Gibson Les Paul: Original Edition. Gibson Les Paul - what you need to know Reasons to choose a Les Paul guitar

Legendary Guitars Les Paul originate from 1950. The original model had a unibody body and was developed by Gibson with the participation of the famous guitarist and innovator - Les Paul. The model got its name in his honor. Guitars Gibson Les Paul had a huge influence on music, especially rock music - many even consider them one of the symbols of this style of music. To this day, this model is one of the most popular electric guitar models.

Les Paul

During all this time Les Paul were produced in various configurations by companies Gibson And Epiphone, as well as other brands that either make replicas of them or simply use the Les-Polovsky form when creating their instruments.

The sound of these guitars has become the signature sound of Slash, Zakk Wylde and many other great guitarists.

Slash

Zakk Wylde

In our showrooms and online store, which delivers to all regions of Russia, you can buy new tools in a variety of configurations: from economical models Studio, to expensive Custom Shop tools. We also stock guitars from many other brands that make instruments of this shape, or simply replicas of Les Pauls. In addition, we have a consignment store where you can purchase used guitars Les Paul. Well, if you haven’t found, among the variety of models we have presented, the very tool that would hook you, don’t despair, because in our workshop you can order Les Paul which will be made especially for you, taking into account your wishes.

In the early 50s, in light of the total “electrification” of guitar making, Gibson began to develop solid body instruments. Their production did not involve any special technological difficulties and did not require capital investments. The process started almost painlessly.

Nowadays it is difficult to establish with a 100% guarantee who invented the “board” guitars. There is an opinion that the idea belongs to Rickenbacker, who launched the so-called “frying pan” on the market in 1931, and then in 1935 - a series of Spanish Electro guitars.

Events take their course, and as paradoxical as it may sound, the name of the man who pushed Gibson to release solid body guitars is Clarence Leo Fender! If you look at the first “Gibson” “boards”, like Paul Bigsby, you will easily find a lot of blatant borrowings and undisguised plagiarism from Leo Fender.

Fender's Broadcaster, introduced in 1948, sparked heated debate in the guitar world. Experts believed that such guitars were nothing more than a tribute to fashion, saying that their production did not require special skills from guitar makers. However, due to their clear sound, portability and playing convenience, Fender's solid bodies were highly appreciated by many guitarists. Country music artists in particular.

In 1950, Gibson finally recognized solid body as a viable and competitive trend. Time required new solutions. As Ted MacCarty, who took over Gibson in 1950, recalls, “we needed fresh ideas, and Mr. Les Paul came in handy!”

LEICESTER DOUBLE Y POLTUS

Les Paul - born Lester William Polfus - was born on June 9, 1916 in the town of Waukesha (Wisconsin). I wanted to become a pianist, but my love for the guitar turned out to be stronger.

In the early 30s, Lester moved to Chicago, where, under the pseudonym Les Paul, he performed in local bands that performed the then Top 40. Having earned a reputation as an impeccable musician, Les Paul begins to experiment with amplifying the sound of the guitar, for which he uses a gramophone pickup. Through trial and error, it is possible to find the optimal location of the sensors and minimize the “feedback” effect. In 1934, Les Paul received a patent for his invention. His guitar pullers turned out to be quite suitable for concert and studio work.

In 1937, the musician decided to try his luck in New York, going there with his trio, which included Jimmy Atkins, brother of Chet Atkins. Thanks to his talent and ingenuity, he receives recognition in artistic circles.

In 1941, Les Paul negotiated with Epiphone to provide him with a workshop for one weekend where our hero could continue his experiments. This is how The Log appeared - a guitar with a huge body and a Gibson neck.

In 1943, Les Paul moved to the West Coast, Los Angeles, to collaborate with Bing Crosby. And then he connects his musical career with vocalist Mary Ford (real name Coleen Summers).

After World War II, the guitarist turned to Gibson with a request to make an instrument for him in accordance with the original designs, but they showed no interest. His guitar was even called a “mop”! The company's image at that time was characterized by pompous respectability. Gibson could not fall below the bar they themselves set.

In the late 40s, recordings of the duo Les Paul-Mary Ford began to climb the charts. "Lover", "How High the Moon", "Brazil"... They all became hits, and Les Paul became one of the most popular artists.

PROTOTYPE CONCEPT

The prototype appeared around the early 50's and was called "The Les Paul Guitar". Making a “board” guitar was not particularly difficult; you just had to select the material. The problem was solved using the "scientific poke" method. We even tried railroad tracks!

There were no standards at that time. For production we decided to use maple and mahogany. With this combination, a compromise was found between the instrument's mass and sustain. Both species were glued together, but different cuts were used: mahogany was sawn along the vertical grains, and maple along the horizontal grains.

