Epiphone 50th Anniversary Les Paul Custom

Lovely ebony polyurethane finish. The binding is typical Gibson multi-layer, but flawless, unlike the standard production Gibson products. I believe this is one of the last Korean built Epiphones and far surpasses the quality of the current Chinese built product. The gold Grover Imperials are very classy tuners. Typical Les Paul layout; 2 humbuckers, seperate volume & tone controls, set neck, tune-o-matic bridge, etc. Very close to a US Custom Shop built Les Paul Custom in build quality and set up. Only thing missing is ebony fretboard.

Being a classic rock & blues guitarist, the Les Paul sound is an absolute necessity. This guitar replicates the tones and playing nuances of Gibson Les Pauls that would cost 10 times what this guitar cost. I have replaced the pickups with genuine Gibson '57 classics, the pick up selector switch with a genuine Switchcraft, and the volume and tone pots and capacitors have all been upgraded to US built components. To be honest, there wasn't that much improvemnet in the tone, but the stability and reliability of upgraded hardware has made a huge difference. This guitar gigs regularly & stands up to it.

I bought this guitar brand new immediately when they were released, so I've had it for about 5 years. The factory set up was horrible...buzzing strings, loose bridge saddles, crappy feeling selector switch, etc. Surprisingly enough everything adjusted easily into a beautiful playing guitar. All it needed was some time and tender care to be a fabulous instrument. The neck carve is perfect, the nut is cut well, all the routings are clean, the frets are super and the finish is flawless. The rest is all adjustable and replaceable. Gibson stuff breaks too!

This guitar gigs regularly and stands up well. I've upgraded most of the hardware, so I can't say if the original stuff would have held up to regular gigging schedules, but the neck, body, and finish are holding up just fine. The strap buttons were replaced with Dunlop Straplocks. I have no doubt I can depend on this instrument...it has never failed to deliver. I also play a US Strat ('83) and a Mexican built Tele ('01). Honestly, all my guitars seem to hold up well, but I don't beat them. They are kept clean and are lovingly cared for, so they may not get the abuse I've seen some guitars get.

Epiphone provides a limited lifetime warranty on this guitar in the US marketplace. I've never has to test it's protection, but if their coverage and service is anything like their customer support through the Epiphone website, there would probably be no reason to be unhappy. Unlike the arrogance that is displayed by Gibson (at least at their Bozeman MT and Memphis TN locations), Epiphone actually seems to enjoy hearing from it's customers. Gibson gives you the impression that if you don't have $5,000 cash to offer up, they don't want to waste their time with you.

I've been playing 42 years and have owned vitually every kind of popularly available guitar you can imagine, including genuine Gibson Les Pauls. This particular guitar sounds better and plays better than any of the genuine Gibson stuff I've owned in the past. It does exactly what it is designed to do. It can't sound like a Strat or a Tele or a Rickenbacker or a Gretsch. It sounds like a dual humbucker, mahogany body, maple capped, single cutaway, set neck guitar. If it was stolen and I could get another one exactly like mine I wouldn't hesitate. My only gripe is it's weight, but that has been a complaint with Les Pauls since 1952. It just seems that this particular guitar is heavier than most.

same as you have seen in the other reviews.

SMOKIN'!!!!!!!!! great sound and sustain for days!!!! the pickup combination is the best ever! i had a gibson custom shop historic reissue 57' black beauty, and this is much more les paul sounding than that guitar was! AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!

EXCELLENT!!!!!!! again, put together and finished nicer than my old gibson custom shop model!!! the inlays are flawless! the binding is absolutely perfect! and it is built like a tank!!!! no wussy factor here at all!!!

great durability!!! finish is excellent and as i said, built like a tank!!! replaced strap buttons for straplocks (standard move i do with every axe.) and that is all i needed to do!

never needed it.

all in all, i would say forget gibson, buy epiphone!!! i cannot see paying up to 8 times more for a poorer made guitar!!! if it were stolen, i would hunt the person(s) down and whack em'! then sell their bodies for medical experiments and buy another one of these, if i could find one!!! i have been playing for over 25 years and have had every kind of les paul(gibsons, epiphones, jr.s customs, standards, double cuts, u name it), never have i had one that sounds, plays, and is put together as nice as this!!! they outdid themselves and gibson!!! rock on!!!!!

satan finish,les paul,string thouugh boby i belive, non locking tuners ect.

i love heavy meatal,blues as well as folk i tie then all toghter with mt les oaul custm. it is great. i have a roland microcube and a jimi hendrix expirence pedal. wirks great no unwanted noise. it can sound rich,bright or how ever you want. no dislikes abought this i gave my stratacastor to mt 6 year old Girl when i got this.

this was perfect from the frets to the body and controls. no readjustings just plug snd play

no trouble.. its great, perfect

jut got it. with a 90 day warranty, and if something go's wrong they will pay to get it fixed after 90 days. they only sell quality, nothing less not even on special orders.

i have been playing since i was abought 13, so abought 16 years. i am perfectaly happy with this. its the only guitar i will play. ilove the sound, the feel of he neck easy to tone. buy this if you like quility

Made in Korea in 2002 I got number 344 out of 2002.
I'm not going to relist all the specs as before.
I have upgraded the hardware and pickups to tonepros bridge, dunlop straplocks, EMG pickups, and Sperzel locking tuners.

