Epiphone Les Paul Special Electric Guitar - TV Yellow Reviews

long story short, the noise about Gibson QC is spot on, it does not exist anymore....Epiphone is cleaning their clock and we are benefiting. i played a Gibby 2 days before I bought mine here. it had wrinkled lacquer material all bound up at the base of the neck where it joins the body. totally unacceptable for an $ geetar. it was to be the TV yellow model,,,, it was more like the dreaded baby poop green....anyway, it played ok sounded ok but for the money I went with Jonathan Appleton at Sweetwater, hooked me up with yes a Yellow one, fit and finish is outstanding, plays great , sounds great,,,,,I had to lower the bridge to get the action down but that's expected. the intonation is spot on out of the box,,,,,all in all its a 5 star keeper, loves those p90"s..... Thank You , Jonathan

AWESOME, thanks Joey M

I just received my new Epiphone Les Paul Special today, and I couldn't be happier. I have played guitar as a hobby for over 55 years, and I believe this is one of the nicest, if not the nicest, guitar I have ever played. The fatter neck works great for me, and the whole guitar appears well built and sturdy, yet easy to play. The pickups are hot, and work great with lots of difference between the neck, combo and bridge positions on the pickup switch. I think you will not find another guitar that even comes close to this, especially at this price point. I had a 1972 Gibson Les Paul Custom, and I think this Epiphone LP Special plays every bit as good, if not better, than that 72 Gibson. Buy one today - you won't be disappointed. Call Jason Mathis at Sweetwater and have him order one for you. He knows his stuff and is extremely helpful.
Buy one today while they are still inexpensive and available. You might also consider buying the brown Gibson case for your guitar. It looks really classy with the tv yellow LP Special,

Really enjoying this guitar. Fit and finish is excellent, punches way above its weight! Shout out to Matt for always taking care of me, too!

I just can't get over what a great guitar this is. I bought mine as a demo saved a little money has the smallest little spot that was unpainted but clear coated over and I got a perfectly great guitar.
I have several guitars Gibson fenders etc. and this is right there with them. I am falling in love with these P90s and this fat neck.

Love the P90s pickups. One of the best sounding guitars I have. Seems like the louder you make it the better it sounds. To me anyway. Nothing wrong with the guitar at all. No fret buzz stays in tune. Thats about all you can ask for.

This guitar is worth double or triple the price it is beautiful and plays a wide variety of genres perfectly especially pop punk. the P-90s are amazing.

I recently purchased this very nice Epiphone from Sweetwater. Fit and finish is ten out of ten. It needed a setup and I did a fret level crown and polish. I installed Seymour Duncan Antiquity p90's, changed the tone pots to orange drops. This instrument sings! Favorite guitar. Shout out to Kingsley for the great customer service! Thank you.

Great tone and love the feel of the neck

I really wanted the Gibson version, but their prices are out of my reach these days. I didn't think the Epiphone could be as good as all these reviews kept saying, but I'm here to say that it definitely delivers as advertised. And now that Epiphone finally updated their headstock, it looks closer to a Gibson than ever before. The only mod I did was to replace the stock wraparound bridge with an adjustable Pigtail wraparound bridge, which I think helps this guitar play better. It seems crazy, but this Epiphone cured my Gibson GAS.

3 Words:This Guitar Rocks! WHEN I RECIEVED THE PAUl, The Craftmanship. Was second to none. I checked out the Gibson Special, To Me The Epi was better constructed.Many THANKS TO all the Sales Reps FOR THE GREAT Guitar I RECIEVED!

This thing sounds great! Love the P-90s. The neck is chunky.

With ANY guitar ! If you have a hard time believing reviews that sound like the product is far too good to be true, skip this one. But i assure you there's no exaggeration here, and i've been playing since the early 70s and owned uncountable guitars. Played in bands since the late 70s and my main concern with tone is within a band context. This incredible guitar, which i bought in early 2020, (3 years on now as of this review) is literally my favorite guitar i have ever owned of literally hundreds. IMO it's as great as it is mainly due to design, not because epiphone did such a wonderful job. But they DID. But the special design with a wraptail is itself whats so great. Epiphone did a great job in that they didn't skimp in any way that affects tone and playability and thats why there are a nuber of videos comparing it so favorably to the gibson version that most seem to say they are equal in playability and tone. Playability once setup to your preference is second to none, period. I was into thin necks when i bought it and this guitar changed that. It plays itself, nuff said.

