review
Epiphone Les Paul Ultra
For many guitar players (myself included), the Les Paul represents the ultimate guitar design. Although it is truly a matter of personal taste, the Les Paul’s perfect symmetry and the beauty of its simplicity make it an undeniable classic. And when you factor in the legion of guitar heroes who have wielded the axe, its cool factor goes through the roof. Unfortunately, the cost of a new Gibson Les Paul is beyond reach of many students and working musicians. Realizing this, Gibson also provides Les Paul models under its less expensive Epiphone brand, providing nearly everyone a chance to enjoy a Les Paul of their very own.
The Ultra
While the Epiphone Les Paul Ultra is a beauty, it is more than just the same old Les Paul wrapped in new cosmetics. In fact, it contains two significant changes from the standard Les Paul line. The first change is evident the minute you pick up the guitar. If you are expecting the heft of a standard Les Paul, you will be surprised at its lighter (around 5.5 pounds) weight. The weight reduction was achieved by carving chambers out its Mahogany body. This not only makes the Ultra much more comfortable to play for long periods, it also has a major impact on its tone (which I will discuss later.)
Another new comfort feature is the “belly contour” on the back of the guitar. This contour allows the guitar to hug your body closely when sitting down, although I found that the rather abrupt end of the contour where it nears the pickup selector electronics actually poked into my belly. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but noticeable. I guess this feature’s usefulness depends on your body size and how you wear the guitar.
The “belly contour” on the rear of the Ultra.
Construction
The Ultra is constructed in Korea and inspected by Epiphone technicians before shipping to dealers. The body is chambered Mahogany, with a quilted Maple top. The neck is Mahogany with a Rosewood fingerboard and satin finish. It has a slightly narrower 42mm neck than the standard 43mm Les Paul neck. It has Grover tuners, an Alnico Classic pickup in the neck position, and a HOT Alnico Classic pickup at the bridge. The body and neck are bound with single-ply cream binding. Construction was solid throughout, although the guitar I received for review had a warped (bowed) pickguard. Epiphone assured me this was probably the result of shipping, as the guitars go through thorough inspection before shipping. A pickguard is easily replaceable by a dealer and has no effect on the tone, so I continued with the review.
The cambered body of the Ultra.
Playability
The most common complaint about Les Pauls is their weight. The Ultra’s lighter weight makes the guitar less tiring for long gigs and jam sessions. The neck is a “medium” thickness and is ruler flat. The action was perfect out of the box and there were no buzzes or dead spots on the neck. There were no sharp edges on the fret ends, but file marks were visible on many frets and all along the binding. The neck is very fast and felt quite smooth for having a satin finish. The Ultra’s light weight and fast neck make it great fun to play.
Tone
Here is where the Ultra makes a major departure from its solid chuck of Mahogany brethren. The chambers carved out of the Ultra’s body have a very noticeable effect on its tone. Acoustically it is much more “alive” than a standard Les Paul. When using a clean setting on my amp, the Ultra had a more acoustic quality to its tone than my Gibson Les Paul Custom. It’s not bright like a Strat, but it does seem to resonate more than a typical Les Paul. The biggest difference, however, came when I added some overdrive. The attack was less defined and overall the tone was less focused than my Custom. The best analogy is a semi-hollowbody guitar with more sustain. Which makes sense since, technically, the Ultra is a semi-hollowbody.
If you are looking for a thick bluesy tone, a clean rootsy tone, or a raging garage band/punk tone, the Ultra may be just your cup of tea. Fans of guitar noise will appreciate that the Ultra makes it easier to get feedback than the typical solidbody. Shredders, metal fans, or those looking for well-defined attack and chords would do better with a standard solidbody Les Paul. The Ultra’s tone is not your typical Les Paul tone, so you will want to give it a good workout before you decide if it’s right for you.
Final Thoughts
When you name something “Ultra”, you are setting the bar pretty high. Does the Ultra live up to its name? That depends on your vision of the ultimate guitar. If you consider its attractive faded Cherry-burst, quilted Maple top, gold hardware, cream binding and pickguard, the Ultra has the looks department covered. If you like a fast, flat neck, the Ultra provides it. If you long for a lighter Les Paul, check that off your list also. If you want a more acoustic clean tone and a “raging” distorted tone, the Ultra is calling your name. And if you want it all at an affordable price, the Ultra may be just the ticket.