Well before the pickups swap, the orginal pickups sounded very muddy and feedbacked alot. I highly recomend a pickup switch. I used various amps with this guitar such as Line 6, Fenders, Marshall and my current amp the new B-52 AT100 triple rectifier(good amp).

I have tried many many times searching for "The One" I have bought Jackson, Ibanezs, Fenders, ESPs, and Bc rich. While right under my nose was this beauty, nothing matched it. I LOVE LES PAULS!

The EMGs are a god-sent the 85 on my neck is so sustainful and fat (Think Zakk Wylde) I love it! The 81 on my bridge balances really well with the mahogany and you get a good "In Flames" chunky rythm tone with it. BEST GUITAR EVER!

Out of the factory the setup was horrible, the strings were to close to the neck and the bridge had to be raised and intonated.
Pickups were adjusted ok.
Other than the crappy hardware on it there were no other flaws whatsover found on it.

I used to think you wouldn't need a backup.....BAD IDEA I currently have a white epi LP as a backup with the same pickups and hardware but still doesn't beat this baby.

Its been very reliable the last 4 years. Everytime one of my floyd equipped guitars left me in dissapointment this baby rescued me during 3 GIGS!

Never dealt with them

This guitar was basically my first guitar aside from my crappy strat-copy. I have been playing for 4 years. I owned a vast lineup of guitars and amps during those 4 years ranging from Fender, Jackson, Ibanez, ESP, Bc Rich, Line 6, Marshall, Crate, and Yamaha.

I currently use as my live rig this guitar, an Epi LP custom(white) and a LTD Dv8-r into a Boss NS-2 and then straight into my B52 AT100.

I would hate it if this guitar got stolen...which is why I'm buying another used one when I get the chance since they don't make them anymore.

2003 model..I think, Maiden Korea...I think, black finish with the usual LP stuff, mahogany neck, 22 frets, 2 volume controls and 2 tone controls, three-way toggle(CRAPPY), twin hummers, gold Grover tuners, Tune-O-Matic bridge, and a brief Les Paul history on the back. (not sure if I'm diggin' it or not).

SWEEEEET! What else can I say? It's a Les Paul without the $2,500 price tag! I play through a Line 6 Flextone XL with a full floorboard. My band plays acoustic, modern Drop-D stuff, and 80's metal. Pickup's aren't as feedback-ish as I had feared. The neck pickup is a little muddier then I expected, but still gives a nice bluesy tone...

I bought it used (can you say Ebay?), so I can't rate the set-up. It is very easy to play. I can say the toggle was the biggest piece of CRAP ever invented! JUNK!!! I has to replace it as soon as I bought it. Crap, crap, crap. C'MON EPIPHONE, PUT A GOOD TOGGLE ON THIS GUITAR!!!

Now that I have a new toggle and strap locks, I'm ready to rock for years!I know the gold finish will not last. I used to have a Gibson LP Studio, and it was gone after 3-4 years. Very dependable, but never, ever, gig without a backup!

N/A

I love this guitar! Is is soooo good-looking with the black & gold! I would definatly get another if stolen. I have NO problem with the weight issue (the LP, not my weight, which is another story). If you don't like heavy guitars, don't get a Les Paul. Slash, Ace Frehley, Randy Rhodes, Joe Perry, Gary Richrath, and countless others can't be wrong! This plays better then my old LP Studio, which is now about $1100 new. Ive been playing for the better part of 12 years. I also have an Ibanez AE-18 acoustic, and an OLP MM1 Ernie Ball/EVH rip-off that is a GREAT guitar for $125! It played better then my Wolfgang, which I just sold( It's a bit over-rated, if you ask me).

Even though Im just repeating other information - the Guitar was made in 2002 and only 2002 were actually made. So therefore there are 2001 others out there! The Guitar has a very nice black finish with Mahogany neck, 22 Frets, 2 Volume controls and 2 Tone controls, Rhythm and Treble switch, Gibson manufactured Humbucker Pickups (not sure what type), Gold chrome Tuners and THE LES PAUL STORY written on the back of the Guitar which is a slight Wank! I play Blues and Rock so this Guitar is perfect for both. I also got a free hardcase with it.

