I've touched a ton of Epiphones and owned a 2004 LP Standard Plus. In the 90's I worked at a music store full time for a few years and part time for a few years. In around 2002 is when Gibson/Epiphone had their own facility open in China. The earliest ones were better but still needed improvement / adjustments. My 2004 was really nice. They gradually got better over the years and I have to say that since the 2020 models with the book matched headstock, yes, they have definitely upped their game. They feel and play so much better than older models by a long shot. $500 worth though? That's the market/inflation talking there. I wouldn't hesitate to get a LP Standard Goldtop or Ebony. Any "signature" models, like the JB here, will be higher priced because, well, signature model.