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Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90
Epiphone Les Paul Junior
VS
Playability
73
Sound
72
Build
64
Value
70
Score
70
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Playability
73
Sound
61
Build
52
Value
72
Score
62
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Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 vs Epiphone Les Paul Junior

Reasons to Get
Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 over Epiphone Les Paul Junior

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Neck Profile
Rounded vs Vintage 50s
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickups Brand
Gibson vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Switch Positions
3 vs 0
More tone options
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
P90P90 vs P90
Vintage tone with decent versatility
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.82'' (20.8mm) vs 0.88'' (22.4mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.97'' (24.6mm) vs 0.96'' (24.4mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands

Reasons to Get
Epiphone Les Paul Junior over Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90

Release Year
2020 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Vintage 50s vs Rounded
Great if you like to hang your thumb over the fretboard
Pickups
P90 vs P90P90
Vintage tone with good sustain
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.88'' (22.4mm) vs 0.82'' (20.8mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.96'' (24.4mm) vs 0.97'' (24.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Value Score
72 vs 70
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 vs Epiphone Les Paul Junior

Bridge Pickup
Gibson P-90 vs Epiphone P-90 PRO Dogear
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Laurel
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs NuBone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 vs Epiphone Les Paul Junior

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
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 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
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 70 compared to the Epiphone Les Paul Junior's 62 score, although not by a lot.

The Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Epiphone Les Paul Junior has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 is the better choice.

The Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 meets 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Epiphone Les Paul Junior 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

Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Epiphone Les Paul Junior
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • 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.

Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 Overview

  • From Gibson's 2019 Modern Collection series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Gibson P-90 (P90/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Compensated Wraparound bridge
  • Rounded Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Vintage Deluxe w/ White Buttons tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Epiphone Les Paul Junior 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
  • Indian Laurel fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Epiphone P-90 PRO Dogear (P90/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: (/)
  • Neck pickup: (/)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • Lightning Bar Wrap Around bridge
  • Vintage 50s Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Epiphone Deluxe Vintage 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

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 Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

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.

Woods Used in the Epiphone Les Paul Junior

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.

Winner: Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90.

Pickup Configuration

The Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 has an P90P90 configuration while the Epiphone Les Paul Junior has P90 pickups.

P90P90 gives you two P90s for a crunchy vintage tone. The tone sits somewhere in the middle between typical single-coils and humbuckers. They also produce less hum than single-coils, but they don't cancel it completely like humbuckers.

On the other hand, P90s are vintage pickups that are somewhere in the middle between a Humbucker and a single coil. They have decent output, and the tone is not too warm. It's a very particular type of sound that is used in many genres, but it was more popular decades ago.

Like any other single-pickup guitars, it should give you a bit more sustain since there will be less interference with the vibration of the strings. However, you're stuck to one single tone, unless you use effect pedals.

Pickups Quality

The Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Epiphone Les Paul Junior. Its pickups should simply give you a better, fuller sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Blues and similar genres.

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: Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90.

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

The Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 gives you 3 switch options while the Epiphone Les Paul Junior gives you 0. This means that the Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

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

Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90's switch options

The Epiphone Les Paul Junior doesn't come with pickup switching 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: Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90
Pickups 100
Sustain 65
Versatility 53
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 72
Epiphone Les Paul Junior
Pickups 70
Sustain 65
Versatility 39
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 61

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 Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 compares to the Epiphone Les Paul Junior.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 is built in United States while the Epiphone Les Paul Junior is made in China.

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.

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: Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90

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 Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 has a Ivory Tusq nut. 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.

On the other hand, the Epiphone Les Paul Junior 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.

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 Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90's are Vintage Deluxe w/ White Buttons while the Epiphone Les Paul Junior's are Epiphone Deluxe Vintage

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
Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Epiphone Les Paul Junior
  • 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

Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90
Quality of materials 56
Features 50
Quality Control 85
Build Quality 64
Epiphone Les Paul Junior
Quality of materials 51
Features 50
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 52

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

Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 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

Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 and Epiphone Les Paul Junior'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

Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 Neck Profile
Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90's neck profile
Epiphone Les Paul Junior Neck Profile
Epiphone Les Paul Junior'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 Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 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 Junior, 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

Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 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 Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 and the Epiphone Les Paul Junior 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 Les Paul Junior favors large hands more than the Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90.

Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Epiphone Les Paul Junior:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 and Epiphone Les Paul Junior 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

Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73
Epiphone Les Paul Junior
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 60
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 vs Epiphone Les Paul Junior
General Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 Epiphone Les Paul Junior
Brand: Gibson Epiphone
Year: 2019 2020
Configuration: P90P90 P90
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States China
Series: Modern Collection Epiphone Inspired by Gibson
Colors: White, Black, Red, Natural Brown Burst Burst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Compensated Wraparound Lightning Bar Wrap Around
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Vintage Deluxe w/ White Buttons Epiphone Deluxe Vintage
Fretboard: Rosewood Indian Laurel
Neck Material: Maple Mahogany
Decoration: Acrylic Dots Dot
Scale Size: 24.75" 24.75"
Shape: Rounded Vintage 50s
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.97'' (24.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.88'' (22.4mm) - 12th Fret: 0.96'' (24.4mm)
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Ivory Tusq NuBone
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Gibson P-90 (P90 / Passive) Epiphone P-90 PRO Dogear (P90 / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Gibson P-90 (P90 / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 0 Way
Knobs: Bell Speed
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 2 1