THIS GUITAR SOUNDS SO AMAZING. When I went looking for a Guitar I played Stratos, Teles and other Les Pauls but nothing sounded and suited me more than this Guitar! I couldnt believe how crisp it sounded. The clean settings sound extremely warm and the Distortion's GRUNT IS AMAZING!!! I love chugging away just for the fun of it. The Tone and Volume knobs should be played with to get some tones because the switch on its own WILL NOT get you all the good sounds. This is no ordinary Epiphone sound.

As everyone always says: "The strings buzz". This is true but you can ignore it. I dont really give a stuff if they do. The Fret board handles VERY well and the knobs are nice and smooth to change. The switch is slightly clunky but all is forgiven! The Guitar IS heavy. I have a lot of mates that are surprised by the weight of this baby so youd better make sure youre strong!

This guitar will last ages! Ive only been involved in a few minor shows (Im only 16 and in High School). Ive dropped it once and nothing happened to it so it is VERY durable. Never need a Guitar like this again!

Dont know

Im 16 and I love old classic Rock (Zeppelin, Creedence etc) and this Guitar is REALLY good for that style. I also am fond of the Blues and it does them perfectly. Im not the most experienced player of all time but I record at home heavily and Ive gotten to know my Guitar very well. Its very tough, Warm and has LOTS OF GRUNT! This Guitar is very good for all styles.

2002, 22 frets, usual les paul controls (2 tone, 2 volume, 3-way selector) mahogany body and neck, nice looking grover tuners.

some people critcise the les paul for being too heavy but there just not using the volume and tone knobs enough, its great what you can get out of this guitar by using the controls.
with the neck you can get a great blues tone and a convincing jazz tone but this aint no new york arch top so dont complain that your not wes montgomery.
at the bridge a sharp rock tone for all classic and contempory styles (just look at all the people through the years who have played les pauls its a who's who of guitar greats except possibly dave gilmour who is about the only great i can think off that hasnt used one).
but the best position is the oft neglected both pickups on middle position as it gives you more control over the tone by having both volumes and tones working for you, this is the one i use in my punk-rock band, but i play a bit of everything and this seems to cut it for everything

the set up was ok out of the box but i gave it to a ex employee of peter cook's guitar workld to set up properly.
i hightened the pickups a bit but most new guitars have there pickups fairly flush to the body to start with. all the bits were fitted well and the finish was fine, pickup slector looks a bit dodgy but thats easily fixed if it does go

this guitar has allready taken a few live onslaughts with only one string snappage, but i was getting a bit viloent with my playing style at that point, and it allways seems to end up on the floor at the end of a gig, but these things way a ton and theres been no damage to it. i would take a spare but only because this thing ways a ton and after about 40 minutes playing i would want to have something lighter around my neck.

never had any problems thus far

if this was broken id track another aniversary model down immediately because i love this guitar, its a robust and solidily built guitar that is a les paul in all but saying gibson on the headstock, and you can really tell the difference between an epi and another copy. and to everybody out there USE THE MIDDLE POSITION.
and with the price i paid for it being year old stock it really is ridiculous value for money

if u wunna know the features jus look at the reviews below

AMAZING MUTHA F-ING SOUND.I play jazz ,rock,metal,and punk and this guitar suits all of them,i dont use a lot of effects i have a fender cyber deluxe but i fdont bother with the effects i usuallyu use clean and distorted but the epiphonns is amazing it doesnt feed back alot like my fender strat .

the guitar was set up allright at the factory but i had to raise the pickups higher cause they were all the way in and it was properly bookmatched and its bridge was routed good to.the only flaw was the pickups were pushed in and the tuning pegs were loose

THIS GUITARWIL LDEFFINATELY WITHSTAND LIVE PLAAYING.the hardware about only a week or two the goldplated hardware started to fade.
i got straplocks and i would deffinateley not need a backup guitar wit this one it is really reliablt to me.

havent dealt wit then thanx alot epiphone for making a good lasting guitar

i have been playing for 4 years already and i own a cyber deluxe,fender strat,bc rich mick thompson warlock,ibanez K7,and this epiphone.if this jem got stolen i would deffiantely buy another in fact i would buy two.i really love its feel cause i can play really fast solos and still play slipknot songs on it.i compared it to a PRS Brazilean mcarty and a ibanez steve vai jem and let me tell u i would choose this guitar ocer those two any day.

Read the reviwes below to see a definite characteristc of all the features this guitar has. Great Control, 2 volume, 2 tone, and a 3-way selector. Great sounding pick-ups. One very useful trick is that you can use only one amp setting. For example s.th. ac-dc style and turn down rhythm volume at about 2,3 or 4. This way you'll have almost clean sound in the rhythm possition, rhythm distorted soound in the middle, and solo distortion in the treble. Amazingly huge and powerful tone produced by the neck hum. And very bright and sharp tone by the bridge one.