Now to the tone. This is what just slays me. I have been a fender man all my life and never seem to bond with gibsons/gibson style guitars. Has a higher end gibson before this but sold it because i rarely felt like playing it. It was a 60s style with a tunomatic bridge with in part is why i think. Plus while it played very nicely, not as good as my epiphone.I think the fact the gibson wasn't played a lot and got sold and the epi as become my #1 even over my fenders says a whole lot ! I did mod it to my preferences and the one thing i replaced was the stop tail bridge. I got a aluminum one for the tone and IMO it does improve it to my ear by making it a bit more neutral sounding instead of the more middy sound of the stock on. The mids are still there but they aren't so forward as to make the guitar sound overly middy. Not a huge difference but i love the result, and the bridge was only $. The pickups i left as is because they sound fantastic. More balanced than my gibson was and overall IMO better. Lastly, i added a treble bleed cap and wired it up like a fender with one overall volume. The tone is perfection and hen i roll down the volume to clean up it gets chimey and shimmering in a fender like way but retains the beef of a gibson. So incredible.

Lastly the fingerboard. If you worry about the fact it is the only thing where it deviates from the gibson, don't. I can't tell you i know this for a fact, but i believe it actually adds to the tone in a way that would be missing with the rosewood board on the gibson. I looked it up and indian laurel has a much higher hardness rating than rosewood and i believe because of this the epi has this great snappy and sooo satisfying attack to the note that i believe is an advantage. The guitar is so smooth and rich but that extra snappy attack i believe aids it in making the guitar have a clarity it might not if they used rosewood. That is what i think i experienced with the gibson i had, just not as clear. Like i said i may be wrong but knowing how fingerboards affect tone i don't think i am. In any case the board has a great feel and look to it so while i have always been opposed to alternative fingerboard woods after a few tries that were not pleasant. And if i am right about what the laurel board brings, the epi may have a tonal advantage over the gibson version !

So thats it. After 3 years with this guitar i am more impressed with it than any guitar i have owned at any price and will die with this guitar not to mention i use it in the band setting 95% of the time because it'll do everything and do it all to perfection. In short, this is my fav guitar of all time after about 50 years of playing. The fact i feel this way doesn't guarantee you will, but at the price i think giving it the chance is a no brainer.

I received my Les Paul Special on a Friday. Setup was really spot on. I didn't have to adjust anything at all. The next night I played it out for 3 sets without any hiccups. I absolutely love playing it. Acoustically it rings out bright notes and chords. I can feel the notes resonate so much in my hands. It's worth double the price.

I have 2 Gibson Les Pauls, a Custon Telecaster, an American Strat, a Carvin, a Martin. I love them all. I bought this guitar for the P90 pickups. This guitar is addictive. By far the biggest bang for the buck in my collection. It isn't perfect. The tuners are a bit on the economical side, but this guitar holds tune very well. The sound is classic. It is a distinct sound that I really love. The neck is chunky, which I like, but if you like a thin neck, this is not for you. But, those P90s .... Awesome. I don't regret the purchase at all. I am always reluctant to purchase an instrument online, but it seems now with the brick and mortar stores fading, and the reluctance of merchants to stock instruments, it is how we have to get a lot of things now. Sweetwater has always treated me well. Their sales engineers are assigned to each and seem to stay with the company, a reflection on how Sweetwater treats employees.

Absolutely a great little guitar. One must like big,chunky necks though. Once set up, it plays and sounds stellar. This thing holds its own with my Gibby's and PRS's .. and at an astounding price under $500. Some reviews have said the neck pup is dark. I don't find that to be the case. It is clear and well defined through all my amps, as are all three pup config's. I would suspect that one would need to do a side by side comparison with its Gibby big brother to really hear any differences in the pups and overall sound.... The Gibby being over twice the price. Overall the EPI just feels and sounds great. All with workmanship well above it"s price. 5 stars for the bargain it is...........

I have to say iam really impressed with the look, feel,& especially Sound of this gtr!I delved or explored the world of cigarbox gtr.&built several kits,ending with a Honduran cedar cigarbox Reso w/a automotive license plate with which I am pleased.But coming back to guitars,I simply forgot what an OutstandingDeal these epies are.This instrument is Very musical,it truly Sings.I am a diehard folkie that wanted a more minimal lp for roots& americana music& this gtr. Delivers!As far as having a thicker neck,having small hands,i dont encounter any problem-but will probably Shave the back of neck Incrementally in Future.Thanks for the 55pt.inspection,& to Toni Nord& all the good folks at Sweetwater,HappyNewYear!!

I've had my Epiphone Les Paul Special now for about a year and still have a hard time putting it down to give my other guitars the love and attention they need. Even after watching numerous reviews, I was hesitant to make the purchase as I wanted (and bought) the Epiphone Les Paul Modern (Pelham Blue). After watching one of my favorite YT guitar review sites (Rich Bischoff), I decided I should treat myself to both. I absolutely love playing both of these guitars. The Les Paul Special has the rock and grit from the P90's you'd expect and yet can be easily tamed for a cleaner tone when needed. The neck is a bit chunky, so anyone with smaller hands may want to try one out before buying. It stays in tune, has a wonderful neck feel, weight is excellent and stunning to look at. Fret ends on mine were smooth, no sharp or rough ends. Best of all, Epiphone made this Les Paul Special in the price range I can afford now that I am retired and no longer have the abundant OT I use to have to splurge whenever I wanted. :)

the price is for this Epiphone LP Special is at the very least. A renaissance of 1950's/ 60's Epiphone quality and it's stunning how good this guitar is. It's a guitar well worth the time and effort to learn everything it offers so you can bring out from it TONES that are Legend. It's a true equal to Gibson version. Think about that.

