JERRY CANTRELL LES PAUL CUSTOM PROPHECY
AUGUST 2022 TOTAL GUITAR
THE TG TEST
89
EPIPHONE JERRY
CANTRELL ‘WINO’
LES PAUL CUSTOM
AND CUSTOM
PROPHECY
Epiphone unveil their affordable version
of the Alice In Chains guitarist’s ‘Wino’
Custom, as well as a signature Custom
Prophecy in Bone White. We take both
instruments for a test drive...
A
s the founding guitarist and singer in Alice In Chains, Jerry
Cantrell knows a thing or two about dialling in massive rock
tones. His ris were arguably the heaviest from the 90s
Seattle scene, the group sharing nearly as much kinship with
the likes of Metallica and Pantera as they did with the
alternative peers from their hometown. But there was
always a more delicate side to the music, as evidenced on
tracks like Down In A Hole, Nutshell and Brother – which,
thanks to a profound sense of emotional sincerity, turned Jerry into one of
the most deeply admired songwriters of his generation. In January 2020, he
made headlines by announcing he was teaming up with Gibson to release a
whole line of acoustic and electric signatures. Here’s a closer look at the two
latest Epiphone models for this year...
When Jerry Cantrell last spoke to Total Guitar, he told us how Gibson
guitars had “been right there in the development of my sound from the
beginning” and teased the acoustic signatures that were to follow on from
the 100 signed and Murphy-Lab aged Wine Red Customs released in 2021.
The debut models were based on one of the four Les Pauls he acquired in
the early 90s and stuck with him through his career. The collaborative
partnership continues this year with two new entries under the Chinese-
made Epiphone banner, sitting at a much more aordable price point than
anything we’ve seen thus far. The new ‘Wino’ comes in a slightly darker
variant of Wine Red, with Epiphone parts oering a more cost-eective take
on those found on its American Custom Shop sibling. The most notable
dierence is the lack of a Fishman piezo pickup-equipped bridge – a fair
compromise given that this instrument retails for over ten times less, and
ultimately a concession few would be surprised by. Less predictable,
Words Rob Laing Photography Phil Barker
TGR360.gear_test.indd 89TGR360.gear_test.indd 89 15/06/2022 22:2315/06/2022 22:23