Epiphone Origins and Gibson Acquisition
Epiphone began as the House of Stathopoulo in New York in 1873, initially building mandolins and later archtop guitars under the Epiphone name from 1928. Gibson acquired the brand in 1957 after Epiphone ceased operations, using the name for student-grade instruments through the 1960s and 1970s.
Les Paul Model Introduction
Epiphone reintroduced Les Paul-style guitars in the late 1980s with the Korean-made Inspired by Gibson series, followed by the 1990s Les Paul Standard and Custom models produced in Korea and later China. These instruments adopted the same 24.75-inch scale, neck profile, and humbucker placement as the Gibson originals while using more affordable hardware and finishes.
Notable Players and Evolution
Artists such as Paul Weller, Noel Gallagher, and the Edge have performed with Epiphone Les Pauls on major tours, while modern variants like the 2020s Inspired by Gibson and Prophecy series added coil-tapping and Floyd Rose options. Production shifted emphasis toward Indonesian facilities in the 2010s for improved quality control at lower price points.
