Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson 1976 ES-355 Semi Hollow Body Guitar with Case
The Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson 1976 ES-355. Featuring Maple/Poplar body, Ebony fretboard, Gibson T-Type pickups, & Maestro Vibrola tailpiece. In Alpine white, with case
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Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson 1976 ES-355
Alex Lifeson didn't just play guitar in Rush — he redefined what a guitar could say in progressive rock. His 1976 Gibson ES-355 was as central to that story as Neil Peart's drum kit or Geddy Lee's impossibly high vocal notes. Now, Epiphone has brought that iconic instrument back to life as part of the Inspired by Gibson Custom Collection, and the result is everything a Lifeson devotee — or any serious semi-hollow player — could ask for.
Finished in gloss Alpine White and loaded with USA-made Gibson T-Type humbuckers, a Maestro Vibrola, and a mono Varitone circuit, this is far more than a signature guitar. It's a fully realized reissue that captures the tone, feel, and adventurous spirit that made Lifeson one of the most innovative guitarists in rock history.
The Frame: Built for Big Sound and Late Nights
A semi-hollow guitar lives and dies by its build, and this one is constructed to survive both a 20-minute progressive rock odyssey and your occasional clumsy stage moment. The five-ply maple and poplar body brings that signature ES warmth, while the solid maple centerblock keeps feedback from gatecrashing your solo. Up front, the fast Slim C neck and silky ebony fretboard make your scale runs sound much more dramatic than they actually are.
Five-Ply Body & Maple Centerblock: Classic ES warmth meets feedback-fighting power, so you can push the gain without your guitar screaming for help.
Three-Piece Neck & Ebony Fretboard: A fast Slim C profile with natural snap and 22 medium jumbo frets for effortless, all-night playability.
Multi-Ply Binding & Mother-of-Pearl Inlays: Elegant, high-end details that make it look Custom Shop expensive (because looking cool is half the battle).
Hardware That Strikes Gold
Gold hardware on a guitar is a bold promise, and this setup absolutely delivers. Featuring a gold-finished Tune-O-Matic bridge, a Maestro Vibrola tailpiece, and premium die-cast tuners, it keeps you perfectly in tune even after you've gone a bit too wild with the whammy bar.
Maestro Vibrola Tailpiece: Add subtle shimmer or dramatic, theatrical dives depending on how expressive you're feeling.
Graph Tech Nut & Premium Tuners: Bulletproof tuning stability that holds up under heavy-handed playing.
Solid Gold Swagger: From the bridge to the pickup covers, this gleaming gold hardware is pure luxury. No cheap shortcuts here — just instant stage-ready style.
The 355 Electronics
Most guitars give you a volume knob, a tone knob, and the quiet dignity of zero choices. This beast gives you a full-on conversation. Powered by USA-made Gibson T-Type humbuckers and a mono Varitone switch, you get six distinct tonal settings, plus a dedicated mini toggle to bypass the circuit when you just want to rock out.
USA-Made Gibson T-Type Humbuckers: Authentic ES-355 tone with the exact warmth and punch of Lifeson's legendary live sound.
Mono Varitone Switch & Bypass Toggle: Six tonal settings ranging from fat and resonant to glassy and scooped — a real tonal swiss-army knife.
Premium Internal Components: Wired with CTS potentiometers and Mallory capacitors, ensuring your signal stays clean, crisp, and completely uninterrupted.
A Reissue Worth Every Penny
The Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson 1976 ES-355 Reissue doesn't ask you to compromise. It delivers Custom-level appointments — USA-made Gibson pickups, a Varitone circuit, a Maestro Vibrola, genuine ebony fretboard, and gold hardware throughout — without the Custom Shop price tag. It ships in a custom hardshell case with a black exterior bearing a reproduction of Alex Lifeson's signature, a plush red interior, and gold hardware, because the presentation matches the guitar inside.
Whether you're going after the sound of 2112, hunting for that perfect semi-hollow tone, or simply want a beautifully built ES-355-style instrument that crushes, this is the one that delivers.
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson 1976 ES-355 Features:
Five-ply maple and poplar semi-hollow body with solid maple centerblock
Multi-ply binding on top, back, and headstock
Three-piece maple neck with volute and Slim C-profile
Ebony fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and mother-of-pearl large block inlays
Gibson-style "open book" headstock with premium die-cast tuners and keystone buttons
Graph Tech nut for reliable tuning stability
USA-made Gibson T-Type humbucking pickups
CTS potentiometers and Mallory capacitors
Mono Varitone switch with dedicated bypass mini toggle
Switchcraft three-way toggle and quarter-inch output jack
Gold-finished hardware throughout, including harmonica-style Tune-O-Matic bridge and Maestro Vibrola
Truss rod cover engraved with Alex Lifeson's name
Includes custom hardshell case with Lifeson signature exterior and plush red interior
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson 1976 ES-355 Semi Hollow Body Guitar with Case Specifications
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson 1976 ES-355 Semi Hollow Body Guitar with Case Specifications
Product Specifications
Body Binding: Multi-ply top and back
Body Material: 5-ply maple/poplar
Body Finish: Gloss
Body Shape: ES-335
Body Style: Semi-hollow body
Neck Material: 3-piece maple neck
Neck Profile: Slim C
Neck Joint: Glued in, set neck
Fingerboard Material: Ebony
Nut Material: Graph Tech
Inlays: Block
Fingerboard Radius: 12" / 304.8 mm
Neck Binding: Single-ply
Scale Length: 24.75" / 628.65 mm
Neck Pickup: Gibson T-Type
Bridge Pickup: Gibson T-Type
Controls: 2 volume, 2 tone
Pickup Selector: 3-way toggle
Bridge: Harmonica Tune-O-Matic
Hardware Finish: Gold
Plastics: Black
Tuning Machines: Die cast
Control Knobs: Black Witch Hats
Pickup Cover: Gold
Tailpiece: Maestro Vibrola
Case: Hardshell
Frequently Asked Questions
It's a production reissue of Alex Lifeson's iconic 1976 Gibson ES-355, built by Epiphone as part of the Inspired by Gibson Custom Collection. It replicates the original's construction, hardware, and electronics — including a Varitone circuit and Maestro Vibrola — at a non-Custom Shop price.
It's equipped with a pair of USA-made Gibson T-Type humbucking pickups, the same pickups found in Gibson's higher-end production models. They're wired through CTS potentiometers and Mallory capacitors for premium tone and signal quality.
The mono Varitone switch provides six distinct tonal settings by filtering certain frequencies, ranging from full and open to noticeably scooped and glassy. A dedicated mini toggle lets you bypass the circuit entirely when you want the guitar's natural, unfiltered voice.
Absolutely, the semi-hollow ES-355 body style is incredibly versatile and works well across jazz, blues, funk, and indie styles. The Varitone circuit and T-Type humbuckers give you enough tonal range to cover a wide variety of playing contexts.
Yes, it ships in a custom hardshell case with a black exterior printed with a reproduction of Alex Lifeson's signature, a plush red interior, and gold hardware. It's a genuinely nice case, not just a token afterthought.
