Splurge, save, steal: Gibson Les Pauls
Gibson 2014 Les Paul Standard
You don't get much more LP than the Standard, and as well as an assortment of gorgeous maple-topped finishes, this latest incarnation rams the Paul with a ton of tech: Min-ETune system, asymmetric neck profile, coil-taps and phase switches. It still delivers that classic LP tone, though.
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Gibson 2014 Les Paul Futura
We've been pretty impressed with this futuristic LP, and although the P-90/humbucker pickup combo won't sway traditionalists, there's plenty of tonal flexibility to be had - the coil-split and boost options mean you can wrangle far more sounds from this than a vintage LP.
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Gibson LPJ
If you want a genuine, USA Gibson Les Paul, this is your cheapest bet. Sure, it doesn't look like the LPs of yore, but those black-covered humbuckers still deliver huge rock tones. Combine that with the nitrocellulose lacquer, and you have a Paul that punches well above its price tag.