Ted McCarthy and his team developed the dimensions of the prototype in such a way that it would not differ much from the usual semi-acoustic speakers. To enhance the fill, the top maple part of the deck was made convex (carved).

The prototype used a solid mahogany neck with a rosewood fingerboard. There were only 20 frets, and the neck was connected to the body at the 16th fret mark. Access to the upper registers was facilitated by the adoption of the Venetian cutaway.

The guitar was equipped with two single-coil P90 pickups with independent tone and output control, and a three-position switch made it possible to use both pickups separately or both simultaneously.

The initial execution of the "Gibson" prototypes is distinguished by the traditional trapezoidal taipiece, as on electro-acoustic speakers of that period.

Les Paul once remarked that a guitar should have an expensive appearance. However, Ted McCarthy was ahead of him: when the musician first saw the guitar, it was already covered in gold paint (this finish later became the standard known as "gold top"). The gold coating was also required to hide the top maple part, so as not to “tease” competitors. Moreover, the Les Paul model that appeared in 1952 catalogs was listed as being made of mahogany. Not a word about maple!

After the prototype was ready, Gibson management began to think about how to reconcile the reputation of a “respectable company” that does not waste time on trifles with the need to release a new model. Some good reason was needed, some reason... And they remembered Les Paul. He was an excellent guitarist, a popular artist, but it is obvious that, harboring a grudge, he fundamentally does not want to play Gibson guitars! And Ted McCartney, having appointed Phil Braunstein as his financial advisor, decides to use the heavy artillery. Together with Brownstein, they travel to Pennsylvania, where Les Paul and Mary Ford record.

After a brief introduction to the instrument, Les Paul, according to Ted McCartney, told Mary Ford the following: “You know, I think their proposal is worthwhile!” Ted McCarthy proposed that the new guitar be personalized, and that he would receive a percentage of each model sold. The contract was signed that evening. Under the terms of the agreement, Les Paul was obliged to appear in public exclusively with Gibson guitars for 5 years and became an endorser.

McCarthy then asked if Les Paul had any requests for the guitar? He suggested a bridge-tailpiece combination. The design is an ordinary tailpiece with a cylindrical blank behind, through which the strings were threaded. The proposal was accepted.

So, the contract has been signed. And the first Les Pauls debuted in the spring of 1952.

The manufacturer's logo, made of mother-of-pearl, decorated the head. And the inscription “Les Paul Model” in yellow letters was placed perpendicularly. And finally, the guitar was equipped with Kluson tuners (at that time they were produced without any markings) with plastic “tulip” caps.

In fairness to history, guitar enthusiasts note that despite all his many talents, Les Paul still did little for the guitar that bears his name. According to Ted McCarthy, the guitar was entirely conceived and designed by Gibson. Except for the tailpiece that Les Paul suggested. However, Les Paul himself makes it clear in all interviews that it was he, with his wealth of experience, who participated in the development of the legendary model.

The Les Paul line was complemented by 12-watt Les Paul Amplifiers, which featured the initials “L.P.” on the grille.

That's how it was...

FIRST GUITAR LES PAUL MODEL

From 1952 to 1953, Les Paul guitars outsold other instruments in Gibson's nearly 125-model lineup. The debut was a success! Throughout the 50s, several variants and reissues of the Les Paul would be created (there were 5 of them to be exact). The legendary Standard will appear.

The first series (in other words, the original) is characterized by the following:
- two single pickups with bodies made of white plastic (known as “soap bars”). On the former, the plastic is thinner than on the subsequent ones;
- trapezoidal bridge-tailpiece;
- "gold top" finish. Plus one-piece body-neck construction made of mahogany.

Usually the first Les Paul releases are called Gold Top. This term is used to draw a divide with the well-known Sunburst model, the fifth and final variant. Some guitars were completely exposed with “gold” - both the neck and the body. They are called Solid Gold. However, such models are much less common than gold tops. Until 1953, Les Paul guitars did not have serial numbers, as marking board guitars was not practiced. The very first Les Paul releases are also distinguished by the diagonal arrangement of screws that regulate the height of the bridge pickup, large potentiometer knobs in a “pale gold” finish (they received the unofficial name “hat box knobs” or “speed knobs” - “knobs”) speed") and the absence of edging on the fingerboard.

It was soon discovered that the trapezoidal bridge-tailpiece created problems: it was difficult to jam with the right hand. On top of this, those who liked to play with their hand fixed on the tailpiece found that the strings were too low. Thus, at the end of 1953, the Les Paul model was modified with a new tailpiece. It soon gained the nickname "stop tailpiece" or "stud" due to the fact that it was positioned at an angle to the heel of the bar. The design was invented in such a way that it made it possible to simply change the “old” threshold.

