Compared: Epiphone & Inspired By Gibson Custom Les Paul Custom

[@Pejter-tt3me]

These guitars are a big step forward, the only thing I'm waiting for now is a new collection of Slash guitars with an open book headstock: Anaconda, Vermillion, Brazilian, November, Victoria, Jessica, BlackBeauty, in all the characteristic Slash editions, this is my dream :D Slash's previous collection was great, now it's time for a new one! guitars with a case included, without unnecessary "epiphone inspired by gibson" inscriptions and preferably with a replaceable truss rod cover like in Gibsons.

[@kerpoise]

It's NEVER about how they sound. It's about how they FEEL to play. It's about the quality of the workmanship for action, rolled edges, fit and finish. If you're comparing sound, you're just comparing pickups - which is a totally different question "Do these $350 pups sound better than these $200 pups, well, yes they do. A bit. Sort of". But if you're buying a guitar for that reason alone, buy the cheap one and upgrade the pups.

[@toolittle7204]

I own an epi custom and a two Gibson customs, this is the only thing that matters - epiphone has a skinnier nut width, skinner neck width, much skinnier neck profile, closer string spacing, bridge spacing, poly finish and the feel that goes with it, thinner body, different frets, different nut cut at different height etc etc etc. If you just want the same sound, buy a harley bento for 1/4 and throw the pickups in there. No correlation between sound+price at all, but they feel worlds apart

[@AaronMcConkey]

I love and appreciate this take! Thanks for putting me back on the right course.

[@MRPERFECT_79]

IF ITS NOT ABOUT HOW THEY SOUND GO PLAY THE CLARINET. OR THE FLUTE. OR THE SKIN FLUTE

[@Gholdwayne]

Correct 👌 I want a guitar to be lively when I play em with good fretwork! If I don't like the pickups, it's an easy swap 👍

[@kerpoise]

@@MRPERFECT_79 go buy a Gibson Les Paul standard for 2k, then buy an Epiphone for 500. Swap the pups. Then do a blind test, get your mate to play plugged in to your setup, and you listen blindfolded . And tell us which is the 'better' sounding guitar. I guarantee it will be the Epiphone. Now do the same, but YOU play the guitar. You'll feel differently about the sound as you can feel the resonance better through your body with the Gibson, the frets feel nicer to play. All of that contributes to the EXPERIENCE of playing a guitar. Now, tell us which you prefer. Playing a guitar is about the whole experience. Not just the sound it makes. It's the sound you FEEL in your body, it's the friction when moving up and down the neck, it's the well dressed frets that feels silky smooth when sliding, and it's the knowledge that someone not a machine, carved this guitar with care and attention to detail. Flute players would say the same, the noise and instrument makes is only part of the experience that makes it feel special.

[@stephenmassie7]

Love the open book headstock a little better than the Kalamazoo headstock

[@atomicrocker]

Much better.

[@mr3klax]

I have one in Alpine White. And I like it. A lot. For me, everything about it is great. I am taking it to my luthier next week for a pro setup and fret dress. In the meantime, I took off the covers and checked out the parts. Mine has Gibson USA 490R and 498T pickups, CTS pots, Mallory caps and Switchcraft switch and output jack. I was pleased to find that the cavities were super clean and painted white. The wirings were neatly soldered and nicely tucked. I am very happy with this guitar. So impressed that I purchased the IGC 1959 ES-355 in Ebony within a couple of weeks later.

[@mr3klax]

@@ecr8044 Thanks for your comment. I did not really have to. But, I like his work. He does a good job at what he does. It’s also my way of helping him out as he has a child to support.

[@4stringz.]

Been playing Epiphone Les Pauls since i was a kid. Love em

[@FoodFolksandGuns]

0:43 not always the case. Mine came with Wilkinson tuners

[@Nightwinflyer]

I have a 2005 Epi LP Custom in white I picked up used for $350. It must have had a fret level and crown. It has been my main recording guitar lately. The best cleans come from a high gain amp with middle position pickups and volume turned down on the guitar.

