Epiphone unleashes the bold new Futura Series

With color-shifting finishes, stainless steel frets, compound-radius fingerboards, and powerful new pickups, the iconic shapes of the Epiphone Futura Series might be familiar but their look, feel, and tone is all-new

Epiphone has just dropped the Futura Series, a new line of electric guitars loaded with color-shifting finishes, brand new ProBucker Ignite humbucker pickups with coil-splitting and phase options, ultra-comfortable neck profiles with compound-radius fingerboards, stainless steel frets, and more boutique appointments that make these guitars a must-have for players pushing the boundaries of hard rock, heavy metal, and alternative rock. 

Gibson Gear Guide host Dinesh Lekhraj had the chance to demo every model in-depth, which you can see in the video above. In the Epiphone Futura Series, every single detail has been engineered to meet the demands of modern musicians who want to make a bold statement when it comes to the look and sound of their guitar. Let’s take a look at what’s new.

What are the main highlights of the Epiphone Futura Series?

The Epiphone Futura Series has some killer new features not yet seen before in the Epiphone or Gibson guitar lineup. The first thing you’ll notice is the new Chromashift high-gloss finishes that change colour as you tilt them, which looks immense under stage lights—or studio lights when you’re creating content for YouTube or social media. 

Powering the lineup are Epiphone's ProBucker™ Ignite humbuckers™ which are perfect for high-gain metal, and deliver clarity and punch for lead and rhythm without ever getting muddy. And because they’re matched with push/pull controls for coil-splitting and out-of-phase sounds, you get a huge range of tones from your guitar.

Each model features stainless steel frets, which offer unparalleled longevity. The ebony fingerboards, featuring Super 400-style pearloid inlays, feel amazing under your fingertips, offering that added snap and additional treble push at which ebony excels. Bound Modern C-shaped neck profiles and 10 to 14-inch compound-radius fingerboards make for a super-smooth playability across all positions—perfect for those long playing sessions or when you’re just playing at home.

Other cool features include Grover® locking Rotomatic® tuners with kidney buttons, LockTone™ bridges and Stop Bar tailpieces, and Posi-Lok™ strap buttons. Most models feature a 24.75-inch scale length, but the Futura RD Custom kicks that up a notch to 25.5 inches, increasing string tension and making it perfect for drop tunings. Let’s look at each guitar in the range. 

Epiphone Futura Les Paul Custom

A bold take on one of the most enduring electric guitar designs, the Epiphone Futura Les Paul™ Custom fuses classic tonal foundations with modern features like coil splitting and, of course, the new ProBucker Ignite pickups. Its mahogany body features Ultra Modern weight relief paired with a maple cap that adds clarity and brightness to its midrange-rich voice.

The glued-in mahogany neck sports a long tenon and a Modern C profile, while the ebony fingerboard with stainless steel frets and a compound radius is super comfortable to play. Equipped with ProBucker Ignite humbuckers and push/pull controls, it has a wide tonal range waiting to be unleashed. And the Twilight Shift finish is a real highlight.

Over the years, the list of famous players who have used a Les Paul Custom reads like a who’s who of music. From Jimmy Page and Mick Ronson to Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols and Adam Jones of Tool, the Les Paul Custom has been used to define just about every style of rock music, and this fresh take is ideal for metal guitarists. Read a brief history of the Les Paul Custom and our buyer’s guide here.  

Epiphone Futura RD Custom

First introduced in 1977, the Gibson RD was ahead of its time and has since garnered a cult fanbase among players in heavy and alternative music, including Dave Grohl, the Nameless Ghouls of Ghost, and Lee Malia of Bring Me The Horizon. In addition, the RD bass was famously used by Krist Novoselic in Nirvana. It’s big, it’s bold, and now it’s back.

The Epiphone Futura RD Custom reintroduces this distinctive design and has one significant feature that heavy metal guitarists and those who use drop tunings will really appreciate. The extended 25.5-inch scale length sets it apart from the rest of the lineup as it delivers increased string tension, making it ideal for drop tunings and tighter low-end response. The strings are still snappy and tight even in lower tunings, meaning your riffs retain definition even with masses of distortion, and feel responsive and taut under the fingers. Again, the guitar has a mahogany body and ProBucker Ignite humbuckers, which provides epic sustain. This is a real highlight from the Epiphone Futura collection that has been causing a buzz since it was teased at NAMM.

