Top 12 Les Paul Guitar Brands in 2025

The most popular brands for Les Paul Guitar Includes Epiphone, Gibson, Les Paul, Yamaha, Cort, SX, Heritage, Greco, Tokai, Haze among many others.

1

Epiphone

Popular Brand

Since Epiphone has been manufacturing instruments for almost 140 years, each is produced to the best possible standards. Whatever kind of instrument you're searching for, from the storied Les Paul and SG models to banjos, mandolins, ukuleles, and more, you can find it here. They produce everything, including ukuleles, electric and acoustic guitars. They work hard to retain the feel of their instruments close to their original equivalents while producing reasonably priced instruments.

2

Gibson

Popular Brand
3

Les Paul

Popular Brand

Les Paul is a state-of-the-art foundation established by Les himself as a way to preserve his lifelong contribution to the music industry. The well-known brand aims to inspire aspiring musicians to innovate, create and establish their mark on the musical world with unique music and to explore the various realms of music. The company supports musical education through valuable grants to encourage individuals to work towards their ambitions, harness their creativity, and embrace their authenticity.

4

Yamaha

Best Brand

Yamaha Corporation is an all-time famous Japanese conglomerate that offers various services and products. While it is mainly known for its musical instruments, it also had a line of motorcycles operating under Yamaha Motors. The motorcycle line was established in 1955 and later separated to become an independent company. The parent company was established in 1887 as a manufacturer of reed organs before growing into the powerhouse it is today.

5

Cort

Best Brand

CORT is a leading nationwide furniture rental, staging, and apartment relocation service. Customers rely on them for furniture rental for home, business, and short-term projects. For all of your furniture needs, they provide both short and long-term rentals with various lease durations. With over 45 years of expertise in the furniture rental market, they strive to provide their customers with excellent customer service and competitive leasing choices.

6

SX

Best Brand

Good music can soothe you best even when you are at your worst. If you wish to play some fine tunes on a guitar, why not try SX Guitars? SX Guitars is a renowned brand of guitars from Australia. These guitars are known for their excellent sound quality. The brand has the perfect guitar for everyone, whether a pro or an amateur. SX also produces specially handmade guitars according to customer demands. Or perhaps you want to pick from a standard series. In that case, you can avail the best quality from whichever type you want, whether acoustic, electric, or electro-acoustic.

7

Heritage

Best Brand

Over 15 years have passed since Heritage Distribution first opened its doors for business. Outstanding customer service; they specialize in flooring, fine cabinetry, and appliances. Heritage offers a broad range of flooring goods and services, from building supplies to home decor. Additionally, they provide specially made cabinets, countertops, and appliances for your upcoming remodeling project. Heritage is dedicated to providing exceptional service through its friendly team, industry knowledge, and commitment to client happiness. They have what you need to make it happen, whether looking for the best flooring material for your living room, kitchen, or bathroom.

8

Greco

Best Brand

株式会社 神田商会 - Kanda Shokai Corporation 神田商会は老舗ブランドの「Zemaitis」「Greco」をはじめ「D'Angelico」「Rotosound」「Grover」といった世界の有名ブランドの楽器を取扱います。

9

Tokai

Maintaining the league for quality products in Japan, Tokai manufactures authentic and high-quality electric guitars, acoustics, and basses. The company...

10

Haze

An untuned guitar is as good as listening to a tone-deaf person sing; you can't tolerate it. Haze Guitars take...

11

Epiphone By Gibson

Epiphone is one of the most reputed and trustworthy brands manufacturing musical instruments for the past 140 years. Gibson inspires...

12

J & D Luthiers

Do you also read the product reviews before buying it? Have you developed a habit of reading the news regularly?...

Les Paul Guitar Buying Guide

Les Paul guitars are among the most popular and iconic instruments in the world, appreciated by guitar enthusiasts for their timeless sound, unique design, and reputation for quality. However, choosing the right Les Paul model can be challenging, especially for novice players or those on a budget. In this guide, we will explore the different types of Les Paul guitars, their features, pros and cons, and essential factors to consider when shopping for your dream instrument.

History of Les Paul Guitars

Les Paul guitars were invented in the early 1950s by the legendary musician and innovator Les Paul, who sought to create a solid-bodied electric guitar that could sustain notes for longer and produce a stronger sound than hollow-body guitars of the time. After experimenting with various designs and materials, Paul collaborated with Gibson to produce the first Les Paul model in 1952, which featured a mahogany body, maple top, two P-90 pickups, and a tune-o-matic bridge.

Over the years, Les Paul guitars have undergone multiple changes and variations, with different woods, pickups, hardware, and finishes being introduced to suit changing musical styles and player preferences. However, the essential elements of the Les Paul design, including the single-cutaway shape, the 24.75-inch scale length, and the dual-humbucker pickup configuration, remain largely unchanged and are still revered for their rich tone and sustain.

Types of Les Paul Guitars

There are several variations of Les Paul guitars, each with its own characteristics and intended use. Some of the most common types of Les Paul guitars are:

Standard Les Paul

The Standard Les Paul is the flagship model of the Les Paul lineup, featuring a mahogany body with a maple top, a set mahogany neck with a rosewood fretboard, and dual humbucker pickups. The Standard Les Paul is known for its balanced tone, versatile sound, and elegant styling, and is a popular choice for rock, blues, and jazz players. The Standard Les Paul is also available in different finishes, such as Sunburst, Cherry, or Natural, and with various hardware options, such as chrome, gold, or black.

