The Gibson Les Paul Guitar History and Legacy.
Who was Guitarist Jazz Les Paul?
Les Paul Guitar Spotters Guide.
-Alan Arnell
The Les Paul Guitar Legacy
The Gibson Les Paul guitar is arguably the most famous and iconic solid body electric guitar ever made and sold to the general public. The infamous Les Paul guitar was designed by Ted McCarthy and famous jazz guitarist Les Paul. Mr. McCarthy was Gibson's the President of Gibson USA between 1950 to 1966.
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| In 1938 Chicago was the Jazz capital of the world. |
Fender scooped the market by introducing the first solid body electric guitar named the Telecaster in 1950. This iconic electric guitar quickly became a public sensation. Guitar lovers flocked to their local music stores and the Telecaster Guitar flew off the racks. Many rock stars of the time and today put food on the table with the amazing sounds they can product with the Telecaster. Some of my favorite Telecaster players were: Jeff Beck, Mike Campbell, Denny Dais, Bob Dylan, Bill Frisell, George Harrison and Muddy Waters. Jimmy Page played a Tele, however I choose to remember him playing a Les Paul.
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| Elvis with a Fender Telecaster in MGM's Girl Happy - 1965 |
To regain their market share and reputation, Gibson designed and sold a new guitar design to compete with the Stratocaster with the help of legendary, Les Paul. Gibson named the guitar after Les Paul. The move was a shrewd marketing move as Les Paul has been credited with inventing the electric guitar by putting a phonograph needle in the body of his guitar to amplify the guitars sound.
Gibson regained its market share and the rest is history.
Les Paul Biography
Lester William Polsfuss who took the stage name of "Les Paul," was born in Wisconsin, North America in 1915. Les Paul became interested in music at the tender age of eight. His first musical instruments of choice were the harmonica and banjo. Guitars during Les Paul’s youth did not have the overwhelming interest that they enjoyed later during Les Paul’s musical career. Les Paul was a child prodigy and at the tender age of thirteen was already playing country music at drive-ins and roadhouses.
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| Les Paul, as he was, when he was a budding young musician . |
Les Paul was a creative man. His first creation was the neck-worn harmonica holder like John Lennon and Bob Dylan used years later. For Les Paul and everyone since then, the neck-worn harmonica holder allowed him to sing, play harmonica and the guitar all at the same time.
Never satisfied with the status quo Les Paul went on to make more inventions to enhance his musical performances. What he is most famous for is the creation of the electric guitar. However, like Al Gore and the internet the true story of Les Paul and the electric guitar is not quite that black and white but basically the truth.
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| Les Paul in his guitar shop. |
As Les Played in bigger and louder venues he wanted his guitar to be louder and heard by more people. With his mind working overtime Les Paul attached and then wired up a phonograph needle to a radio speaker. His idea amplified the sound of his acoustic guitar and the rest now belongs to the ages.
By 1934 Les Paul had moved to Chicago which was the center of the Universe for jazz music. With not much adieu Les Paul was was playing jazz guitar regularly in live performances and on the radio.
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| Les Paul in his glory Days. |
Les Paul had a stellar recording career. His first two albums were released in 1936. His jazz playing was largely influenced by the virtuosic gypsy - jazz guitar player Django Reinhardt. Les Paul would became close friends with Reinhard in later years.
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| Django Reinhardt |
Still, Les Paul was not happy with the current acoustic-electric guitars that were available to him and his friends. To solve this problem Les Paul began experimenting with more ideas of his own.
One of Les Paul’s first ideas to make a better electric guitar was to created "The Log," The Log was a piece of 4x4” block of pine wood with a guitar neck, bridge and pick-up attached.
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| "The Log" |
Through arduous trial and error, Les Paul continuously re-invented The Log. For the sake of appearance, Les Paul placed two sides of an Epiphone guitar body on each side of The Log. This serendipitous undertaking for a better looking instrument would solve the two main issues Les Paul had been having with his electric guitar designs. Up until the the body encasement of The Log, Les Paul continuously fought with audio feedback and lack of sustain.
The design's feedback was annoying as we all can imagine. Sustain was a different problem. Sustain is the period of time during which the sound remains before it becomes inaudible, or silent. The acoustic guitar has plenty of sustain for the musician in most instances, however when playing ringing notes and chord arrangements amplified, Les Paul was not satisfied with the sound his creation was producing through his amp. Les Paul would continue to experiment and use many different designs throughout his career as an artist.
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| Les Paul in his later years. |
Les Paul’s The Log became, what you more than likely already guessed, the Gibson Solid Guitar (SG) .
