Maple and ash chicago new years8/7/2023 ![]() Later Les Paul models included flame maple (tiger stripe) and "quilted" maple tops, again in contrast to the competing Fender line's range of car-like custom color finishes. Les Paul's contributions to the guitar line bearing his name were more than cosmetic for example, Paul specified that the guitar be offered in a gold finish, not only for flashiness, but to emphasize the high quality of the Gibson Les Paul instrument. The Custom did not appear on the market for another two years following the introduction of the Goldtop it is possible that Gibson had planned a full model range of guitars (with a roll-out over the course of several years) at the time when initial specifications were being set. Paul states that the original Custom should have had the maple cap and the Goldtop was to be all mahogany. However, this reversal would have caused the guitar to become too heavy, and Paul's request was refused. McCarty stated that design discussions with Les Paul were limited to the tailpiece and the fitting of a maple cap over the mahogany body for increased density and sustain, which Les Paul had requested reversed. McCarty approached Les Paul for the right to imprint the musician's name on the headstock with the intention of increasing sales in 1951, Gibson presented Paul a nearly finished instrument for approval. The new Les Paul guitar was to be an expensive, well-made instrument in accordance with Gibson's reputation at the time, and distinct from growing rival guitar manufacturer Fender's models. Early prototypes of the Les Paul model are very similar to the final version. ![]() In 1951, McCarty and his team at Gibson began work on what would eventually become the Les Paul Model. In 1945 or 1946, Paul had approached Gibson with "The Log" prototype, but his design was rejected. Conventional hollow guitar sides or "wings" were added for shape. He had hand-built a solid-body prototype nicknamed "The Log," named after the pine block running through the middle of the guitar whose width and depth are a little more than the width of the fretboard. Les Paul was a respected innovator who had been experimenting with guitar design for years. In reaction to market demand, Gibson Guitar president Ted McCarty brought guitarist Les Paul into the company as a consultant. In 1950, the ancestors of the Fender Telecaster ( Fender Esquire and Fender Broadcaster) were introduced to the musical market and solid-body electric guitars became a public craze. Goldtop Les Paul with the 1952-style trapeze-style bridge Due to their versatility, Les Paul electric guitars have been used in a wide range of music genres, including rock, country, pop, soul, rhythm and blues, blues, jazz, reggae, punk, and heavy metal. Along with Fender's Telecaster and Stratocaster, it was one of the first mass-produced electric solid-body guitars. The Les Paul has been produced in many versions and editions since. The original single-cutaway, carved top bodystyle was re-introduced in 1968. For 1961, the Les Paul was redesigned into what is now known as the Gibson SG. The 1958–1960 sunburst Les Paul, today one of the best-known electric guitar types in the world, was considered a commercial failure, with low production and sales. ![]() ![]() In 1957, humbucking pickups were added, along with sunburst finishes in 1958. The Les Paul was originally offered with a gold finish and two P-90 pickups. Its typical design features a solid mahogany body with a carved maple top and a single cutaway, a mahogany set-in neck with a rosewood fretboard, two pickups with independent volume and tone controls, and a stoptail bridge, although variants exist. ![]() The guitar was designed by factory manager John Huis and his team with input from and endorsement by guitarist Les Paul. The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold by the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952. Originally various sunburst many other colors subsequently produced. ![]()
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