The Unique History of Les Paul Guitars
Gibson Les Pauls were among the first commercial solid-body electric guitars, but they were not the first. Fender beat Gibson to market with the Fender Telecaster in the early 1950s. Gibson's response was not to create a copycat version of Fender's design, but to craft a quality instrument that was uniquely Gibson. A collaboration began between Gibson Guitar Corp., and two noted jazz musicians- Frean Donni, and later, Les Paul, for whom the guitar would be named.
Gibson Les Pauls were one of the first commercial solid-body electric guitars, but they were not the first. Fender beat Gibson to market with the Fender Telecaster in the early 1950s. Gibson's response was not to create a copycat version of Fender's design, but to create a quality instrument that was uniquely Gibson. A design collaboration began between Gibson Guitar Corp., and two noted jazz musicians- Frean Donni, and later, Les Paul, for whom the guitar would be named.
It is worthy to note that the Les Paul was not, in fact, Gibsons first electric guitar. Gibson had been manufacturing hollow-body electric guitars, such as the ES-150, since the 1930s. These early electric models would be used for design cues in the Les Paul guitar. Gibson was developing a new solid-body electric, but one that was very distinct from Fenders design. It was to have a more traditional shape than the Telecaster, and use a set (glued-in) neck instead of a bolt-on design like Fenders.
Les Paul was no stranger to guitar design. He approached Gibson in 1945 with his own design for a solid-body electric guitar. While Gibson rejected his idea at the time, they most likely kept him in mind as they drew up their own plans in the early 1950s. Les Paul was an innovator, and had been developing and experimenting with other guitar designs as well, mainly for his own personal use.
When Les Paul was invited into the design process in 1951, Gibson president Ted McCarty stated that the guitar was almost finished - Gibson had only asked if they could put his name on the guitar. This version of the facts is widely debated, however. McCarty also conceded at one point that Les Paul had input on the design of the tailpiece of the guitar.
Some say that Les Paul had a much larger role in the guitar's design. He wanted the guitar that bore his name to be an expensive, well-made instrument, keeping with the Gibson tradition. This was not to be a knee-jerk reaction to the popularity of the Telecaster. He wanted the guitar to be "classy" and expensive-looking, so he suggested a gold version and a black version with a tuxedo look. Les Paul was also given credit for the trapeze tailpiece design and the look of the hardware.
The first Gibson Les Pauls would be mahogany-body solid-body guitars with an archtop design and Gibson P-90 pickups. When they were first introduced, they were known simply as "Les Pauls". Later, as more finishes became available, guitars of this era became known as "goldtops" for their distinctive gold finish.
In 1954 and 1955, Gibson introduced three new Les Pauls - the Custom, the Junior, and the Special. The Custom used special alnico pickups designed by Seth Lover. The Junior was a budget one-pickup version of the Les Paul. In 1955, the Special was released - essentially, a two-pickup version of the Junior.
The Gibson Les Paul received a significant upgrade in 1958 with the introduction of the humbucking pickup. Designed and patented one year earlier by Seth Lover, these pickups gave the guitar a distinctive warm tone, with reduced noise. They were used in the Les Paul Standard, issued in 1958. Also in this year, Gibson unveiled a variety of new exotic finishes. Figured, striped, and flamed wood patterns, with a clear burst lacquer finish graced these new Les Paul models. But as the guitar continued to evolve, its popularity would wane. It wasn't until the later 1960s that the Les Paul would be rediscovered by rock legends such as Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton. Their adoption of the guitar has contributed to its strong popularity even today.
Gibson Les Pauls were one of the first commercial solid-body electric guitars, but they were not the first. Fender beat Gibson to market with the Fender Telecaster in the early 1950s. Gibson's response was not to create a copycat version of Fender's design, but to create a quality instrument that was uniquely Gibson. A design collaboration began between Gibson Guitar Corp., and two noted jazz musicians- Frean Donni, and later, Les Paul, for whom the guitar would be named.
It is worthy to note that the Les Paul was not, in fact, Gibsons first electric guitar. Gibson had been manufacturing hollow-body electric guitars, such as the ES-150, since the 1930s. These early electric models would be used for design cues in the Les Paul guitar. Gibson was developing a new solid-body electric, but one that was very distinct from Fenders design. It was to have a more traditional shape than the Telecaster, and use a set (glued-in) neck instead of a bolt-on design like Fenders.
Les Paul was no stranger to guitar design. He approached Gibson in 1945 with his own design for a solid-body electric guitar. While Gibson rejected his idea at the time, they most likely kept him in mind as they drew up their own plans in the early 1950s. Les Paul was an innovator, and had been developing and experimenting with other guitar designs as well, mainly for his own personal use.
When Les Paul was invited into the design process in 1951, Gibson president Ted McCarty stated that the guitar was almost finished - Gibson had only asked if they could put his name on the guitar. This version of the facts is widely debated, however. McCarty also conceded at one point that Les Paul had input on the design of the tailpiece of the guitar.
Some say that Les Paul had a much larger role in the guitar's design. He wanted the guitar that bore his name to be an expensive, well-made instrument, keeping with the Gibson tradition. This was not to be a knee-jerk reaction to the popularity of the Telecaster. He wanted the guitar to be "classy" and expensive-looking, so he suggested a gold version and a black version with a tuxedo look. Les Paul was also given credit for the trapeze tailpiece design and the look of the hardware.
The first Gibson Les Pauls would be mahogany-body solid-body guitars with an archtop design and Gibson P-90 pickups. When they were first introduced, they were known simply as "Les Pauls". Later, as more finishes became available, guitars of this era became known as "goldtops" for their distinctive gold finish.
In 1954 and 1955, Gibson introduced three new Les Pauls - the Custom, the Junior, and the Special. The Custom used special alnico pickups designed by Seth Lover. The Junior was a budget one-pickup version of the Les Paul. In 1955, the Special was released - essentially, a two-pickup version of the Junior.
The Gibson Les Paul received a significant upgrade in 1958 with the introduction of the humbucking pickup. Designed and patented one year earlier by Seth Lover, these pickups gave the guitar a distinctive warm tone, with reduced noise. They were used in the Les Paul Standard, issued in 1958. Also in this year, Gibson unveiled a variety of new exotic finishes. Figured, striped, and flamed wood patterns, with a clear burst lacquer finish graced these new Les Paul models. But as the guitar continued to evolve, its popularity would wane. It wasn't until the later 1960s that the Les Paul would be rediscovered by rock legends such as Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton. Their adoption of the guitar has contributed to its strong popularity even today.
About the Author:
Author Ian Marshall finds the history of Gibson Les Pauls to be fascinating. Check out his blog to learn more about the history of the Les Paul, as well as specific details about each model and Les Paul guitar buying guides.
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