Epiphone Les Paul Black Beauty

22 fret, Tune-o-Matic stop tail, Triple Humbucker setup

Very versatile, playing everything from jazz, to ska, to flat out punk rock with the flick of a switch (and a POD 2.0 of course)
Hard to "dial in" the sound you want, ends up being too much low end or too twangy without really tweaking it for a while.

The store I bought it from sets up every guitar before putting them out for sale, so i can say how it came from the factory. This thing played like a dream when I sat down with it at the store. Love at first pluck... The finish is prime with no visible flaws.

I've owned this guitar for about 4 years now and it is still going strong. The only exception in the plated hardware, which is almost all down to the chrome... The gold is all but gone. I know I don't take as good of care as I should (wiping down after playing each time and all), but I'm certainly not abusive either. Stays in tune for days...even when playing out.

Only time I contacted them was about the plating when it first started happening. The responded with "take better care of your guitar". To which I responded, "How should I take care of the guitar?". The answer??? "Just like you would any other guitar." Thanks...but obviously I don't know how that is. Not much help.

I'm just a hobbyist when it comes to guitar... I like to collect gear and I've been playing for about 13 years, but most of that time has been off and on. I've owned about 5 guitars, all less expensive than this. I LOVE this guitar even with all the gold plating worn off. I would definitely buy another one, even without losing this one! Then I would have two of these bad boys and maybe I could keep the gold from coming off the second one!

pickup sucks

i have an ibanez RG 170 R, my very first guitar.
Compared to the black beauty , the RG has a much more power so much more that that when u barre your power chords it sounds fantastic.
But this guitar has all the finest sounds and sharpness great quality for sound but not good for power. TO make this guitar your best axe , change/wax your pickups

great!!!!!

gold wears out

it's good yeah. but definitely not for metal..
it's okay for punk rock but best is changing the pickups n this guitar will be the best of the arsenal.. fuck gibson.. they rip u off.. get an epiphone =)

It has 3 pickups, gold hardware, great tuners, a gold POS switch, and pickups that sleep with pigs.


check other reviews for more specific info.

I've been playing for about 4 years and my equiptment has always been vary diverse. i've played an epiphone dot, a gibson dot, a fender standard strat, a fender toronado, an ancient squire strat (much better than modern squires), and now this Les Paul. For amps i've been playing pretty much the same thing, a fender twin reverb. For effects i've been using a proco Rat, a Line 6 DL-4, with a boss TU-2 tuner.

But enough about me, lets talk about Beth (i named her beth)

The guitar sounds muddy, like every other epiphone though right? I play this guitar through the cleanest amp ever made and it sounds muddy. i've put the bass knob to 2 and the treble to 7 and it still sounds muddy. The guitar definately has a rich full sound, and it feels great, but the tone is just pttttttttttttt.

If you gut this guitar which i'm planning on doing, it will sound amazing. I'm going to put in a 57' classic in the neck position, a 57' classic plus in the middle and in the bridge. i'm also planning on getting the switch changed because it twists and the ground pops off and makes a hell of a racket. with all this fixed, for about $400 with installation,it should sound like a million bucks hey it's better than spending $2300 on a gibson.

I got the guitar used, but i don't think anything was done to it. the action is perfect for me. even though the neck is like a 2x4 you can still nail barre chords and rip if you please. The pickups are well balanced, still sound muddy. the only problems i have with it is the pickup selector twisted and broke the ground, and it looks like it's trying to do it again. if you have this guitar definately get a gibson switch or at least use a star washer to prevent it from spinning. The guitar weighs a metric ton, but that's good, it lets you know it's made sturdy. All the hardware has a gold finish which fades from use but it adds character. The tuner pegs definately rock, compared to my strat this thing never goes out of tune.

did i mention this guitar is GORGEOUS?

The guitar will definately withstand playing live. Now the finish, ehh, it seems thin but i'm not one to worry about that. if i have a scratch on my guitar it's only adding character. who wants a pristine guitar anyway? it's just gonna make you worry about hurting it. Like i said before the guitar's hardware is all gold and is wearing down but it looks good still. the strap buttons are in there good but i don't trust them, i put in strap locks immediately. i am definately depending on this guitar not crapping out on me especially after all the money i'm putting into it. with a new switch selector and pickups it will be ready for the war. but because i'm a little OCD i'll get a back up guitar.

i haven't dealt with them. i got it from Daddy's Junky Music, they take care of me well enough.

I've been playing rock for 4 years, this guitar is gonna be going through a music man 130 head and a fender Ge-14 4x12 cab. It's going to fit in nicely once everything is set up. The guitar is beautiful, with new pickups and a switch it'll sound as good as it looks. if you have $800 to $1000 dollars to spend on a guitar, this is the one for you. you can easily make this into a Gibson Black Beauty and save $1500. If the guitar was stolen i'd buy another one, USED, and fix it up again. it's a great empty vessel, crappy sounding guitar, but with slight modifications you can make it sing.