A used to be a sports guitar's fan. Ibanez, Yamaha, Jackson, floyd, 24 frets. I thought i'd never buy different guitar. But now i see what's the real sound. It's not like Ibanez Jem. It's not like Fender strat, It's just GIBSON. You can have them all, just by switching the pick up and setting the amp/effect. Of course it's a shame to use this guitar with any kind of processor. Straight into the amp. That's what is called SOUND.Amazingly huge and powerful tone produced by the neck hum. And very bright and sharp tone by the bridge one. I don't think i would ever buy any other guitar except for Ibanez Jem (i'm a great Steve Vai fan) but this is just an idea. It's good to have different types of guitars. In fact when i got used to the neck of this beauty, i tried two yamahas of my favourite kind, but they just looked so rediculous in comparison to the Epi. One of them was a custom model with dimarzio HSH cofiguration. Such a funny story. Is there a better guitar in the world. Is there a better guitar in the world for less than 3000$. I wouldn't buy Gibson because of the neck. This suits me best.

I bought it from a friend, but it was set up Just great. Of course some adjustment was necessary in order to become perfect. Awesome work of art, the picture of the back of the guitar gives off vast respect to the owner of the guitar. Wonderful finish, great attitude with it on. I don't find the selector a drawback. You can use this defect to make some interesting effects. The neck is built in the body and this construction in addition to the lack of any tremolo provide the endless sustain.

It looks as if it will last forever while i'm on earth. Then i'll bury it with me. :) The gold hardware wears off at the place where you put you hand while playing. But it looks .... you know ... just the best

I have never had any problems with the guitar.

I have been playing for 7 years now and i think i deserved it. My previous guitar was a funny little babby compared to that giant. I wouldn't let her to be stolen or lost because it's a limited edition and i wouldn't have the second chance to buy such piece of art. I hate the fact that it is very uncomfortable after 15th fret. But when you get used to - no problem. If you ever have the chance to buy one - don't think. That's more than all you've ever needed.

All the details as below

played through a Marshall amp sounds terrific. The neck pickup has a rich bluesy tone and the bridge pickup has a great sharp rocky tone. The pick-ups sound clear as a bell, and used with overdrive produce a fantastic sound. It sustains forever

Appalingly setup with all the strings buzzing on all frets. I have raised the action and it is now great, although the intonation is out. I will adjust this after it is played in a bit more. As for the finish it is totally flawless. The guitar looks absolutely fantastic.

The input jack fell apart after a few days, but this was easily rectified. Not sure about the selector switch as it does look a little flimsy, but it is working fine. The guitar is solidly built and appears to be totally dependable and suitable for live gigging.

12 month warranty, not had any dealings with the company.

I have been playing for 40 years and have always wanted a LP. Could'nt afford a Gibson so went for an Epi. This turns out to be a great choice as I can't imagine what a Gibson would have for three times the price. My previous guitar was a strat, but does not compare as the sound and action were nowhere near as good as this one.

Don't need to repeat all the specs again. Beautiful guitar!

Sounds excellent just through a small Fender practice amp but when put in a high end Twin Reverb...it absolutely rocks. Kudos to Epiphone for the pickups. The sustain is incredible as you would expect a Les Paul to be. It's just got that great Les Paul sound.

The action was perfect but I bought it at a music store so they probably set it. It plays like a dream. The mark of a good guitar for me is how long I play it and I never want to put this baby down-<except it's quite heavy so I end up sitting> I can't say enough about the beauty of it...ebony finish, ALL GOLD HARDWARE...what a combination. I've played "real" Les Paul's and I can't tell any different. I bet this guitar could stand a blindfold test where you couldn't tell if it was a $5000 Les Paul.

Too new to say but it seems really solid. It seems strange to have nothing bad to say...but I'm not going to make something up just to say something bad. This guitar is awesome!

Don't know.

I have been playing guitar since I was 8, (I'm 40 now), Bass since I was 18, and drums since I was 20. I like playing pop/punk, blues, and rock. The sustain on this guitar is great for blues and rock and the action makes it great to play fast for pop-punk.

IT is my strong opinion that you simply CANNOT find a better guitar in this price range nor can you find a better guitar for thousand more. Seriously! I can't understand why anyone would pay thousands for a Gibson Les Paul when you can buy one of these and put the rest of the money into other gear.

Just let me say...This is the best epiphone ever made. The closest thing to a Gibson Les Paul EVER!!! And if you dont belive that just go to your local music store and pick one up. This thing not only has the sustain that the lp has it also has the pick-ups and looks off the 59'. The action is not the greatest,but with a little adjustment,it's right on. The 22 fret gimmic is real cool.The gold tone hardware kicks ass.

