All user reviews for the Epiphone Les Paul Special II

Bought used (barely played) for about 300$.

I like the pickups, they i give off a nice sound and i like the look.

Awful craftsmanship, especially in the neck. When played, the necks rattles. Also there is glue on the fret board that is used to put in the inlays and the glue around every damn inlay. The knob on the pickup switch broke as well.

If I took the mexicans who cut my lawn, and gave them wood, metal and tools, they could make a better guitar than this factory built guitar.

It will probably fall apart on you. Buy a Telecaster, its cheaper and better made. Don't think that I dont like Epiphone, becuase I have an Epiphone acoustic that i love. Epiphone can do better than this.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

This was my first electric guitar, i got it about 2 years ago. I paid £130 (UK) which i reckon was a steal

This is a cool guitar. I got the cherry sunburst model and it looks dead cool. It sounds great too through my marshall amp. I reckon they must leave the open coil pickups on the winder overnight or something coz mine are sooo powerful, my friend has seymour duncans on his guitar and we both reckon mine are better than his, they are certainly louder. I like the way they distort the clean sound at loud volumes, it sounds really cool.

A few cut corners, but thats to be expected to get a guitar less than £150. eg, the strap buttons work themselves loose. They way to fix that though is to unscrew them, pour superglue down the hole and screm em back up again. I did that and they havent come loose since. Also the input jack comes loose from time to time, just the nut that keeps it in, but you can just tighten that its no big deal.
The main thing i dont like (this probably happens with all les pauls) is that the neck strap button is positioned in such a way that when you have the strap at its longest, it just wants to pop out all the time, you need a strap lock or whatever.

The construction aint great, but it aint awful. The screws come loose and stuff but you can just glue them in like i said up there. I have dropped it once or twice by mistake but this caused no problems so its quite sturdy. Its made in korea so... but what do you expect for £130?

Id recommend this guitar over any guitar in the price range to any beginner. The opposition is awfull for this prive of electric guitar.Its tonnes better than any of those crappy squires - damn i hate those things. And i have heard bad things about the yamaha 112's. Definitely, if thats all you have to spend, get this guitar, they rock!

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

well.. i got this guitar about 6 months ago, bought it at "music city" ny for $200 new came with a 15 watt marshall amp (i was a beginner at this stage). This was one of the cheapest LP's i could get my hands on (the other LP's were way too expensive the special editions were the cheapest LP's) but i have allways wanted to get a LP so i went for this one.

Nothing

This guitar is awfull! Firstly the volume and tone controls and the tone switcher are cheaply put on as mine have allready been replaced.... The sound is horrible and does not really give the true LP effect! The fretboard has been poorly made. The guitar is very heavey. The guitar breaks easily (i have allready broke the neck). The shape of the guitar is nothing like the proper LP's.

I have allready explained this in the other box.

If your going to buy a cheap LP do not buy the Special 1! my friend owns a Special II and i find that much better than this guitar so if you are going to purchase a cheap LP buy the Special II. If you can afford to buy a much more expensive LP i would go for the classics e.g. LP Standard that actually look and sound like LP's!

Overall i find this guitar absolutely awfull epiphone should not even have made this guitar! and i will soon be replacing it.. well it was my fault for purchasing a cheap LP i should of saved up for a more expensive one. The special Edition 1 is a disgrace to the LP's

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I bought this guitar from the Hamilton Rockshop in New Zealand for NZ$400. In my a opinion, this is a damn bargain for a high quality guitar made (sort of) by Gibson.



The Special II has great pickups that are pretty powerful for a reasonably cheap guitar.The two humbuckers are like little bars of gold, and produce excellent tone and volume. The tone and volume controls are big, sturdy and idiot proof so even a blind one armed monkey could work them. While playing through a Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal I found that playing with the volume knob allows you to shape the distortion from sharp and cutting to a gentle fuzz. The body is well balanced and has plenty of sustain, along with a sturdy neck and rosewood fingerboard.



There are two main problems with this guitar. The first and formost, there is no whammy bar! Nooo! But Gibson/Epiphone aren't known for having many Solid Body Electrics with tremolo. The other problem is the placement of the selector switch. Right in between the volume and tone pots. If you do alot of pickup changing (Mr Gilmour, Mr Morello) then you are sure to hit the volume control whilst switching.



