neck Joint: Set Neck
Radius: 12"
Fingerboard Material: Ebony
Fingerboard Inlay: Pearloid Blocks
Number of Frets: 22, Medium Jumbo
Scale Length: 24.75"
Nut Width: 1.693"
Nut Material: Graph Tech NuBone
HARDWARE
Bridge/Tailpiece: Epiphone LockTone Tune-O-Matic Bridge with Stopbar Tailpiece
Tuners: Kidney-style Tuners
ELECTRONICS
Neck Pickup: Pro Bucker 2 Humbucker
Bridge Pickup: Pro Bucker 3 Humbucker
Controls: 2 x volume, 2 x tone
Switching: 3-way toggle pickup switch
The standard looks the best imo Chris!
Right on!!!
For the ES-355 colours, the Custom Shop currently offers black, natural and red (2 or 3 different shades of red) finishes so I would expect a black model as the next colour but not much else.
About the headstock use of mother of pearl, if the specs list it then all of the guitar uses it, fingerboard and headstock.
Seems like with the semi-hallow and hollow, the import models seem to lack in the finish department. Unless its a special model.
What year did these inspired by GIBSON come out? Thank YOU.
This line is new but I think the Inspired By started beginning or mid COVID? 2020 seems to sound right, but I may be off.
Spending time with a guitar is important. I spent an hour playing my Les Paul special, and inspecting it from top to bottom after that. Other people wanted to try it, but I dropped the hammer on it, so sorry for them. I've seen people buy guitars in minutes, and I wonder how many of them still have those guitars (Maybe just reselling them for a flip, who knows). Luckily I have a store close by because I'm not a fan of online buying. I know there's return policies and such, but still....a hassle.
100%. I have bought on line and its scary. LOL You never know what is going to be in your hands at any price.
The new Les Paul Custom is supposed to have quite a thick C shaped 50's Gibson style neck. Could be good for some, but unfortunately, I have smaller hands. Ebony with a 60's neck would've been a dream.
I lobe me a big neck. My palms are large and my fingers are like sausages but short. LOL
@@thecreepycrawl1413 Haha! Have at it, my friend! The Custom and '59 really stood out for me. The '59 might have a more manageable neck...
Yeah, the price is really killing it
I can totally see that.
My white Epiphone ES-355 is arriving tomorrow. All the specs are there, and bonus points for the headstock. The Chinese factories are making some *very* nice guitars these days.
Got that guitar on Sunday, it is a beauty, it feels better than my Sheraton II.
The lacquer is a bit thick where joining the binding on the neck and body but with the VOS finish it may dull those areas with time.
NICE!!!!!
@@dobiqwolf Congrats and enjoy.
@@dobiqwolfit’s poly not lac
I got a Epi LP Special from zzounds last October, my first guitar costing less than 1000.00. It's a great guitar.
Oh, rad. Congrats on the new git.
AGAIN, I have a cold. I sniffle and cough a few times. Get over it.
A McDonald's Quarter Pounder with cheese meal is $13. It was $7 a few years ago. People didn't mind paying $650 for an Epiphone a few years ago, but now $1299 is too much? With an ebony neck, Custom buckers, CTS / Mallory electronics, hard case, and Gibson headstock, I consider that a great price! If people are upset about the price, just buy a Harley Benton. You get a lot of value for the money, and you can upgrade the electronics as you get more money. I'm sure the people who are whining have no problem with their $75k Ford F-150. It's just about priorities. All my friends who have been musicians for 30-40 years find Epiphone quality and sound to be equal or superior to Gibson now. The idea that to be a 'real player', I need to pay $7k for a Gibson ES-355, when I could get nearly identical specs on a $1300 Epiphone makes the argument silly.
It's all needless loyalty/gatekeeping to a name on a headstock. I'll admit, there is something Gibson has that Epiphone lacks. But as a guitar in it's own right just as good in most cases. Especially after a good setup. Sad folks get hung up on stupidity like that where they are just missing out.
I PREFER the full gloss POLY finishes… they age better and as long as both you and the Axe are BOTH CLEAN, and the axe has a fresh coat of wax on it, I find there to be zero stickiness or drag when playing…. Quite the opposite actually… it’ll play fast with a “slinky” feel to it.
Also, every IBG guitar I’ve played has been EXCELLENT, and I can only speculate that these top of the line IBG models are SICKNESS! I only hope they release a Tuxedo Black SG Custom 2 Pickup model with upgrades and Stop tail Bridge… I’d buy one in a heartbeat!!!
That would be a sick guitar!!!
If I only had the $$$$
Yup, me too.
anybody who agrees that any pickup set is worth $500 is smoking crack.
IDGAF $15 works. i see no difference.
I never said I agree, I only stated the current price.
@thecreepycrawl1413 you didn't but it was mentioned.. those guys are weirdos.
Tonerider pickups are the REAL DEAL ! Top notch customer service too .
Inspired by Gibson isn’t the same as made byGibson. Epiphone is now, and always was, a cheap guitar.
Ah, no. Epiphone was an equal quality instrument maker longbago until Gibson farmed the name to their budget offerings. Now? Not so much, I agree there.
I think the Gibson headstock on the New Epiphones SUCK ! Shoulda left them as they were . I have the Original ‘59 Limited Edition version with the Burstbucker 2/3 . The New New version has Custombuckers but those have the same output value and don’t sound much different when you go from neck to bridge position . They shoulda wound the bridge hotter , IMO .
Right on. I'm dig the idea but I am not sure it's worth a premium.
@@thecreepycrawl1413 I got the Original Epiphone ‘59 used , Near New from a guy on Reverb , $625 with shipping . Definitely didn’t pay New price and considering the Burstbucker 2/3 are $300 a set from Gibson … I’m ahead of the game . Nothing to mod .
@@bxsoup Absolutely. That is a great deal.