Epiphone Les Paul Studio E1 Electric Guitar - Heritage Cherry Sunburst Reviews

I've purchased two of these, one for my son and one I keep in the corner because it's not always convenient to haul out the Gibson Les Paul Standard 60s AAA. This guitar is lighter and more expendable, for those situations where you just need a guitar, not a guitar you're going to miss if somebody walks by with sticky hands or falls on it because they're three sheets to the wind.

It's an Epiphany, not a Gibson, so any bragging rights come with an asterisk. Some of the older Epiphanies had some build-quality issues but I've found nothing to complain about. The Cherry Sunburst finish is highly attractive. It's a veneer, rather than the solid maple you'd get on a Gibson, but it still looks gorgeous and it's lighter than most Gibsons. I had one that got chipped in shipping, but Sweetwater replaced it in a snap. (I'm not sure how many guitars wouldn't chip if they were beat up in shipping.)

There are hardware differences between this an a Gibson - the tuners, the switch, the pots, the pickups, the bridge and tailpiece - but you can upgrade any of those pieces, at your leisure and as quickly as your wallet allows. Epiphone makes guitars that have all or most of those upgrades - still at a fraction of the price of a Gibson - but doing so triples the cost of this guitar. I paid $ for this guitar, about the price of buying a Gibson case!

What matters is the sound.

For my purposes, it sounds great! I'm not hearing any tuning issues as I play it. Because it's a Les Paul, the bridge and headstock let me make adjustments to the intonation as I like. The first thing I did was thrown a new set of strings. (I assumed, going in, that part of the discounted price was a cheap set of strings.). I don't know that I needed to, but I like the strings and the action. I've made a few adjustments to suit my tastes, but I've no complaints in that department.

On some of the earlier Epiphones, there were issues with the tuning. I'm not experiencing that here. I do think a better set of tuners would produce more precise results in the tuning, but the stock tuners were fine right out of the box. I tend to make a lot of adjustments as I play, so I'll probably upgrade the tuners down the road, but for now, I'm completely satisfied.

I hear tales of Epiphone pots not being as good as Gibson pots, which I'm not surprised at, given the differences in price. But Gibson pots aren't all that expensive and the soldering needed is minimal. I plan to upgrade the pots, but probably after they start to fail. These are brand-new pots, and while I hear you can hear serious improvements, I'm not just willing to throw out pots that are brand new and working fine.

I would say the same about the switch. I actually ordered a Gibson. It's sitting in a box, waiting to be installed. I'm just not super-motivated at the moment. The stock switch works. I'm not desperate to get it done.

I don't feel like replacing the bridge and tail yet. I'm not experiencing anything detrimental that would make it worth it to me, just so I can say I'm using Gibson hardware. These pieces are doing what they're meant to do.

The fretboard is rosewood. Some would prefer mahogany. I can see that. There's less contrast. The fretboard is also using minimalist pearloid dots rather than big trapezoid fret markers. Without a doubt, the trapezoids would look better. That's not a hill I'm willing to die on. What I will say is that this guitar cost me $. Nothing with big trapezoids would come anywhere near that price.

Playing this guitar next to my Gibson, I've had people tell me the Gibson sounds better, that its presentation is sharper and clearer, which I attribute to the Gibson pickups. Is that a major revelation? My Gibson cost me three grand. This cost me a tenth of that price. But to my ears, I'm not hearing a 10x difference in sound. I can easily swap out the pickups. I can also make adjustments to my amp. When I rock out with the Epiphone, it fills my house with music. It roars. An A/B with an actual Gibson may show what $ can do, but anywhere I play it - without that A/B comparison - people are coming up to me and complimenting on my gear.

For true Gibson enthusiasts, nothing but Gibson on the headstock will ever be good enough. I can respect that. I can respect anybody who has the ear, the training and experience to hear the subtle differences between different Gibson models - and even between different pieces from the same model. I'll be the first to bow to such golden ears and expertise. But for practice and for gigs where I don't want to have to be afraid to turn my back on my guitar, this Epiphone is such an amazing deal.

