Guitar Tricks Insider June/July Edition | Page 62

GEAR REVIEW Les Paul Standard PlusTop PRO electric guitar Review By Dave Celentano STREET PRICE $549 I n the kingdom of electric guitars Gibson’s Les Paul Standard continues their long reign of sitting on the throne. For either work or pleasure, the womanly-shaped body design is one of the most recognizable and identifiable guitars. The mania began in the ’60s when blues rockers Eric Clapton, Michael Bloomfield, and Peter Green coaxed heavenly tones from their Standards. From that point on the demand for these fine instruments exploded. But for many, finding an affordable one was an entirely different story. Fortunately Gibson’s little brother company, Epiphone, did the guitar community a big favor when they released faithful replications of the classic burst Les Paul featuring AAA tops and finishes inspired by ’50s era models – all for a price that won’t leave you crying the blues. Epiphone’s Les Paul Standard PlusTop PRO looks and feels amazing while the curly maple tops would make Slash do a double-take. Aside from the Epiphonestyle headstock, you’d be hard pressed to find any visual differences. 62 DIGITAL EDITION JUNE/JULY