Sold one last year and knew it was a mistake so ordered a second one from Sweetwater. Was pleasantly surprised that you can see some of the woodgrain thru the pain as it gets closer looking to a Gibson. Love how I was able to pick out the exact one I wanted based on weight and it actually arrived a few days early. I'm adding a few mods (Faber wrap around tailpiece, studs and screws, Switchcraft toggle switch and input jack along with a bone nut) and will carefully sand down the gloss off the back of the neck. The mods are just a personal preference and not necessary. Thanks again Sweetwater - 2nd times a charm!

I really really like the customer support I got from the sweetwater team. The guitar sounds amazing, I was a little worried at first since this is my first p90 guitar but the little bit of feedback I get when I crank the gain really adds something to it. It plays perfectly. Solid 9/10

Like they say theres always a first time! This guitar came perfect not a blemish i can see, frets were level and low low action the way i like it i the only thing i did was polish the frets............im stunned! Im now waiting on the Billie Joe signature and crossing my fingers! Thank You Sweertwater!

Mine was perfect out of the box - I have been playing it on gigs for the last 6 months and have not done anything except change the strings. This is my first P90 guitar and I absolutely love the sound. Middle position is great for rhythm guitar - clear, articulate, full AND twangy at the same time. Neck pickup - I have played straight ahead jazz gigs on the neck pickup and it kills - full round clear punchy sound with great sustain. Bridge pickup - just great - raunchy and gets that great P90 "bark" - it loves overdrive. The neck is not too big but just beefy enough to be comfortable for long sets. I have a Gibson 335, and a 90's strat plus that have been sitting at home since I got this Les Paul Special - it is that good. This is one of the only sub $500 guitars that I have ever played that is every bit as good as my more expensive guitars. Now maybe it doesn't have the nice wood and expensive pickups like my other guitars but somehow everything just adds up to a professional playing and sounding instrument. Just buy it if you are on the fence - it is a ridiculous bargain for what you get.

I bought mine new from Sweetwater and had them Plek it and dress the fret ends before they shipped it, so maybe my experience doesn't make for a fair review. That said, the guitar plays and sounds so good that I would consider it for my desert island guitar, despite most of my instruments costing much more. The neck is thick and feels great, and the stock P-90's can do almost anything. Maybe don't max out the gain on your death metal pedals unless you want to hear the hum and buzz, but otherwise it is almost impossible to make the guitar sound bad. It makes my old Epiphone LP Custom with Gibson pickups sound like a toy.

I wrote a review on the Epiphone Les Paul MODERN which I bought at the same time as the Les Paul Special. I was my Christmas gift from my wife of 39 years. I had watched a lot of video's on this guitar and hesitated because I was concerned it would be too dark and dirty with the P90's for my music needs. WRONG! I have loved this guitar since it's arrival. I'm not a brand snob to the Epiphone name was not a concern. The price tag vs a Gibson also was a driving factor for my level of playing as I'm not a professional level / on the road gigging musician. As all reviews indicate, this is a (was) a sleeper of a guitar at a fantastic price (though I see the price has gone up a bit). I would absolutely encourage someone looking at this guitar to do your homework, go out and try one for yourself. If you are new to Sweetwater and need someone to chat with, I highly recommend Jason Thiele.

For the money it does not get better than this. Great right out of the box, BUT adjust the truss rod if needed, clean and oil the fretboard a must, polish the frets, adjust the pickups and lower the action and put on your favorite strings and this sings and growls the way it should. Super happy with this guitar. the nut is cut right and no sharp fret ends. The pickups are fantastic in my opinion and will not be changing them out, the finish is great and craftsmanship is excellent. The neck is a pleasure to play, a little fat but not too much. A little over 8 pounds the weight is perfect. If you have been thinking about a P90 guitar I highly recommend this Epiphone. If you can find one. Order one and wait it is worth it.

This is a wonderful guitar from the factory; I love the fat neck (not an Epi slim-taper fan), and the build quality was great. It's not the same finish as a TV Yellow Gibson (not as transparent, different yellow, NOT lacquer, duh) but for the price it's great! The binding and fretwork on mine was perfect. The stock pickups sound really good. I had a set of Lindy Fralin P90s sitting around waiting for a home, so I put them in and WOW what an upgrade! Instantly made this my favorite P90 guitar I've ever played (sorry Gibson). My one quibble with the guitar was the stock bridge rocks on the posts a bit and I had a hard time getting intonation perfect. I dug around and found/installed the Musiclilly Pro 52.5 wrap-around bridge and problem solved, fits like it was made for these posts! Stock tuners are solid, but I'm a locking tuner addict so I also swapped on a set of Kluson SD90 locking tuners. Now I have a guitar that sounds incredible clean and can growl with the best, with rock-solid tuning and spot-onintonation. It's never going to leave my collection. Lovely guitar and a steal for the money. Why would I pay $ for the Gibson? At all in I'm under half that.

