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Epiphone Les Paul Modern
Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy
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Playability
73
Sound
71
Build
67
Value
75
Score
70
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Playability
80
Sound
81
Build
64
Value
80
Score
75
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Epiphone Les Paul Modern vs Les Paul Prophecy

Reasons to Get
Epiphone Les Paul Modern over Les Paul Prophecy

Number of Frets
22 vs 24
Warmer neck pickup
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Reasons to Get
Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy over Les Paul Modern

Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickups Brand
Fishman vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output
Value Score
80 vs 75
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Epiphone Les Paul Modern vs Les Paul Prophecy

Bridge Pickup
ProBucker 3 vs Fishman Fluence Epiphone Prophecy Bridge
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
ProBucker 2 vs Fishman Fluence Epiphone Prophecy Neck
Different Neck Pickup

Shared Features
Epiphone Les Paul Modern vs Les Paul Prophecy

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Nut Material
NuBone
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
2
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
2
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.82'' (20.8mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.9'' (22.9mm)
Same neck comfortability
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Decorative Top
Plain Maple vs Flame Maple Veneer
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Neck Profile Type
Asymmetrical
Adapts to the natural shape of your hand
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body

Common Strengths

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Nut
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

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

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy is probably the better product overall with its final score of 75 compared to the Epiphone Les Paul Modern's 70 score, although not by a lot.

The Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy wins when it comes to sound, playability, value for the money. On the other hand, the Epiphone Les Paul Modern has the upper hand when it comes to build quality.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. 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. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

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

New Player Friendliness

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

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 Les Paul Modern Overview

  • From Epiphone's 2020 Modern Collection series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Plain Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: ProBucker 3 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: ProBucker 2 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • LockTone ABR bridge
  • Asymmetrical Slim Taper Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Grover Locking Rotomatic with Tulip Buttons 18:1 ratio tuners
  • Weight between 8.1lbs (3.7kgs) and 8.5lbs (3.9kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy Overview

  • From Epiphone's 2020 Prophecy Collection series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Flame Maple Veneer top
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman Fluence Epiphone Prophecy Bridge (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: Fishman Fluence Epiphone Prophecy Neck (Humbucker/Active)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Epiphone LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge
  • Asymmetrical Slim Taper Set neck
  • 24 Jumbo frets
  • Grover Locking Rotomatic tuners
  • 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
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

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.

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: Tie.

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

The Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy pickups from a more specialized brand than the Epiphone Les Paul Modern. Its pickups should give you a fuller, richer sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Heavy Metal and similar genres.

We found the same or similar pickups to the Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy's online:

The Epiphone Les Paul Modern's pickups are Passive while the Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy's are Active.

Passive pickups are what most guitars use. These have a normal output that works well for most genres. However, Active pickups are the preferred choice of heavy metal players because they offer extra output thanks to their 9v battery, which results in a heavier, more distorted sound. Bear in mind that achieving a completely clean tone with them won't be easy. So if you want to also use clean tones, you might want to avoid Active pickups.

Winner: Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy.

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.

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The Epiphone Les Paul Modern offers Coil Tap, Phase Out.

Coil Tap is similar to Coil Split but it works a bit differently. Instead of completely cancelling one of the coils of the humbucker, it only cuts part of the output once activated. Some people believe this gives the split pickups a more real single-coil sound.

When the Phase Out option is activated, the pickups will ''work against each other'', meaning that they will cancel out their shared frequencies. The result is a very thin sound, instead of a full, rich tone. This is an interesting sound for genres like reggae or funk and has also been used in classic Hard Rock.

On the other hand, the Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy comes with the following: 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 Les Paul Modern pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Epiphone Les Paul Modern's switch options
Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy'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: Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Epiphone Les Paul Modern
Pickups 60
Sustain 75
Versatility 68
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 71
Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy
Pickups 85
Sustain 90
Versatility 68
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 81

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 Les Paul Modern compares to the Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy.

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.

In this case, both have NuBone nuts. 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.

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.

Both come with a similar bridge: 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: Tie.

Tuners

They both have locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.

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 Les Paul Modern
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • NuBone Nut
  • Coil Tap, Phase Out Pickups
  • Weight Relief
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in China
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • NuBone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split, Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Weight Relief
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in China
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Epiphone Les Paul Modern
Quality of materials 70
Features 70
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 67
Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy
Quality of materials 63
Features 70
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 64

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 Les Paul Modern Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 43mm (1.693'').

This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.

Scale Length

Epiphone Les Paul Modern and Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy'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 Les Paul Modern Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same 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.

Both the Epiphone Les Paul Modern and the Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy have a Asymmetrical-shaped neck. Even though this neck shape looks like a poorly-made job, it's, in fact, the neck that most naturally adapts to the arc of your hand when grabbing a guitar neck. You'll notice that the lower part of your palm makes a more pronounced, deeper curve while the upper part makes a more subtle arch. This is the shape that adapts the best to that natural arch your hand makes while playing.

Fretboard Radius

Epiphone Les Paul Modern 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 Les Paul Modern and the Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy 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.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

Epiphone Les Paul Modern:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Epiphone Les Paul Modern Frets Size
Epiphone Les Paul Modern's Frets Size
Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy Frets Size
Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy's Frets Size

The Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Epiphone Les Paul Modern's Medium Jumbo frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Epiphone Les Paul Modern
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 60
Playability 73
Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy
Bending & Vibrato Ease 95
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 80

Specs Side-by-Side

Epiphone Les Paul Modern vs Les Paul Prophecy
General Epiphone Les Paul Modern Les Paul Prophecy
Brand: Epiphone Epiphone
Year: 2020 2020
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China China
Series: Modern Collection Prophecy Collection
Colors: Black, Blue, Red Black, Green, Red
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: LockTone ABR Epiphone LockTone Tune-O-Matic
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Grover Locking Rotomatic with Tulip Buttons 18:1 ratio Grover Locking Rotomatic
Fretboard: Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Decoration: Trapezoid Block and Triangle; Abalone compliments body color
Scale Size: 24.75" 24.75"
Shape: Asymmetrical Slim Taper Asymmetrical Slim Taper
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.9'' (22.9mm) 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.9'' (22.9mm)
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: NuBone NuBone
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: ProBucker 3 (Humbucker / Passive) Fishman Fluence Epiphone Prophecy Bridge (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: ProBucker 2 (Humbucker / Passive) Fishman Fluence Epiphone Prophecy Neck (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Tap, Phase Out Coil Split, Multi-Voicing
Volume Controls: 2 2
Tone Controls: 2 2