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Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue Electric Guitar - Ebony, Sweetwater Exclusive

Solidbody Electric Guitar with Mahogany Body, Mahogany Neck, Ebony Fingerboard, and 3 Humbucking Pickups - Ebony
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Item ID: 57LPCIGC3EB
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue Electric Guitar - Ebony, Sweetwater Exclusive
Price:$1,499 and 00 cents
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Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue Electric Guitar - Ebony, Sweetwater Exclusive
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Price:$1,499 and 00 cents
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1957 Reissue, Inspired by Gibson

Since its grand entrance in the early 1950s, the Les Paul Custom’s iconic visual design and sonic versatility have touched the hearts of countless high-profile musicians. Broken down to its finest components, the Epiphone 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue’s thoughtful mahogany body construction bears the sonic and visual resemblance of its iconic “Black Beauty” counterpart while favoring several period-correct appointments to match the standard of its mid-century roots. Gibson USA Custombuckers positioned in the neck, middle, and bridge deliver authentic vintage humbucking tones from the era. Topped off with a period-correct ABR-1 bridge, stopbar tailpiece, and an assemblage of “Tuxedo”-inspired appointments, the Epiphone 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue offers Gibson’s most iconic 6-string design at an approachable value, available only at Sweetwater!

A tribute to classic Gibson design

Sweetwater guitarists have deduced that the historic Les Paul design bears three crucial hallmarks: playability, comfort, and tone. The Epiphone 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue’s solid mahogany body represents the original model’s time-tested tonewood design, developing bold sonics with excellent control and natural sustain. On the neck, the Les Paul Custom’s ebony fretboard carries 22 frets at a 24.75-inch scale length, offering a modern playing field with the exceptional navigability that its ancestor was known for. It all comes down to a delicate vintage gloss body finish on top of the Les Paul’s classic, time-honored shape, offering a bounty of comfort in both stage and studio playing situations.

Custombuckers deliver pure vintage PAF tone

Epiphone paid as much attention to this guitar’s electronics as its aesthetics. Every part of its internal signal path was designed to deliver spot-on 1957 Les Paul tone. Of course, it’s next to impossible to find genuine ’50s PAFs; instead, the Epiphone 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue sports a trio of Gibson USA Custombucker humbucking pickups. The Custombucker is the most historically accurate PAF copy ever. Take it from Sweetwater’s guitar experts: the Epiphone 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue nails the look, sound, and feel of an original 1957 Les Paul Custom.

Dressed to the nines in period-correct regalia

Adhering to its “Tuxedo” aesthetics, the Epiphone 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue is fit to the gills with historically accurate appointments, including multi-ply body binding, a classic Gibson-style headstock, and a long tenon set neck joint. The Graph Tech nut and period-correct ABR-1 bridge and tailpiece formulate a consistent playing field while keeping intonation remarkably stable via Kluson Waffleback tuners. In terms of its appearance, the Epiphone 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue is a stunner, featuring a healthy mix of antique gold equipage and inlay visuals to keep its vintage roots well within bounds while performing as a true modern instrument.

Inspired by Gibson Custom: guitar history in your hands

The Gibson Custom Shop, known for its rich heritage, continues to set a high bar in terms of exceptional artistry and inspiring instruments. Reflecting a special union, Epiphone has partnered with Gibson Custom to bring meticulous craftsmanship and iconic designs to bear for modern musicians. The Inspired by Gibson Custom line puts guitar history in your hands courtesy of beautifully crafted re-creations of classic electric and acoustic instruments. Each instrument is the result of a dedicated collaboration between the companies’ respective expert luthiers to honor both Gibson’s storied legacy and Epiphone’s mission to provide musicians with accessible instruments that spark creativity.

Epiphone 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue Features:

  • A collaborative Epiphone and Gibson Custom Shop take on the iconic Gibson Les Paul Custom
  • Mahogany body provides the structurally sound, recognizable playing performance of contemporary Custom models
  • Vintage gloss-finished set mahogany neck supplies superior movement around the fretboard
  • 12-in.-radius ebony fingerboard with MOP block inlays and Graph Tech nut
  • 3 unpotted Gibson USA Custombucker Alnico III pickups deliver authentic PAF style and tone
  • Traditional “Tuxedo” fittings with period-correct long neck tenon, multi-ply binding, and pickguard
  • Gibson Les Paul Custom headstock design with MOP Epiphone logo and split inlays
  • Volume and Tone knobs with a 3-way toggle scour an expanse of possible electric tones
  • ABR-1 bridge with aluminum stopbar tailpiece provides accurate, stable tuning and intonation
  • Sightly gold hardware and Kluson Waffleback tuning machines for enhanced reliability and intonation support

Why Buy Your Guitar from Sweetwater?