I also own a 2014 Gibson Les Paul Special. After playing them back to back on multiple amps, at settings from clean to edge of breakup to full-on metal, I CANNOT tell the difference! I brought 3 other musicians in to try it, and nobody can tell me how they sound different, whether live or recorded. TLDR: the Gibson will be listed on Reverb tomorrow, if anyone wants one. Honestly though, I'd recommend getting this Epiphone instead.

This is my first Epiphone, my first inexpensive guitar, my first P90 guitar, my first huge neck guitar and my first wrap around bridge guitar and I'm really impressed. The set up was dead on. It plays great, feels good and sounds amazing through a cranked up Marshall stack. I usually tear a new guitar apart and change a bunch of stuff, but not in this case. It is a very bright guitar even when not plugged in probably due to the tailpiece. Bottom line, this guitar works well right out of the box. I'm now a P90 convert.

This guitar is so playable. The action is perfect. The scale length is just right for my smaller hands. It doesn't feel heavy, maybe because I play bass, too.

I love the crunchy tone, even through my basic amp.

This is a great value. If you can afford one of its Gibson cousins, you're likely not reading this, anyway. For everyone else, just get this.

This GUITAR is Amazing! Right out of the Box, after a little fine Tuning, I was ROCKING. The Craftmanship on the Guitar, is Superb.It Plays excellent. Jon Not only knows His Busineess. Kudos to His Associates who were Invoved in the process. I will Enjoybthi Instrument for Many Years. I, Already Thinking about My next Purchase. Again Many Thanks, From a Happy Customer!

Most other reviewers have state much of what I would regarding the nuts and bolts of this guitar. So I'll keep it simple. My sales rep, Jack Wellington contacted me post purchase regarding the potential wait which was nice to at least be forewarned. We exchanged a few emails and I assured him I was in no hurry as this was a purchase simply for kicks. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. The guitar certainly lived up to the rave reviews. Mine arrived eventually and was essentially flaw free and the setup for most was fine. I did adjust a few things after I put my preferred strings on it. How does this compare to my Gibson LP Special DC at a little more than twice the price? While I think the pickups in the Gibson are a cut above I doubt most could tell without a literal side by side comparison. The Epiphone definitely has the edge on fit and finish. As I said, other reviewers have covered the specs and such so I'll skip that bit. Perfectly happy that I made the purchase and EASILY worth every penny.

I was watching some NAMM clips and there were some rave reviews about this. I wanted a brash, solid body P-90, and It was either this or the SG special in Pelham Blue. In the end I went Les Paul for the neck thickness and the thicker tone which I thought might mellow the P-90's the perfect amount for me, which I think it did. The neck is thick. Probably the thickest neck on a guitar I have, but it feels great to me. If you're looking for speed or a thin neck, I'd recommend the SG special. This neck is thick and so's the tone! I got mine here at Sweetwater (shoutout to Ed Nystrom) with a setup for 11's, and it sings. I'm really happy with it, and I was blown away the craftsmanship. I really cannot find a single flaw in the finish or binding. All the pots and switches work well and are tight and quiet, tuners feel stable and precise. When I compare it to my only Gibson (Les Paul Standard T 2017), there is something with the Gibson about how all the elements of tone, beauty, feel, umami, whatever, come together. There's something next level about it that transcends the lettering on the headstock. That being said, the fit and finish on the Epi is better. It really is neat and flawless in its fit & finish. My Gibson has the inlay on the 12th FRET!! not seated correctly. Yet, it plays and sounds "perfect". The Epiphone plays and sounds "great". The only negative reviews I read were that they shipped dirty and in need of a setup, but mine came sparkly clean (again, shoutout to Ed!). The only major difference is the lack of a nitro finish. The poly looks great and not-too-thick, and the color is perfect, but the smell is missing and the woodgrain is mostly hidden. Oh, and the new headstock looks sexy. Not Gibson aggressive-sexy, but a more elegant, curvy, sexy. Big improvement on the non-archtop Epi's. Overall, 92% - 95% of the Gibson. I won't talk down anyone with the budget who wants to spring for the Gibson, and someday I may too, but that extra 5% costs.... More, if your 5% requires a custom shop model. This is a professionally playing guitar, and one of the best values out there.

I love the weight of this guitar. Mine sits right around 8 pounds. It just feels very high quality. Once I applied lemon oil to the board, the laurel darkened up and it looks great. I definitely think it's a great guitar for the money. I had to buy a hardshell to protect it but that's a personal choice. It doesn't come with a bag. As usual, Sweetwater customer support is excellent and i got my guitar sooner than expected. These guitars are flying of the shelves!