You can get better. I'm not denying you can. But for $, it's really hard to beat this guitar.

I never thought I'd buy a Les Paul for less than $. Epiphone makes Gibson-style LPs with some compromises in building materials. The Studio 1 is among Epiphone's most affordable guitars, at or near the bottom of its produce line. I bought it because it was so gorgeous from the photos, even if the maple top is a laminate. As long as Epiphone got the fundamentals right, I could always upgrade the hardware, tuner, pickups, pots, switch and strings. A full upgrade would triple the cost but it's a cost I could ease into - or so I thought at the time.

When I got this baby home, I found it stunning. Even as a laminate, that Heritage Cherry Sunburst top is a treat. The body, itself, is mahogany and the neck is Indian laurel, an outstanding tone wood that holds its own against rosewood and ebony. At 8 pounds, it's a bit lighter than my Gibson Les Paul Traditional '60s, but that's great if you want a guitar you can carry for longer.

It doesn't have all of the growl of a Gibson Les Paul but it has enough. True Gibson lovers, the guys who will spend tens of thousands of dollars on a used guitar, won't be interested. If you want a Gibson, buy a Gibson. But as Gibson doesn't sell any $ guitars, you have to ask yourself what you could buy - at that price - that would sound better than this? If you're willing to pay $, Epiphone has its own version of my Gibson Les Paul Standard '60s. The more expensive model has arguably better pickups but I had plenty of fun with the stock pickups on the S1. The pots worked fine, as did the switches.

My only complaint, and it's not quite a complaint, is that I had to tune and retune this guitar a lot - at least at first. But Les Pauls have always had criticisms about tuning. Upgrading the tuner should fix that, though - for now - it's not enough of an issue to merit the time or expense. This is a fun guitar to have on hand. It's easy to play. Amped right, it makes some pretty sweet sounds. I replaced it with the Gibson and gave it to my grandson. I later bought another to give to my son. It doesn't come with a case. Maybe that helps explain the heavy discount on the price. An Epiphone guitar case would cost another $ though not having that price tacked on gives me a world of options.

I purchased this guitar for the unbelievable price of $. I bought it because it looked great and was an Epiphone, a company owned by Gibson that makes guitars to Gibson specs, albeit in China and with arguably lower-tier parts. I didn't think I could afford an actual Gibson Les Paul, so this was the next best thing - at a huge discount.

As it turned out, this guitar was such a joy to play, it set off a burning desire in me to order a Gibson Les Paul Standard 60s, if only to compare the two. The Gibson is heavier and the AAA maple is nicer, though the Epiphone is still stunning. I have the pride of having Gibson on the guitar head, along with those big pearl fret markers, and the Gibson definitely has the sound and the action of a high-quality instrument. But if we're talking about performance - and you're not sucked into the cult of Gibson - this Epiphone is utterly amazing. I can't believe this guitar cost me less than $.

Expecting it to come with cheap strings, I replaced the original set with D'Addario NYXL1046 Light Electric Guitar Strings. I don't know if that was an improvement or not but I can tell you that playing this beast is a joy. I can also upgrade with Gibson hardware - a Nashville Tune-o-Matic Bridge ($), Bridge and Neck Humbucker covers ($), a Toggle-Switch Washer ($), a Truss Rod Cover ($), a Toggle Switch Cap ($), Knobs ($), a Pick-Guard ($), a couple of Burstbucker pickups ($), four Gibson pots ($), a Gibson switch ($), a Stop Bar Tailpiece ($), Gibson tuners ($).

If I added ALL of those hardware upgrades, I'd be adding almost $900 to the cost of the Epiphone. Would it be a better guitar? Probably. Is it an expense I need to worry about today? Probably not. This is a brand new instrument. Even if the Gibson pots are better than the Epiphone pots, why jump the gun? Same with the switches and the knobs. If they're new and free of issues, I'd leave them alone. The pickups, bridge, tailpiece and tuner are where I'd start if I wanted to gently upgrade, at a price I could absorb over time.

