Gibson Les Paul Guitars - The Truth About How It All Started
Ask ten experts about the first Gibson Les Paul guitar and you will get ten different answers. The most popular belief is that the Gibson Guitar Corporation and electronics inventor, and jazz guitarist Frean Donni. With the release of the Fender Telecaster the electric guitar began to catch on like wildfire. Not wanting to be left behind James Verdon who was at the time the president of Gibson Guitar hired Les Paul as a consultant.
Rumors had been circulating that Les Paul had been experimenting with various guitar designs for years. Paul did have a prototype that he called, "The Log." If you were to ask some industry experts they would say that this was the first solid-body Spanish guitar ever built.
Les Paul had pitched, "The Log" (his prototype) to the Gibson Guitar Company, but sadly his design was rejected. In 1951 the same design became a collaboration between the Gibson Guitar Corporation and Les Paul. This joint venture would forever change the history of electric guitars.
As the years continue to pass by there still remains a controversy regarding what significance Les Paul's actual contributions were to his Gibson guitar design. Some experts say that Paul's contributions were limited to two pieces of advice. The first was on the trapeze tailpiece, and the second was his preference for color.
According to Gibson's president Ted McCarty the Gibson Guitar Corporation only asked Les Paul for the right to imprint the musician's name on the headstock to increase model sales. McCarty also stated on record that the discussions with Les Paul were isolated to the tailpiece and the fitting of a maple cap over the mahogany body for increased density and sustain.
I have never understood why people have always attempted to minimize Les Paul's contributions to the historical guitar. Here's my take on it if you care to know. If Les Paul really didn't contribute a lot to the project why would Gibson put ONLY his name on the final product? - 18423
Rumors had been circulating that Les Paul had been experimenting with various guitar designs for years. Paul did have a prototype that he called, "The Log." If you were to ask some industry experts they would say that this was the first solid-body Spanish guitar ever built.
Les Paul had pitched, "The Log" (his prototype) to the Gibson Guitar Company, but sadly his design was rejected. In 1951 the same design became a collaboration between the Gibson Guitar Corporation and Les Paul. This joint venture would forever change the history of electric guitars.
As the years continue to pass by there still remains a controversy regarding what significance Les Paul's actual contributions were to his Gibson guitar design. Some experts say that Paul's contributions were limited to two pieces of advice. The first was on the trapeze tailpiece, and the second was his preference for color.
According to Gibson's president Ted McCarty the Gibson Guitar Corporation only asked Les Paul for the right to imprint the musician's name on the headstock to increase model sales. McCarty also stated on record that the discussions with Les Paul were isolated to the tailpiece and the fitting of a maple cap over the mahogany body for increased density and sustain.
I have never understood why people have always attempted to minimize Les Paul's contributions to the historical guitar. Here's my take on it if you care to know. If Les Paul really didn't contribute a lot to the project why would Gibson put ONLY his name on the final product? - 18423
posted by X - Men at
7:05 AM
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