Saw these appear in reviews, earlier this year, raving about the quality and value...and then they disappeared! The virus was mostly the issue,etc.
Suddenly they reappear on Sweetwater after searching everywhere on the Intergoogle, and I put in my order...just in time, for
once again, they have disappeared!
Mine arrives and in the first hour of playing, I discover the best guitar pound for price, on the market!
As always, Sweetwater treats you right with their 66 point inspection and great sales staff!
Order yours today, it's worth the wait!

I preordered this guitar a few months ago and it arrived 3-4 weeks ago! I have to thank Nitish, my sales engineer and Andy S. his business partner (account coordinator). Both worked with me to make sure I got this guitar as soon as possible (and I got it a month before the original ETA). Thank you both! Also the Sweetwater 55 point setup made a huge difference! If I had needed this for a gig, it would have been ready to gig with right out of the box (after some minor tuning). Thank you Sweetwater techs for doing this at no extra cost! It makes a huge difference!

It looks and plays beautifully. The pics don't do it justice at all. The P-90 Pro pickups sound amazing, as do the CTS electronics and Orange Drop caps. I showed it to my guitar teacher and he now wants one as well.

My only gripe, and it is a small one, is that the neck/fretboard is flat and wide. I have smaller hands so it simply means that I have to work with, familiarize myself with it (scales, bends, runs). But as I have played it more, this becomes less and less an issue (btw I own, and have owned, various Gibson's and 's, including a 2019 Gibson Les Paul Standard 50's model, as well, so I'm used to their necks). So if you have smaller hands be aware of this. Maybe it won't bother you, and even then it's a minor issue for me. But in reverse, this makes playing chords so much easier too.

All in all, I'd say this is an amazing guitar for the price point. Thanks Sweetwater for all of your help in procuring this amazing guitar!

I generally don't get too excited about my purchases, and I never write reviews. But this guitar blew me away the minute I pulled it out of box. And I wanted to share my thoughts in hopes of helping others who wonder, like I did, if this guitar is "too good to be true". (In full disclosure, I am not a professional musician, and I don't 'gig'. But I have been studying music as an amateur for 35+ years, and can appreciate good musical instrument when I see it.)

My first impression of this guitar was it felt solid and substantial. It sits comfortably on my lap and is well-balanced. It's not too heavy. At first strum, I was impressed by loud acoustic ring, long sustain, and 'alive' feeling. The TV Yellow finish is not nearly as impressive as on the Gibson version of this guitar (it's not translucent). But, for the most part, its applied evenly, and isn't tacky. The headstock is beautifully done, with it's gloss black top finish, Epiphone perloid inlay, and sharply silk-screened Les Paul logo. The tuning machines are accurate, turn smoothly (much more pleasant than my Fender), and have no play.

From a 'tones' perspective, the P90's deliver as promised. The neck pickup is my favorite — when run at the edge of break-up, it sounds like caramel tastes - smooth, chewy, and sweet. The bridge pickup is best with a good amount of overdrive, and provides the growly, grungy sound I was hoping for. When run clean, pickups have a full-range, clear sound. It's such a pleasant difference from the Strat I usually play.

But the best part about this guitar is the neck. It is on the thicker side but fits my hands perfectly, and is a pleasure to play. The transition between the neck curve and cream-colored binding is perfectly smooth. Thankfully, all the frets are level — and the fret ends are evenly beveled and decently finished for a guitar in this price range.

There are definitely some flaws on my guitar. The TV Yellow finish around the pickup cavities has several uneven/wavy spots. The pick guard had frays/burrs left over from cutting. The strap button on the lower bout is somewhat off center (toward the treble side). And the frets could use a good polish, as they feel 'gritty' when bending strings. But these are all flaws I am more than willing to correct or live with.

In summary - It's tough to imagine finding a better 'value for money' guitar than this Epiphone Les Paul Special.

Special thanks to my Sweetwater SE Alex Rodriguez for his always friendly demeanor and helpful advice — and getting the guitar to me a month and half sooner than promised! And I really like the Gator soft case he recommended for this guitar - it looks great an fits perfectly.

In my opinion this instrument is underpriced, it could've been marketed for at least $100 more. It took a few months for my new Epiphone Les Paul Special with a beautiful TV Yellow finish (a little on the thick side, however the grain is visible), but well worth the wait. I did not have anything done to it by Sweetwater except for the 55-point inspection. The guitar arrived well packaged, average setup but very playable, (EVERY guitar needs a little adjustment to suit the player), nice chunky 50's style neck, hefty mahogany body, no visible cosmetic flaws or marks of any kind...pristine. First guitar with P90's (they rock!), and from Sweetwater, I couldn't be happier! Thanks!!

I was excited to order this thing as soon as I saw it at winter NAMM. I pre-ordered it at the end of April and just got it (3 months later). It is worth the wait. The pickups are amazing and loud... the weight is perfect. The neck is chunky, just like a Les Paul Special should be. No fret issues at all. Thanks Sweetwater!!