But that's if I were obsessive about bridging the gap between this and a Gibson. As it is, I love this guitar as-is. For my purposes, it plays great. Any money I could spend FrankenGrading it up - one Gibson accessory at a time - is money I could spend on a better amp. In the meantime, it plays great AS-IS. Beginners would love this guitar but I also know professional musicians who would grab it and run for gigs where they don't want to show up with a $ Gibson and trust the venue. I'm not saying it's the best guitar on the planet, just that it plays way better than expected for a sub-$guitar.

This was my first guitar, and I'm very satisfied with it. It sounds exactly the way I wanted it to and I can play everything from the Rolling Stones to Megadeth no problem. Even though it's not marketed as a "shredding" guitar like a Jackson or Ibanez it still works fine for both shredding and rhythm playing.

I was surprised at how legit this sounded. I can get all the Les Paul tones out of it running through a small Yamaha amp. Mine was set up right out of the box. Fretboard in great shape.

The title say it all except the body is Strat thickness. Which for a Strat-aholic like me justifies this 'wonderkin'

I needed to set it up (fret buzz) but I love this thing. I am a beginner and having a great time with this guitar. The guitar collection has begun.

Side note I am extremely happy with the way Sweetwater packages their shipments unlike the other companies, which shall remain nameless.

The sound on this guitar is so great! I love the different ways you can change the tone. It even sounds great through my small amp.

Love this guitar! The sound is excellent, you would think it is a thousand-dollar axe. Compared to the high dollar Les Paul I would rank it a 9.5 out of 10. the three-way toggle switch allows you to either have the bridge, or the next pick up on or both of them on, giving you a whole field of sound options. The neck is straight and plays easily right out of the box, I didn't even have to lower ethe string action. The finish is flawless. And the price can't be beaten.

I have to start by saying I ordered this and the 1st one came in with a cracked neck but there was NO issue getting it swapped out and the guys and gals at Sweetwater did an amazing job getting me a replacement out quick!!, Once the new one arrived it was a just a matter of getting it tuned and plugging it in to MGX 30 watt Marshall Amp and the sound is AMAZING!! the sustain is way better than I expected for a $ Les Paul, I play a lot of Heavy Metal and 80s Hairband music, I am in love with this guitar, it sounds just as good if not better than my PLUS TOP PRO Les Paul that cost twice as much!! if you're skeptical of buying this I'm here to tell you, just buy and you won't be disappointed!!

I'm so glad I got the cherry heritage sunburst. You can see the beautiful wood grain from what appears to be at least a maple vernier. I know that's not adversed.I have a black one so obviously you can't see the wood underneath. This one, the cherry sunburst, looks fantastic. Way better than the black. I cant put it down. Awesome guitar. Need more colors. Quilty Verniers please.

I wasn't sure what to expect from a $ guitar but I was very surprised when I opened the box! The fit and finish was excellent, the fret ends were smooth and finished, tuners were very smooth, the switches and pots felt good, the pickups sounded very good! The action was a little high, but that's easily adjusted, overall this is a great guitar!

Like many, I immediately saw "Les Paul" and got excited although it is an Epiphone with Les Paul body. I have never owned an Epiphone until now. Where have I been??? I am a very picky guitarist and I cannot find ANYTHING wrong with this guitar. It chords and plays well and it is pretty much set up for you right down to atoning. THAT is quality service. I have 6 electric 6 stringers and love them all but I now have a new favorite! The one and only problem I have with it is SO HARD to put down! I would give her 6 stars if I could! Awesome guitar! WELL worth the price and a lot more!

Amazing guitar at a great price, I definitely recommend.

Absolutely beautiful guitar and sounds as good as it looks! I love it! Sweetwaters customer service is the best.

This this is the bomb. It is a very quality guitar especially for the price. It sounds very very good too. I would say my biggest problem is the tuners. They really aren't the best, but you can change them real easy. Just buy it. You will not be disappointed.