With a solid Maple/Alder body, this guitar rocks for sustain.The neck is solid Mahogony with a Rosewood Fingerboard that has standard dot inlays.There are two Open Coil Humbuckers and no binding.Basically an affordable Les Paul with only one volume, one tone and no pickguard.



This is a great guitar at a great price. There is no fiddly battery changing no retunig every five minutes and no gold hardware that will look like shunt in a few years time. All up a great guitar whether you are a beginner or expert, and will handle anything from Muddy Waters to Marilyn Manson to Pantera... The list could go on forever! If you want an awesome guitar for a few bucks, get this.



This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Epiphone is one of those guitar companies that basically mimics what ever Gibson guitars put out. At the phone as a whole line of models and series guitars that basically near everything that the Gibson guitar stand for and sounds like. This is a Gibson Les Paul type guitar with a different name attached to the headstock. Is a very cool looking guitar because it has a great vintage looking paint job. It really gives off that organic vintage vibe just from the paint job alone. It does carry to come back or pick ups like you would see in any other a Gibson Les Paul guitar as well as the volume control mob and tone control knob.


UTILIZATION

Epiphone Les Paul Special II Features:

Color: Vintage Sunburst
Left-handed
Body Wood: Mahogany
Neck Wood: Mahogany
Neck Profile: Bolt-on, 1-11/16" nut
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Position Markers: Dot inlays
Scale length: 24 3/4"
Number of Frets: 22
Pickups: 2-Open Coil humbuckers
Controls: 2 volume, 2 tone
Pickup Switching: 3-way selector
Hardware: Chrome
Bridge/Tailpiece: Stopbar

SOUNDS

This is a very inexpensive guitar overall because it is the junior version of the LP series and Epiphone model series. Basically what that means at this guitar is one of the lower models of the Epiphone model spectrum. Although it does have a great tone and it creates a sounds that is inviting and more importantly is that you're not really going to break the budget when buying this guitar. The great thing about it is that it still features all of the wood combinations that you would get any other Gibson Les Paul instrument. This is very cool guitar for the money and it should be noted that it doesn't take a lot of money to get a great tone and this is one of those guitars that can do it very well.


OVERALL OPINION

At new you can find these guitars for one around $180. That is a steal of a price for what you're getting with his guitar. If you've ever wanted that classic Gibson Les Paul sound and you don't want to break the budget and this is probably the best option that you're ever going to fine. This is such a great sounding guitar for under $200 that it almost is a no-brainer to pick up if you are on a budget or even if you have the money but don't want to spend too much getting a particular Les Paul sound. Overall this is a great guitar and for the price is doesn't get much better than this.

The Epiphone Les Paul Special II is the lowest level LP copy made by Epiphone and is a decent ax for anyone looking to get into the Gibson feel but not pay for the higher level Epiphone or Gibson versions. It features a mahogany body, a bolt on mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard with 22 frets, a tune-o-matic/stopbar setup bridge wise, standard tuners, and a pair of OEM Epiphone humbuckers wired to a volume, a tone and a toggle switch. Pretty much a standard Les Paul as far as features go, but with the slimmed down electronics compliment and of course the cheaper bolt on construction. It also has a flat top as opposed to the carved one on the higher end models.

UTILIZATION

The ergonomics of this guitar really are nothing special to me. It's of a medium weight and seems to feel pretty LP esque when you strap it on your shoulders. That being said the bolt on construction doesn't feel right to me, and I'm not a fan of that style of construction on a Gibson type guitar. The upper fret access isn't bad but I can't really comment on it too much because it really isn't really all that remarkable or unremarkable. Getting a good tone out of this guitar isn't really a priority... the pickups are not great and honestly it's the type of guitar someone would get who doesn't focus on the sound, but rather just wants a basic set of clean and maybe distorted tones.

SOUNDS

The tones out of this guitar aren't particularly great to me. The bolt on construction combined with the cheaper pickups/electronics really makes for a fairly unremarkable sounding guitar to my ears. The clean sounds are pretty flat and not dynamic enough, and the drive sounds are pretty muddy and lacking in clarity. It's not really worth upgrading the electronics in this one either, so it's really the type of guitar you'd just use to learn on or if you want to play really loud, aggressive punk rock and don't care about the tones.

OVERALL OPINION

All in all I think this guitar is not really all that special. It offers a way to get into the Les Paul shape and feel for not a lot of money, but the quality isn't great, and the tones really don't represent the great tones of the real Gibson models. For about $200 new it's not a great deal, but you can get them for less used. It's in the same class as the Squier Affinities and such as far as quality... they have the shape and name but may not live up to them...