I'm really happy I got this guitar as a second Les Paul instead of spending on the Gibson version! Obviously, there were some out of the box shortcomings with the nut (filed too low on two strings) and the frets (not 100% level, but no dead frets or major buzz). I replaced the nut with a bone nut, got the guitar plek'd, and swapped out the pickups. The P90s that come with the guitar are, however, really solid, but I wanted some specific pups in this guitar. ...ended up with a guitar that's every bit as good as my Gibson Les Paul...

After a 2 month back order, I joyfully received my new Epiphone "inspired by Gibson" Les Paul Special TV Yellow! This guitar has "mojo" to infinity and beyond. The 50s neck is an absolute dream. The "new" vintage headstock completes the intense vibe this guitar has. It's my first guitar with P90s. WOW!! I had no idea how great they are. Played great out of the box. Of course, as the guitar settled in, I tweaked a few things to my personal preference. The Indian laurel board is quite pleasing. The guitar sounds great.

Chris Barry and SWEETWATER have hit another home run with their care and service in getting this guitar to me quickly and safely. Kudos to Chuck Surack, his staff and his company.

First, I must say my order was placed in January. I've been banging this thing around for over a week. Compared to my Gibson Swamp Ash Limited Ed., this Epi can well hold it's own @ 1/3 the price. The most i've done is change the strings to DR 10-46 Pure Blues Pure Nickel.

Next week a music store is buying out my collection, including the Gibson Swamp Ash & a Gibson Worn Cherry, along w/ 3 Telecasters & 5 amps.

Needless to say, my Amer. Tele, SG and now the Epiphone Les Paul Special and my Princeton, along with a Champ is taking me into retirement.

Special thanks to Justin Dunbar, a man who knows i've been dealing w/ Sweetwater for 20 yrs.

This was my first Sweetwater shopping experience. My only regret is not making ALL of my guitar and amp purchased from Sweetwater. I want to thank my Sales Engineer, Zach Mathews for keeping me updated on the supply and shipping delays from the Covid19 outbreak. He also ensured that the guitar was set up exactly as I requested.

I have been playing guitar for 41 years. My gear includes a Mod Shop US Strat, another American Professional Strat, Gibson Les Paul Standard, Gibson Firebird and about 11 other guitars, including an earlier Satin finish version of this Les Paul Special. I always thought that guitar was the best $120 guitar money could buy but it wasn't exactly something one would like to take on a tour.

Now, about the new Epi Les Paul Special. I bought this guitar after watching several YouTube videos comparing it favorably to the Gibson version and I wasn't disappointed. This thing FEELS like the Gibson version. It feels rock-solid and weighs the same as the Gibson. The neck is closer to a 50s model but it isn't a baseball bat neck. Frets were smooth and it is a joy to play. The finish on mine is immaculate with no inconsistencies that I could find. The P90s sing. The cleans sparkle but throw some dirt on them and you can get that nice fat Leslie West, Mississippi Queen tone or make them growl like Mike Ness. I also noticed that the head stock is now more Gibson-like, as well. It's the "open book" top without the corners being cut off like previous Epiphones.

In summary, I couldn't be happier with this purchase. You cannot best this guitar at this price point.

I haven't loved a guitar this much in recent memory. The neck is thick, the tone is bitey. The only thing I would recommend is updating the bridge/tailpiece. Otherwise this guitar is way underpriced.

I bought this from Sweetwater about a month ago. I have an American made tele that has been my favorite. This guitar is really nice. Sweetwater did a great job with the set up. Great deal for the money.

I was immediately intrigued with Epiphones new 2020 LP Special and watched alot of videos from others that had bought from the new inspired by Gibson Epi series. Most of the reviews were positive but some complained of spotty quality control because of high frets or fret buzzing ect.
My experience with Sweetwater and the Epiphone special is all positive! The guitar arrived on time and was in tune and intonated spot on right out of the box after spending a couple days with it I can honestly say it is near perfect, low action no fret buzzing plays like butter I may even raise the strings a bit to suit my playing style. I would advise you to buy this guitar. For the price you just can not beat it!
Thanks Sweetwater!

Had one of these about ten years ago that I sold. This one is much nicer. Details on this is closer to the Gibson version.
Plays and sounds nice. It did need some setup to make more to my liking.

The Les Paul Special by Epiphone is the best guitar I've ever owned because it stays in tune and it has great sustain . I also like the body design and the color . I've owned GibsonKes Paul's and an Explorer and a Strat and this is the best yet . The only thing I don't like are the little screws at the bottom of the bridge stick out and snag on a long sleeve shirt. Not a huge problem.

