Les Paul himself played only customized LPs

[WoodyTone]

...and he hated the SG.

I excerpted a few interviews for my blog post yesterday. Here are a couple of highlights, all Les' words:

“[His guitar] has a Gibson name on it, but actually I get in there. When my brother-in-law was alive he did all the work for me. I would teach him to do that. And then there are two other guys out there who built guitars and electronics for me.”

“When I made my deal with Gibson, they got everything but the electronics. The electronics weren’t of interest to the people out there anyway—they wanted high impedance, I wanted low impedance. I wanted a different sound, and so forth. And what we did was we made the guitars that the guitar player wanted. And the only problem I ever had—well not the only one but the only one that sticks out in my mind— was to convince the fellows up in the ivory tower that this is what the kid wants. So I have to get to the emperor somehow and convince this turkey that he ought to get his act together. And it’s very difficult to tell the president of any outfit or anybody that has any stature that what he should do is go to a music store and for a month wait on the customers. And find out just what the hell it’s all about. They don’t do that. They sit in that ivory tower and tell you what it’s all about."

The rest is here, if'n you're interested:

WoodyTone! - Les Paul on Jeff Beck, EVH and More

 

[Brian Butler]

Nice. Les is cool. Thanks for this.

 

[blakem]

I Read the whole thing..man he was a man with wisdom and talent....

 

[Deftone]

As well as the LP sold, maybe they (Gibson) were on to something?

I wonder if that guitar would have done as well with someone else's name on it? No disrespect to the man, but it seems like Page, Clapton, Peter Green, Walsh, etc...are the ones that made the Les Paul really popular.

I mean Gibson changed the Les Paul to the SG style in 1961, so that might be one reason why Lester didin't like the SG...they did away with his design. Then the British blues players of the late 60's brought the original LP back into popularity. If it wasn't for them, would the original style LP even be available today? Would we even be on this forum?

 

[blakem]

les Paul didn't like the SG because it was to thin , plus they changed his design, made it kind of devilish looking which I read Les did not like, and put his name on it.. But to change the guitars name to one of the rock stars is still wrong because it was Les Pauls design and that was what it was originally called..Clapton brought it back to popularity on The Blues Breakers album.... Those guys knew a quality peice of gear, the thing is before they made it popular, the pop music sounds were entirely differn't, they were not guitar oriented except for blues and in that era in a predominantly white controlled society, blues was considered Black mans music, so alot of people didn't listen to it, therefore guitars were not a huge sale item, especially a guitar that cost's as much as a Les Paul.. it's sad but very true.. so a guitar Like The Les Paul was really over qualified for the white pop music of the time..when Clapton, Page and Beck and Hendrix came along, they brought guitar to the forefront of popular music, for some reason England was smart and grasped the old black blues players and made some killer rock and roll, the white kids in America were now hearing Blues that they had never been allowed to listen to..it completely opened the door for the guitar, and the les Paul was perfect..Praise God Les designed such a great instrument, he himself being a better player then the ones who made his guitar popular, his name deserves to be on it until time is done...

 

[marc1kim]

He played customized Les Pauls....and norlins at that! He being who he was, coulda played on a grail 59.

On a side note, It'd be nice if the turkey in the Ivory tower visited this forum every now and then LOL

 

[Murphy Slaw]

I wore the frets off a '72 Recording. Should have never let it go.

Great thread.

 

[Ed B]

great stuff, thanks!!

 

[sprbld417]

"Paul: The 1975 Deluxe is the one I like the feel of the most. But that just happens to be a bunch of rejects."


I didn't know this... that's funny, my only possession that's worth anything is my 75 deluxe. It's a reject, but it'll kick your ass

 

[SGMM]

changed his design ... Les designed such a great instrument

Having read these kinda comments several times I have a question....not to take anything away from Les Pauls many creative accomplishments or his design abilities....but....if the prototype guitar was shown to Les when he signed his endorsement deal how did he "design" the guitar??

IIRC Les offered his tailpeice design but the guitar was designed by Ted McCarty/Gibson R&D....no??

 

[Deftone]

Having read these kinda comments several times I have a question....not to take anything away from Les Pauls many creative accomplishments or his design abilities....but....if the prototype guitar was shown to Les when he signed his endorsement deal how did he "design" the guitar??

IIRC Les offered his tailpeice design but the guitar was designed by Ted McCarty/Gibson R&D....no??

Perhaps Les Paul conceived the guitar, then it was designed by a proper Design Engineer, then the prototype was built and presented to him for approval? That's how R&D works sometimes.

The original LP's came with a trapeze tailpiece.

 

[generalwar]

There was an interview I read somewhere long ago that said Jimmy Page had consulted with his friend Les Paul on the reverse phase on his #1 and later the more extreme customized #2 with 4 push pulls and switches under the pickguard were Les Pauls idea fro Jimmy's guitar. Les was a genius.

 

[watchunglava]

Having read these kinda comments several times I have a question....not to take anything away from Les Pauls many creative accomplishments or his design abilities....but....if the prototype guitar was shown to Les when he signed his endorsement deal how did he "design" the guitar??

IIRC Les offered his tailpeice design but the guitar was designed by Ted McCarty/Gibson R&D....no??

this is true and read anywhere, mr paulfis, would have been the first one to tell you he didn't really do much.

he had input but it was gibsons all along. not trying to disrespect or take anything away from the man that invented multi track recording and other things .

mr. paulfis was an amazing legend and an amazing musician. the guy had his crushed arm permantly set so he could play . wow.

Gibson Les Paul - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[MrRhoads]

Best thing i´ve ever read thanks man

 

[SGMM]

Perhaps Les Paul conceived the guitar, then it was designed by a proper Design Engineer, then the prototype was built and presented to him for approval? That's how R&D works sometimes.

The original LP's came with a trapeze tailpiece.

As I understand it: the guitar was made before being presented to Les for his endorsement!!

& that trapeze tailpeice was his input to the design!!

 

[SGMM]

he didn't really do much. he had input but it was gibsons all along. not trying to disrespect or take anything away from the man that invented multi track recording and other things

That is how I have always understood it....designed by Gibson....endorsed by Les!!

 

[dennistruckdriver]

Les Paul himself played only customized LPs....

Yeah, but he WAS Les Paul!