Officially, the "stud tailpiece" appeared at the beginning of 1953. The rest of the first issue was staffed with it.

LES PAUL CUSTOM

At the very beginning of 1954, the Les Paul Model split into two branches. The modified versions are called “chic” and “modest”.

The "luxury" model, called the Les Paul Custom, was equipped with an ebony fretboard with mother-of-pearl position markers - rectangular blocks, and a soundboard with multi-layer piping. Both from the front and from the back. All the fittings were opened to look like gold.

As opposed to its predecessor, the Les Paul Custom is made entirely of mahogany. No maple top. This decision can be explained by three reasons. Firstly, oddly enough, appearance. The Custom was finished with black varnish. So the need for a textured maple top on its own was eliminated. Secondly, the price. A mahogany guitar was cheaper. Thirdly, sound. As you know, in comparison with maple, mahogany has a “ripe”, “velvety” and “soft” sound. Thus, the Custom was mainly intended for jazz musicians. To be fair, it is worth noting that this remark is very controversial, since the first gold tops were opened with gold paint, under which it was hardly possible to appreciate all the delights of maple. Undoubtedly, the second and third points deserve attention. And yet, we note that the maple that was used for the top of the Les Paul Gold Top (or rather, it was under the gold paint) was of excellent quality, luxurious texture, etc. Although the upper part could consist of two or three parts. Therefore, there is no reason to accuse Gibson of skimping on the Custom model.

Another important innovation of the Custom model was the use of a couple of different types of pickups. A pickup with six elongated V-shaped Alnico magnets was installed in the neck position, and a P90 single-coil, familiar to us from the Les Paul Model, was installed in the bridge position. The tonal characteristics were improved by varying the parameters of the sensors.

The Les Paul Custom was introduced in 1954 with an Ebony finish. This finish was nicknamed "Black Beauty", and the Custom's low-set frets earned it the informal name "Fretless Wonder". The finishes used on the original Custom models are different from the reissues that began after 1968. The original was "blacker" but not as "deep". Black paint has less gloss. But where the Custom model really differed from its relatives was the tune-o-matic bridge (the rest of the Les Paul series guitars used a stop-tailpiece until 1955).

The Tune-o-matic was invented around 1952 by Ted McCarthy and his team. The tailpiece parameters were made in such a way that it could be installed on any type of guitar - with or without a protruding upper part. With the help of tune-o-matic it was possible to fine-tune the scale length. Regardless of string size and other factors. Soon it was used on other models.

Lastly, the Custom head was slightly wider than the Les Paul Model. There was also an inlay in the form of a “split diamond”.

In the original version, the guitar was equipped with Kluson tuners, the same as the Les Paul Model. Later they were replaced by "sealfast". As for the model designation, it is adorned with a bell covering the anchor rod.

Since the release of "Black Beauty" the model has gained numerous fans and admirers. Among them are Frank Beecher, lead guitarist for Bill Hailey, the author of the first rock and roll song "Rock Around The Clock", as well as many blues and jazz musicians.

LES PAUL JUNIOR

The "economical" model, called the Les Paul Junior, appeared in 1954. It also has a number of differences from the basic model. First of all, this is a flat top. The guitar was equipped with one single-coil with a black body and two screw lugs, with which the height and ratio to the strings could be adjusted. The circuit design is represented by two knobs - volume and timbre.

The neck and body are mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard. Positional markers are mother-of-pearl pillboxes. The neck is slightly wider than the rest of the “Les Pauls” - 43 mm (nut) and 53 mm (12th fret). The same bridge-taipiece combination was used as on the other models. However, the Gibson logo on the head was not lined with mother-of-pearl - just ordinary yellow letters. The Les Paul Junior lettering is perpendicular. Pegs - Kluson.

This model had a dark mahogany finish with sunburst that faded from brown to yellow. There was also a black false panel. In 1954, it was decided to use the "yellow ivory" finish, which would later become official for the TV model (its production began in 1957).

The Les Paul Junior, which appeared on the shelves of music stores, began to sell very well, which can be explained mainly by the price.

In the Gibson catalog for September 1, 1954, you can read the following:
- Les Paul Deluxe: $325.00
- Les Paul Model: $225.00
- Les Paul Junior: $99.50 (!).

Note: Custom and Deluxe are the same thing.

The heavy, overdriven tone at high volume was enthusiastically received by guitarists. Among the owners and connoisseurs of this model is Leslie West.