I've mainly been a Fender player, but have always been in love with that yellow Les Paul. Finally getting my hands on one has been a joy. Great neck, great tone, great shape. The only reason I can't commit to a full 5 star review, is that I had to do some damage control on the bridge pickup, as when I got it, it was way quieter and weaker than the neck. Had to fix a loose connection. But otherwise, an outstanding guitar.

Mine came in with no need for any setup at all. Plays great and sounds good. My copy had no fit and finish flaws at all. I did put a a Seymour Duncan SP90 Vintage in the neck position because I didn't care for the one it came with. The bridge pickup was very good so I didn't change it. These are very nice guitars.

I just recently picked up this Epiphone LP Special in TV Yellow on 31 December 2022 at the Sweetwater store. What a FANTASTIC guitar. I was thinking about getting the Gibson version but decided to go with the Epiphone version instead. I had recently purchased a Martin D-18 Ambertone from Sweetwater also, so I decided to take it easy spending wise. I watched and read the reviews of the Epiphone LP Special in TV Yellow and was pretty impressed with the reviews. I then decided to pull the trigger on the Epiphone instead of the Gibson version. Boy was I surprised with this Epiphone guitar. The finish on this guitar is flawless, the hardware is very good, the overall feeling of this guitar is really comfortable. Right out of the box this guitar was ready to play. No issues with string buzz, no sharp fret ends, no tuning issues, the overall craftsmanship of this guitar was very high. The main reason not a 5 star review is because there was not a Gig Bag or case with the guitar, sold separately. I now can understand why this guitar sells out quickly. It's a rocking machine that is capable of playing about any genre of music. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this guitar to anyone wanting a really good quality instrument at a bargain price.

I waited a while to post this review. Mine is a 2021.

First off, thanks to Jeff Bohan for always taking good care of me.

Bad news first ~ the frets were like a roller coaster and too much relief and very high action out of the box. Luckily, I have a side biz where I do setups and fretwork, so it was no big deal for me to level, crown and polish the frets. I also slightly rounded the fret ends, oiled the fingerboard, put 9s on it, straightened the neck, lowered the action (bridge), adjusted intonation and raised the pickups. The nut was cut well from the factory but you can tell Epiphone uses "V" style nut files and I prefer slotted ones. I didn't have to adjust the nut slots at all, but the whole but was put on a hair off center, popped it off and a dab of titebond and good to go. I also polished the Tusq nut a lil w/some micro mesh to clean it up a lil more than factory.

Once I did all the setup tweaking, this guitar is unreal. The neck is pretty huge, but w/9's, low action (3/64" high E at 12 fret, 4/64 low E, very little relief) and the shorter scale of a Gibson, it compliments the phat neck.

I also have a 2022 AAA Top Gibson LP Standard 50's and this Epi can totally hold it's own w/this. It has it's own thing w/the p90's and flat top and wrap tail. There would be times I would pick this guitar over my LP or any of my other guitars in the studio when I want "that" sound. It's not as posh as my LP but the special and Jr's were student models so who cares. It's perfect.

I feel no need to change anything on the guitar. It'll stay 100% stock. Love the pickups! Body is resonate even if it's who knows how many pc body w/cheaper wood, it didn't matter on this one. I got a killer guitar besides the fretwork. That said, the guitar was made on the other side of the world, then shipped here. It's made of wood and metal. Stuff moves, especially when you're pumping out masses of guitars fast and packing them up fast.

I like the finish. I have bumped the guitar a few times and it's like armor! No dents and bumped hard in to my ikea metal bed frame twice! I usually hate poly but it doesn't seem to matter much on this one. Still super resonate and amazing tone. Not cheap sounding. Woody. But mine is dialed in to perfection so that def helps hit the sweet spot.

I got mine ~ unreal. New headstock looks WAY better. I'll keep this guitar forever. I play it more than any of my others at home ~ save the frets on the $$$$ guitars a lil:)

Danny S in Austin, TX

I'm not normally a review guy but this guitar amazes and deserves to be talked up.

I've been watching and waiting for these to come back in stock and was a little hesitant to pull the trigger, but at $... it seemed worth the risk....the specs looked good and the guitar is certainly a looker.

It arrived on an otherwise busy Sunday (who knew Fed Ex did Sunday home deliveries?) so I didn't spend a lot of time with it other than unwrapping and checking for major dents or dings. On Monday I got to sit down and play it,

I like to strum a little unplugged, I think you can tell a lot about a guitar from the acoustic vibrations. I was actually thrown back at the sustain this little guy had unplugged...nice start. The action was a little high but still very playable. Next I plugged into a Katana MK-50II, and oh my. These are not your Daddies P90's !! Crisp, articulate, sensitive with that lovely Gibson single coil roundness. This guitar with these pickups seems to sustain for days, almost an EBow feel. The body is relatively light weight and the fit and finish was excellent...gotta love CAM builds.

Day two I replaced the factory strings with my usual DR Pure Blues (9-46) and plugged into my Blackface Bassman 2-12. I was in heaven, a little OCD pedal boost and tone nirvana. A total rock & roll machine.

