Epiphone Les Paul Standard Limited Edition 1959 - THE ULTIMATE REVIEW!

Marko reviews the 2023 Epiphone Limited Edition 1959 Les Paul Standard - is this the ultimate Epiphone to own? Time stamps below:
0:01 Intro & foreword0
0:17 Epiphone arrives, unboxing & first Impressions
15:23 Mics & Amps used for sound test
17:20 Epiphone clean sounds
32:05 Epiphone dirty sounds
44:29 Final thoughts….

[@georgecaplan11]

I have this guitar and play it every day. After one year of ownership I decided to spend the extra money and put Gotoh locking tuners on it and swap the pickups for a JB/59 SD set. No regrets. This is a forever guitar perfect for me.

[@popescusergiu469]

May I ask what gotoh tuners did you put in the epi?

[@Mr3devo3]

I own one of these and it is absolutely amazing. Zero complaints. Plays like a dream . Well worth the money

[@CaptJimDavis]

Due to a mistake in their labeling system at Guitar Center these $999 guitars were listed as $599 for a very short time and by chance I was at the GC when that happened. As soon as I saw that price tag I grabbed one! Brand new with case and all for $599 this was the deal of the decade for me!!!

[@macuse2008]

Indeed that’s amazing. You can still get the lemon drop for 749 on musicians friend. All the other finishes are 999. Not sure how long they will keep that price.

[@phillamoore157]

I love hearing stories like that from Big Box stores, given how they've imploded over the decades. It's like hearing about a customer who somehow benefited from a banking error, and made $1000, after how banks have treated people over the decades. Glad you got the steal of a lifetime!

[@richardcalabro1260]

I have this guitar and it is one of my favorites. Out of 37, I play it more than the others. Did my own setup of course, but NO problem with the frets. Great guitar!

[@tonyb9864]

I love my '59!! Don't want to change anything about it.

[@adamwatson6916]

I have 4 of these and they are great. I put custombuckers in 2 of them and they sound even better.

[@mattlau]

Just tried this in store and it's amazing. Feels great, looks awesome and great value. The new Custom has the upgraded pickups and the new headstock, but they are now putting this on sale...

[@tgyoungblood2]

Recently purchased a 2020 Epi '59 in mint condition &, yes, the frets need a little work but otherwise the setup is great. Oh, bought it for $650 US. I may switch out the pickups later on but I'm pretty happy with the sound the Burstbuckers put out. I enjoyed your review and I'm not saying your wrong in your final analysis, just that I'm very satisfied with cost vs quality.

[@SilverParatrooper]

I traded a strat for one if these in the Lemon Burst. The guy said he bought it from Guitar Center and played it 2 times. I opened the case yesterday and yeah man it was virtually unplayed. It feels great and I’m beyond impressed at the fit and finish of it.

[@TheChristafershawn]

After a couple of years of considering this guitar, I finally picked one up. Always thought that I wasn’t a Les Paul kind of guy, but I’m actually really impressed with this guitar. The only thing that mine needed was some relief in the trust rod. Frets are fine. I think the pick ups actually sound really good but of course all that is subjective and depends on the amp you’re playing it through. Every guitar is different I know but mine really has some incredible sustain and I guess that’s what all the fuss is about when it comes to Les Paul’s. Also, I got an exclusive finish version for 850 bucks new and it’s definitely well worth it.

[@PipesMcDougal]

Awesome guitar!

[@NickSchneiderChannel]

Bro off the cuff, the review of classic rock on the clean channel is stupendous

[@Worlds_Worst_Guitarist]

Mine has perfect frets right out of the box, and even the Setup was exactly to Gibson Custom Shop Specs. Although i needed to set it up to MY taste still.

[@Ian-bq7gp]

A Gordon Smith Les Paul type guitar will be really well made with a great set up. You can also order to your own spec from the factory who make their own unique high quality pickups and they have a brass nut and are great value for money and my mate who is a very good player said in the early 1980s that he preferred them to Gibson or fender . They were taken over from the original Gordon Smith and are a small bespoke type maker in the UK. I do however like epiphone and have an old Korean made EB0 bass which I'm impressed with for £60.

[@Tilbily]

Came here to look at a guitar, stayed for the guitar and the awesome playing.

[@jperryfan]

Funny how most people switch out the Pickups! I agree and might opt for 57 Classics or Slash Alnicos.. Never a Burstbucker fan. Put Slash alnico's in my SG & love them.

[@jamnee]

It has been a really difficult choice between this guitar and the PRS SE single cut McCarty 594 electric guitar for me. This video has made my decision to buy the Epiphone Limited Edition 1959 Les Paul Standard much easier by really getting into the different sounds this guitar makes. Thank you!

[@poodleguiderpeyes7388]

I have the '59 & the 594 SE(double cut) and they are both nice. It's hard to believe the price for these guitars compared to the USA models.Can't go wrong with either.

[@albertarmen4839]

Agreed the "Nigel" is really a great way to go. Find a nice Trad and put money into that. The tops on many Trads are just insane and you get the real thing. The downside is typically the increase in weight say vs a RI.

[@billcrabtree8700]

Any idea what tradbuckers sound like? There’s a Les Paul Traditional Pro V out there, not sure if that’s the same as the guitar you’re talking about. Thanks!

[@jsbobek]

Had that Epiphone and compared it to my Traditional with Lindy Fralin Pure PAFs (under wound)…the Epiphone paled and went back! Got the recent USA 50’s Standard, that went back too. Used the refund money and got a 2023 R8, I’m happy now! Strange thing is they both weigh the same at 8.6 pounds! A coworker that has a couple of CS guitars said, “once you have one, there’s no going back.” I now understand why. Thank you for doing these videos!

