The efforts of Les Paul to create the electric guitar opened the doors for some incredible innovations in the instrument and its effects on music. While the heydey of the guitar may rest with guitar gods like Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn, the guitar is clearly in the aural fabric of our ears and is an instrument that is here to stay.
Guitar driven music is ever present and in a world where George Benson is on a Gorillaz album, young guitarists like Isaiah Sharkey, Matthew Chase and Marcus Machado are on the rise and established guitarists like Santana, Eric Clapton and Trey Anastasio are still rocking, the future is bright for the talented guitarist.
Top-Rated Electric Guitars
Epiphone Les Paul Standart Plus Top Pro Electric Guitar
It feels, looks and sounds like the authentic Gibson models that made the Les Paul electric guitar so iconic.
Reasons not to buy
I wish it was the Gibson model and one day I just might be able to afford it, but this is just fine for now…more than fine.
Our Verdict
Epiphone presents the 2017 Les Paul SL, the most affordable 2-pickup Les Paul ever made with a slim lightweight Poplar body with powerful Epiphone Ceramic pickups. Since the beginning of rock’n’roll, the Les Paul has been considered the ultimate electric guitar and Epiphone’s new Les Paul Standard Plain Top electric guitar lives us to the name. If you’re an acoustic fan as well and like another lightweight option, be sure to give our Yamaha FG850 review a read as well.
It feels, looks and sounds like the authentic Gibson models that made the Les Paul electric guitar so iconic.
Reasons not to buy
I wish it was the Gibson model and one day I just might be able to afford it, but this is just fine for now…more than fine.
Our Verdict
The Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plaintop is a mid-range kind of guitar but one that is filled with similarities to high end guitars. It comes with Alnico classic humbuckers that pickup high quality and warm sound. The fret board is very well finished as well as the entire body of the guitar.
This is a beautiful guitar and it plays great. For the price point, I highly recommend having this in your collection, unless of course you have a lot more money to spend and you want the higher end PRS models. I’ve heard about a few of these models coming out of South Korea with defective parts, but the few people that mentioned that to me, also told me that Paul Reed Smith has great customer support and it was no pain at all to get the part replaced and that goes along way in a world full of terrible customer service.
For a beginner guitar, this is a solid build with decent wood used in the body which creates good harmonics and natural sustain.
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Finding the perfect guitar is not really a thing for most guitarists. Every guitarist I know ends up with a guitar collection. Guitarists can’t have just one. It’s just not possible. Even with the collection, most guitarists typically have their main axe; the guitar that speaks to their fingers the most. Yes, you can play a guitar without a pick as well once you learn how to strum with a pick.
Whether you are looking for another guitar for your collection or the perfect guitar that won’t leave your side, check out our Electric Guitar reviews that can be searched by Guitar Brand, Guitar Level, and rated by price, look and sound.
I’m a writer, musician, and MMA analyst based in Louisville, Kentucky. I founded GameControllerReviews in 2019, and I contribute regularly to FightFreaks as a pre-fight analyst, combining my passion for storytelling with technical expertise in various subjects. In addition to my work in tech and sports, I have a deep connection to music, both as a musician and a writer covering music-related topics. I enjoy creating content that spans how-to guides, the latest music news, and reviews of top instruments and gear.
