Epiphone Elitist Les Paul Standard Plus Guitar Review

There are all sorts of Les Paul copies floating around on the guitar market today. Some are geared toward beginners simply looking for the looks, others are for mid level players who are looking for the looks and sound of a real Les Paul, and then a select few are about as close as it gets to the real thing without taking out a second mortgage. The Epiphone Elitist Les Paul Standard Plus is one of those in the last category. Let's take a closer look to see just what makes it so special.

Features: The body of the Elitist Les Paul is made of two separate woods. The back is made of flamed mahogany, and the top is made of flamed hard maple. When first laying eyes on this guitar, it has all the beauty of the legendary Gibson made Les Paul. The neck of the guitar is one piece, and is set into the body at the sixteenth fret. The fact that the set part of the neck extends so far makes it very durable and reliable. The fretboard of the Epiphone Elitist Les Paul is made of rosewood, and has twenty two frets with Mother of Pearl inlays. The tuning heads on the headstock are Grover brand, keeping the strings in tune in all situations. All of the hardware, including the pickup covers and Tune-O-Matic bridge, are made of nickel. This is the only Les Paul copy that has the genuine nickel hardware. Electronically, the Elitist Les Paul has two volume and two control knobs with a three way selector switch. Also, there is a 50SR USA humbucker pickup in the neck position and a 60ST USA humbucker in the bridge position.

Playability: If you've ever had the fortunate circumstance of playing a real Gibson Les Paul, the Epiphone Elitist is very close. It's god a good body weight, a beautifully smooth set neck, and great action right out of the factory. The only inhibiting factor I've found, which is common among all higher end Les Pauls, is that the neck is set so far in, limiting high fret access a bit. In this case, it's a matter of sacrificing a little comfort for durability.

Sound: The fact that all of the electronics on the Epiphone Elitist Les Paul Standard Plus are made in the USA makes it a gem among LP copies. Also, every one of these guitars gets first hand touches by luthier quality experts before leaving the assembly line. These factors make for nothing short of the real, genuine Les Paul tone. It's got the thick rhythm crunch and bright treble highs that separate the LP from other guitars.

Overall: For professional musicians, or just serious ones with deep pockets, the Epiphone Elitist Les Paul Standard is the ultimate Les Paul copy. It has all the features that have made the authentic Les Paul a legend, and is very sturdy in order to hold up to studio and gigging conditions. You can find this guitar in music store for around $1,150.