Epiphone unveils beginner-friendly new Power Players Les Paul and SG electric guitars

Epiphone – an electric guitar giant beloved by beginners and pros alike – has set its eyes squarely on the former contingent with its new Power Players collection SG and Les Paul guitars. 

More so even than the Player Pack version of the company's recent Billie Joe Armstrong Les Paul Junior, the Power Players SG and Les Paul are proper beginner electric guitars, with downsized bodies and scale lengths. 

Small stature and affordability aside though, the two are serious six-strings that don't slouch on specs, so let's take a closer look. 

First things first, the Power Players models each feature a mahogany body and mahogany neck that sports a 22.73”, 12" radius Indian laurel fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and pearloid trapezoid inlays, and a sculpted heel for easier upper fret access.

Sounds on each guitar, meanwhile, come by way of a pair of Epiphone humbuckers – a 650R in the neck and a 700T in the bridge – controlled by two volume and two tone knobs, plus a three-way toggle pickup switch.

A wraparound tailpiece and die cast tuners with kidney buttons round out the hardware, which is finished in nickel.

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The Epiphone Power Players Les Paul and SG are available now – in Ice Blue and Lava Red finishes (a Dark Matter Ebony colorway is also available, exclusively via Epiphone's website) – for $279. Each guitar comes with a gig bag, guitar strap, guitar picks and a guitar cable. 

We've yet to test one ourselves, but it's hard to see these two not becoming prominent players (see what we did there?) in the guitars for kids category.

For more info on the models, visit Epiphone.