Credit: Epiphone
Cost: $649.00 (Check current prices at Sweetwater, Epiphone.com, and Reverb.com!)
For European Readers: Find it at Thomann!
Watch the 60-Second Review on Ultimate-Guitar.com!
Overall Score: 8.8
The Epiphone Les Paul Modern isn’t just another budget guitar; it’s a statement. In fact, this Vintage Sparkling Burgundy finish is arguably more visually striking than many Gibson Les Paul Studios, instantly grabbing attention with its premium vibe. Inspired by the esteemed Gibson Les Paul Modern, the Epiphone version is packed with features that seriously impress, especially considering the price. The foundation is a resonant Mahogany body, capped with a plain Maple top, and cleverly weight-relieved for comfortable playing during long sessions. This construction is then cloaked in a sleek Gloss finish. The neck, a comfortable slim taper profile, features a modern contoured heel, seamlessly joining the Mahogany neck to the smooth Ebony fretboard. Across its 24.75″ scale length, you’ll find 22 medium jumbo frets, adorned with classic Trapezoid inlays and a reliable NuBone nut from Graph Tech. At one end, a LockTone ABR bridge ensures solid intonation and sustain, while Grover Locking Rotomatic tuners at the headstock provide rock-solid tuning stability.
However, the electronics are where this Epiphone Les Paul Modern truly starts to differentiate itself. It’s loaded with ProBucker 2 and 3 pickups in the neck and bridge positions, respectively. And here’s where the versatility kicks in: both pickups are coil-split enabled via push-pull volume pots. Furthermore, one of the tone pots is also push-pull, allowing you to switch the pickups in and out of phase. This arsenal of tonal options is astounding for any Les Paul, let alone one at this price point. It begs the question: can the build quality match these impressive specs? The initial impression is overwhelmingly positive.
Sound Quality: 8.5
The sonic performance of the Epiphone Les Paul Modern is genuinely surprising, not only for its richness but also for its impressive versatility. The ProBucker 2 and 3 pickups are at the heart of this, offering coil-splitting and in/out of phase capabilities. These pickups capture approximately 85% of the coveted Gibson PAF sound – that legendary warm, articulate tone that Les Paul aficionados crave. For a guitar in this price range, that’s a remarkable achievement. They are articulate, warm, and the neck pickup delivers that quintessential creamy Les Paul tone. Crucially, the coil-split function is exceptionally well-implemented. Unlike some cheaper coil-splits that simply reduce volume, these splits genuinely introduce a brighter, snappier character with enhanced top-end clarity and a subtle bass cut, making them genuinely usable for a wider range of musical styles. The in and out of phase settings, while resulting in a noticeable volume drop, offer unique tonal textures, especially when combined with overdrive, creating interesting rhythm tones and sonic experimentation possibilities.
The bridge pickup is where this guitar truly shines for classic Les Paul tones. It delivers everything you’d expect: a powerful, bright attack, yet with a substantial bass response and excellent ability to cut through a mix. It’s a pickup that feels equally at home playing Led Zeppelin riffs as it is tackling the energetic chords of The Clash. This versatility is crucial for guitarists who need to cover diverse musical ground. Interestingly, the single-coil tones produced by the coil-split were arguably more compelling than those from a Gibson Les Paul previously reviewed by the author, even if that Gibson arguably got closer to the ultimate “Holy Grail” Les Paul sound in its humbucker mode. Overall, the Epiphone Les Paul Modern exhibits a powerful voice that truly comes alive when pushed through a cranked tube amplifier.
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Playability: 8
Les Paul guitars have a reputation, sometimes unfairly earned, for tuning instability. Therefore, the inclusion of Grover locking tuners on the Epiphone Les Paul Modern is a welcome and practical upgrade. While some players might still prefer the absolute traditional specifications of vintage Les Pauls, this modern iteration offers superior playability compared to many guitars in its class. It maintains tuning remarkably well, even under aggressive bending and heavy strumming. The slim taper neck profile, while comfortable and conducive to fast playing, might feel slightly unconventional to purists accustomed to chunkier Les Paul necks. The fretwork is commendable, offering a smooth playing experience across the neck. However, it stops short of true premium features like rolled fretboard edges and jumbo frets, which could have elevated the playability score even further. Nevertheless, both Gibson and Epiphone deserve credit for significantly improving the playability of their Les Paul models in recent years, and the Modern is a testament to this progress.
Finish and Construction: 9
The Epiphone Les Paul Modern truly excels in finish and construction, delivering features and build quality that punch well above its price tag. The guitar’s aesthetics are undeniably impressive. The Vintage Sparkling Burgundy finish, combined with the binding and trapezoid inlays, creates the visual appeal of a much more expensive instrument – almost reminiscent of the allure of a classic Les Paul Black Beauty, though in a unique color. The finish application is excellent, boasting a crystal-clear, glossy sheen that beautifully showcases the Mahogany back. While a nitrocellulose finish, often favored on higher-end guitars, would have been a luxurious addition, Epiphone typically doesn’t offer this feature at this price point. If they did, the Epiphone Les Paul Modern would undoubtedly be seen as an even more direct competitor to USA-made Gibson models, rather than simply a budget alternative. The hardware installation is also executed to a high standard, comparable to the quality observed on the Gibson guitars the reviewer has examined. Notably, the review unit exhibited no tooling marks and, surprisingly, no high frets – a testament to improved quality control, addressing previous concerns about fret issues on some 2020 Epiphone guitars.
Epiphone Les Paul Modern in Vintage Sparkling Burgundy finish showcasing body details and hardware
Value: 9.5
The Epiphone Les Paul Modern is not a perfect replica of a vintage ’59 Burst, and it’s not trying to be. Instead, it delivers an incredible amount of guitar for a very reasonable price. In a market where Gibson doesn’t offer a direct equivalent to Fender’s “Mexican-made” guitars at this price point, the Epiphone Les Paul Modern comes remarkably close to providing a new Gibson-like experience for under $700. This guitar is gig-ready straight out of the box and, thanks to its versatile push-pull pots, can be a sonic powerhouse for players who explore a wider tonal palette than perhaps a more traditional Les Paul player like Joe Bonamassa (while acknowledging Bonamassa’s exceptional tone, he tends to operate within a more classic Les Paul sonic box). While the reviewer is not always enthusiastic about legacy brands reinventing classic designs, the Les Paul Modern is a tasteful and successful modernization. One can only imagine how inspiring the Gibson version of this guitar must be to play.
- Ideal for: High Gain Rock, Les Paul Fans, Gigging Musicians, Versatile LP Seekers, Gibson Dreamers on a Budget.
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Published by Matt Dunn
Founder of Guitars For Idiots, Tech Editor at Ultimate-Guitar.com, PhD in Chemical Oceanography, and likely jamming to Bad Religion or Blink 182. Contributor to Guitarniche.com, Stringjoy.com, Gearank.com, Theguitarjunky.com, Glarrymusic.com, Guitarchalk.com. View more posts
