Matt Heafy Takes the LP Custom Into the Future

Epiphone and Trivium's Matt Heafy present the the Ltd. Ed. Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom-7 seven-string, a new and totally killer original take on the world famous Les Paul.

Designed in close collaboration with Matt Heafy, each Ltd. Ed. Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom reflects Heafy's distinctive approach to guitar, which has earned him and Trivium scores of dedicated fans around the world. Trivium's records have sold over a million copies worldwide. Check out a Trivium performance and you'll see why. The rule books on how-to-play a Les Paul go right out the window when Heafy plugs in and his revolutionary use of an LP Custom seven-string is a breakthrough in contemporary metal and hard rock.

Matt Heafy didn’t wait for permission to change the world. Why should you? Check out the Ltd. Ed. Matt Heafy 7-string Les Paul Custom guitar today at your favorite Authorized Epiphone Dealer.

Like all Epiphones, the Matt Heafy LP Custom-7 includes Epiphone’s made-to-last heavy duty hardware including Epiphone StrapLocks and a Tune-o-matic-7/StopBar. It also features deluxe die-cast machine heads with metal “tulip buttons” with a 14:1 tuning ratio. An optional hard case is available for both models.

The Power of EMG Pickups

The Ltd. Ed. Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom feature Epiphone’s no-compromise electronics including a 1/4” non-rotating output jack and volume and tone controls with Black Speed Knobs that are powered by full-size 500K Ω potentiometers. The pickup switch is Epiphone’s all-metal 3-way pickup selector with a black toggle cap.

Matt Heafy asked that his the Les Paul Custom feature black active EMG pickups voiced especially for each guitar’s unique profile. The Ltd. Ed. Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom-7 seven string features an EMG-707 in the neck position and an EMG 81-7 in the lead or bridge position. The 81-7 is EMG’s king high output pickup, designed especially for 7-string lead guitarists. The EMG 81-7 excels at high volume overdrive. The EMG-707 has long been the standard 7-string guitar pickup since its introduction in 2001. The 707 features Alnico V magnets with wide aperture coils, which beef up the low B tone while offering a more responsive and super tight overall sound.

An easy-access 9V battery compartment can be found on the back of each guitar.

Custom Sound, Custom Color

Matt Heafy's signature Les Paul features an all blacked-out Ebony gloss finish that’s especially striking on the sleek profile of a LP Custom. Like all great Les Pauls, the Matt Heafy 7-string Ltd. Ed. Custom features a mahogany body with a plain maple veneer top, a time-tested combination that has gone virtually unchanged since the '50s.

The mahogany neck has a fast 1960's SlimTaper™ ‘D’ profile with a glued-in deep set neck joint with an "Axcess" heel for a smooth and easy reach to the upper frets. The scale length is 24.75" and the ebony fingerboard has a 12" radius and 22 medium jumbo frets and features pearloid block inlays, which seem to practically glow in the dark against the Ebony finish.

The nut, which is also black, is cut to 1 7/8" and the classic clipped dovewing headstock features the historic pearloid “split-diamond” Les Paul Custom inlay and a vintage style “Epiphone” logo in white. The bell-shaped truss rod cover is black with a shadow of white binding and MKH Les Paul Custom in white silk screen.

The guitar also features beautiful 7-ply white and black binding on the top and 5-ply binding on the headstock. The fingerboard features single ply white binding.

Matt Heafy Takes the LP Custom Into the Future