Is the Epiphone Les Paul Custom Pro worth the money?

Certain guitars released by Epiphone, even while copies, are really damned good.

I can't list this one as a cheap guitar of the week for one reason. It's not cheap. This is a mid-priced guitar.

Anyway, The Big Question is this: Is this guitar worth the money?

Or more specifically: Is it worth paying more for this particular Epiphone Les Paul?

The first way I can answer that is that this guitar is not just a pretty face (and it is pretty.) She's loaded with the good stuff. Slim taper D neck profile, glued-in neck, ProBucker pickups with coil tap on each volume knob, and since it's a "Custom" there's the big diamond inlay work on the headstock. Oh, and gold-tone hardware all around. Everything metal on this pickup - including the pickup switch - is gold.

The second way I can answer the question is that this is one seriously classy Les Paul. It has a total luxury look to it, as if it's all dressed up for a night on the town. The white, black, gold and proper large block inlays really work well here.

The third way I'll answer the question is that this is a true needs-nothing guitar. What that means is absolutely nothing on it needs upgrading. After setup and installing your string of choice, you're ready to go - and that alone for some people is worth paying a little extra for. Guitars that need nothing save you money compared to cheaper models that require changes to make them sound right.

How does the neck feel? If you've played the Epiphone G-400 PRO, then you already know what the neck feels like. If you haven't, get your hands on one to try it out.

If you can't get your hands on either guitar before buying, all I can say is that the Slim Taper "D" is Gibson's famous "fast neck" design that is slim and comfortable for most players.

There is something else that makes this Paul worth buying that just happened recently. It's now cheaper than a Fender Standard Stratocaster (Fender raised their prices.) For an Epiphone Les Paul, yes, it's priced fairly for what it is. Don't sit on the fence concerning this guitar if you're considering it, as the price will go up soon.

Finally, is the Custom Pro the best Epiphone Les Paul you could buy? Yes, it is.

Published 2015 Nov 28