You've read them. But this particular guitar just felt unreal when I picked it up and put my hand around the neck. It was different than any of the other Epiphone LP's I had played that day and I had made up my mind to buy it almost immediately. I gave it a 9 because I love the guitar, but these are basic Les Paul features - humbuckers a switch and a solid bridge. Not a lot of complexity - which is exactly what I wanted. A real classic.

I had played a strat for years and never could get it to feel right or sound right for me. The Black Beauty felt just fantastic in my hands. I was not certain I would like the 3 pickup arrangement with the bridge and middle working together, but now that I have played it for over a month, I have found that I like this position as much as the bridge or neck alone. There is significant difference in tone in all three positions and I really like that. Even unplugged I get a nice even sound from this beauty.

I do plan to put in Seymour Duncan pickups in the near future. Not because the stock pickups are that bad, but because I like the sound of the 59's

I liked this right off the wall. East Coast Music, where I bought it, also provided a free setup with the purchase. They suggested I take it home and play for a few weeks then come back in. I took the suggestion and sat with Barry while he set it up and played it at several stages during the setup. The feel is now fantastic and it plays so nice that I find myself playing during most of my free time even unplugged. That is the test of a great feeling guitar. I would recommend a good setup. I've had them done on other guitars, but not anywhere near as good as this one. It is impressive to see a great luthier at work and to be able to experience the adjustments as they happen.

The only blemish on the finish was a small bump in the lacquer on the edge of the neck right near the fretboard around fret 7. I took out a very fine piece of sandpaper and lightly sanded it smooth then took some toothpaste and buffed it to gloss (toothpaste has a very fine abrasive like jewelers polish). That fixed, I have no defects on the finish. It is a great looking guitar and when I have taken it to the store to test amps, I consistently get a comment about how cool it looks.

It is a bit heavy compared to my Strat, but it feels so good that I don't really notice it.

Everything on the guitar seems well made. I would only take extra strings to a gig. This baby produces all the tones I need.

never had to use them

I am a self taught guitarist having played off and on for 10+ years. Only recently have I started taking learning theory seriously. Having this guitar has rejuvenated my willingness to learn and it makes me want to play for as many hours as I can each day. A guitar that makes you want to get better is just what your looking for. I think this guitar is fantastic. I would go and get another one if this one were lost or stolen, but I fear that I may not find one that feels this good. My favorite feature is that it is black with gold. It is just a kick ass guitar.

this is a guitar. it was made in korea or some asian country. it has 20 frets on a rosewood fretboard. it has 3 humbuckers which really rock. 2tone 2volume. i have the epiphone stock hums and they work for me. passive electronics blah blah blah. its mahogany with a maple top. black satin finish (duh). its a pretty les paul that weighs about a ton but sustains forever. IT HAS A BRIDGE! wow. medium jumbo frets. didnt come with a gig bag or hardshell case which ticked me off. had to pay $70 for a nice case. good features. sexy gold hardware...

i play all styles but am partial to emo and (keep reading im not a punk-moron) some punk. it fits my style perfectly, which im not sure what it really is right now. im using a crapy lil 25w peavy transtube and the guitar still sounds awesome. its not noisy at all and has a big fat sound. it can make any sound you want it to. you just have to know how to use it :). i like the 3 pickups. played an epi custom and this sounds subtly different. i dislike that it was broken when they sent it to me.

from the factory it was broken. the fretboard was cracking off the neck! but it still played and you know i played that till the last moment i had it. it had awesome action and the pickups were well adjusted. musician's friend sent me another one (which rocked cuz i still could play it till the new one got here). i dont think this new guitar is as nice as the first one, even tho its not broken. the strings buzz after the 12th fret no matter how high you have them.

this guitar is built like a fricken tank. it weighs about 200 pounds. it could withstand live playing, but could you? the hardware looks kinda cheap but its gold and is awesome. i thought the finish was thick until i scratched it(whoops) the finsish isnt too thick and with as rough as it will be played i dont know if itll last. the strap buttons were ok, but after i dropped it and broke the jack plate i put on some straplocks. i bought a chrome plate because they didnt have brass or gold-plated (a downside to gold hardware). i can depend on this guitar fully. after being dropped numerous times it still sounds like new. i would use it on a gig but more likely than not i would have another guitar with it, just to keep it company :)

after they sent me a broken guitar i called them up and was like "what the heck". they were really nice and just sent me another within 3 days. 90 day warranty i think. its expired by now but i dont think id be able to part with it anyway.

ive been playing for a few years. i own a peavy 25w transtube, a squier strat (stop laughing bitch), a squier champ 15w, and am about to buy a Marshall AVT150H and a 1960A. i wish i had seen it before id bought it. it was broken! but still musicians friend sent me another so its cool. if it were stolen i would walk to my friends house and get it back from the guy (all my friends envy my perdy guitar because they play squeers.) if it were burned or it exploded i would prolly save up and buy a real gibson. this guitar rocks, dont get me wrong, but its kindof expensive and i wouldve just saved a little more and bought the real thing. i love the 3 humbuckers. it really adds a new flavor to the guitar. i hate that it buzzes... a lot. i would recommend this guitar to any kid whos sick of playing his squeer strat that he bought because he didnt do his homework first. i know i was. this guitar is a bit pricey for kids just starting out, but its worth every penny

My Les Paul Black Beauty was made in Korea. It has three humbucker pickups, that gibson shipping labels acroos the pickups, and they are wired Bridge, Bridge/middle, neck. All the hardware is gold plated.

