Gibson Les Paul Buying Guide

The Gibson Les Paul is one of the most recognizable guitars in the world. The guitar is named for its creator, Lester "Les" Paul, who was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin in 1915.  Les Paul is a member of the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the National Inventors Hall of Fame.  He is also the pioneer (and, according to many of his faithful, the creator) of the solid-body electric guitar.

A popular jazz musician, Les Paul played and recorded with the Andrews Sisters, Nat King Cole, and others.  He released albums under his own name, and that of a hillbilly pseudonym, Rhubarb Red.  Annoyed by the limitations of 1930s electric guitars, Paul famously created "the Log," which is literally a hand-built combination of a 4x4 fencepost with a bridge, pickup, and guitar neck.  Ironically, he approached Gibson guitar makers around 1946 with his prototype, and was reportedly refused.  However, by 1950, Gibson was knocking on Les Paul's door.  Together, Les Paul and Gibson created some of the most famous electric guitars in history.

The Les Paul 1952 debut model featured gleaming dark wood, gold trim, expensive detailing, and was likened to a "tuxedo."  Made from mahogany and maple, it emitted a velvety, voluptuously rich tone.  Key characteristics of the 1952 model include strings fitted under the stop bar, and a conspicuous lack of serial numbers.  Soon there was an entire line of Gibson Les Paul guitars: Standard, Custom, and Deluxe.

In 1960, Gibson gave the Les Paul line a physical re-design, without Paul's approval.  Upon seeing the two cutaways (an attempt to capitalize on the popularity of the similarly designed Fender Stratocaster, it's thought), Les Paul asked to have his name removed from the guitar.  It was, and the double-cutaway model became known as the Gibson S.G. for Solid Guitar.