The Gibson Les Paul is the other half of the electric guitar world. Where the Strat is bright and snappy, the Les Paul is thick, warm, and sustains for days. There is a reason it has been the choice of everyone from Jimmy Page to Slash.
The Les Paul Standard is the flagship — used prices range from $1,200-$2,500 depending on year and condition. The Les Paul Studio strips away the binding and fancy finishes but keeps the same pickups, electronics, and tone — expect $600-$1,000 used. The Les Paul Custom adds gold hardware, multi-ply binding, and ebony fretboard — $1,800-$4,000 used.
Epiphone Les Paul Standards are the budget alternative, made in Asia with Gibson-designed pickups. Used prices are $200-$450 and they offer 85% of the Gibson tone at 25% of the price. The Epiphone Les Paul Custom and 1959 Standard reissues are particularly impressive.
The most important thing to check on any Les Paul is the headstock. Gibson's angled headstock design is notoriously fragile — a fall can crack it clean off. A repaired headstock reduces value by 40-60%, even if the repair is invisible.
Weight matters with Les Pauls. Standard weight is 9-10 lbs, but some can weigh 11+ lbs — that is a lot for a 3-hour gig. Gibson introduced "weight-relieved" and "chambered" bodies to address this. Test the weight before buying.