What sustain on this one!!! I was blown away by the screamin' notes this thing puts out!! From blues to jazz to country to pop and even R&B, you can get it all.I use a fender twin reverband it still makes this amp sound good.

pretty good set upneeds a little tweeking, but all in all its good to fair

This thing is perfect in a live situation or at home on your couch in you living room just jamin'. One year waranty I'll never use.

Well whats left to be said ? buy it if you can and if not,you missed a great chance to own a great epi!! I've been playing for about 30 years and all the lps' I have (even the gibsons}this is the closest thing to the 59' les paul for the price..Buy IT!!!!

2002 50th Anniversary Model Epiphone Les Paul Custom - same as everyone else below, nothing extra special with mine. Paid (AUS)$1,100 - was going to buy the one listed at
Hayworth's for $1499 - but i thought that was a little steep!

One word - Sustain! Been plaing a strat all of my guitar life and haven't heard a guitar sing a note like this beauty. Bridge pickup sounds HOT with overdrive, Neck pickup when the tone is rolled back has a nice jazz quality - but has a bit too much bite as compared with a Gibson Les Paul Custom (A good mate has one!). A little bit of dust in the pots on the volume controls.... easily fixed at its yearly service.

For a 1/3 of a gibson price this things sounds the real mccoy!

Set up was OK - treble strings were a tad higher than the bottom 3 - made a quick adjustment and she was right. Neck was pretty fine to my eye but i've put 0.10's on it now (the 0.09's felt cheap and too thin) - be interesting to check out the straightness of the neck with the heavier gauge. Picks ups sound good in the current position - although when i took the protective sticker off the neck pickup it left a mark which i cant gid rid of.

Haven't played a gig yet - only had it a week. First hit out is tommorrow night - cant wait to hear the tone in a band setting!

Ditto my thoughts re strap locks below. although when i bought my Strat Deluxe it came with strap locks :)

n/a

been playing 20 years... always with a strat. Now that guitar hereos like SRV and clapton are not common, bands like powderfinger, radiohead, u2, pearl jam and coldplay are all using a humbucker of sorts.... this guitar fits in with that sound and my playing.

I use Boss effects, dunlop wah and a fender DeVille 4x10. The sound from my set up is very pearl jam - no code with a bit of achtung baby! The ELPC complements my arsenal at a fraction of the cost of a gibson!

Steve, if you want to compare guitars i live in wollonong - happy to sit down and have a jam!!!

STEVE N.PURCHASED FROM HAWORTH GUITARS KIAMA.$1499 AUS.
Two pickup les paul custom replica in black,gold hardware white binding body headstock neck,3 way toggle switch rhythm,treble middle postion blend.block pearl fret mark inlays epiphone motif segmented diamond in same on headstock,les paul history picture on back finish,2 tone ,2 volume blend pots setup, grover oldstyle tuners,tuneomatic bridge.22 frets,mahogony alder body ,a little lighter than Gibson same dimensions.

Never owned a les before always played strats (except my steve stevens custom and explorer)didn't change any real amp settings,I use an original Dean markely valve combo,50 watt hot rodded carvin head and quad ,rat distortion,bose dd2,dunlop wah,alesis midiverb 1,boss super effects pro 1/2 rack.No switch noise crackling or popping bottom jack input looks a bit flimsey but a gibson or switchcraft wouldn't be that expensive.Too back plates off pickup select and vol tone pots,soldering looks clean and well executed.my pickup switch looks quite chunky but its early days.pickups are very toneful even with the tops rolled off they have a workable character about them.This i thought would be an added expense to replace on this guitar but to my surprise they sound great as is.

I had the guitar setup in the shop out of the cardboard box.It recieved slight trussrod adjustment a bit of a file through the nut and she was good to go.The strings where 9 to 42s I use 10to 46s normally no fret buzz or dead spots in the neck really ,action feels quite even.There is a floor in the fret marker dots topside run slightly off centre a little.top of headstock slightly over laquerred and a little run of laquer neckside around 3rd fret.(may wear down aventurly but not noticeable when playing.on taking off the back service covers I noticed the finish went deep into the body holes.the laquer was given ample drying time and did not stick or fracture around the covers when removing them.pearl inlays are very clean cut no fill excess to be seen around them.Gold hardware looks magic now but as on many gibsons will probably tarnish with time.(sweat,saltair,etc).

As most people can use quite a bit of force on pickup switchs at different times to replace this one is I guess par for the course.gibson genuine would match or similar.I ordered straplocks for the guitar,and considering what a soul destroying event it is to drop a guitar, i truly believe most guitarists would rather have straplocks standard on any guitar worth its salt,rather than a junky shitty guitar cord, surely companys could bulk buy and factor them into the price.

