Epiphone Les Paul Standard Heritage Cherry Sunburst 1993 Korea

This second hand electric guitar is in great condition

1993 model, made in Korea

In the early 1990s, Epiphone production was based mainly in Korea, with factories such as Samick and Peerless building guitars under Gibson’s supervision. These models have since gained a reputation as some of the best “pre-China” Epiphones, offering strong build quality and vintage-style character at an accessible price. The 1993 Les Paul Standard represents a key point in Epiphone’s history, bridging the gap between budget-friendly instruments and Gibson-inspired craftsmanship.

Build & Design

• Body: Mahogany body with a maple top veneer (some models had plain tops, others had light flame depending on the batch).

• Neck: Set mahogany neck with a rosewood fingerboard, trapezoid inlays, and a 24.75" scale length.

• Finish: Available in Cherry Sunburst, Tobacco Sunburst, Ebony, and Wine Red. The finish on these early 90s models tends to have aged gracefully, giving many a lightly vintage patina.

• Hardware: Nickel-plated hardware, Tune-o-Matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece, and Grover-style tuners (though some had unbranded Korean tuners originally).

• Weight: Typically heavy, in true Les Paul fashion, often around 9–10 lbs.

Electronics

• Pickups: Stock Epiphone humbuckers from this era were serviceable but not exceptional. They leaned toward a mid-heavy, slightly muddy tone compared to higher-end Gibson pickups. Many owners later swapped them for Seymour Duncans, DiMarzios, or Gibson ’57 Classics.

• Controls: Standard Les Paul layout — 2 volume, 2 tone, 3-way selector switch.

• The pots and switch were decent but not as robust as Gibson hardware; upgrades were common.

Tone & Performance

• Clean tones: Warm, rounded, and somewhat dark compared to brighter Fender-style guitars. Good for jazz, blues, and classic rock rhythms.

• Overdriven tones: With gain, the guitar delivers that familiar Les Paul growl, but the stock pickups can get slightly muddy under high gain. With upgraded electronics, these Korean Standards really come alive.

• Sustain: Thanks to the mahogany build and set neck, sustain is strong — one of the defining strengths of this model.

• Playability: Slim 60s-style neck profile on many 1993 Standards, making them fast and comfortable. The fretwork was generally solid, although sometimes a little less refined than Japanese or US-made guitars of the era.

Strengths

• Solid Korean craftsmanship — better than many later budget Epiphones.

• True Les Paul heft and sustain.

• Slim neck profile appeals to faster players.

• Excellent value on the second-hand market, especially as a modding platform.

The 1993 Epiphone Les Paul Standard , Made in Korea is a well-made, affordable take on the classic Les Paul formula. The core build quality , solid mahogany, set neck, dependable construction , makes it an excellent modding platform or vintage-style workhorse. Many players consider these early Korean Epiphones superior to later Chinese-made models, and as a result, they’re increasingly sought after.