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Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s
VS
Playability
68
Sound
78
Build
67
Value
71
Score
71
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Playability
73
Sound
72
Build
68
Value
61
Score
71
FIND IT ON:
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Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String vs Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s Specs Comparison
Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s
General
Brand: Epiphone Gibson
Year: 2022 2019
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 7 6
Made in: China United States
Series: Artist Collection Original Collection
Colors: White, Black Gold, Yellow Burst, Cherry Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: Yes Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Epiphone LockTone Tune-O-Matic ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Grover Locking Mini Rotomatic with Tulip Buttons Vintage Deluxe w/ Keystone Buttons
Fretboard: Ebony Rosewood
Neck Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Decoration: Custom Blocks Acrylic Trapezoids
Scale Size: 25.5" 24.75"
Shape: SpeedTaper D Vintage 50s
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Ivory Tusq Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 48mm (1.89'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Fishman MKH Fluence Ceramic (Humbucker / Passive) Gibson Burstbucker 2 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fishman MKH Fluence Alnico (Humbucker / Passive) Gibson Burstbucker 1 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Bell
Pickup Mods: Coil Split, Multi-Voicing None
Volume Controls: 2 2
Tone Controls: 2 2
Hardware
Strap Lock: Yes No
Hardware Color: Gold Nickel
Show Diagrams Comparison
Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String's switch options
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s's switch options

Reasons to Get
Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String over Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s

Weight Relief
Yes vs None
Lighter Body
Release Year
2022 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
SpeedTaper D vs Vintage 50s
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
Multiple vs None
Strings
7 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.89'' (48mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Strap Lock
Yes vs None
Protects your guitar from dropping by locking the strap
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Value Score
71 vs 61
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s over Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Decorative Top
Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Neck Profile
Vintage 50s vs SpeedTaper D
Great if you like to hang your thumb over the fretboard
Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.89'' (48mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone

Other Key Differences
Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String vs Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s

Bridge Pickup
Fishman MKH Fluence Ceramic vs Gibson Burstbucker 2
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fishman MKH Fluence Alnico vs Gibson Burstbucker 1
Different Neck Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
4-3 vs 3-3
Different Headstock

Shared Features
Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String vs Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq
Same Nut Material
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
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
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
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

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

Price History Comparison

Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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Hand Size Comfortability

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s favors large hands more than the Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String.

Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s 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 Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Locking tuners

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 Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String

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.

Woods Used in the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

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

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

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 Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String 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.

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 Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 68
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 78
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 53
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 72

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 Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String compares to the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String is built in China while the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s is made in United States.

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.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s

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 Ivory Tusq nuts. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.

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

The Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String has the best tuners of the two because they are 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: Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String.

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 Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split, Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Weight Relief
  • Strap Lock
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • 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 Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String
Quality of materials 61
Features 75
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 67
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s
Quality of materials 60
Features 50
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 68

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 Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String Nut Width
Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String Nut Width
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s Nut Width
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String has the wider nut with 48mm (1.89'') vs 43mm (1.693''). This is a 5mm (0.197'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String, 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 Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String's Scale Length
Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String's Scale Length
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s's Scale Length
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s's 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.

The Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String has the longest scale: 25.5". The Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

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 Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String Neck Profile
Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String's neck profile
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s Neck Profile
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s'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 Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String has a D type of 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.

The Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s, on the other hand, has a V neck. This neck shape was more common during Fender's early years. Some people like it because they use their thumb over the edge of the fretboard to press the lower strings. It's rather thicker than most modern necks, so it's not usually used for playing fast solos.

Fretboard Radius

Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String 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 Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String and the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s 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.

Fret Size

Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String and Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s 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 Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom Origins 7-String
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 70
Playability 68
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 60
Playability 73