Epiphone is one of those guitar manufactures that basically builds exactly what Gibson already makes but does it more conveniently and cheaper and for budgeted musicians. Most of their instruments are basically the lesser version of the more popular and more heavily used professional instruments from Gibson guitars. This guitar is basically a knock off or a budgeted version of the Les Paul vintage instrument. They carried pretty much all the same features as far as the wood, the combination of volume and tone control knobs, as well as the two humbucker system. It's basically exactly like a Les Paul, but he just doesn't have that extra oommph that a Gibson Les Paul guitar carries.

UTILIZATION


Epiphone Les Paul Special II Features:

Color: Vintage Sunburst
Body Wood: Mahogany
Neck Wood: Mahogany
Neck Profile: Bolt-on, 1-11/16" nut
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Position Markers: Dot inlays
Scale length: 24 3/4"
Number of Frets: 22
Pickups: 2-Open Coil humbuckers
Controls: 2 volume, 2 tone
Pickup Switching: 3-way selector
Hardware: Chrome
Bridge/Tailpiece: Stopbar

SOUNDS


This guitar features mahogany wood in the body and neck. When you immediately grab this guitar you can feel how cheap and inexpensive the guitar is built. You can easily feel that the workmanship and that this guitar is not quite to the standards of a normal LP guitar. However, all of the tones and the general voicing is very similar and familiar to Les Paul guitar. So if you're running this guitar in combination with a clean amplifier then it's not really going to be that nice of a sparkly tone much like a Gibson Les Paul guitar. But if you're running any high gain or even medium gain setting and you're really going to feel how well this guitar performs in a more rock pop in metal typesetting.

OVERALL OPINION


These guitars are pretty inexpensive and you can find them for right around $200 online and in many guitar retailers around the world. This is a fairly inexpensive instrument and if you're not in the market for a real Gibson Les Paul then this is a decent alternative for under $200. This is also a guitar for someone who might be learning the guitar and you don't want to spend a whole lot of money just learning whether or not you even want to be a musician.

Guitar-Asian (PC?)
-22 Boxes, two pickups epiphone unknown
-Tune-o-matic
-2 Potentiometers (volume and tone) and 3-position selector (all very weak ... as in many models epiphone!)
Bolt-very poor mechanical

UTILIZATION

-Handle relatively pleasant, I must say that is! probably better than the sleeves gibson! it seems that for this model of end epiphone wanted to avoid the stick "tree trunk"
-Access to disastrous highs ... worse than a "real" les paul!
Ergonomics: there's no mystery, despite the low price level weight is a real les paul is heavy as a dead donkey (lighter than a real say this!), Not two as ergonomic , has hurt ratings and breaks his face when playing seated, has hurt his back when playing standing up ...
-The settings are simple and classic, two potentiometers, a selector ...

SOUNDS

-I had when I was playing on a park 10W, and my faith, for beginners it's pretty decent, but nothing more ... one can find much better for the price (Yamaha, Cort, or the epiphone a little more expensive ...)
Disto-in, with its hideous micro serious, its very acute way with the microphone. its clear, the opposite

OVERALL OPINION

I've used has just one year ... Now it into individual parts, I customization to pass the time
-The price is good for this guitar: hard to find a lowest price! the consideration being, one might expect, it's a guitar (very) very average, even for the range of between ...
-With experience, I would do not have that choice, and I would probably choose one or more certainly a squier yamaha

Manufactured in Korea
22 frets, 2 humbuckers
Tune-o-matic
1 volume, 1 tone
3 position selector
Bolt

UTILIZATION

Channel pleasant
access to acute "limit" box past the 17th
heavy guitar, but I love the shape, as well as assi standing I find it fairly well balanced
the sound is moderately flexible, only a volume and a potentiometer

SOUNDS

Suitable for what I want to play (blues and metal)
I use a Behringer VTone (amp modeling)

OVERALL OPINION

I've had two months
I like its shape and color (black), I regret the quality of less than mediocre mechanical
good value, € 211 it's cheap
I think I would do this choice, I do not want to have a Strat bcp as people around me

Korean made Epiphone has 24 frets that settled on the rosewood fingerboard them even settled on a Bolt-on Saddle
2 microphones hambucking (humbucker)
A Tune-O-Matic at the tipical paul
it aperoit two pots (volume and tone and a 3 position pickups selector
The fittings are chrome

