Owned by the same parent company, the Epiphone series is a relative to Gibson\’s more lavishly-refined guitar models. Its aesthetic likeness to a true Gibson Les Paul defies the philistines in the music world who care little about the quality of art that comes with such an instrument and is more preoccupied with how pretty it looks and ultimately how much it carries in resale value in lieu of resonating abilities. Such reproductions are available in various price brackets, so saving up for the best sound won\’t be necessary for those willing to settle with an instrument that lacks the tension that comes with constantly worrying over scuff marks but maintains the tensions that near emulates a true Les Paul. The less expensive versions of the cheap instrument are so due to a lesser quality wood (which is less valuable as a result) that a Spartan musician shouldn\’t care about as long as it sings the right way.

The \”Les Paul Special II,\” the beginner model, goes for about $170 and has a very simplified design (electronic components as well), replacing trapezoidal fret markers with the non-flashy dots and constructed with basswood and no binding. This model seems to get its low price tag from its material subtractions (it\’s like a salad that had to lose the raisons and pine nuts because they tipped the scale over the vegetarian\’s budget). The next model up is a salad intact, so to speak, with everything the Les Paul features (sans some of the rich dressing). The \”Les Paul 100\” (going for about $300) comes with a mahogany body and is painted a little less sloppily than its downstairs neighbor. The $500-$600 creams of the somewhat soiled (and produced outside the U.S.) crop include both the Les Paul Standard Plain To\” and the Les Paul Standard Plus Top with solid mahogany bodies, maple finishing, and a carved top. To further represent their mass-consumable image, Epiphone makes a few obscure, customized models that fit slightly narrower demographics and subcultures like a cell phone covers at a shopping mall kiosk; they include the (Les Paul)\”Goth,\” \”Goldtop,\” \”Ultra (I and II),\” \”Custom,\” \”Black Beauty,\” \”Prophecy\” series,\” \”Zack Wilde Custom\” series, \”Slash\” signature series, and \”Studio.\” This at least appeals to the \”individual\” in the guitar player (however generic the heading may be), something Fender does not account for. An Epiphone\’s sound is as unmistakable as the body shape (as is Fender\’s selling point), but there is certainly plenty of room left over for voices of all artistic and financial backgrounds without too much self-sacrifice.

Today, many guitar players are going for the Gibson Les Paul Guitars over the Epiphone version. Whichever Les Paul brand of guitar you decide upon, both the Gibson and Epiphone models are the top of the line and offer some of the best sound available today to meet if not surpass nearly any guitarist\’s needs. A lot of it comes down to what flavor of music you like to play and what kind of notes you like to shred. We wish you luck in your musical talents and adventure into this art.

Author Bio: The author writes has both first hand experience with Epiphone and Gibson Les Paul Guitars and you may visit http://www.guitarsforsale.org/Gibson-Les-Paul-Guitars.html for more info about his reviews on today\’s Gibson Les Paul and related electric guitar models for sale for both the entry and intermediate level guitarist.

Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: electric guitars,acoustic guitars,guitars,Gibson, Epiphone, Les Paul