I had never owned an Epiphone product before purchasing this, nor had I played one for any significant amount of time. Of course I hadn't owned a Les Paul either. A friend of mine had let me play his Les Paul for a day or two so I decided I had to have one. I didn't wanna blow the bank up so to speak, so I looked at the less expensive Epiphone Les Paul Studio LT.

This now is my go to electric guitar. Sweetwater did a fantastic job of setting it up -- all I had to do was tune it up and off I went. I own several other guitars (Fender Strat and Gibson SG among them) and this guitar plays better than all of them, for well less than 1/2 the cost (actually a lot more depending on the model).

I know there are mods you can make to this guitar (at least from what I've read) but I'm happy with it the way it is. The only thing I've done to it was add a pick guard. With all that said, I'm not as demanding as many are. I just want something that I don't have to fight with, isn't overly expensive, and sounds good. This guitar meets all that quite easily.

I'm a new player, and had a Fender Squire that I was learning with. Decided to get another affordable guitar, one with humbuckers to test out the differences. I have to say my Fender is feeling left out. I have not put this down since arrival.

It was delivered with great packaging, and I waited my 24 hours before opening (torture, but worth it). I the the look and sound of the guitar. Once I get better, I may look at a higher end one, but I'm thrilled with the purchase. Sweetwater is there every step of the way as well, as little or as much as you want to use them.

I'll always be a Sweetwater customer.

Guitar is very nice....

For several years now I've trusted the advice/knowledge of my rep, Patrick Weaver. He's never once failed me, or steered me down a wrong path. I recently purchased the Epiphone Les Paul Studio LT - Heritage Cherry Sunburst, and couldn't be more pleased with this latest item, which also included the Orange Crush 20 1x8" 20-watt Combo Amp - Black. Here's my story, for better or worse: I and a couple of close friends formed a "garage band" back in the early "Beatles/English Invasion" in the mid 1960s. We were all self-taught, and at first we sucked. After a year or so we morphed into a decent band, with me on guitar, and my buddies on bass and drums. We even cut a record which was played in three Southern states; that was quite a thrill for a trio of mid-teens. Our cover of "For Your Love" topped the Yardbirds's version, with me playing a hard-rock lead in place of their original slow-tempo break/chorus. Blew them away! Other covers followed, and we seemed on our way.
Cut to a year or so in the future. The war in Vietnam loomed. Our drummer (eldest of the group) was drafted. I joined the Marines after high school (age 17) to get my military obligation out of the way. Our bassist got married after getting his girlfriend pregnant. Our plan was to get back together ASAP and set the music world on its heels after regrouping.
Well, alas and alack -- things didn't work out as planned (do they ever?). Our drummer married during his stint in the USAF; I was severely wounded in combat; our bass player sprouted a couple of kids (soon adding up to four). Instead of regrouping and setting the Rock World on fire, LIFE caught up to us and dealt us a dirty hand.
I turned to playing (mostly finger picking) folk/soft rock on a Gibson acoustic 12-string, along with our bassist who took up rhythm on a 6-string. Our drummer went on to a successful career in insurance. Our dreams of taking the R&R world by storm quickly fizzled. LIFE trumped our dreams.
So, for nearly 50 years I was content writing songs on my acoustic 12 (and many other guitars--a result of a severe case of G-A-S), and playing the occasional gig. After many years I began to develop a bit of arthritis in my hands/fingers. I decided I would once again explore the world of electric guitar. After conferring with Patrick Weaver, I decided on the aforementioned equipment. I couldn't be more pleased as I once again delved into learning lead/rhythm guitar on my new equipment. The pleasure lives on, even though the dreams of long ago have simmered into the pool of the past. I'm enjoying a Renaissance of half-century dreams as I become a legend in my own (feeble?) mind.
So many thanks are due to Patrick for steering me back to the joys of quality-sounding electric guitar rocking, with an emphasis on the blues (mostly stemming from my love of acoustic "Delta" and other style blues). I couldn't be more pleased with the suggestion Patrick Weaver offered. AND -- as usual-- Sweetwater has proven to be the best source of quality gear and unsurpassed customer service "out there" in the vast world of Musicdom. Give them a try. You won't be sorry dealing with the best company and staff available!