Haven,t needed service but I think this shop would take care of most things if there was a problem.The setup was done by the shop owner (Phil Haworth) he wanted it to be mickey mouse for me and took pride in selling it that way.I think it has 12 months factory warranty from epiphone.

This is my first Les Paul type guitar.I've been playing for 27 years.I have always played strats.(fenders mainly and old Ibanez pre 1980s)If this guitar was stolen and I couldn,t replace it,I'd probably go for the elite epiphone custom.This guitar is not a Gibson USA But for my money its a bargin.Its a good feeling to buy something at a price point that comes up trumps.

Same as All the rest, Black with gold hardware. Two gibson pickups ( 57 in bridge position and 'hot' in neck position, Grover tuners are same as found in 15,000 Dollar Gibson 50th anniversary. Body is mahogany with maple carved top. Neck is mahogany with rosewood fingerboard. Pearl inlays in frets and abalone inlay in head stock. Strings are 9-42 and are not so great! Will switch to Di- adarrio XL-120 9-42 when they are worn in a few weeks. Made in Korea sticker on head stock and issue number of guitar like 1128 of 2002. Dimensions are exactly like gibson. The only difference is the weight. Gibsons are heavier.

The sound is great. Running through a Crate tube driven 35. Great for hard rock, ( Led Zepplin, Aerosmith, Deep purple, Black sabbath, ZZ top ect... ) the odd blues. I guess the pick ups on my guitar just happen to sound nice. I was going to change them to 498 and 490 Gibsons, but they don't need the change. The sustain is amazing. As good as my Gibson LP Studio.

OK this is where the complaints are. First the action is too low, the Low E string buzzes. The intonation is out on all strings. The pickup selector has a phantom dead effect in the middle position, and the input jack is not 100 percent. The neck is straight and the frets are the right height. So the bridge height and intonation need adjusting. The workmanship is perfect, No glue, no scratches and perfect paint and bindings. The pickups are very acceptable. I do not like the stock strings so no comment on them.

Once you change out the strings, adjust the neck, bridge, and inntonation its a great guitar.

If the switch, input jack and setup were done at factory, I would give this guitar a ten. I can't Believe Les let them put his name on it with a switch blunder like this. I mean its so obvious, it doesn't work right. They will not fix it under warranty so get a Gibson switch for around 20 dollars. And get a new input jack if you gig live.

Since the wood is great I expect it to last a long time. The workmanship is beautiful. The hardware is fine, but the gold will wear off, just take it to jeweller and get electro plated if it really bothers you. You can also buy Gibson hardware. I mean why would you pay three times more for a Gibson? Get washers or strap locks if you gig live. Always have a back up, s__t happens.

They will not fix the selector switch. No biggie. Other wise they are nice.

been playing for too long lol Have a fender blues deluxe, Crate tube driven 35, and all kinds of special effects stuff. Guitars are Martin accoustic, Yamaha classical g235, Fender Japanese Squire Strat 1986 ( amazing blues guitar, would never get rid of it, main axe), Gibson 2002 Les paul studio Smartwood, and Epiphone 2003 wildcat which also needs new switch lol I bought it because I wanted a black LP and wanted the wildcat too, so couldn't afford another Gibson LP. Turned out great, just need to trash some of the chinese electronics and put in Gibson parts and its a steal.If the electronics were the same as the wood work this would be a better guitar then a LP and cheaper.

The best thing about the Epi LP is the craftmanship, its as good as the guys in the US! I know I have a US G. LP.

I would buy another one if it got lifted, and buy a selector switch and new input jack also. Get this guitar while they last. Very well built and can easily be made to sound great.

Made in Koren. Only 2002 pieces in this plant. Pearl Inlay. Ebony finish with gold hardware (one of the best match that I love). Gold Grover Imperial tuners. Special humbucking pickup models which only appear only in this limited model. Les Paul history in the back. 50th Anniversary gold truss rod cover which looks far more better than the black "gibson" cover in other Epi Les Paul. Pay attention that there is spelling mistake in the word "Anniversary". I give it a 9 becoz there is no certificate for this limited edition.

You can't believe it is a Epi Les Paul!! At first, I really dun expect too much in the stock pickups... I was wrong. I run it thru a Sansamp PSA-1 in the effect loop of Boss GX700 to a Fender Frontman 25R in my home. The bridge pickup sounds great in both clean and distortion, but not so aggressive to my ears. The tone can cover pop, blues and metal. I prefer heavy music, it can handle it well especially I change the strings to .10-.46. There is no problem to create Testament and Silent Force tones. The most amazing is the neck pickup. Just roll the volume and tone down a bit, play it thru PSA-1 Santana preset, I was totally shocked!!! I've never heard a neck pickup that smooth even beat my old Epi Les Paul Classic with Dimarzio PAF Pro which I think it is excellent already. It is almost as same as the Santana song "Smooth". I think if I add a compressor, it will sounds exactly the same. The clean tone is excellent too especailly for chord. I roll the tone to 10 and play thru PSA-1 Mesa Boogie clean preset sounds exactly the same as the intro of "One" from Metallica.

