Epiphone Black Beauty Electric Guitar

...end of the models that Epiphone can produce, both in looks and tone. I totally fell for this guitar, with it's beautiful deep black laquer, cream edging and three gold covered pickups before I'd even laid a finger on it.

Now for the specifications:

Mahogany/alder body and top
Fitted mahogany neck with a rosewood fingerboard
Block inlays
22 frets
2 volume and 2 tone controls
3 way pickup ...
...than half the price. I have a mate with a music shop who can't get hold of one of these from Epiphone so he's badgering me for mine. Needless to say, he's more chance of knitting fog than getting it.




  ... more

First thing to say is that I absolutely adore this guitar. I've only been playing a few years but in that time I've had a lot of guitars in my hands and this is one of the few that I've been unable to let go of.

Unmistakably a Les Paul Custom in shape (and weight), this lies at the top end of the models that Epiphone can produce, both in looks and tone. I totally fell for this guitar, with it's beautiful deep black laquer, cream edging and three gold covered pickups before I'd even laid a finger on it.

Now for the specifications:

Mahogany/alder body and top
Fitted mahogany neck with a rosewood fingerboard
Block inlays
22 frets
2 volume and 2 tone controls
3 way pickup switch
3 Gibson designed humbuckers.
Gold hardware.
Triple cream binding,
Headstock diamond inlay

Like I said, I love everything about the guitar, even it's weight. It might be a bit of a backbreaker, but I play sat down most of the time anyway, and it all adds up to giving it great sustain. The neck is typical Les Paul too, nice and fat. I realise this might not be to everyones taste but it seems to suit me fine.

The pickups are good, particularly the neck (rhythm) which has a lovely, creamy mellow tone for those moments when I like to kid myself I can play like Slash. If I'm honest I rarely use the middle pickup setting (or the middle pickup) as it doesn't seem to add a great deal to the party, although it does make this guitar look so pretty.

You get a great range of tones from this guitar from Blues to AC/DC style rock to Guns n Roses right through to punk. Clean tones are also very good.

For the price you'd have to go a long way to try and beat this guitar for looks, sound or build quality. Ok, it's not a true Gibson, but it runs it a close second for less than half the price. I have a mate with a music shop who can't get hold of one of these from Epiphone so he's badgering me for mine. Needless to say, he's more chance of knitting fog than getting it.

 

...less