[@batphink2655]

I had an Epi Les Paul Custom in Heritage Cherry red Sunburst and regret getting rid of it I preferred my Pro-Bucker pickup to my actual Gibson Classic /57 in my 1960 Les Paul Tribute ,just saying both excellent guitars for the money.

[@Zoso981]

I bought the Epiphone Les Paul Custom Adam Jones "Veil of Bees". It quickly became my #1 player. Next is the Epiphone Les Paul Custom in Ebony. There's just something special about a Custom...

[@charlesrocks]

Those Epiphone inspired by Gibson custom guitars are so good. I love them and prefer them over the regular Epiphone Les Pauls

[@LeopoldShitzalot]

Epiphone was restored to premium by JC Curliegh back in 2019/2020...

[@MoeVanprick]

​@@LeopoldShitzalotyep JC did.many of us waited since 1976 that's when Norlin deliberately ruined epiphone JC Curliegh Restored Epiphone back to where they should have always been in 2019 into 2020

[@jimjim7008]

I played both and preferred the regular Epiphone custom by slight margin though. I would personally get the regular Epiphone custom and save up for the holy grail

[@SteveAdiMundi]

⁠@@MoeVanprick@leopoldshitzalot so, are both of these profiles run by AJ Richetti?

[@MoeVanprick]

@SteveAdiMundi get a life buddy maybe someday you'll be able to afford Epiphones or Gibson I have both.. you're annoying and have zero credibility you must have voted for Kamala Harris 🤣😅🤣😅🤣😅🤣

[@Tonskiislegit]

These new Epiphones are killer! Love em!

[@chrisCANguitar]

Man, Epiphone has been cranking out killer stuff. Just bought a Epiphone Les Paul JR, tobacco burst. Love it. ❤❤❤

[@gab.lab.martins]

I honestly don’t care about the pickups and electronics, because I *always* swap them for Duncan pups and Liberator pot. Nothing against the Epi stock stuff, it’s just something I do to all my instruments. What I care about is the other components, how the guitar plays, and how it looks. I’m definitely watching the Epi Custom series, because I’ve always wanted a Gibson LP, but could never afford one.

[@philiprourke7732]

I recently bought the cheaper of the two epiphone les paul models,brand new, chose the ebony colour, beautiful guitar. Yes it does have cts pots, but they mustn't be the good ones, because they are basically all the way up or all the way off with virtual no graduation, plus both valume pots crackle and make noise when I use them. This is the thing that is disappointing about the guitar for me. Ive ordered replacement pickups, pots, switch and capacitors with a pre made wiring harness from a high quality maker here in Australia. Im happy with how the guitar feels to play though

[@mr3klax]

These Inspired by Gibson Custom Les Paul Custom have been in back order for quite some time now at Sweetwater. Just placed my order today (my second IGC LP Custom and my 6th Epiphone Les Paul). I was told that the October and November shipments are already sold.

[@WhiteSlash_Guitars]

This guitar was my dream guitar color when I was a teenager. I was about to buy the new one, then I heard 50s round neck and I was like : "oh, nevermind". I guess I'll have to buy the "cheaper" version to have the 60s slimtaper neck !

[@nicktoris]

This 50s rounded is not fat at all...its the same depth but in C shape the non Cs is D

[@giorgipiorgi]

50s is nicer than 60s imo

[@mrjo575]

I have one in black. It is surprising that the neck doesn't feel chunky at all. It feels smaller than my Gibson Les Paul Classic

[@RobCabreraCh]

I really like these. The black one looks great! It is a the perfect canvas for some high end upgrades.

[@stevenbuckley4433]

They would sell more guitars if they named them Gibson. Not sure why they don’t as Gibson owns Epiphone. Just do what PRS does they have SE and CE models. I know it’s just a name but….

[@DushtYantr]

Then Gibson can't sell their actual Gibsons for that high value, since it's a calculated scam.