[@robertclarkguitar]

Beautiful ❤

[@THEVATICANTS]

FOR THE FULL GIBSON vs EPIPHONE ULTIMATE REVIEW CLICK HERE: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hGGTlGWhgNqWZ6M Also: Correction in the review, I said the Epiphone binding isn't real - it is in fact, I misspoke as I was thinking of PRS that has "fake binding" by just not painting over that portion of the wood. Thnx for watching! ;)

[@jackogle5913]

Back in Jan 2022 I spent over 4 hours going back & forth between every Gibson LP in the store and this Epi 59 Std LP and kept coming back to the Epi. I was prepared to spend around $2k but just felt like this Epi sounded as good (sometimes better) than all the Gibson LPs. Ended up paying $827 w/tax. Took it to my luthier for a $175 setup including fret dressing and it feels/plays/sounds incredible. I oiled the Indian Laurel with some Dunlop Fretboard 65 oil and it looks fantastic. It's my favorite to play of all my guitars. I'm curious as to what caps you said you'd upgrade to. Thanks for the review!

[@THEVATICANTS]

I would put in Orange Caps, hands down, and some awesome pick ups and this guitar will scream (and fix frets)

[@christianmatute636]

@@THEVATICANTSI replaced my orange drops with the same Mallory’s. They’re as close as you can get without doing PIO and consistency is more important imo nowadays

[@jperryfan]

Caps are fine. I would consider 57 Classic or Slash Alnico pickups though.

[@williamdesmarais4931]

Waiting for mine to come in. I have original 1950s bumblebees and plan on a set of duncan antiquities. This combo was heavenly in my 1985 Burny when I had it.

[@MrKenrwi]

I have had so many Gibsons, a dozen Les Paul’s. The EPI is incredible value, buy the higher end EPI Paul’s with Gibson PUP’S. Spend a little on the frets maybe a PLEK if you can afford it and keep it for life.

[@jeffreytackett8773]

Hey man very interesting video, I have a cherry burst 59 epi myself seems to be a good guitar well except for the frets down the neck lol , thanks for the video man, hey vat or anyone else, are the old bill Lawrence circuit board pickups good pickup's ? Just wondering if anyone had any info on them , thanks alot. Btw learned some things bout the guitars, I just let a 2015 Les Paul go, call the guy

[@jeffreytackett8773]

At gibson and he said it wasn't a reissue so got me outta heart got my money back though, was a beautiful guitar though,had lifton case and all

[@michaelbalser7447]

As an Epiphone enthusiast I think for the money the 59 Epi is the better buy!

[@ricknagy1639]

The binding is not painted on. It's just got a heavier poly finish than a Gibson.

[@soulstalgiarecords77740]

That there guitar is my definition of wifey. And by the way, your playing is definitely 'complimentalable' I tell ya.

[@monmixer]

You can still buy these new for 999 USD or 899 for the cherry burst. I have no idea why they just raised the price on the dark burst 100 bux.

[@boscorios7727]

Which song plays at 23:50 ?

[@THEVATICANTS]

Some classical piece I learned 30 years ago, dot even know the name sadly.

[@phillamoore157]

This guitar reminds me of the Tribute Plus Epiphone made at one point that had 57 Classics in them. I could eat my own liver for not picking one of those up at the time. I had just started playing, and thought all Epiphones were made like that. Now you can't even get a Gibson with 57 Classics in them (as far as I know)! But, I digress... Was the muddiness I hear on the distortion from the amount of gain you had dialed up, or is that really as much clarity and bite those pickups have??? That would be a big turn-off, if so. That said, this looks like a great value. I guess the question is.... Is this the best value guitar (in this realm) for the money??? *You hit the nail on the head. If you're going to spend $200 in setup, then another $300 in pickups, then now you're in Gibson territory.....especially, if you don't mind buying "used". *

[@andrewmunro8971]

Got this and for the money it’s awesome. In guitar shop it was better than a similar Gibson. Hence why Epiphone have my cash.

[@chadwilliams8583]

The binding shouldn't be painted on.everyone Epi I've seen has had real binding.are they doing that now?

[@davidmurray9193]

Why do people compare them to a real Gibson? Headstock says it all, I go by playability, and have schechters, fenders one Gibson, some Harley Bentons and a few epiphones.......which I bought because they feel nice to play. Love my 59 ltd and my blue Tommy Thayer they rock

[@SnuSlavin]

NO STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN!....Party on

[@NickSchneiderChannel]

LENNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@sooparticular]

totally agree! for a few bucks more you get a real gibson! epis get em 500 and under. do not pay a penny more

[@PaulOwens-uq8sx]

I don’t think you can buy a 59 Gibson for 1,500 bucks

[@anthonysimpson4999]

The binding is NOT painted on. It’s real binding. The difference is Gibson scrapes their binding with a razor blade. Epiphone does not.

[@sibariba]

Actually Epiphone is the older brother

[@jeffreymiddleton4063]

Gibsonvmoney oent o7ndxas good as epiphonenic blow

[@cnswanson7207]

Lay off the adderall

[@qua7771]

Fedex has been quirky lately.

[@mirkojovanovic3216]

totally agree with your conclusion.that epi les paul is good guitar,but only gibson is good as gibson...period.

[@2309612]

Guitar is great, case is cheap no comparison to Gibson case……..none