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Tech Specs

  • General
  • Special Release Sweetwater Exclusive
  • Number of Strings 6
  • Left-/Right-handed Right-handed
  • Body
  • Body Type Solidbody
  • Body Shape Les Paul Custom
  • Body Material Mahogany
  • Top Material Mahogany
  • Body Finish VOS Polyurethane
  • Color Ebony
  • Neck
  • Neck Material 1-piece Mahogany
  • Neck Shape Modern Medium C
  • Neck Joint Set Neck
  • Radius 12"
  • Fingerboard Material Ebony
  • Fingerboard Inlay Mother of Pearl Blocks
  • Number of Frets 22
  • Scale Length 24.75"
  • Nut Width 1.692"
  • Nut Material GraphTech
  • Hardware
  • Bridge/Tailpiece Lock Tone tune-o-matic bridge, Lock Tone stop bar tailpiece
  • Tuners Grover Rotomatic, 18:1
  • Electronics
  • Neck Pickup Gibson USA Custombucker Humbucker
  • Middle Pickup Gibson USA Custombucker Humbucker
  • Bridge Pickup Gibson USA Custombucker Humbucker
  • Controls 2 x volume, 2 x tone
  • Switching 3-way toggle pickup switch
  • Miscellaneous
  • Strings Gibson, .010-.046
  • Case/Gig Bag Hardshell Case
  • Manufacturer Part Number: ECLPCR3EBGH

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Reviews

Incredible guitar. I put a Stetsbar trem and GK-3 on it!
I've had this guitar since 2007. I modified it with a Stetsbar linear trem, on which I also mounted a Roland GK-3 pickup. It is a "fretless wonder" indeed, like the original Gibson Black Beauty.

Absolutely worth buying.

Checkout the photo and video!
Music background: Guitarist Ordinaire
Grail Guitar
I've wanted a Les Paul Custom Black Beauty since I first started playing, but the Gibson version was out of reach, and Epiphone doesn't always produce them, so I finally decided to preorder when I saw this iteration: it ticked all the tangible features, and looked the part. Also, I wanted a professional Bigsby installation, with a Vibramate.

I called my Sales Engineer, Kurt, explained what I wanted, and his team got back to me with the parts and labor quote within an hour, I pretty sure, and I mulled it over for a few days.

I ordered in late December, understanding they'd arrive mid-late January.

I got it last week, and it was gorgeous in the case, heavy as all get out, but it was exactly what I wanted and as I imagined it!

The only problem was that I wasn't too happy with the sounds I was getting, but I guessed that the pickups were too close to the strings. By "too close" I don't mean anyone had done anything wrong: they were exactly at factory baselines.

I dropped them ALL the way to their lowest possible positions, then raised them until they were exactly what I wanted to hear.

The middle switch position is bridge+middle, and this is where you find sounds you cannot find in a two humbucker LP.

Fit and finish are flawless; props to the Sweetwater techs for their skill and attention to detail. The guitar looks like it was born this way. They obviously care about their work and I appreciate that.
Music background: Amateur; P&W multi-instrumentalist
Awesome guitar
I must say that I am very impressed by the quality of this instrument, I don't think any of the Gibson guitars I have owned have really been any better. I believe that I will enjoy this instrument for a long time. Good job Epiphone and thank you Josh for your help.
Music background: Professional guitarist for over 40 years
Simply amazing
I own 3 Gibson Les Paul standard. I own a Gibson gold top LP that I love and sounds great. Never could afford a Gibson Les Paul custom. So I pulled the trigger on this 1957 Epiphone re-issued. I went ahead and had Sweetwater do the Plek Pro setup on her. WOW!!!! This guitar is so awesome, plays like a dream, has a great tone and she sustains forever. Just as good as my Gibson LPs or probably even better.
Thanks to my sales engineer Clint Bransteter been dealing with him for over 10 years. Great guy. He is a real help with Amy questions you have and will always be there for you, just the coolest guy ever.
This guitar is simply amazing
Music background: Guitar player for over 40 years take a picture of the Guitar now I’ve never done a yeah, but I’ve never done a survey or anything, but I gave this Guitar five stars and I know Clint for like 12 years I’m never ever ever thanks to engineer Clint or whateve
Threes company too! Best Epi ever made!
I have owned enough Epi's to know and understand the varying degrees of quality plus the nerfed feeling they have versus their Gibson counterpart and this Epi '57 LP custom series are quite the exception. I own several Gibsons as well but I could never afford a LP Custom and Ive nerded out to all of their cosmetic beauty either magazines or actually holding them at vintage guitar shops. With that said this thing felt 99% like the real thing, very heavy, a thin skin like semi-gloss finish, better quality hardware, even an accurate output plate. The biggest thing you will appreciate and notice upon first feel is unlike every Epiphone MIC that all have that thick plastic poly glossy finish, this guitar does not have such. Its like they changed the finishing process just for this axe, you can see in my pics how you can feel and see the binding and body embosses because thats how Gibsons look and feel, this is magnificent to me. Anyways I threw on a bigsby on mine and replaced the already solid machine heads with the non-gold Klusons and its friggin amazing! Its also crazy there is zero promotional ads or marketing for these whatsoever.
Music background: hobby guitarist