The only minor criticisms would be that the gorgeous TV Yellow finish is put on a little heavy, pretty much obscuring the grain of the wood. And the Lightning wraparound bridge/tailpiece takes a little getting used to ( I wouldn't want to change a broken string on a dark stage ), but surprisingly plays pretty much in tune up the neck.
This guitar is more proof that its a great time to be a guitar player....this is a grade A piece at a bargain price.......try one !

Guitar itself is great ! Wasn't sure about the super fat neck, but I'm digging it . p90 pick ups are lovely! They just sing ! Lost a star for playability ! Strings were so, so high, almost in playable. And the output jack ? Come on guys, it's on the inspection sheet that you check it, could not plug the guitar in, as the jack pick ups were pushing against the guitar body when attempting to plug it in ! I don't mind setting up a new guitar, it's expected, but I should at least be able to plug it in to play ? Luckily, I do a lot of this myself, so just a minor inconvenience, but for someone that's timid about taking tools to a new axe would be pretty disappointed! Now she's a beast and I love her !

All it needs is a setup and a fret dressing. Great quality otherwise. Epiphone guitars have gotten steadily better over the past few years. This is an excellent example of that.

I've had Epiphone guitars in the past that were basically junk.
These . . . let's address some of the knocks I've seen in print doing pre purchase research.
"Made in China" . . . yes . . . next. ( duh )
"It's not a 'real' Les Paul" . . . whatever #1
"It doesn't have 'tone wood' . . . whatever #2
"It's not true TV Yellow" . . . whatever 3#
"Poly doesn't let the wood breath" . . . whatever #4
When the rest of the actual working guitar world finds out how good these are, and how good they can sound . . .
The price is going to double. So, go ahead and miss out.
P.S.
If that's not a "baseball bat" neck . . . y'all must have used bigger bats than I did. ( I love it )

A really nice guitar. I've always wanted a Special or Junior in TV Yellow so of course I like that, but this one really surprised me with it's fit and finish. My first Epiphone purchase was over twenty years ago, I've gone through at least eight different Epi's and I currently own four. Of all of those, this Les Paul Special arrived in the best shape! The neck and fret work are the best I've seen on any Epiphone I have had to date. I am really enjoying the neck on this guitar as it seems to be a little more substantial that what I've experienced with Epiphone before, AND I get the tone of P90's as a sweet bonus. You need one of these.
I didn't give it 5 stars only because it would need to be a slightly brighter yellow to be perfect, for me.

Finely made guitar, super tone, lot's of "mojo"'good bang for the buck, but a bit too heavy for on stage use for an older player. I went for the Bolt-On Special with P90's after I sold the aforementioned axe! Still, one great re issue to consider buying for the serious vintage style enthusiast!

I've owned the Gibson version of this Epiphone TV Yellow Les Paul P90 Special, and for the life of me, I can't deduct one iota of excellence, or difference, between this one, or the aforementioned USA "big brother" out there! The look, the feel, the tone, can only be described as "phenomenal", "astounding", "beyond belief" and visually jam packed with "mojo" to the highest degree! You get a-lot for your money, and some with this honey of a guitar! Buy one today! You won't be disappointed!

I preordered this guitar a few months ago and it arrived much sooner than I expected. Thank you sweetwater! Ended up being a birthday gift. The fit, finish, and build quality of this guitar are outstanding.

I am not a big 'Gibson' family of guitars purchaser. The best I can explain this guitar is it that sounded and played way above its' price point. This guitar is a steal. I would say this machine "has that 'classic vibe' feel", that you might get from another manufacturer... Except, what you are getting here is way WAY better than that, quality wise. Thanks Epiphone, I really love my new rock 'n roll machine.

I must be the unlucky one because the fit and finish on mine is garbage. Apparently it made it past the super duper double inspection AND polish

This guitar came setup pretty good, fretboard oiled and the action was decent. No fret buzz. I checked the frets only 1 high one and the poker chip was crooked. I can accept that because it didn't affect playability. Couple weeks ago by I lose the rhythm pickup. I called sweetwater they say I could have shipped back or fixed locally. We decided on deoxit that didn't work and the closest luthier 2 hours in Nashville. So I had them ship me a new one. Well it arrived today and this guitar is awful. I tune it up and stum a d chord and it's buzz city. I check the frets and there is 8that are high. On to the neck relief it was ok. I start doing a overall visual check over the guitar and the neck pickup is mounted crooked and the fretboard was drier than the Sahara desert. This guitar should not have passed inspection and been sent out. The last 2 guitars I have gotten from sweetwater had to be sent back. The previous guitar I sent back was an acoustic. Ironically the replacement they sent had the very same finish defect as the one I sent back. Rather than send it back I just kept it because I was so fed up. I take no pleasure in writing this review because I have traditionally had excellent service from sweetwater in the past but quality is taken hit. Both of these Les Paul specials are getting boxed up and sent back.