EPIPHONE LES PAUL STANDARD 50S £549

A gold standard from a golden era of inspiration?

- Robert Laing

It’s been quite a year for Epiphone; starting strong at January’s NAMM with a tour de force in the shape of the Inspired By Gibson range, we’re now able to take stock of models in isolation. And if we’re talking Gibson legacy, its 1950s Les Pauls don’t get much more hallowed in the halls of legendary guitars. Alongside the Standard 60s, Custom, Junior, Special and higher-end 1959 model in the Original Les Paul Collection, the range allows players to hone in on the specific Les Paul experience they want. But what is a 50s LP, and does Epiphone deliver it here?

Firstly, like the era of models it takes inspiration from, there’s no weight relief body chambering here (you’ll need the Modern and Muse moderns for that). This weighs in at 9lbs. That kind of weight is an accepted part of the LP experience (we’ve heard of examples going up to a whopping 11lbs!) and it feels balanced in play, but we’d advise investing in a padded strap with 3” width or above for comfort.