Factory setup perfect for me, no fret buzz. However, after I changed the gauge of the strings, there are some problem with the fret buzz and action. I am trying to fix it, but I dunno how to do, probably need to take to professional setup or please email me if you know how to setup a Les Paul well.

A bit "click" sound from tone knobs.

Never tried to contact.

If I lose it, I will definitely buy it again. Usually, I will modify the pickups if the guitars are unknown stock pickups. However, no need to do that this time. I had a Japanese Epi SG 61 Reissue (cherry) which is made before the production of the current Elitist series. It has a very good Epi with Gibson shape headstock. I was silly that I sold it becoz of financal problem and I cannot buy it again anymore becoz the production had been stopped. I am feel regret and upset. Luckily there is such a masterpiece from Epi that I can own which such a cheap price compare with US. It is brand new out of the box!! I will never sell it even I dun have money!! I feel better now with this new baby. Anyway, I wish I can buy that Japanese Epi SG with Gibson again. I bought it almost the same price of this Les Paul Custom in Tokyo last year. I dun think I can buy it again in this cheap price and brand new in box.

Same as the LP Custom, ebony finish, gold hardware, pearl inlays, and that "special" Epiphone muting pickup selector. Differences are nice 50th anniversary artwork on the underside, "50th anniversary" marked on the truss rod cover, slightly different pickup configuration ("Hot" bridge and "57" neck, whatever). Only 2002 made, and apparently only 300 in Australia. On the reverse side of the headstock is the guitar number, as well as a "limited edition" stamp just above the "made in Korea" sticker, haha. I can't think of too much more it can have, really.

Running the guitar through a DOD Icebox to a Laney LC30-II valve combo, sounds awesome clean or with chorus but a little disappointing under distortion... however that could be because I'm using straight-amp overdrive. I hope a stomp box will fix my problem, but if it doesn't then I'll be looking for new pickups, a shame considering the brilliant sound otherwise.

Poor factory setup for such a fancy limited edition guitar... action was too low with lots of buzzing present when strings were depressed. Easily fixed by myself. The guitar came with a small allen key, but I can't for the life of me figure out what it adjusts on the guitar... maybe I'm not looking hard enough?

No build flaws otherwise, it looks and feels perfect. Makes me wonder why the Gibson-branded LPs are so expensive. This is just about the most expensive guitar I've ever played however, so perhaps someone who's experienced with Gibsons may disagree with me. Pretty damn good for a Korean-made guitar in any case though.

My guitar isn't going to be sitting in any display case, and it's already received a fair bit of playing. When playing in a band I tend to hack my strings to death, but the guitar basically stays in tune after many songs. I never run a guitar without securing the strap with washers, so there won't be any of this "dropping on the ground while playing" stuff that I hear so many people do to theirs. I'd never run it in a real show either without at least one backup... no matter what single guitar you have, that's suicide. Having said that... the backup would probably never get used with this one around.

Warranty period is 12 months, I doubt I'll use it, never dealt with Gibson/Epiphone otherwise, except during the order of the guitar... it shipped from Melbourne to Brisbane in two days, I was pretty happy with that - so that's worth a 10.

This is a quantum leap from my previous, ahem, guitar... a cheap Strat copy which can't stay in tune and is basically only staying alive for the occasional White Stripes cover. That particular guitar has put me off Fenders forever, except a Mustang maybe, but I still took this LP over one.

If it were stolen... I would certainly consider getting another one, if available... if not, I might save some more money for the Gibson product, as even though it's a 50th anniversary gold best blah blah Epiphone... it's still an Epiphone. Awesome guitar for those who can live with that fact... and I can, especially for a third of the price.

Made 2002 at the Samick factory in Korea. 22 frets, with nice, clear mother of pearl inlays. Mahogany body with carved alder top, black Ebony finish.Two tone and two volume knobs, 3 way selector switch, Gibson designed 57 humbucker at the neck and "hot" humbucker on the bridge. Tune-a-matic bridge and stop tail piece. Gold hardware, full multi layer binding on body, neck and headstock. Colorfull abalone inlays on the headstock. Grover Imperial tuners and engraved brass truss rod cover. Tastefull montage laminated on the back of the guitar celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the model Les Paul.