Les Paul in partnership with Gibson Guitars changed the world with the solid body guitar. Sadly as with most ingenious inventions, Gibson showed little interest in the SG electric guitar at first. It took Fender to release the "Esquire" model, later to become the "Telecaster” and receive great sales success for Gibson to come around on Les Paul’s design.
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| Gibson was the first to designed the solid body electric guitar, but Fender was the first to offer the SG to guitar musicians. |
Years later, Gibson in an effort to boost sales created a new guitar design. This design was made without Les Paul’s input or knowledge. Les Paul must have felt betrayed when literally, he passed a guitar store window to discover Gibson's new Guitar design. He was totally left out of the design process! Les Paul did not appreciate the new design that still used his name and fame. He was known to express that he could not qualify the new neck to body problems the new design produced. Les Paul pulled the plug to end his endorsement and the use of his name on Gibson products. The new guitars name was simply changed from Les Paul to Gibson SG.
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| Gibson SG |
The original design by Les Paul before the SG later became the most popular electric guitar model ever made by Gibson. This popularity started when future Rock legends Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton began playing the Les Paul design. The new success of the former design prompted Les Paul to once again resume his contract with Gibson.
The Gibson Les Paul Guitar is my personal favorite guitar design. I am not alone in my opinion, as the Les Paul design in its many variations have become famous worldwide. No one can deny that the fantastic reputation of the Gibson Les Paul designs are is one of the best electric guitars of all time.
Spotters Guide for Les Paul Guitars
How are the different variations of the Les Paul Guitar different from one another?
The same wood is used for the most part on all Gibson Les Paul Guitars. However, some exotic wood may used in the higher end guitars. I read yesterday, that Gibson is experimenting with a synthetic ebony fretboard that may have a smoother sound. The quantity and quality of the materials used for the bindings, inlays and hardware is what makes the different models different, expensive and more sought after by collectors. Most Les Pauls have mahogany bodies, maple tops and a rosewood fretboard (some models use ebony). Structurally, the "differences" lie in details such as amount of mahogany pieces used in the body, and whether the body is solid, weight relieved, or chambered.
Gibson Les Paul Junior/Melody Maker Guitar
This model is the least expensive Gibson Les Paul Guitar. Many a guitar buyer loves this guitar for its simplicity. Often the guitar is offered with just one pickup
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| Gibson Les Paul/Melody Maker |
Gibson Les Paul Studio Guitars
The Studio is the next level up from the Junior/Melody Makers. I have heard of them referred to as a Standard without the bling. Some say that the wood and electronics used are different from the Studio to a Standard, but don’t believe it. Studios are made in exactly the same way as a Standard. You my find some Studios with a one piece back.
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| Les Paul Studio |
Gibson Les Paul Classics and Les Paul Traditions Guitars
The Classics and Traditions are priced below a Standards. The difference between the two models is that the Classics and Traditions have, wait for it, classic and traditional hardware and pickups. The Traditionals are like the guitars made in the 1950’s and the Classics more like the guitars made in the 1960’s. The main difference is the neck size. The 1960’s necks are slimmer and tapered. The 1950’s necks are more rounded. Many people refer to the 1950’s style neck as a “baseball bat neck”. The name is an over exaggeration, because in truth the neck is nowhere as big as a baseball bat.
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| Gibson Les Paul Classic and Traditional |
Gibson Les Paul Standard Guitars
Standards are cross between the Traditionals and the Classics designs. Each model year Gibson issued a new Standard. The model is used to showcase new design items such as locking tuners and bridges. In recently produced models, Gibson produced the Standard model with Push/Pull knobs. Standards are an expression of the current trends and and the Classics and Traditionals are as their names imply.
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| Les Paul Standard |
Gibson Les Paul Custom Guitars
Custom models are made with specifically selected wood for the best guitar sounds.
The wood is chosen for a particular sound by its density, tone and performance. Customs have triple binding and back binding. The Custom design produces the ultimate offering of bling. I a Custom that had gold plated hardware that was so nice I was afraid to pick it up, not alone play the $40,000 guitar!.
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| Les Paul Custom |
Gibson Les Paul Artist Guitars
Artist models are sometimes referred to, as the Normal Les Pauls. The Artist usually comes with some specific features for tribute to a selected artist. Or sometimes they are what is called a historical re-issue. The Artist models are the best of the best offered by Gibson. The most expensive Artist Model will set you back from $10,000 to $30,000. A good example of an Artist Guitar would be the Eric Clapton Beno model.
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| Les Paul Artist |
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