UTILIZATION

The neck is fast and enjoyable Access in acute trs ais Les paul Oblige. assi as standing (Of ​​course, inch too low)
This is the Epiphone vrment trs aisaiment the weight is relatively light and well distributed
And the sound is clear and relatively cheap in the saturation is almost excelente
But this remains a low rev range and the gibson is expected trs (except my wallet)

SOUNDS

Paul's bonds, this is really Epiphone Ultra versatile, from jazz to BB King to Trash Metal Slayer has, through the good little rock to radiohead
I use a Laney TF300 With a Boss Flanger II level for the clear and distortion I use a DOD Death Metal which gives me a killer sound
But again, I expect the Gibson
one that will improve its already widely satisfesant

OVERALL OPINION

I for 2 years now and despite trying to be innombrabre other low-end and even some middle class I am always satisfied.
I remind you again that this is a low-end but the ratio quality price is really impressive
With my limited experience I would do without this choice Siter

Made in Asia (Korea, ...)
22 frets, 2 pickups epiphone hunbucker
bridge: tune-o-matic
total volume treble switch / both / rhytm
works very nice, good speed, not too big

UTILIZATION

Handle very nice, fits comfortably in your hand, neither too broad nor too EPAI, not commensurate with the huge sleeves of his big sisters gibson.

well, it's a les paul, so access to the treble is not very easy from the 17th fret which does not stop me from doing solos until the 22nd boxes without twisting my wrist

les paul shape is great, the guitar does not sting the nose. this guitar is playable as well at the ankles on the chest. agree, it weighs quite heavy (but what does he put in?) but with a good strap positioned on the shoulder, I have to play three hours standing without pain.

This is a beginner guitar, so we branch on a rope clip and oh miracle, a sound! there are only two knobs for volume and drive a pickup selector and its use is very simple.

SOUNDS

I play everything that is pop / rock of the 90s: oasis, stereophonics, which both use the les paul. This guitar is well suited to this style of music but his repertoire is much broader, nor jazz, nor did the hard scary.
This is a beginners guitar so it is not very typical but very versatile.

I play on a 15-watt behringer amp with a distortion pedal / overdrive and a chorus behringer behringer. the guiatre suffers all the effects very well.

amp behringer does not fully appreciate the capabilities of the guitar. But I tried it on a kustom amp and I must admit that the sound clean and pretty, pretty clear and sounds pretty lens. In overdrive, it's a little winded, the microphones were a bit hard to follow but the result is correct, especially by setting out the knobs.
in clean 9 / 10
in overdrive 7 / 10

OVERALL OPINION

It's been a year since I have my Les Paul Special II and everything works very well.

Its main strength and its price, super affordable for a epiphone, and versatility. For a guitarist who does not know his style, this guitar can do everything without any problems (it still prefer rock to metal).
I tried a lot of guitar first before buying prices but most came from private label, known for making guitars in "boxes". Squier and Yamaha make some nice offers but no strat not beat a good old les paul.

the price / quality ratio is the real advantage of this guitar. A epiphone for less than 200 euros is a bargain especially since the quality is by appointment (but do not expect either the quality and the sound of a gibson 10 times more expensive).

if I will be restarted tomorrow, I will not hesitate, I bought that guitar for its price and versatility.

- Guitar manufactures in korea (c which is marked above)
- 22 frets, 2 humbucker epiphone
- Tune-o-matic
- 1 tone, 1 volume, 3-position switch
- Handle the type-paul pleasant and relatively late for a guitar that looks like a les paul

UTILIZATION

- Nice round
- Access to acute blah ... but hey c a normal set neck ...
- Ergonomics and a nice almost-c paul in a lightweight
- G were surprised by the clean sound by c super saturated and it defends itself not bad.
- Is easily obtained a good sound.

SOUNDS

- Suits my style of music
- I play a Peavy rage 158 and a korg a1500G
- I'll just say this guitar responds very well to my needs and it is quite versatile. certainly not as much K'un strata, but there is a significant difference taken.
- For the blues this guitar is really not a lot against the metal c not his favorite, although it spits kan mm not too bad in full.

