The Epiphone Les Pauls are generally considered to be slightly lower quality copies of original Gibson guitars. The Epiphone guitar company was originally taken over in the 1950’s by Gibson and immediately started producing copies of Gibson guitars made from more easily acquired and cheaper woods. They also had less of the handmade features that Gibson les paul guitars have, so sold for a cheaper price. As an example they produced an entry level or beginners guitar called the Les Paul Special II which retails at about $170 it is made from a base common wood with a thin veneered cover and a bolt on neck, it also does not have the bindings and dot inlays complete with simplified electronics, however is a completely functional, playable and good sounding electric guitar.
One of the most famous versions of the Epiphone is the Epiphone Casino which is very similar to the Gibson ES-330. The Beatles and Oasis were some of the famous bands who included the Epiphone Casino in their collection. The sound quality from The Epiphone Casino is second to none thanks to the hollow backed frame. The materials used for this classic guitar include mahogany, rosewood, and maple and the pickups are Gibson P-90. The bridge is a Bigsby and is fixed.