[@TheGuitarKing101]

This definitely reminds me of Randy Rhoads. I love white guitars, and this just screams heavy metal

[@christopherkann9255]

Don't forget the middle pickup position when you do demos

[@stewarttomkinson3356]

My choice

[@ds97853]

The position no one has ever used?

[@Releasethebats123]

@@ds97853people use the middle all the time, including myself. It cuts the inductance in half and makes it twangier on clean tones.

[@edibranmunoz5355]

Hello! Does the Gibson inspired one come in left handed as well???

[@rick1450]

I bought the Custom Pro Koa top. I'm very happy with it.

[@stephenzimmerman5517]

I bought one of the inspired by Gibson Koa Top LP's too! Love it!

[@DAIEDRO]

What was the name of the demo he played?

[@NANA-ht7gl]

What ever it's called it sucked big-time 😂

[@migionie]

That scond epi custom sounds AWESOME!!! I have a Epiphone ustom Les Paul from 1996 with a very small neck, it's not that 60's slim taper C, it must be something else. Almost like one of those super small Jackson ones from the 80's. I love it!

[@Klabautermann1968]

I love the Epiphone concept. I have a les paul standard (with special humbuckers from a professional guitarist) and flying-v korina handcrafted in china. both guitars are very good for me.

[@artorwhat]

Old 0:46 New 2:13

[@andrewbecker3700]

I still don't understand the naming of the different series. And don't believe anyone else does either? None of it makes the slightest bit of sense. If you have an Inspired By Gibson line already, why is a "custom" extention of it needed? Especially when there was already Customshop Collaboration models out already. It just seems like contrived mumbo jumbo that only confuses people more. You could take half the extra words out of the descriptions, and make it simple to decipher. Instead, nobody I've seen yet, can get it right. And you have to make a video like this to try'n explain it? Bad idea. Let it fall to the wayside. Stop dividing and subdivding all the models into numerous different series. The guitars are great. The marketing, not as much.

[@michaelc2334]

So I've played both. They sound better and more importantly, the inspired by Gibson feel much MUCH better.

[@aarontkacheve4595]

Gibson pickups always have that low end woody bark that pretty much no other lea Paul style guitar can do. The only other LP I’ve heard that gets close (budget instrument wise) is the Vintage V100PGM. That’s a personal opinion though, I’d definitely love to hear if there are others (especially budget ones) that do it well though!

[@j2kjohnnyb]

I would have bought the inspired by gibson custom model if it came in wine red

[@killerdude35]

Just get the Jerry Cantrell "Wino" Epiphone Custom. Spec wise, it's pretty similar to the Inspired By Gibson model (except the headstock).

[@j.jester7821]

no offense, but that playing demo sounds terrible.

[@cazziebb1707]

My thoughts exactly. Surprised nobody else mentions this. The worst player for Gibson.

[@watchtonystube]

A few months ago I just got the 2022 alpine white Epi LP custom for $649 brand new out the door no tax. Mainly wanted to have a decent guitar for jammin’ with my E-flat tuning homies; and I’ve always wanted a Gibson LP custom with the pearl split diamond headstock inlay. Went a lil crazy on this one So after the $649 I put in gold keystone Grover locking tuners, gold knobs, gold/gold DiMarzio super distortion in the bridge, white Steve Morse with gold posts in the neck, stew Mac push/pull CTS full wire kit etc, swapped the volume/tone positions so the bridge volume /tone controls are closer to the pickup, the thing screams. …then I see the 2024 with the legit Gibson headstock. Lol …all I wanted was the damn headstock haha. But for the price, I spent less than the 2024 and its completely customized now 😂 …I woulda just got the damn 2024 with the case 😅

[@stewarttomkinson3356]

I got two sets of them pro buckers from Epiphone put them in an SG and les Paul copy the bomb

[@Murphy_R9]

Brown ebony?

[@Pulse2AM]

Looks like rosewood to me.

