*US dollar exchange varies daily
The Epiphone Elite Les Paul Standard was built in this version from 2002 to 2005, as a reproduction of a late 1950's plain top Les Paul. In late 2003, the sticker on the back of the head changed from 'Elite' to 'Elitist'. It features USA Classic pickups and US-style hardware including Grover Roto-Matic tuners and speed knobs.
This example dates to 2003 and was built in the Fuji-Gen plant. It's very well built with traditional Les Paul construction - a one piece mahogany back with a nice, though somewhat plain, two-piece maple cap. The neck is mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard - the frets were installed after the binding, unlike Gibson's traditional practice. This means the end of the fret bead is visible, and there's a bit more playing surface. The headstock is the somewhat wider Elite design. The neck profile is quite comfortable, reminiscent of a slimmer late 1950's shape.
This guitar has been played - there is some fretwear and a couple of dents on the back. It's currently strung with light guage strings and it might benefit from a setup. A gig bag is included.