Les Paul Custom

The Les Paul Custom is a more upscale version of the Standard Les Paul, featuring a solid mahogany body, a maple top with binding, a set mahogany neck with an ebony fretboard, and gold hardware. The Les Paul Custom has a darker and richer tone than the Standard model, thanks to its ebony fretboard, and is often used for heavy rock and metal music. The Les Paul Custom has a distinctive look, with its black body, white binding, and pearl inlays on the headstock and fretboard.

Les Paul Studio

The Les Paul Studio is a stripped-down version of the Les Paul, featuring a plain mahogany or maple body, a set mahogany neck with a rosewood or ebony fretboard, and dual humbucker pickups. The Les Paul Studio is designed for players who want the Les Paul sound and feel but don't need all the frills and cosmetic details of the Standard or Custom models. The Les Paul Studio is often used for recording and gigging, thanks to its simplicity, reliability, and affordability.

Les Paul Junior

The Les Paul Junior is a budget-friendly and minimalist version of the Les Paul, featuring a solid mahogany body or a slab of wood without a maple top, a single P-90 pickup, and a wraparound bridge. The Les Paul Junior has a bright and punchy tone, ideal for rhythm playing and blues, and is often used by beginners and amateurs who want a simple and reliable guitar. However, some professional players also appreciate the Les Paul Junior for its raw and expressive sound and its lightweight construction.

Features to Consider When Buying a Les Paul Guitar

When shopping for a Les Paul guitar, there are several factors to keep in mind, such as:

Tone

The tone of a Les Paul guitar is determined by several factors, such as the woods used for the body, neck, and fingerboard, the pickups, and the hardware. Generally speaking, Les Paul guitars have a warm and fat tone, with plenty of sustain, thanks to their mahogany body and neck, and their dual humbucker pickups. However, the type of maple used for the top can also affect the tone, with figured maple producing a brighter and more complex sound than plain maple. The choice of pickups can also impact the tone, with P-90s being more midrange-focused and aggressive than humbuckers, and PAF-style humbuckers being smoother and more vintage-sounding than modern high-output humbuckers. The choice of hardware, such as the bridge, the tuners, and the pots, can also affect the tone, with all-metal hardware contributing to a brighter and more focused sound than plastic or mixed-metal hardware.

Playability

The playability of a Les Paul guitar is influenced by several factors, such as the neck shape, the fretboard radius, the fret size, and the action. Les Paul guitars typically have a thick and round neck profile, called a '50s or a '60s neck, with more substantial shoulders and a wider nut than modern guitars. The fretboard radius of a Les Paul is usually 12 inches, allowing for comfortable chording and bending, but some models have a flatter or more curved radius to suit different playing styles. The fret size can also vary, with larger frets providing more sustain and easier bending than smaller frets, but also requiring more pressure and finger strength. The action of a Les Paul guitar refers to the distance between the strings and the frets, and can be adjusted with the truss rod and the bridge height. A low action can make playing faster and smoother, but can also cause buzzing or fretting out, while a high action can be more forgiving but can also require more effort and finger fatigue.

Hardware

The hardware of a Les Paul guitar includes the bridge, the tuners, the pickups, the wiring, and the controls. The bridge of a Les Paul is usually a tune-o-matic model, with adjustable saddles for setting the intonation and the string height, and a stopbar tailpiece for locking the strings in place. Some newer Les Paul models may feature a different type of bridge, such as a Floyd Rose or a Bigsby, to allow for more extreme tremolo effects. The tuners of a Les Paul can be either Kluson-style or locking, and can affect the stability and accuracy of tuning, as well as the weight and balance of the guitar. The pickups of a Les Paul are crucial for its sound and can be either P-90, humbucker, or a combination of both, depending on the model. The wiring and the controls of a Les Paul include the pots, the switches, and the jack, and can affect the tonal options and the ease of use of the guitar. Some Les Paul models may feature push-pull or coil-tap switches for splitting the pickups or changing their polarity, as well as phase reversal switches, tone controls, and master volume knobs.

Aesthetics

The aesthetics of a Les Paul guitar refers to its visual appeal, including the finish, the binding, the inlays, and the hardware color. Les Paul guitars are known for their classic and elegant designs, with various finish options, such as Sunburst, Cherry, Black, or Natural, and different binding styles, such as cream, black, or white. Some Les Paul models may feature intricate inlays on the fretboard or the headstock, such as dots, blocks, or stars, and different materials, such as mother-of-pearl, abalone, or acrylic. The hardware color of a Les Paul can also contribute to its appearance, with gold or chrome hardware often conveying a more luxurious and vintage vibe than black or nickel.

Conclusion

Buying a Les Paul guitar can be an exciting and rewarding experience, provided that you do your research and take into account the factors that matter most to you, such as tone, playability, hardware, and aesthetics. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a beginner, there is a Les Paul model that can suit your needs and preferences, from the classic Standard and Custom models to the no-frills Studio and Junior models. When investing in a Les Paul guitar, remember to try out different models and versions, read reviews and forums, and consult with experts or experienced players, to make sure you get the Les Paul of your dreams.

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