Epiphone Artist Signature Guitars: Your 2025 Guide
Epiphone have an unbelievable collection of signature artist models right now! It’s time somebody rounded them up in one place!
Recently, I looked at Gibson Artist Signature guitars, and I quickly made the decision to focus on the USA stuff only, since Epiphone had at least as many artist guitars of their own. Epiphone would need a blog of its own!
Contents
Epiphone Jerry Cantrell Les Pauls
Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul
Epiphone Kirk Hammett Greeny Les Paul
A Different Market
I figured that there’s a different market here: a different player, and it made sense not to always refer to Epiphones alongside their Gibson counterparts as simply being ‘more affordable’, when they are worth seeing in their own light.
Why? Well, things seem to be changing in regards to the brand’s perception. In another blog article that I’ll shamelessly plug here, I asked: Is Epiphone Good Enough? With top players across the world both endorsing and using them, I’d say ‘yes’. Their enduring popularity would suggest to me that you agree with this.
Today, I’ll show you the current Epiphone artist signature guitars. Some of these will be (more) affordable takes on Gibson models, and some won’t have an American counterpart at all. What they have in common is the support of a world-class talent. Check them out, see what you think!
Epiphone Dave Grohl
Let’s begin with the Foo Fighters frontman. He has long played this style of guitar, which is a take on the Gibson Trini Lopez model from the 60s. It’s like an ES-335 with diamond body holes and a Thunderbird headstock. It’s very close to the Gibson USA model and this one sold like the proverbial hotcakes when it was first released. No wonder: it’s a looker, and can be used in a number of musical situations outside the rock that is the Foos.
Noel Gallagher Riviera
Oasis have been champions of the Epiphone brand since their early days, and this classic Riviera model is a direct nod to the Definitely Maybe days. Noel uses all kinds of guitars these days, but he’s still fond of his old Riviera, and this signature model captures the Wine Red vibe perfectly. It’s obviously a much more versatile beast than just for Oasis, but it’ll do that job perfectly!
Epiphone Yungblud SG Special
Did you see Yungblud at Black Sabbath’s farewell? Talk about a star turn? Well, we’re firmly into this guy anyway, since he was a real gentleman when he came to our stores for signings last year. It helps that his signature guitar is super-cool too!
It’s a white SG Special with a black pickguard. It’s punky and attention-grabbing, just like the man himself. Again, this is a fairly subtle ‘signature’ model, so you don’t have to be a paid-up member of the Yungblud fanclub to appreciate his Epiphone Yungblud SG Special. But why wouldn’t you be?
Epiphone BB King Lucille
Blues legend BB King’s Lucille guitars were always Gibsons, so this Epiphone Lucille is more of a tribute than something he literally played. Still, this one delivers all of the style and beauty of King’s Lucilles. Featuring the same no-f-holes body, it’s a very cool guitar for any up and coming blues aficionado.
Epiphone Adam Jones Les Paul
Tool’s Adam Jones is famous for his use of old 70s Gibson Silverburst Les Paul Customs. Gibson do make a signature Les Paul for him, but strangely, this Epiphone Adam Jones model is more accurate!
It’s true: this one has all of the ‘Custom’ accoutrements such as multi-ply binding, block inlays and headstock decorations, when the Gibson model doesn’t. Most significantly, this Epi model also sports the proper Seymour Duncan Distortion bridge humbucker than Jones uses, so in my opinion, this is the definitive Tool signature Les Paul!
Epiphone Jerry Cantrell Les Pauls
Alice in Chains mainman Jerry Cantrell gets a couple of fairly distinct Les Pauls from Epiphone. The Epiphone Jerry Cantrell Wino Les Paul is a recreation of one of his favourite Gibson Customs, in Wine Red (hence the cheeky name) and boasting a set of Alnico PRO pickups. It’s a good price and it’s a very riff-friendly guitar.
The other one is the Epiphone Jerry Cantrell Prophecy Les Paul. Now, the Prophecy line has always - to my guessing anyway - been designed to do battle with LTD Eclipse models. Why? High output active pickups, 24 fret necks, contemporary styling…it’s a pretty direct thing to my eyes! This one for Jerry has Fishman Fluence pickups and custom inlays to separate it from the pack.
Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul
Prog hero Alex Lifeson is a fan of modded Les Pauls. Gibson issued their Axcess model a number of years back, and now Epiphone get to make a timely revision of that as the Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul.
There’s definitely something ‘prog’ about a Les Paul with a Floyd Rose tremolo: both Steve Hackett and Robert Fripp play similar models. This one is a beauty, with a AAAA flame maple top and gold hardware. The Axcess theme is repeated from the American model, meaning you get a very nicely shaped neck join that’s sculpted to allow much better access (geddit?) to those high-up frets.
Epiphone Emily Wolfe Sheraton
It seems that Emily Wolfe has been paying close attention to Dave Grohl! Her signature Epiphone Emily Wolfe Sheraton sports the same ‘solid colour and diamond soundholes’ vibe as the Nirvana guy, but the rest is pure Sheraton.
That’s no bad thing, given that the Sheraton is one of Epiphone’s most handsome original design guitars! Flower inlay on the headstock? Check. Big block inlays with abalone triangles inside them? Yup. No, wait: they’re not triangles, they’re lightning bolts!
Epiphone Kirk Hammett Greeny Les Paul
I’m going to assume you already know the story behind the famous Greeny guitar, so let me stick to the facts for this Epiphone recreation. It has the ‘open book’ headstock (Gibson-shaped) and it has the out-of-phase sound in the middle pickup position. These alone make the guitar noteworthy, but Epiphone have really done a good job here. The finish is the correct shade of ‘dirty lemon’ or whatever the fans prefer to name it, and the neck is genuinely similar to an authentic 1959 Les Paul profile.
Basically, if you are into Les Pauls then I think you’ll be impressed.
Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul
Trivium’s Matt Heafy plays and tours with these guitars, so buying the Epiphone Matt Heafy Origin 6 or 7 string Les Paul will get you the same models he uses live.
These are somewhat similar to the Prophecy line of guitars I mentioned back at the Jerry Cantrell section, and these also sport Fishman Fluence pickups, though Matt’s guitars have more of the actual ‘Les Paul Custom’ about them visually. Epiphone don’t exactly throw out 7 string guitars, so if you are a fan of lower register riffs, then these Matt Heafy Origin 7 guitars are an excellent opportunity.
Epiphone Jack Casady Bass
This cool bass has been available from Epiphone for as long as I can remember. Hey, if it ain’t broke! Jack Casady is the bassist of Jefferson Airplane, but more importantly, he has plain old good taste. This semi acoustic bass is pretty unlike anything else on the market, and features a varitone switch for extra sonic manipulation.
If you are looking for a genuine alternative to Fender and Rickenbacker basses, you might find that this humble Epiphone Jack Casady bass will really open up your playing.
Epiphone are The Ones to Watch
So, what did you think of those guitars? They’re pretty excellent, aren’t they? Epiphone are no longer Gibson’s answer to Squier, not that that was ever a bad thing. But they’ve moved into another quality level altogether, and when big name players are actually using them - as opposed to accepting money to merely have their name on one - then that’s when I start to sit up and take notice.
The naysayers among you would do well to cast aside your presumptions and have a good place on these. You’ll quickly understand why these artists are happy and proud to tour with their Epiphone guitars. You will be too!
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