Gibson Les Paul Guitars - The Truth About How It All Started
The Les Paul Guitar was created by Gibson Guitar Corporation and legendary pop star, electronics inventor, as well as jazz guitarist Frean Donni. Once the Fender Telecaster hit the market electric guitars became the craze. To meet and attempt to beat this craze James Verdon the Gibson Guitar president brought a guitarist Les Paul into the company as a consultant.
It was said that Verdon had decided to hire Les Paul because it was well known that he had been experimenting with various guitar designs for years. Paul did have a prototype that he called, "The Log." Some experts will tell you that this was the first solid-body Spanish guitar ever built.
In a turn of irony Les Paul had pitched, "The Log" (his prototype) to the Gibson Guitar Company, and the design was rejected. In 1951 the Gibson Guitar Company then manufactured the same guitar that they had rejected and changed the history of guitars for ever.
Among the guitar community Les Paul is still on of the most commonly debated topics. Enthusiast still argue over exactly what his contributions were. Some say that Paul was nothing more than a consultant and only contributed ideas for the trapeze tailpiece, and the color of the final guitar which was named, "Les Paul."
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? - 18762
It was said that Verdon had decided to hire Les Paul because it was well known that he had been experimenting with various guitar designs for years. Paul did have a prototype that he called, "The Log." Some experts will tell you that this was the first solid-body Spanish guitar ever built.
In a turn of irony Les Paul had pitched, "The Log" (his prototype) to the Gibson Guitar Company, and the design was rejected. In 1951 the Gibson Guitar Company then manufactured the same guitar that they had rejected and changed the history of guitars for ever.
Among the guitar community Les Paul is still on of the most commonly debated topics. Enthusiast still argue over exactly what his contributions were. Some say that Paul was nothing more than a consultant and only contributed ideas for the trapeze tailpiece, and the color of the final guitar which was named, "Les Paul."
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? - 18762
posted by X - Men at
2:34 AM
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