[@renmad0078]

I never understand why in such demo you play a distorted sound directly ? But I'm sorry i can't take any decision like this. I need first to listen the guitar unpluged to ear how it resonate. Second i pluged in an amp with a very clean sound and test all the positions of the pick up. And at least i pust a very few over drive to ear how the pick up react like this. And at the end i will push more drive. And i will do the same with each guitar step by step passing form one to the other. Then after all this i could say witch one i prefer. I' m sorry but this time your video only serve me to see the new head of the new epiphone that's all. 👍😉

[@sonofromel]

I like the kalamazoo headstock better. Just my preference.

[@booshting3520]

Nope

[@sonofromel]

@@booshting3520 well that's your preference.

[@booshting3520]

@@sonofromel Nope, it's what belongs on a Les Paul

[@sonofromel]

@@booshting3520 nah. Still that's your preference 🤣

[@booshting3520]

@@sonofromel It's the preference of the designer too 😆

[@Soleroguitar]

I love my Epiphone LP Custom Ebony 2024 Model

[@Yettibuhayat]

i hate 50 style necks, its so thick, 60 style is better for me

[@beefysinglecut]

Where's the Gibson Custom Inspired's made from? with that price it should be made in USA tho or at least Japan.

[@tagadabrothersband]

If they were made in the USA, they would cost about the same as a Gibson Les Paul Custom (over €5,000). Look at the prices of Epiphone US models like the Casino: it's around 4 times more expensive than the Chinese model.

[@beefysinglecut]

​​@@tagadabrothersband okay, so which country then? I remember if Epiphone Japan had same "open book" headstock shape too like that IGC. So, Made in Japan or Made in Korea will be good. But if it's made in China, I guess it probably would feels like a crap.

[@deathmetallongsleeve]

​@@beefysinglecut They are made in China, they want $1000 for a chinese factory guitar

[@beefysinglecut]

@@deathmetallongsleeve Dang! I ever tried a made in China Ib*n*z FRM100 and honestly, it feels like a toy. With that price I would prefer Schecter or a secondhand Fender Japan. Idk how about the feels of these flagship Epiphone guitars. But with that price should've a good playability and also a good build-quality. Those prices are equals to Japan-made guitars tho.

[@mammoth123.]

looking at a Gibson Les Paul custom @ 9199.00 + tax Also Epiphone Les Paul custom @ 1299.00 plus tax ...Hum which way do I go??

[@THESESSIONROOM]

Why do these get real M.O.P fretboard inlays but my 5000 dollar standard has pearloid fretboard inlays? Wtf?

[@CrazyKnkb]

5000 USD standard? What are you smoking?

[@Coppercustomz]

Been wondering that question for 30+ years😂😂

[@CrazyKnkb]

@@Coppercustomz you’ve been wondering for 30+ years why a model that came out a few months ago has real MOP? Put down the pipe son.

[@jonabarca9228]

That wasn't the original poster. Put your pipe down for good booma

[@FrankBuyers...guitarista-iu3zg]

I have 3 2021 high end Epiphones wouldn't have it any other way

[@booshting3520]

Translation. You couldn't afford it any other way 😅

[@benedekgabor.]

@@booshting3520Why? If you add up the prices of the three Epiphones, he could’ve bought a Gibson.

[@kkrsnn5632]

YES

[@ShreDDDer323]

Lol dinesh had to put on his glasses lol

[@aaronlewis2150]

Put on Epiphone inspired by Gibson with a falcon open book headstock is just f****** what the Gibson should cost. Is there a f****** saying f*** you to the consumer by selling them the same guitar but only f****** they charged twice into three times as much for the Gibson

[@modestturtle8236]

Id buy a cream color

[@killerdude35]

Have you seen the "black back" Epi LP custom? It's exclusive to Guitar Center and one other outlet (either Zzounds or Musicians Friend). It's black on the back and cream on the front. It kind of reminds me of Mike Ronson's old Les Paul.