Epiphone Futura Explorer Custom

Released in 1958, the Gibson Explorer™ was way ahead of its time. Discontinued in 1963, it wasn’t until later, when it was picked up by hard rock and metal players, that it became one of the most iconic heavy metal guitar shapes.

The Epiphone Futura Explorer Custom builds on that heavy metal legacy and thrusts it into the modern day. The Modern C neck and compound-radius ebony fretboard make for a smooth playing experience, while the ProBucker Ignite humbuckers are perfectly optimized for dialing in high gain tones on your amp; they respond to the dynamics of your playing and sound articulate, no matter whether you’re adding a little drive or a lot of crunch. And with coil-splitting and phase switching at your fingertips as featured on all Futura models, you can go from full-fat humbucker to single coil tones with ease. The Firestorm Shift finish, paired with that color-shifting twist, looks set to be a fan favorite.

Epiphone Futura SG Custom

SG™ stands for “Solid Guitar,” and following its inception in 1961, it would eventually become responsible for the birth of heavy metal as we know it in the hands of Tony Iommi. This Futura SG features a slim, full mahogany double-cutaway body and its light weight makes it ideal for long jam sessions and gigs. It delivers all the upper fret access you could possibly need thanks to its iconic double-cutaway design, and the super-fast Modern C neck profile makes shredding a breeze.

Again, the Futura SG Custom has an ebony fingerboard and stainless steel frets as well as ProBucker Ignite pickups that are perfect for anything from crushing riffs to bluesy lead lines. But let’s be honest—this thing needs a distortion pedal and some chugging riffs! 

Epiphone Futura Flying V Custom

First introduced in 1958, the Gibson Flying V™ was one of the most radical guitar designs ever created, pushing boundaries with its futuristic shape. Over the years, it was embraced by blues and rock players like Jimi Hendrix and Albert King, before becoming a staple of heavy music in the hands of artists like Michael Schenker and Kirk Hammett.

The Epiphone Futura Flying V Custom builds on that legacy and loads it with fresh ProBucker Ignite humbuckers to give you powerful, articulate tones with plenty of clarity. Again, it comes complete with stainless steel frets and an ebony fingerboard, which will offer unparalleled longevity and feel great even after decades of playing.

Epiphone Futura ES-355

Since its introduction in 1958, the iconic Gibson ES-355™ has been played by some of the most important guitarists in music history. Players like B.B. King, Keith Richards, Johnny Marr, Alex Lifeson, and Noel Gallagher have used it to define genres, from blues and R&B to progressive rock, indie, alternative, and beyond. No joke—it’s probably the most versatile guitar on the planet.

The ES-355 shares all the cool features common to the Futura Series models—stainless steel frets, coil-splitting and phase options, ProBucker Ignite humbuckers—but also offers semi-hollow construction for a different tonal flavor. Thanks to a solid center block, you get incredible sustain with reduced feedback. The Dragonfly Shift finish looks incredible under stage lights, too.

Epiphone Futura Firebird Custom

Originally introduced in 1963 and designed by automotive stylist Ray Dietrich, the Gibson Firebird™ was a fresh take on what a solidbody electric guitar could look and sound like. Over the decades, it’s been used across genres by iconic players like Johnny Winter, Keith Richards, and Phil Manzanera—even Dave Grohl has used one from time to time.

The Epiphone Futura Firebird Custom shares the standard features of the Futura Series models, but on this model, you get a sculpted mahogany body with elegant seven-ply top binding and a contoured back for enhanced comfort wehether you’re sitting or standing. The LockTone Tune-O-Matic™ bridge and Stop Bar tailpiece deliver rock-solid intonation and sustain, while Posi-Lok strap buttons, as featured on all Futura guitars, keep your strap secure without the need for straplocks or drilling. All Futura guitars are made for people who do not want to stand still onstage! 

The Epiphone Futura Series is out now. They’re bold by design, loud, and super-fun to play. Check out the full Futura Series today at Epiphone.com.