Head to head
Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy, Aged Bengal Tiger Burst vs Gibson Eric Clapton 1958 Les Paul Custom, Ebony
The verdict
The Gibson Eric Clapton 1958 Les Paul Custom, Ebony comes out ahead overall — 78 to 74 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy, Aged Bengal Tiger Burst wins on
- Lower price ($1,199 vs $19,999)
Gibson Eric Clapton 1958 Les Paul Custom, Ebony wins on
- Better build (87 vs 71)
- Better sound (79 vs 74)
Scorecard
| Metric | Les Paul Prophecy, Aged Bengal Tiger Burst | Eric Clapton 1958 Les Paul Custom, Ebony |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 74 | 78 |
| Build | 71 | 87 |
| Playability | 78 | 75 |
| Sound | 74 | 79 |
| Value | 71 | 68 |
Full specifications
| Spec | Les Paul Prophecy, Aged Bengal Tiger Burst | Eric Clapton 1958 Les Paul Custom, Ebony |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Epiphone | Gibson |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | — | US |
| Body wood | Mahogany | One Piece Ultra-Light Weight Mahogany |
| Neck wood | Mahogany | Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Ebony | Ebony |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 24 | 22 |
| Scale | 24.72" | 24.75" |
| Pickups | Fishman Fluence Epiphone Prophecy Neck / Fishman Fluence Epiphone Prophecy Bridge | Custombucker / Custombucker |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $1,199 | $19,999 |
| Body Finish | Aged Gloss | Murphy Lab Aged Nitrocellulose Lacquer |
| Body shape | Les Paul | Les Paul |
| Body Styles | Les Paul | Les Paul |
| Bridge | Epiphone LockTone Tune-O-Matic | ABR-1; Screws Towards Neck |
| Bridge pickup | Fishman Fluence Epiphone Prophecy Bridge | Custombucker |
| Case | Premium Gig Bag | Custom Duck Brothers Case |
| Control Covers | Black; PVC, back plate with battery compartment | Black Royalite; EC Signature Switch Plate Medallion Installed (Custom Shop Medallion in the Case) |
| Control Knobs | Knurled Metal : Brushed Nickel | True Historic Black Top Hat (No Dial Pointer) |
| Controls | 2 Volume (push/pull coil splits); 2 Tone (push/pull Vintage/Modern pickup) | 2 Volume, 2 Tone; CTS 500K Audio Taper Potentiometers, Paper in Oil Capacitors |
| End Of Board Width | 57.35mm / 2.26in | 56.89mm / 2.24in |
| Finish | Brushed Nickel | Custom Murphy Lab Aged Gold |
| Fretboard inlay | Block and Triangle; Abalone compliments body color | 1950s Pattern Mother of Pearl Block |
| Fretboard radius | 305.0mm / 12.01in | 304.8mm / 12.0in |
| Fret Count | 24 | 22 |
| Headstock | 60s Kalamazoo | — |
| Headstock Inlay | Modern Epiphone in Mother of Pearl; Custom Split Diamond in Mother of Pearl | Gibson Logo and Custom Split Diamond Inlay in Mother of Pearl |
| Jack Plate Cover | Brushed Nickel | Multi-ply Laminated Acrylic |
| Joint | Glued-In, Set Neck | Long Tenon, Hide Glue Fit |
| Model | EILPYABTBN1 | CSECB8MLAEBGH1 |
| Mounting Rings | Black; PVC | M69 Cellulose Acetate Butyrate |
| Neck pickup | Fishman Fluence Epiphone Prophecy Neck | Custombucker |
| Nut | Graph Tech NuBone XL Black | Nylon |
| Nut width | 43.0mm / 1.69in | 42.86mm / 1.69in |
| Output Jack | Epiphone Heavy Duty 1/4" | 1/4" Switchcraft |
| Pickguard | None | Multi-ply Laminated Acrylic |
| Pickup Covers | Brushed Nickel | Authentic Profile Gold-plated Nickel Silver; Murphy Lab Aged |
| Pickup Selector | 3-way toggle switch, Epiphone all-metal | 3-way Switchcraft |
| Plastic Parts | Black; PVC | — |
| Profile | Asymmetrical SlimTaper | Medium C |
| Saddle Material | Brushed Nickel | — |
| Scale length | 628.0mm / 24.72in | 628.65mm / 24.75in |
| Strap Buttons | PosiLok Strap Buttons | Black |
| String gauges | .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046 | — |
| Switch Tip | Black Cap | Cream |
| Switchwasher | None | True Historic Black |
| Tailpiece | Epiphone LockTone Stop Bar | Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar |
| Top wood | Carved Hard Maple Cap with AAA Flame Maple Veneer | — |
| Truss rod | Dual Action | Authentic 1950s No-Tube |
| Truss Rod Cover | 2-Ply, 3-Hole Bell | Authentic Stepped 2-Ply Les Paul Custom |
| Tuner Plating | Brushed Nickel | Custom Murphy Lab Aged Gold |
| Tuners | Grover Locking Rotomatic | Grover Milk Bottle |
| Accessories | — | Certificate of Authenticity, Extra Pickguard Signed by Eric Clapton and Albert Lee, Custom Shop Switchplate Medallion in the Case |
| Binding | — | Multi-ply Top, Back, and Headstock, Single-ply Fretboard |
| Middle pickup | — | Custombucker Screw Side Towards Neck |
| Weight Relief | — | None |