In the 1930s, Epiphone and Gibson were fierce rivals with both companies making archtop guitars. Financial difficulties for Epiphone enabled Gibson to purchase the company in 1957, and Gibson moved Epiphone manufacturing from New York to Kalamazoo, Michigan. Gibson continued the brand using the same equipment and craftsmen as Gibson Guitars. Initially used for competing in the bass market and broadening distribution, in 1970 Epiphone transitioned into Gibson’s primary import, budget-friendly brand, producing Asian made accessible alternatives to classic Gibson designs.
At first glance, the Epiphone Les Paul Modern Pro contains all the elements that you would expect of the classic Les Paul Standard design. Featuring all the same tonewoods as a premium Gibson Les Paul, the Les Paul Modern Pro has a mahogany body with an arched maple cap. The neck is also mahogany and features a 12” radius 1960s style C-profile slim taper neck with a rosewood fretboard. The headstock has the larger Kalamazoo style Epiphone design that is reminiscent of the Gibson scroll. Tuning machines are Grover kidney bean, which is a huge plus on an entry level guitar, as these are among the best tuning machines made.
Playability is good, with our sample having consistently low action all the length of the neck. The guitar does not have quite the same ring and sustain as a premium Gibson, but this guitar is priced considerably lower. Our sample weighed in at 8.8. lbs., which is about as light as a Les Paul gets. The weight felt a little unbalanced, with the weight relieved body claiming most of the heft. String bends of a whole step and greater would choke a bit, most likely due to the flat fretboard. That said, this type of thing will vary from guitar to guitar, and considering the price point of the guitar, it is fun to play and a lot of bang for the buck.
Pickups are a handsome looking pair of zebra striped uncovered ProBucker 2 (neck) and ProBucker 3 (bridge) humbucker pickups. This is where the modern comes in. The pickups are designed to emulate classic PAF tones while providing modern clarity but also feature push/pull coil-splitting and phase switching via the knobs. This is a feature that players have come to expect on modern Les Pauls and massively increases versatility and tonal option by incorporating single coil tones.
A Gibson licensed workhorse entry level guitar, the instrument is excellently suited for beginners or working musicians seeking the classic Les Paul sound and feel in an affordable package. Epiphones use different, more cost-effective wood, electronics, and hardware compared to Gibson’s premium components but deliver a very effective and useful instrument for the money. Available in Ebony, Metallic Gold, Pacific Blue, and Wine Red. Made in Indonesia. $599