OVERALL OPINION

I have used it for about a year
"I likes the color (mine is cherry sunburst .. lol) and the sound is really very acceptable for a guitar of this price.
-Biensur I tried many other but I bought it just for fun. It cost me € 100 and I have about as much a jme'm so tempted ... lol
I do it again this election especially since I plan to change it a bit and g do not want to tamper with a guitar expensive. Here c any purchase if you are a beginner or you have not ke a huge budget is really nice.

Guitar made in Korea
two humbuckers
a knob for tone and volume
a toggle switch 3 positions
handle varnished, screwed rosewood fingerboard with 22 frets back in points
Tune-o-matic
apartheid the body is mahogany, I will discuss later ...
the quality of wood does not look even when terrible, especially the one of the key that is frankly bof, the mics are the most low-end epiphone ...
mcaniques are not the oil bath, we spend our time to connect, that ds attack the strings a bit much.

UTILIZATION

The guitar is heavy trs! I have borrowed twice a girlfriend for RPTES, I regretted the borrower.
So, the guitar is heavy trs, no concept of ergonomics (no dcoupe the back of the guitar) no bevel, but hey, did when ^ MITHE same part of the les paul.
trs guitar badly RULES (action too high, pickups too, so that the del 17me of the box, the strings touch the pads of the mics)
the handle is not dsagrable, but it lacks dsrieu in its finish, not too big, it is not too tired playing it.
varnish (varnish peiture + black) on the back of the handle does not impede too much for the solos, and Access in acute easier than a les paul standard grace the box under grazing, we get relatively easily dernires boxes of the handle. Of course it's not an Ibanez RG, but still playable.
knobs and switches rather cheap, the knobs are too progressive, particularly the tone knob which cuts only the treble!
if not, I note that on which I had jou must have three years, but the frets taient comic pa oxidation, the bridge and the pickups too, all the screws of the same ...

SOUNDS

I used a metal band, a group of grunge, and I had the opportunity to play the AC / DC as above.
the microphones are dcevants has drool all over, the distortion is Afreux, the sound has no depth, it's just a shapeless pulp in distortion, while the mics saturate themselves in the clear ...
the palm mutes are woefully flat, gives a small crrrr crrrr ridiculous, in a riff mlodique rajoutent noise no more.
the nuances of the game are not well transcribed, and the mics are screaming that ds is in the treble.
try on a Marshall Valvestate 50w, a randall lampes100w, and a Fender Frontman 212R, with boss ds1, ds2, mt2, and a digitech death metal (trying in vain to find the right sound with) nothing.

OVERALL OPINION

Used for two RPTES, and a night he is only the look of this guitar that would make me buy it, to the limit of COD by MODELS equivalents cort report (SERIES zn) at the price, it does not make the weight, I have a hard couraging this kind of guitars are ... even an ibanez exr170 sopnne better when she is agathis!
good, the report qualitprix, I would say we are not even for money, the low-end Japanese brands is much better.
I believe that no guitarist who has tried other guitars can not make a choice like that, but can be for the look, but even the quality of the wood would not make an upgrade of mics or daccastillage profitable.

For specifications: see previous posts.

I put 7 because for a guitar at this price I think it is more than OK!

UTILIZATION

I find it enjoyable to play guitar trs (compared to Berhinger I had before buying the Les Paul), access to acute course is good if you do not try to play on 22 fret course!
For me the ergonomics of the guitar is good, it is a bit heavy but it was more like having a real guitar in his hands! (Not like that feeling of having a toy as a guitar that I had my ac Berhinger!) Over its form, it must be said, great!
The sound is not a problem getting it was the selector 3 positions, we choose the one that easily suits us best, the knob and the sound of the tone we need to mm Submitted!
I put 8 pr trs use is enjoyable and that price is amazing!

SOUNDS

This Epiphone Les Paul entirely suitable to my style of play that goes from pop / rock "commercial" as they say everyone who does not like to have the metal or the rammstein system of a down.
the sound is clear and enjoyable trs saturation is good for beginners, at least the sound seems to me tt is adequate.
I put 7 because it is not the sound of big guitars, but it remains good (and I repeat pr the price should not expect a great sound)

OVERALL OPINION

I play this guitar for about 3 months and I had the tps to make me a good opinion.
I chose first pr shape that I like and then compare to others because I've tried in the store is the one that was doing the best ds this price range ! (I found it well liked in white but ...)
Level compared qualitprix I find good because trs pr guitarists mowing (like me) this guitar is timely!

AC I think the experience I did not choose as 2nd uitare but as head pemiere!