Epiphone Refreshes Core Lineup with the Inspired By Gibson Series: An 80s Explorer in the Style of Hetfield, Featuring EMGs, Long-Tenon Necks, and Rosewood Fingerboards for Everyone]

NAMM 2026: Epiphone has a launched a comprehensive refresh of its core lineup of electric and acoustic guitars, with the all-new Inspired By Gibson series seeing rosewood fingerboards as standard on all but the entry-level Tribute Plus models, and some fresh colours and designs.

Those designs, of course, take their cues from Gibson, and just as the Inspired By Gibson Custom range applied some of that Custom Shop high-end magic to Epiphone guitars, this new range does something similar at a more affordable price point, and the $599 Epiphone Les Paul – available in its ‘50s and ‘60s style – has never looked so good.

If we’re talking upgrades, consider this; these Inspired By Gibson Les Paul Standards now come with a long neck tenon for your sustained pleasure. So there’s that.

We also Epiphone Probucker have electric guitar pickups, the CTS pots, the maple cap with figured maple veneers on the translucent finishes that might, just might, tempt you away from that ‘50s Goldtop…

With the bound rosewood fingerboards, the premium padded gig bag, these look like serious Les Pauls. Ditto, the Custom variants, with dress the iconic single-cut up in its tux.

This is Epiphone playing the greatest hits of Gibson. There are SGs, SG Specials, Les Paul Juniors and Specials – P-90s for you’re rock ’n’ roll pleasures. There is a Firebird with a nine-ply mahogany and walnut through-neck plus solid walnut wings.

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(Image credit: Epiphone )

Available in Wine Red or Vintage Sunburst, it comes strapped with a pair of Probucker FB720 Firebird humbuckers. At $799, the Firebird – like the Les Paul Custom – is towards the upper range of the Inspired By Gibson series but it is a lot of guitar.

That super-cool reverse six-in-line headstock is equipped with Grover Mini-Rotomatic tuners.

Grovers are a commonly found appointment across these more upper-scale models, though you will find Epiphone Deluxe tuners on the Juniors and Specials.

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Epiphone Inspired By Gibson Epiphone Flying V 70s Maui Blue — (Image credit: Epiphone)

There are some very interesting additions to the lineup. The ‘70s Flying V – available in a bright Maui Blue with a white pickguard or direct from Gibson in Ebony – is pretty neat. Note the spade-style buttons on the Grover Rotomatics.

That blue model has strong Richie Faulkner vibes; it is impossible to look at the Ebony one and not think Kirk Hammett. Though his signature Flying V, based on his 1979 model, remains in stock.

Keeping with the Metallica theme, Epiphone has also just proven that you don’t need to release a signature guitar to give the fans what they want. Perhaps the most eye-catching electric guitar in this entire series is the ‘80s Explorer with EMGs, especially in Classic White (it is also available in Ebony as a Gibson exclusive, online and at the Gibson Garages).

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Epiphone Inspired By Gibson Explorer 80s EMG — (Image credit: Epiphone)

With an EMG 81 at the bridge, an EMG 60 at the neck, this is as mid ‘80s James Hetfield as it gets without it being a James Hetfield model.

Although you might not get the rosewood fingerboard on the Tribute Plus models, these bolt-on beginner-friendly electric guitars look the part with AAA flame maple veneers and bound fingerboards – the Les Paul Tribute Plus even has a bound body.

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Epiphone Inspired By Gibson Blues King Studio — (Image credit: Epiphone )

The acoustic guitars in this Inspired By Gibson range – and there are many – share in the upgrades. We’re talking solid Sitka spruce tops across most models, Fishman Sonicore/Presys II acoustic guitar pickup and preamp systems, again, rosewood fingerboards, bound bodies, and decorative pickguards for the SJ-200, Hummingbird and Dove.

Epiphone promises something for everyone here. With its 22.68” scale length and 7/8 body size, the J-45 Express would make an excellent beginner acoustic guitar at $299.