If you are looking for classic Les Paul looks and a humbucker sound, it is hard to go wrong with the incredibly affordable Special II. There really hasn’t been a Les Paul deal like this in a long time. Features include a Mahogany neck, a Rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, volume and tone control, and chrome hardware.

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If you want the classic Gibson Les Paul feel and sound, but find the Epiphone Les Paul Standard a little bit out of your reach, take a look at the Les Paul 100. Two humbucker pickups, a Rosewood fretboard with a bolt-on Mahogany neck and great body wood give this model the powerful, sustaining tone character of the best Les Pauls.

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Epiphone is a subsidiary of Gibson that creates lower-priced versions of most Gibson guitars. The quality of Epiphone instruments, especially within the last few years, is generally regarded is fairly high. However, an experienced guitar aficionado will definitely spot some differences in the fit and finish as well as the general quality of the components used between Epiphone and Gibson instruments.

From a purely musical standpoint, however, is there much of a difference between Epiphone and Gibson Les Pauls? On a properly set up guitar, not much. Gibson Les Pauls do have slightly more sustain, some players prefer the extra “growl” of the Gibson pickups. However, many players regard these differences as very slight, and an Epiphone, or “Epi”, is considered a very good value for a player on a budget.

If you still can’t decide between an Epiphone Les Paul and a Gibson Les Paul, here is a breakdown of some factors to consider:

• Gibson Les Pauls are made in the USA; Epiphones are usually made in China or Korea
• Gibson Les Pauls use high-quality woods in the body such as solid mahogany, giving them more sustain.  Epiphone Les Pauls use a more affordable combination of woods, such as mahogany and alder, also making them slightly lighter than the Gibson models.
• Some prefer the tone of the Gibson Les Paul models – it has been described as “lighter” than the Epi Les Paul models.
• Gibson Les Pauls use an ultralight thin nitrocellulose finish that takes weeks to apply.  Epiphone Les Pauls use a cheaper (albeit more durable) polyurethane finish.
• The electrical components of Gibson Les Pauls are of higher quality than the Epiphone models – everything from the pickups themselves to the internal wiring.

In general, if you are watching your budget, you can’t go wrong with an Epiphone Les Paul.  Some purists are sure to disagree, but the Epiphone models have been described as “75% of a Gibson Les Paul at 25% of the price.”

• Where to get up to 42% off Epiphone Les Pauls