Beautiful sound, neck pickup with tone turned down is very bluesy - jazzy. The bridge is sharp and clear, almost single coil like. Both pickups combined give nice blend, typical Les Paul rock sound. I play through a Fender tube amp and it sounds great. A touch of reverb, turn down the tone knob and I can play the blues all day.

Surprisingly, very good out of the box. This a special edition guitar, only 2002 made, so I suspect it gets some extra attention, not only at the factory in Korea, but at the Gibson factory as well where it is inspected and set up. Mine has a very minor flaw on the rear binding by the neck, but otherwise this guitar is perfect.Materials used were first rate and build quality is excellent. Not even any noticable fill around the inlays. The action is quite good, low with no fret buzz ! very un-usual for a stock Epiphone.

This guitar is very solid, I'm sure it could be a working rig. I would replace the selector switch with the Gibson version before going on the road, just as a precaution. Everything else is fine. Get some strap locks and extra strings and you're good to go.

No experience with company.

Been playing for almost 40 years, owned and played all kinds of gear over the years. This Paul is comparable with most of it's Gibson cousins, except maybe for a custom shop model. It is a great value for the money. It even has the same tuners as the Gibson 50th anniversary edition ! (for about 15 grand less) !
Buy this one while they are still available . . .

It's a new guitar, and it's a limited edition, I think only available tihs year. 22 frets.

I like a lot of music, e.g. fusion, sixties, 70s-hardrock, singer&songwriter, grunge, jazz..... . I think this guitar is very very good guitar for distortion sound. It's good for hardrock, for fusion like e.g. Al di Meola, who plays a gibson LP custom (black too), maybe even for jazz, but not really and for Blues. All in All I think it's a very good rockguitar.

The low E-string made strange noises at the beginning. Then I repaired it. Now it's a little bit better

Reliability is quite good.

warranty is for a year.

i'm playing for about two or three years and i'm the best. i have a peavey bandit and i like it

this guitar was made in 2002 in korea, 22 frets, solid mohogany/alder body with mohohany neck. two tone and two volume controls are standard as with any les paul. this lp features two gibson usa designed humbuckers (59' in the neck and "hot" in the bridge). comes in the ebony black finish with all gold hardware. tuners are very cool grover gold chrome. since this is a 50th anniversary there are some added features you wouldn't find on the regular custom lp, the truss rod cover is gold with ingraved 50th anniversary 1952-2002 and the back of the guitar features pictures of les paul himself with the "log" guitar and the goldtop with a brief biography of his life with epiphone. very, very, cool.

this guitar sounds 1000 times better than any other epiphone that i've ever played. i guess the different pickups are the main reason why. it even blows away the regular custom lp. i play anything from blues to metal and everything in between. i tried it in the store with a fender 25 watt amp and i usually have to think about something to play, but this time music just started to come out. i played a few blues riffs and runs and it blew me away. the tone on the neck pickup when the volume is rolled down to 3 or 4 (with the gain on the amp pretty high) is very nice. the neck pickup is very smooth, good for smooth soloing. this guitar can perfectly replicate any dirty blues rock riff that i could think of like guns and roses, aerosmith, etc. this guitar is truly a killer. no dislike here.

the action was very well set up. i could maybe lower the relief a little bit, but overall i couldn't find anything serious. pickups were finely adjusted as well. the only flaws that i could find was the gluing around the neck but that wasn't major at all. and of course the infamous pickup selector. (if you're not familiar with this the pickup selector mutes the guitar when one pickup is full volume and one is off and both pickups are selected). no big deal cause i'm no tom morello anyway.

if you got strap locks and a new pickup selector, this guitar would be suitable for live playing. tuners are grover so they should last a long time and stay in tune reletively well. never gig without a backup, cause thats just stupid. i'm giving it a 9 only because epiphone refuses to fix that pickup selector problem.

haven't dealt with the company, so no opinion for me.

i've been playing for 4-5 years and i own a mexican strat and marshall valvestate 8020 model, with various effects. i think there was only about 2000 or so of these made but i'm not completely sure. if it was lost i'd buy one again without a blink but i'm not sure on the availability of this one so it might cost me. i love everything about it. i could play this guitar for 24 hours straight. the pickups sound great for blues, classic rock, hard rock, and even a little metal. the fact that this is a 50th anniversary of les paul, makes it that much better. i would buy this before most gibsons becuase i can't justify the insane prices of gibbo's. for half the price you could buy a really nice epi. if the pickup selector was fixed than epiphones would rule the world. spread the word. epiphone makes some crappy guitars i admit. but their higher models can compete with the best of them. i love the 50th anniversary so much. please don't buy it cause i wan't to. and for all you gibson only buyers, just take a epihone and a gibson of the same model and try them both out. if you think the gibson sounds 1000$ better than you must be a smarter guy than i am. thank you epiphone for releasing such a masterpiece.