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I'm going to start this by saying even if you aren't a Tool fan, this is probably the Les Paul for you if you like to play a bit on the heavier side. This is a wonderful lead guitar, but probably an even better rhythm guitar. The three-piece maple neck is going to be stronger than a mahogany neck. The ebony fretboard is smoother than rosewood (or laurel and pau ferro) and feels as good as a maple board. The actual mother of pearl inlays are incredible to look at. The custombucker in the neck is a wonderful pickup - it's going to be difficult to find a better traditional humbucker. The aesthetics of a silverburst are a sight to behold - the metallic paint dances in the light. The neck plays great - nice and thin, but not an Ibanez. The weight of this model is substantial, but not overbearing. And despite their appearance, the tuners work great, feel great, and the only reason to replace them would be if you prefer locking tuners. The pots turn smoothly without static, and the three-way switch is acceptable. The fretwork is equal to most $3000 guitars out there. The biggest downside to this guitar was the thing I thought I'd like the most, the Duncan Distortion in the bridge. You'll never be able to get a truly clean sound without turning down the volume on the bridge. However, the tone of it when you go to a distorted channel is mesmerizing, and I understand why it's so loved. Playing in the middle position, I found that I typically dislike it on Les Pauls, but on this one, it's the most usable I've come across. The case is also really nice - probably one of the best I've had included with a guitar. If you love Tool, this is a far better purchase than the Gibson Adam Jones Standard Les Paul. If you love silverburst Customs, this is the one. I'm really pleased with this purchase.

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Verified Purchaser zZounds has verified that this reviewer purchased this specific product from us.

I am not a Tool fan, but I have always been interested in having a 79 or 80 LP silverburst, but they are heavy and expensive. This is neither. I love it. Arrived swiftly well packaged in the hard case. The case is just like the one I had for a 86 Gibson SG years ago. I know you won't believe me but it came out of the box well set up and intonated. The A was slightly barely off but that was it. The guitar is gorgeous. The real mother of pearl inlays makes a huge difference. Seeing it on it's stand in the sun and the inlays shining like they're illuminated from the inside was the wow factor for me on this purchase. The finish is stunning and the gloss is very comfortable the play. I have never had ebony frets before and wow. They are smooth and easy to play. The Gibson style headstock is just the cherry on the cake. Everything about this guitar looks fantastic. The bindings give it a great look.The two pickups are very different, each with it's own sound. Playing both can be interesting. The neck pickup is more traditional sounding with a lot of nice low end. The Duncan is HOT. It is a sound of it's own. Can be heavy and scratchy and noisy even all at once. I was playing some of my own riffs and there were gargles and blurps and screeches I had never heard on my Les Paul classic. Another thing about the pickups is how many sounds you can get from them. One thing it did for me was solve a problem with some of my songs. I prefer fuzz and have a great pedal and amp for it, but some riffs didn't come through right so I would user an overdrive for those and I am not a huge fan of OD. I want heavy fuzz. Anyway, by playing between both pickups for most songs and just the Duncan pick up for those riffs that need to cut thru better I never need to change dirt pedals. On my other LP the bridge pickup isn't weighty enough for me to do it this way. With this Seymour Duncan it is. On top of all of that is the value. Zzounds makes it easy and interest free to purchase incredible guitars like this, and Epiphone has knocked it out of the park providing a great mix of features and value. It comes with a Gibson pickup and a super hot after market pickup and a hard case. Fit and finish is high quality. Electronics are great. Feel and playability is great. It looks and sounds like a Gibson. Adam Jones fan or not, Les Paul fans will enjoy this guitar for what it is. I cannot stop playing and listening to it. It is all that.

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I am a huge Silverburst and Norlin era fan.This is an incredible guitar and a awesome Norlin tribute. This is closer to a 1979 lpc then anything Gibson offers. The14° headstock angle is on par with Norlin as well as a marvelous voluteThe neck profile, a Customerbucker and Duncan distortion still the show. The neck is similar to the art series, albeit thinner by a few mm. (On par with my 61 SG. A thin, wide rounded c) seems like more time went into shaping and rounding the neck.After a setup, it played as well as my Gibson Lp tribute, only I like the neck feel better. It absolutely holds its own, but you can smell the difference.QC was top notch.The tuners and bridge need upgrades, imo. A thanks to Schaller m6 tuners and Gotoh Nashville bridge. At 10.32 lbs, I adore this instrument. Epiphone has done a great job. Between the art series and this, you do feel the difference in cost. It feels, and you can see the difference. So much, much more hands on time went in. Very clean, no tooling marks. No sharp frets. Although, I'm not the biggest fan of epiphone fret wire, but it will do just fine. Once it gets to point of needing a recrown, just get it re-fretted, my plan anyhow.It is worth it, and I would buy it again.Cheers Epiphone!

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I'm not a real gearhead so you'll have to read the stats. but this is an incredible guitar. I have it on its stand sitting next to me and it's nearly impossible not to keep picking it up. it sounds incredible. Adam Jones said something to the effect that people who say"it's not the guitar, it's the player" are full of s##t. I'm not some virtuoso who can make a $100 guitar sound great. this guitar is worth every penny. everything about it rocks. I just can't convey how playable and beautiful and inspiring it is. I'm so glad I spent the money.

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I have the V O.B's art guitar and it's nice. This is not that guitar. Completely different neck profile and honestly a much better feel. This does not have that epiphone feel like the art guitars do. This is the closest to Gibson Epi has ever gotten. the headstock is no longer 14* its 17* just like Gibson. These new IGC guitars are what we have been waiting for. They are not over priced, they are a value for what you get. The same fretwire, nut and the USA line with Custom shop electronics. Thank you Cesar-