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Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard
Epiphone Les Paul Custom
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Playability
72
Sound
73
Build
56
Value
72
Score
67
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Playability
73
Sound
65
Build
57
Value
70
Score
65
FIND IT ON:
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Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard vs Les Paul Custom

Reasons to Get
Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard over Les Paul Custom

Decorative Top
Carved Maple with AAA Flame Maple veneer vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2021 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Alex Lifeson vs 60s Slim Taper
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickup Mods
Multiple vs None
Volume Knobs
3 vs 2
More volume control
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.83'' (21.1mm) vs 0.82'' (20.8mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.94'' (23.9mm) vs 0.93'' (23.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Fixed
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Value Score
72 vs 70
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Epiphone Les Paul Custom over Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard

Neck Profile
60s Slim Taper vs Alex Lifeson
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.82'' (20.8mm) vs 0.83'' (21.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.93'' (23.6mm) vs 0.94'' (23.9mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Fixed vs Floyd Rose
Good sustain and needs no set-up

Other Key Differences
Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard vs Les Paul Custom

Neck Pickup
Epiphone Ceramic Pro vs Epiphone ProBucker 2
Different Neck Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Laurel vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Locking vs NuBone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard vs Les Paul Custom

Bridge Pickup
Epiphone ProBucker 3
Same Bridge Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard is probably the better product overall with its final score of 67 compared to the Epiphone Les Paul Custom's 65 score, although not by a lot.

The Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard wins when it comes to sound, value for the money. On the other hand, the Epiphone Les Paul Custom has the upper hand when it comes to playability, build quality.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Epiphone Les Paul Custom is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Epiphone Les Paul Custom is the better choice.

The Epiphone Les Paul Custom meets 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard meets only 3. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Epiphone Les Paul Custom
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard Overview

  • From Epiphone's 2021 Artist Collection series
  • Alex Lifeson Signature
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Carved Maple with AAA Flame Maple veneer top
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Indian Laurel fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Epiphone ProBucker 3 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Epiphone Ceramic Pro (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 3 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Graph Tech Ghost Tremolo bridge
  • Alex Lifeson Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Epiphone Deluxe with Keystone buttons tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Epiphone Les Paul Custom Overview

  • From Epiphone's 2020 Epiphone Inspired by Gibson series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Epiphone ProBucker 3 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Epiphone ProBucker 2 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Epiphone LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge
  • 60s Slim Taper Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Grover Rotomatic 18:1 tuners
  • Weight between 8.55lbs (3.9kgs) and 9.25lbs (4.2kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Woods Used in the Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard

Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel

There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.

Woods Used in the Epiphone Les Paul Custom

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Winner: Epiphone Les Paul Custom.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HH. Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

Pickups Quality

None of these use a specialized pickup brand for their pickups. Some of the best guitars on the market come with pickups from brands like EMG, Seymour Duncan, DiMarzio, etc. You might want to replace your pickups eventually if you want to get the best sound out of any of these instruments.

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Tie.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Only the Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard comes with some kind of pickup modification: Coil Split, Multi-Voicing.

Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

Multi-Voicing means the pickups come with multiple ''voices'', which means they can change the tone and gain by a simple switch or knob. Piezo, Fishman and similar are considered multi-voicing pickups.

Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard's switch options
Epiphone Les Paul Custom pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Epiphone Les Paul Custom's switch options

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard
Pickups 60
Sustain 70
Versatility 78
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 73
Epiphone Les Paul Custom
Pickups 60
Sustain 75
Versatility 53
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 65

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard compares to the Epiphone Les Paul Custom.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in China.

China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard has a Locking nut. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.

On the other hand, the Epiphone Les Paul Custom comes with a NuBone nut. It's made by the same company that makes TUSQ nuts. It's slightly softer but hard enough to give you a brighter sound when playing open strings. It's also self-lubricating, so it's good for tuning stability.

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

The Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard's brige is a Floyd Rose. This is a double-locking bridge system that allows you to perform techniques like dive bombs and pinch harmonics. The locking nut allows your guitar to stay in tune even after the most intense tremolo usage. The disadvantage is that it takes more work to change the strings and set up everything correctly.

On the other hand, the Epiphone Les Paul Custom's is a Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard's are Epiphone Deluxe with Keystone buttons while the Epiphone Les Paul Custom's are Grover Rotomatic 18:1

Winner: Tie.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Coil Split, Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Epiphone Les Paul Custom
  • Expensive Wood
  • NuBone Nut
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard
Quality of materials 43
Features 65
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 56
Epiphone Les Paul Custom
Quality of materials 61
Features 50
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 57

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard Nut Width
Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard Nut Width
Epiphone Les Paul Custom Nut Width
Epiphone Les Paul Custom Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Epiphone Les Paul Custom has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42.9mm (1.688''). This is a 0.1mm (0.0050000000000001'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Epiphone Les Paul Custom, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard and Epiphone Les Paul Custom's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 24.75".

This is the scale length that Gibson uses for most of its Les Paul guitars. It's a smaller scale than the typical Stratocaster's 25.5''. Short scale lengths like this make it easier to bend the strings, which is pretty important if you have a fixed bridge. They also have a shorter fret separation, which makes it easier to change position fast at the fretboard.

On the other hand, a shorter scale like this one will make fret buzz more likely, which can affect you if you want to use thicker string gauges.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard Neck Profile
Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard's neck profile
Epiphone Les Paul Custom Neck Profile
Epiphone Les Paul Custom's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard has a C type of neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

The Epiphone Les Paul Custom, on the other hand, has a D neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.

Fretboard Radius

Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard and the Epiphone Les Paul Custom have the same fretboard radius of 12". This is the radius used in most Gibson guitars. It gives you a good balance for playing chords without muting, but also good comfortability for playing single notes and bending.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard favors large hands more than the Epiphone Les Paul Custom.

Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Epiphone Les Paul Custom:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard and Epiphone Les Paul Custom Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium Jumbo fret size

Both have a Medium Jumbo fret size. These are slightly shorter than full Jumbo frets, so you'll still feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. However, they interfere less with your fretting hand than medium-size frets. This is a good size if you like easy-to-press frets, but would still like to feel a bit of the fretboard when playing.

Final Playability Scores

Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 72
Epiphone Les Paul Custom
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard vs Les Paul Custom
General Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard Les Paul Custom
Brand: Epiphone Epiphone
Year: 2021 2020
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China China
Series: Artist Collection Epiphone Inspired by Gibson
Colors: Sunburst White, Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Graph Tech Ghost Tremolo Epiphone LockTone Tune-O-Matic
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Epiphone Deluxe with Keystone buttons Grover Rotomatic 18:1
Fretboard: Indian Laurel Ebony
Neck Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Decoration: Trapezoid Pearloid Block
Scale Size: 24.75" 24.75"
Shape: Alex Lifeson 60s Slim Taper
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.83'' (21.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.94'' (23.9mm) 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.93'' (23.6mm)
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Locking NuBone
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Epiphone ProBucker 3 (Humbucker / Passive) Epiphone ProBucker 3 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Epiphone Ceramic Pro (Humbucker / Passive) Epiphone ProBucker 2 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Speed
Pickup Mods: Coil Split, Multi-Voicing None
Volume Controls: 3 2
Tone Controls: 1 2