The Epiphone Les Paul Standard 50s uses a LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge on Nashville-spec posts with a LockTone Stop Bar tailpiece, and Epiphone Vintage Deluxe tuners at an 18:1 ratio.
17 mods reviewed: 11 drop-in, 3 need verification, 3 need modification.
Places we know sell the Epiphone Les Paul Standard 50s.
Andertons
We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It doesn't change the price you pay. How we make money
The Epiphone Les Paul Standard 50s uses a LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge on Nashville-spec posts with a LockTone Stop Bar tailpiece, and Epiphone Vintage Deluxe tuners at an 18:1 ratio. Current production tuner holes are commonly reported at 10mm, though this hasn't been confirmed on an official spec sheet. ProBucker 1 and 2 pickups sit in a standard humbucker route, so most aftermarket humbuckers fit without extra work.
Tailpiece
LockTone Stop Bar
String spacing
52mm (2.05")
Scale length
24.75" (629mm)
Tuner hole size
10mm (25/64")
Nut width
43mm (1.693")
Bridge mounting spacing
73–74.4mm (2.87–2.93")
Purpose-built for this bridge style. Locking studs mean it won't fall out when you change strings.
TonePros markets the NVR2 specifically as their Nashville-spec locking retrofit. Consistently reported as a straightforward install in Epiphone-specific threads.
See current price at Amazon
View at Amazon
Should fit, but post spacing on Epiphone Nashville bridges varies slightly by year. Measure your studs before buying if you want a guaranteed fit.
StewMac lists Gotoh's drop-in Nashville replacement at 73.99mm post spacing, but multiple owner caliper measurements on Epiphone LPs range from 73.0mm to 74.4mm depending on model year.
Help confirm this fit
See current price at Amazon
View at AmazonThis swaps only the saddles, so you keep your existing bridge. Graph Tech sell different saddle sets for different bridge stamps though, so check the stamp on the underside of your bridge and order the matching one.
Graph Tech match their TUSQ saddle sets to the stamp on the underside of the bridge rather than selling one universal set, and their own fitment guide lists a distinct SKU per stamp. The Epiphone-spec set, PQ-8633-00, is the correct SKU for a modern Epiphone-style import Tune-o-matic, which is the bridge style on this guitar. What has not been independently confirmed is the exact stamp on this particular model, and that is the detail that decides which set to order.
Help confirm this fit
See current price at Amazon
View at Amazon
This bridge is built for genuine Gibson Nashville posts, not Epiphone's. You'll need to swap in Faber's own conversion posts first, no drilling required if you use their simplest kit.
Faber's own FAQ states Epiphone and other imported guitars use bridge posts that screw into bushings, not original Nashville inserts, and require Faber conversion bridge studs (NSWKIT, BSWKIT, or iNsert) to use any Faber bridge including the ABRN. NSWKIT is a straightforward stud swap with no drilling. BSWKIT is more invasive, needs the body inserts removed and tapped. The plain ABRN alone is not a drop-in for this guitar.
Help confirm this fit
See current price at Reverb
View at Reverb
Fits the standard humbucker route like the guitar's other pickup options. This set leans toward a mellower, more vintage-voiced tone rather than higher output.
Same route and mounting as the Pearly Gates set. Also a commonly recommended Epi LP swap.
See also
See current price at Reverb
View at ReverbThe exact pickups found on the USA Gibson version of this guitar. Direct fit, still needs soldering.
This is literally what Gibson ships in the USA Les Paul; it's a genuine drop-in for the Epiphone's standard humbucker route, not just a similarly-sized third-party part.
Fits the standard humbucker route on this guitar, a straightforward solder-in swap.
Standard Gibson-style humbucker route and mounting dimensions, matches this pickup directly.
Fits the standard humbucker route. You'll need to solder it in, this isn't a solderless swap.
Standard humbucker footprint and mounting, matches the ProBucker routing. One of the most commonly recommended Epiphone LP upgrades in Seymour Duncan's own forum threads.
See also
£309.99 at Andertons
View at AndertonsCheck the pole spacing note before buying: this pickup is built for slightly wider necks, and this guitar sits right at that boundary.
F-spaced (2.01" pole spacing), which DiMarzio recommends for guitars with a nut width over 1.69". This guitar's nut is 1.69" (43mm) exactly, right at the line.
Help confirm this fit
Gotoh specify a 10mm bore for these, matching this guitar's holes. A straight locking upgrade, no reaming.
Current-production Epiphone Les Paul Standard 50s tuner holes are widely reported at 10mm, and Gotoh specify a 10mm bore for the SG381 housing, so the posts seat in the existing holes.
See current price at Amazon
View at Amazon
Should swap straight into the existing tuner holes, no reaming needed.
Current-production tuner holes commonly reported at 10mm.
See current price at Amazon
Direct swap for the stock Vintage Deluxe tuners, no reaming needed.
Grover Rotomatics are the standard 10mm-hole reference point, consistent with the current Epiphone LP's 10mm bushings.
See also
£129.99 at Andertons
View at Andertons
Should swap straight into the existing tuner holes, no reaming needed.
Current-production tuner holes commonly reported at 10mm.
See current price at Amazon
View at AmazonKluson's Revolution uses a screw-in bushing sized for 10mm holes, which is what this guitar has. No reaming needed.
Current-production Epiphone Les Paul Standard 50s tuner holes are widely reported at 10mm. Kluson's Revolution uses a screw-in hex bushing built for a 10mm peghole, so it threads into the existing holes.
See current price at Amazon
This tuner is sized for vintage tuner holes, not the modern holes on this guitar. You'll need Gotoh's conversion bushings, sold separately, to fit it.
This tuner is vintage-hole spec (8.73 to 8.8mm), not the modern 10mm hole this guitar actually has. Gotoh sells conversion bushings separately for exactly this situation. Not a direct swap, but not a drilling job either, it is a bushing change.
Help confirm this fit
A Bigsby vibrato mounted with an adapter that uses your existing bridge screws, no drilling and fully reversible.
The Vibramate V7-LP adapter uses the existing stop-bar bushings and the strap-pin hole, no new holes required, per Vibramate's own spec. Fully reversible.
A real modification, not a drop-in. New holes go in the guitar, best left to someone experienced or a tech.
This guitar ships with a fixed stop bar, not a vibrato. Direct-mounting a Bigsby means new holes in the top.
Help confirm this fit
See also
See current price at Amazon
View at AmazonIf you have fitted any of these to this Epiphone Les Paul Standard 50s, tell us what you found and we'll update the data.