Sound is awesome!! Its got the greatest sustain of any guitar I have ever owned, and I have been playing since 1969 and have owned many guitars. The sound is so good it is very playable rythm/lead wise not even using an amp. Hammer on's/pulloffs etc!! When I use it with my Fender cyber twin 2-12, it blows me away, with the sound! Its got a very rich sound! It sound so alive!!! I have never played a guitar that sounded so alive!! I can make it talk with sounds that I could never achieve befor! I Play many different styles of music, and love the sound of this guitar with all them. In fact, I won't even play my other guitars now, because they sound so dull.

Eveything on this guitar was perfect. The first one I ordered on the net had so many problems, that I got a RTA from the store and sent it back. It had mars and dings and the pick guard was hanginmg loose and the neck pickup was pushed in and it had broken strings on it and the pickup switch was broken. Also, it looked very used. The one I now own, I bought at a store that had it on display, so I got to try it out first. It was perfect in everyway. I made no adjustments to the neck, pickups, intonation, or anything. It was perfectly setup to start with.

I think this guitar would play in any situation for anyone, regardless of the style of music they play. Everything seems to be holding up accept for one thing. The gold finish on the bridge, seems to be wearing off because of my resting my palm there and muting the strings at times when I play. It has a slight silver cast to it now, but, I have to tell you. If thats all that happens, I really don't care if it does. I love this guitar so much, thats nothing but a sign of me playing it so much.

No prblems with the manufacturer. The first company on the net refunded my money with no problems.

I have been playing since 1969 and the combination of this guitar and the Fender Cyber Twin 2-12 is the best I have ever played. I have owned peavey guitars and amps and ampeg guitar, guild guitar and Crate amplifiers and others..

Made in Korea last year. 22 frets. Fat 50's style neck, stop - tailpiece, 3 Humbuckers, Mahogany body and top, gotoh tuners.

Sounds raunchy and how any guitar should. Gives real grunt even when played clean at low volumes. Rhythm Humbucker sounds round and phat, Bridge 'Bucker gives sustain and feedback to die for! There is nothing bad I have to say about this guitar sound. I am using it with a rough Disto' pedal and a cry baby Wah.

Guitar had quite a high action when I got it, but I have lowered it. It has quite a noisy but perpousful sounding "Clunk" when the pickup selector is used, but that's it

Have played with many people who have got expensive and up-market guitars at very high volumes and it has blown them away. The hardware and the finish look amazing and will not come off in a hurry. I would happily bring only this guitar to a gig.

I have been playing for around a year. I have one other guitar which is a "Vintage" Les Paul copy. If the Epiphone got nicked, I would buy the same thing immediately. I love everthing on it - the action, the feel - just everything! I play it through a Marshall 150 Watt Combo which sounds and looks fantastic.

this is an update on my black beauty,i recently got after waiting for 5 months.the old guitar apparantly had a nonfixable flaw ,so i got a brand new one,and this one`s a killer ,both in looks and sound.even the three way switch is working properly,but as always i`m gonna replace it for a gibson switch,and of course the humbuckers ,although for the price they are quite good.there are so many that put down epiphone`s humbuckers,but what do you expect???

Made in May 2002, Made in canada
22 frets, solid top, three way switch 2 volume 2 tone..
black, les paul style, neck 24.75
..case, strap, picks, polish cloth...etc..

This kind of guitar suits my style of music great which is blues/jazz/rock
I'm using a fender blues devil 212, with morley cry baby.
This set up is a really full sound
the guitar is a nice all around guitar good distortion sound, and clean
I love the guitar..but my only dislike is that you can't turn on the first and third picks to get a gibson sound..

The guitar is setup great.

Well i never had any trouble with it..

The company that i ordered it at was a very friendly group..and i would gladly shop there again..lifetime warranty on it..

I've been play for 8 years, i own a 1979 tele deluxe fender reverb 60 watt, I'd would buy it again if stolen, I love the neck(wide-fat) also the action and sounds great, I played a swamp ash special(prs) and i like the black beauty better,

2000,made in korea ,black ,fat neck,three humbuckers everybody knows the details...it`s a les paul

it sounds exellent considering the price.everybody is complaining about the humbuckers but what do you expect at this price range???very gibson-like tone and loooong sustain.

not very well i`m afraid.I had to send it back for repairs.the fret at around the 9th one was bad and made a nonmusical tone(plunk) whenever i pressed down my fingers so that had to be fixed.otherwise really good for the price paid.very good workmanship

it is solid as a rock.the goldplating will rub off after a while.that`s ok.I depend on it..nuff said

epiphone and gibson is the best.totally exellent support from them

been playing for 15 years or so,own 13 guitars .would buy it again if stolen .best epiphone lp I have encountered.although it`s not as good as a gibson I have to say it rocks