The Memphis Les Paul is a Memphis electric guitar. Close alternatives include the Gibson Les Paul and the Ernie Ball Music Man EVH. It pairs well with the Blackstar St. James 100 and the Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo Head (Multi-watt).
Memphis Les Paul
Memphis · electric guitar
Slash's first electric guitar was a sunburst Memphis Les Paul copy he found at a local pawn shop as a teenager, an inexpensive Asian-made import sold in the United States from the mid-1970s through the mid-90s that approximated the Gibson Les Paul's shape and general layout at a fraction of the cost. He's since admitted the guitar wasn't particularly good, and its temperamental nature at one point led him to put it through a wall, but it was the instrument that introduced him to the Les Paul body style he'd go on to become inseparably associated with once his career and gear budget allowed for the real thing. Working at a music store afterward gave him hands-on exposure to a wider range of instruments, sharpening his sense of what different guitars and players actually sounded like before Guns N' Roses formed.
- electronic
- durable
- american
- mid
- instrument
- different guitars and players
- vintage import guitar specialists
Genres the Memphis Les Paul is commonly used in
- Electronic
Amps that pair well with the Memphis Les Paul
Blackstar St. James 100
Blackstar
17% matchRun mid-forward into Blackstar St. James 100 for more high gain on top
Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo Head (Multi-watt)
Mesa Boogie
17% matchRun mid-forward into Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo Head (Multi-watt) for more high gain on top
Friedman BE-Mini Head
Friedman
tonal matchFriedman BE-Mini Head stacks high gain on top of the mid-forward already here
Hughes & Kettner Warp 7
Hughes & Kettner
tonal matchHughes & Kettner Warp 7 stacks high gain on top of the mid-forward already here
Synergy SL2 Module
Synergy
tonal matchSynergy SL2 Module stacks high gain on top of the mid-forward already here
Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head
Hiwatt
tonal matchHiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal
Hughes & Kettner Coreblade
Hughes & Kettner
tonal matchRun mid-forward into Hughes & Kettner Coreblade for more high gain on top
Friedman Phil X Signature
Friedman
tonal matchPut Friedman Phil X Signature in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward high gain
Pedals that stack with the Memphis Les Paul
Greer Black Mountain
Greer
19% matchGreer Black Mountain stacks fuzzy on top of the mid-forward already here
ThorpyFX The Dane
ThorpyFX
18% matchThorpyFX The Dane stacks fuzzy on top of the mid-forward already here
Cusack Music Carolina Reaper Overdrive Fuzz
Cusack Music
tonal matchCusack Music Carolina Reaper Overdrive Fuzz stacks high gain on top of the mid-forward already here
Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2
Dr Scientist
tonal matchDr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2 layers fuzzy onto an already mid-forward signal
Crowther Prunes
Crowther
tonal matchRun mid-forward into Crowther Prunes for more fuzzy on top
EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter
EarthQuaker Devices
tonal matchEarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter layers fuzzy onto an already mid-forward signal
Blackstar ID:X Floor One
Blackstar
tonal matchPut Blackstar ID:X Floor One in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward high gain
Friedman Box of Doom Distortion
Friedman
tonal matchFriedman Box of Doom Distortion layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
Gibson Les Paul
Gibson
70% similarity“an inexpensive Asian-made import sold in the United States from the mid-1970s through the mid-90s that approximated the Gibson Les Paul's shape and general layout at a fraction of the cost”
Ernie Ball Music Man EVH
electric guitar
90% similaritysimilar tone character
ESP 400 Series, Electric Guitar, J
electric guitar
89% similaritysimilar tone character
1978 Danelectro/Charvel Star
Danelectro
89% similaritysimilar tone character
ESP LTD Kirk Hammett Signature White Zombie Electric Guitar
Esp
89% similaritysimilar tone character
See all alternatives to the Memphis Les Paul (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Memphis Les Paul?+
The closest matches in character are the Gibson Les Paul, the Ernie Ball Music Man EVH, the ESP 400 Series, Electric Guitar, J.
What pairs well with the Memphis Les Paul?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Blackstar St. James 100, Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo Head (Multi-watt), Friedman BE-Mini Head — Run mid-forward into Blackstar St. James 100 for more high gain on top.