[@j.jester7821]

would love to hear a demo clean and without the deep gouging picking.

[@albertogalvezpardo]

Me duelen los ojos, no hay nada más cutre que herrajes dorados en una guitarra.

[@tagadabrothersband]

El herrajes ha sido dorado en la Les Paul Custom desde 1954. Si crees que es cutre, entonces compra otro modelo.

[@guitarandotherthings6090]

The tone demos are always bad and amateur sounding.

[@Tony78432]

What exactly are you expecting to hear? Most people are gonna play rock riffs on these things.

[@guitarandotherthings6090]

@@Tony78432 i expect more than mindless powerchords and one scale

[@Tony78432]

@@guitarandotherthings6090 can you give an example?

[@NANA-ht7gl]

For real this guy is horrible I just watched him demo a gibson SJ-200 are you kidding me he had no business playing that guitar gibson needs to do better like hire an actual pro/ skilled guitar player

[@guitarandotherthings6090]

@@NANA-ht7gl Just hire Greg Koch, problem solved.

[@pauljohnson3686]

I got the new custom shop epiphone lp custom in ebony... It feels, plays and sounds amazing... It is 100% worth the price tag to get at least 85% of the real deal... I doubt I will ever go back to the cheaper epiphone version again... The new ones rock..

[@ds97853]

It's worth the price difference just so you don't have to play that shitty 60s slim taper neck. Worst neck profile OF ALL time. And the custom shop does sound better.

[@badmen1550]

I have the one with the slim taper neck (Kalamazoo headstock, small diamond). Great guitar, aside from that thin ass neck. Exactly who does that appeal to? I’ve never played a Gibson LP, of any variety, with a neck that thin.

[@DavidOakesMusic]

This guy looks 15 and 51 at the same time 😆

[@NANA-ht7gl]

He plays like he's 15

[@liuziyu8487]

I dont care about the headstock, 1300 usd for a poly finish is outragous

[@trevor4533]

To be fair, Getting a nitro finished guitar brand new for $1300 is pretty difficult in this day and age. Regardless of brand/country of origin. Even Fender uses poly on most of their American made guitars.

[@NotMe-hm2zd]

What bullshit! The case is optional? What a sick way to say you’re paying another 200 if you want a case

[@XX-pd4qb]

I still hate truss rod covers!!!!!

[@2k2u18]

돈은 가져다 바칠테니 이 모델 물량이나 풀어줘..

[@glim-o1v]

はうまっち

[@tluckbrown]

Epiphany headstocks have been hideous for decades. I love the redesign, but why are they $400 more than the previous version? Capitalism at its worst.

[@bigtorrisi]

Dont get fooled by the glossy video, its all chinese s**t. Its Gibson or nothing.

[@onbedoeldekut1515]

I'm disabled, so they're probably both out of my price range.

[@chrisCANguitar]

@@clovergrass9439 bruah?….

[@jonabarca9228]

Hawktuah?

[@jimtastic7076]

would it really of been that hard to of found somebody that can actually play guitar to do the demo. that dude sounded like a dude who just picked up a guitar for the very first time. bad for the ears, man.

[@Newbomb_Turks_Punch]

They can change the headstock all they want, it’s still a sh!t made guitar. Made in China, poor quality control where they cut corners to save money. The dual action truss rods in the neck make it a Knightmare to keep tune. My advice, buy LTD instead.

[@rickrevoir1683]

Buy American. Support American manufacturing. Or buy Chinese asso !!

[@jeremystone2658]

American manufacturing is dead 😂

[@Myfingersstinklikefish]

I won't buy them unless they have the proper Kalamazoo headstock back on them that Gibson Headstock needs to go

[@LeopoldShitzalot]

Agreed

[@Metalviking18]

They still have those

[@SteveAdiMundi]

Lol

[@Craig52-zq1bt]

NEITHER. 1930s designs with clumsy and awkward controls, heavy, fat necks . Such a joke. So many better guitars, better ergonomics that play and sound better.