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The Epiphone Les Paul Custom PRO
If you want a Les Paul, but you don’t want to spend more money, Epiphone got a lot of options for you. Since Les Paul’s design is also common, you might want something that fits your style.
So, if you want a customized guitar at a very affordable price, you’re assured of the Les Paul Custom PRO.
The guitar is an amazing upgrade from the Epiphone Les Paul Standard PlusTop PRO.
While it’s an upgrade of the Standard Pro, its price didn’t differ much. So, you still got that solid-body guitar, the classy look and sound and feel of the original Les Paul.
Check out some of the features below to know if this guitar is right for you.
Solid Construction
Les Paul Custom Pro comes with a solid single-cutaway mahogany body. Its body is sleek with a glossy finish, plus a maple veneer on top.
It has a glued-in set mahogany neck and a slim “D” style with a 24.75 length scale. It comes with 22 medium frets with large block inlays. Both the body and the neck provide the best sound quality.
This often refers to as the “tuxedo” Les Paul, since it comes in two color finish. The black finish looks classy and dominating on stage, while the antique white finish makes you shine on stage.
And, it feels solid and weighs around 7 lbs, but not as heavy as the Gibson version of the Les Paul Custom PRO.
Playability
Its finish is undoubtedly superb and its fit feels so great. Though the glossy finish won’t allow you to easily move up and down the fretboard, it gives you comfort and a nice grip.
It has a nice shape, just enough width, and thickness to play chords, and does bends without missing any string.
Hardware and Electronics
One of the most notable features of this guitar is the humbucking pickups. The LP Custom pro got the ProBucker 2 and ProBucker 3 in the neck and bridge, respectively. These pickups are a replica of the famous Gibson BurstBucker associated with amazing sounds and various tonal options.
A three-way selector switch lets you use either one or both of the pickups. In addition to the switch, you also have two-tone knobs and two volume knobs. Furthermore, these pickups can be coil tapped to access the wide versatility of each ProBucker becoming a single-coil pickup.
With the coil-split feature, the neck pickup produces a biting wail, while the bridge pickup gives creamier mid-range tones.
Also, the tone knob of the ProBucker 2 also doubles as a phase switch, which is not a feature in Standard Pro. With the phase switch, you’ll have the chance to combine a humbucker and a single-coil pickup.
The hardware and electronics of the Custom Pro are well crafted allowing access to a wide range of trebles and mid-ranges. So, you might hear great jazz, rock, and blues tones out of this machine.
While the pups and control knobs are great, the tuners of this guitar are also outstanding.
The headstock comes with high-quality die-cast tunings that are gold-plated. These tuners hold tunes very well.
Vast Customization Options
With the normal pickup selector switch, the neck pickup gives Stratocaster sounds. The bridge pickup, however, provides crispier attacks and more sustain.
However, since the neck pickup doubles as a phase switch and with the coil tapping feature, the system gives you access to extra options. Therefore, you can play with more style and versatility.
Quality Sound
You can get blues, rock, jazz, heavy metal, and anything in between. You can also play rock and roll, R&B, gospel, country, and every other music style you can come up with. That’s how amazing this thing is!
The mahogany body makes it more resonant and has that Les Paul signature tone. It’s not lightweight because its weight provides a deep creamy tone and great sustain.
The pickups are great, but the overall hardware makes this thing does its job pretty well.
Overall, you can achieve the signature Les Paul tone you always dreamed to play on a guitar.
And, it’s not just sounding like LP, it’s also very comfortable to play like the legit Les Paul Custom Pro.
A True Les Paul in Quality, At a Cheap Price
All the features mentioned sound like the expensive Gibson Les Paul.
While Epiphone toned down the price of this guitar, it didn’t leave the “quality” compromised.
Indeed, Epiphone is successful in bringing in affordable guitars with Les Paul’s build and sound quality.
PROS
- Holds tune so well
- ProBuckers give a rich sound
- Produce a variety of sounds with the coil-split feature
- The phase switch option gives more versatility
CONS
- Heavier and thicker
- A tiny bit of fret buzz on A string, but not noticeable
Drawbacks
This guitar is more than perfect, knowing that it gives great versatility with the tweaks of a few knob controls.
You can play a variety of music styles. You can do some complicated experimentation to achieve your unique style, as well.
While Custom Pro looks stylish and sexy, I might go with the Les Paul Standard PRO, especially this Heritage Cherry Sunburst finish. It’s not that I don’t like the Ebony or the antique white.
I want to add more color to my collection, and for me, the Standard Pro gives me more color options.
Of course, it’s just my personal preference. Technically and electronically, Custom PRO is perfect.
I didn’t see it as a perfect fit for my style and my personal need, perhaps, you like it more than I do.
Verdict
With a wide variety of customization options coupled with great sound quality, this guitar is a great one.
The elegant finish that wraps its perfect body and the gold hardware make you look and feel awesome. Indeed, this guitar is worth every dime.
Is it really worth every dime?
Checking and comparing the price between the Custom Pro and the Standard Pro, you can see only a slight difference.
You are assured that you can get an upgraded and customized Les Paul guitar without breaking the bank.
Now, who doesn’t want a guitar that is even used by a legend on stage?
Les Paul himself used Custom Pro in concerts, on TV, particularly with his wife Mary Ford, and on his album covers.
I have a 2018 model and I agree with all your comments. I did tone down some of the gold and made a few cosmetic changes just to my personal taste but didn’t change any of the heart and soul the guitar no need to been playing most of my life and I’m 64 I do have some neuropathy from chemo treatments so my lesson spectacular playing is even less spectacular these days but I still try nice review hope you didn’t get paid for it but I do agree with pretty much everything you said cheers God bless