The Epiphone 2026 lineup brings elevated playability, improved hardware, and refined body contours across ten classic Gibson-inspired models.
Epiphone has given its Inspired by Gibson collection an overhaul for 2026, updating ten classic models with upgraded hardware, electronics, and refined specifications, all while keeping the designs accessible.
The refreshed lineup spans some of guitar history’s most recognisable silhouettes: Explorer 80s EMG, Firebird, Flying V 70s, Les Paul Special Double Cut, Les Paul Special Double Cut Figured, Les Paul Junior, SG Special P-90, Les Paul Standard 50s, Les Paul Standard 60s, and SG Standard. Each model has been thoughtfully updated with rosewood or ebony fretboards, improved hardware and electronics, and refined body contours.
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“Epiphone has always been about opening doors,” says Lewis McKinney III, brand manager of Epiphone. “Inspired by Gibson brings real heritage into the hands of players who want more than the look—they want a guitar they can count on, in any situation, every time they plug in.”
Standout updates
The Explorer 80s EMG pays homage to the sought-after 1984 model with active EMG pickups (EMG 60 neck, EMG 81 bridge), a mahogany neck with 60s SlimTaper profile, and mini die-cast tuners. Its angular mahogany body features no pickguard for a sleek, aggressive aesthetic.
Both Les Paul Standard models now feature Epiphone ProBucker humbuckers wired to CTS potentiometers. The 50s version sports a 1959 Rounded Medium C-profile neck with 50s-style wiring, while the 60s model offers a faster SlimTaper 60s C-profile for effortless playability.
The Flying V 70s recreates iconic 1970s models that changed music history, featuring a two-piece mahogany body, Rounded C profile neck with volute, ebony fretboard, and new T-Type PRO humbucking pickups designed to capture the fat-toned sound players preferred during that era. Black nickel hardware and 70s-style details complete the package. The Inspired by Gibson collection also introduces bold finishes that honour its heritage and invite self-expression: Classic White, Wine Red, Vintage Sunburst, Maui Blue, TV Yellow, Cherry Red, Bourbon Burst, Ocean Water, Goldtop, Washed Cherry Sunburst, Ebony, and Iced Tea Burst.
Epiphone is marking the launch with San Francisco Bay Area band Spiritual Cramp, whose guitarist Nate Punty tears through “Go Back Home” in the accompanying release video. The collaboration continues with an exclusive Epiphone Live Session captured at Alexandra Palace in London during the band’s late-2025 tour with The Hives.
Explore the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson collection here.