Reader Comments
Better Guitar encourages your input. Agree with this review? Think I’m crazy? If you have played an Epiphone Les Paul Ultra, email me your comments and I’ll post them below. The more opinions we have available, the better our buying decisions will be.
Dennis Gubbels
I've got the Epiphone as named in the subject and I'm very happy with it. It look absolutely beautiful and plays and sounds great. I often get compliments from experienced guitar builders and restorers that it's better than the Gibson. I only wish I knew how many of this guitar were made.
Alex
From Germany... I'm 40 years old and have played rock guitars for the last 30 years. I play many, many guitars but this Ultra is the best of all! The finish, the tone, the price, the professional performance. I love it! Thank you Epiphone!
Geoffrey Mays
I read the review after buying the guitar. I was just checking out guitars casually (wasn't really thinking to buy another as I had recently purchased an Ibanez solidbody) when I picked this up thinking it was the Ultra II, then realized it wasn't as it had only one output jack. Decided to play it anyway... and wow! That was the sound I was seeking (within my price range anyway). I found your review quite accurate. It really is lovely (although looks are the least of my considerations) and plays very nicely. There is an occasional buzz that seems to be coming from the plastic pickup surrounds (it goes away when I hold them firmly). If I jostle the guitar a bit then it also seems to vanish for a while. At any rate it does not seem to come through the amplified sound. I will be selling the Ibanez, though I will say that I greatly miss an old Ibanez Artist (mid 80's) that inadvertently slipped through my hands. That was a truly amazing guitar though it was nicknamed "Brutus" due to its massive weight which did hurt after a long gig. The Epi's weight is a pleasant surprise for the warm tone and nice sustain that it affords. Cheers Epiphone!
Kevin
This is kind of a late response, but I thought I'd chime in with another positive review. I bought an Ultra about a year ago. Even though I have more guitars than I'd care to admit, the Ultra instantly became and remains one of my few favorites. Playability, fit and finish, sound and looks are all top notch. The chambers are great in that they make the guitar lighter and give it more of a unique tone. One of my friends whose a bit of a guitar snob played about 10 of my guitars recently and the Ultra was his favorite. I think his mind had been opened up by his recent purchase of one of the Epiphone Byrdlands, which he loves. I continue to feel that the Epiphone models are at the very least a better value than their Gibson counterparts.
Pat
I think you hit the nail on the head with this review, as did Epiphone with the Ultra. I have played Strats, Charvel (back when Wayne still had control) Jackson, even high priced Gibson Les Pauls. This guitar is priced just right in today’s market. I was really hesitant at even considering this instrument until I played it. I had read previous reviews and had to play and hear it for myself. I am glad I spent the money. This one will stay in the arsenal for a long time.
John
I totally agree with the review of the Epiphone Ultra. I have let four others play mine and all couldn’t believe you can get this quality of sound from a reasonable priced guitar. The only thing that I found out at my local dealer is, none of the sales people that play have tried this model. My guess is that it may be judged as an "Epiphone" guitar and not a Gibson for $4000.00 so it can’t compare! Enjoyed reading this review. Thanks again.
stats
- • Finish: Faded Cherry-burst
- • Pickups: Alnico Classic / HOT Alnico Classic
- • Tuners: Grover Rotomatic
- • Hardware: Gold
- • Scale: 24.75"
- • Nut Width: 1.68"
- • Neck: Set
- • Neck Material: Mahogany
- • Fingerboard: Rosewood
- • Inlays: Trapezoids
- • Binding: Body/Neck
- • Body Material: Mahogany
- • Top: Maple
- • Bridge: Tunomatic
- • Tailpiece: Stopbar
Positives
- Very attractive; fast neck; lighter weight; acoustically live; reasonable price.
Negatives
- Some may not care for “hollowbody-ish” tone; muddy note attack with distortion; file marks on fret edges and neck binding.
Rating
- Performance: 9
- Sound Quality: 7
- Construction: 9
- Overall: 8.3
Ratings Key
- 0 = Worthless
- 10 = Excellent
Estimated Street Price
- $599
Available At Guitar Center
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Epiphone Les Paul Ultra Electric Guitar Faded Cherry Sunburst Gold Hardware
Company
- Epiphone