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Epiphone Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard
Gibson 70s Explorer
VS
Playability
73
Sound
72
Build
62
Value
69
Score
69
FIND IT ON:
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Playability
73
Sound
72
Build
67
Value
61
Score
71
FIND IT ON:
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Epiphone Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard vs Gibson 70s Explorer Specs Comparison
Epiphone Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard Gibson 70s Explorer
General
Brand: Epiphone Gibson
Year: 2024 2019
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China United States
Series: Artist Original Collection
Colors: Yellow White
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Gibson Historic Wraparound with Intonation Set Screws Aluminum Nashville Tune-O-Matic
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Epiphone Deluxe Regular Tuners
Fretboard: Laurel Rosewood
Neck Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Decoration: Mother of Pearl Trapezoid Acrylic Dots
Scale Size: 24.75" 24.75"
Shape: Custom Tak '59 Rounded C Slim Taper
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Ivory Tusq Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Gibson Burstbucker PRO Alnico 5 (Humbucker / Passive) Gibson 70s Tribute (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Gibson Burstbucker PRO Alnico 5 (Humbucker / Passive) Gibson 70s Tribute (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Speed Speed
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 2 2
Tone Controls: 2 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: Yes No
Hardware Color: Nickel Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Epiphone Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard and Gibson 70s Explorer pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Epiphone Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard and Gibson 70s Explorer's switch options

Reasons to Get
Epiphone Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard over Gibson 70s Explorer

Release Year
2024 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Strap Lock
Yes vs None
Protects your guitar from dropping by locking the strap
Value Score
69 vs 61
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Gibson 70s Explorer over Epiphone Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs China
Built with higher quality standards

Other Key Differences
Epiphone Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard vs Gibson 70s Explorer

Bridge Pickup
Gibson Burstbucker PRO Alnico 5 vs Gibson 70s Tribute
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Gibson Burstbucker PRO Alnico 5 vs Gibson 70s Tribute
Different Neck Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Laurel vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3 vs 6
Different Headstock

Shared Features
Epiphone Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard vs Gibson 70s Explorer

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq
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
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
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
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
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
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

Epiphone Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard Prices

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    Hand Size Comfortability

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

    Epiphone Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard:
    Big Hands
    Small Hands
    Gibson 70s Explorer:
    Big Hands
    Small Hands

    Beginner Friendliness

    Both meet 4 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 Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard
    • Comfortable shape
    • Easy-to-use bridge
    • Tall frets
    • Comfortable neck
    • Comfortable fretboard
    • Narrow nut
    • Short scale
    • Locking tuners

    New Player Friendliness

    Gibson 70s Explorer
    • Comfortable shape
    • Easy-to-use bridge
    • Tall frets
    • Comfortable neck
    • Comfortable fretboard
    • Narrow nut
    • Short scale
    • 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 Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul 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 Gibson 70s Explorer

    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: Gibson 70s Explorer.

    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.

    Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

    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 Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard.

    Final Sound Quality Scores

    Epiphone Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard
    Pickups 90
    Sustain 75
    Versatility 53
    Tuning Stability 70
    Sound 72
    Gibson 70s Explorer
    Pickups 90
    Sustain 75
    Versatility 51
    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 Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard compares to the Gibson 70s Explorer.

    Country of Origin

    The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Epiphone Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard is built in China while the Gibson 70s Explorer 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 70s Explorer

    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

    Both come with regular tuners. The Epiphone Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard's are Epiphone Deluxe while the Gibson 70s Explorer's are Regular Tuners

    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 Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard
    • Expensive Wood
    • Ivory Tusq Nut
    • Top Brand Pickups
    • Strap Lock
    • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
    • No Locking Tuners
    • Made in China
    • 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
    Strengths & Weaknesses
    Gibson 70s Explorer
    • 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 Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard
    Quality of materials 66
    Features 55
    Quality Control 65
    Build Quality 62
    Gibson 70s Explorer
    Quality of materials 56
    Features 50
    Quality Control 95
    Build Quality 67

    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 Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard 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 Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard and Gibson 70s Explorer'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 Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard Neck Profile
    Epiphone Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard's neck profile
    Gibson 70s Explorer Neck Profile
    Gibson 70s Explorer'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.

    Both the Epiphone Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard and the Gibson 70s Explorer have a C-shaped 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.

    Fretboard Radius

    Epiphone Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul 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 Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard and the Gibson 70s Explorer 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 Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard and Gibson 70s Explorer 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 Tak Matsumoto 1955 Les Paul Standard
    Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
    Chord Playability 65
    Solo Playability 70
    Playability 73
    Gibson 70s Explorer
    Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
    Chord Playability 65
    Solo Playability 70
    Playability 73