--Michael

I wanted a Les Paul but I couldn"t spend more than $300 on one on my budget. I also wanted an Epiphone because my Explorer Of 15+ years pick ups died and I figured to get a really good set of pickups and have them installed by someone else (I"m honestly afraid to saulder) that I"d be better off getting a new guitar completely. I shopped around and the places I looked at where out of stock and my local store doesn"t sell Epiphone (only Fender) so luckily I found the LP Studio LT. + It came in the color I was looking for. They offered a really good price plan that made it easier for my bi weekly budget. It came way sooner than expected for free shipping. I know some people said theirs came with fret buzz and grounding issues, but mine sounds just fine. Obviously it didn"t come tuned and I might get new chunkier strings for metal songs. But that"s a $10 purchase fix. The knobs come labeled which is great for someone like me who forgets which ones are which, although aesthetically that might piss some people off who find it childish. I tuned it (took 5 minutes on my pc) and plugged it into my computer interface, loaded my daw (Reaper) and selected the grind machine amp simulator for metal tones . Works like a charm. No problems. I"m gonna play at a local open mic soon. Couldn"t have asked for a better guitar for the price.

I too was going to get the Ibanez GAX30, but, I wanted to jam!! Ordered this instead and glad I did! Sound is great, doesn't need constant tuning. And, it was shipped overnight, ordered it Friday afternoon, got it Saturday afternoon!! No chips, scratches, very satisfied but, mostly hyped!! Thanks Sweetwater!!

One of the finest hunks of wood I have had the pleasure of playing. Highly recommend this unit to anyone. And recommend Sweetwater to everyone

This guitar is a very nice starter guitar or jamming with your buddies . Fit finish was good. I did put a set of Epiphone probuckers wire wire harness and pots I had left over for another mid. It will growl . I like it.

For my first electric guitar it sounds and looks amazing.

I love to buy cheap guitars and have seen a lot of crap over the years. This is not crap. There are subtle differences though. The neck is bolted on instead of glued. The fret wires were put on after the binding, but the edges don't stick out too much and they're at least ground down smooth. The pickups are ceramic, but they sound good. The electronics are okay. The volume knobs work as expected and the selector switch feels solid, but the tone knobs don't seem to affect the sound at all. Otherwise this is classic LP - no coil split or active circuit. It is a good looking guitar too. The pictures don't really do it justice.

Love how this guitar looks and sounds u definitely get what you pay for and lots more and the only downside I had with this is that mine had a tiny bit of fret buzz not a huge deal but just something mine had

The guitar came in a bad box, crushed on the end and I returned it promptly and received a new one in a couple days. Sweetwater was great. The guitar played poorly after I tuned it and I put a lighter gauge set of strings on and started from scratch. If you lower the action and raise the pickup height and set the intonation by moving the individual bridge adjusters forward or back you can make this cheap guitar sound pretty sweet! It went from crap to great in about 30 minutes of time.

Good guitar for the money. Strings weren't tight and very loose out of box, it needed tuning and intonation was a little bit off, but no big deal. I also have an Ibanez in the $450 range and if I had to do it again I'd go with another one of those though. It's an excellent product for the money though, well built, good looking guitar that sounds good.

Can not beat this for the money. Only issue I see is it needs a professional set up. Strings are a bit high on the fretboard.

4th one in over 30 years. Busted switch and strap button

Several problems with this guitar. the fret wires stick out on both sides of neck, not smooth at all. three strings buzz on the frets near the nut, which I had to fix by shimming up the nut until I can replace it with a slightly taller nut, and the guitar doesn't hold tune well at all. Was a gift for my grandson so I wasn't aware of the problems until recently when I visited and played it.