LES PAUL SPECIAL

After the “economical” and “luxury” models, Gibson management decided to launch an intermediate version into orbit. It appeared in 1955 and was called the Les Paul Special.

The Special is essentially the same as the Junior, but with two single coils and separate volume and tone controls. Plus 3 position switch. The pickups had the same rectangular bodies as those found on the Les Paul Model. But made of black plastic.

Like the low-budget Junior guitar, it has a flat top. The fingerboard material is rosewood with mother-of-pearl markers. The Gibson logo is laid out on the crown, as expected, in mother-of-pearl, and the Les Paul Special inscription is in yellow paint.

The finish of the instrument turned out to be really “special” - straw yellow. But not orange. It was called "limed mahogony" - "lightened mahogany". Very soon it was adapted as the “official” one for the TV model.

The Special also featured a cut-out horn, and, like the Junior, it was equipped with a stud tailpiece.

The appearance of the instrument was announced in catalogs on September 15, 1955. It was priced at $169.50, while the Custom, Standard and Junior prices were $360, $235 and $110, respectively.

Note: The Les Paul Model, which began to be produced in the second half of 1955 in a slightly modernized form, is usually called Standard. Although the name itself was adopted only in 1958, when the third reissue of the original appeared.

THE APPEARANCE OF HUMBUCKER PICKUPS

The year 1957 is especially important for Gibson. It was then that the presentation of a new type of pickups took place - humbuckers. Let's talk in more detail about this type of pickups, which today, after so many years, are used not only on Gibson guitars, but also on other modern instruments.

The culmination of numerous experiments with single-coil pickups was the appearance of "Alnico" with six height-adjustable magnets. In 1953, it was decided to work on a new type of pickups. On the one hand, they had to meet the requirements of that time, and, on the other, they had to rid them of their main drawback - too strong sensitivity to electric fields.

Using the principle of connecting two coils in parallel or out of phase, Walter Fuller and Seth Lover came to the conclusion that in this way they can get rid of harmful interference from external sources. The work took about a year and a half, and on June 22, 1955, Seth Lover received a patent for his own invention (it was officially confirmed on July 28, 1959), which was called a humbucker, from “bucking hum” - something something like “resisting noise”. And although the invention is officially attributed to Seth Lover, it is known for certain that three patents on a similar topic were registered before him. However, none of Lover's predecessors made any claims, and the patent was registered in his name in 1959.

The first humbuckers were two spools of black plastic with 5,000 turns of ordinary 42-gauge copper wire with enamel coating and maroon insulation. Under the coils were two magnets - "Alnico II" and "Alnico IV" - one of which had adjustable poles. And not a single identifying mark. The coils were secured with four brass screws to a nickel plate. The structure is placed in a metal box, which is soldered to the bottom to completely shield the block.

And although work on the new pickup was completed in 1955, it officially appeared only in 1957, replacing the P-90 and Alnico - single-coil pickups, the installation of which was practiced on almost all Gibson models.

Until 1962, humbucker pickups were installed on various models of electric guitars. On their cases there was the inscription “Patent Applied For” - “Patent attached.” Since 1962, the patent number appears on the bottom platform.

Up until 1970, humbuckers that were installed in the bridge and neck positions did not differ much in their specifications.

It would be useful, I think, at this point to dispel the mystical aura that surrounds the "Patent Applied For" (abbreviated as "P.A.F.") and considered the best type of pickups ever produced. On the one hand, nostalgia, on the other, snobbery play a decisive role in this kind of judgment. However, one thing is certain - the original design has stood the test of time over the years. Thus, the "original humbucker tone" is characterized by relatively weak alnico magnets - "Alnico II" and "Alnico IV" - and two coils with 5 thousand turns each. In 1950, Gibson did not yet have special machines with a stop counter. This is why early pickups differed in their sound. Sometimes even winding standards changed. The coils could have 5, 7, or even 6 thousand turns! The resistance also changed accordingly: from 7.8 kOhm to 9 kOhm.

It cannot be discounted that when creating humbuckers, Seth Lover and Walter Fuller resorted to M-55 magnets, which were used for single coils, and had dimensions of 0.125"x0.500"x2.5". In order to lighten the design, in 1956- Gibson began using M-56 magnets - shorter and less wide. This naturally affected the characteristics. Then the intensity of the magnets reached the V level, and in 1960 the number of turns in the coils decreased, thereby marking a new leap from the original sound.

And finally, it is worth mentioning another important change that occurred in 1963 - an improvement in the quality of wire. The diameter of the wire remained the same (number 42), but the insulation became thicker than the previous one. The old wire is easy to identify due to its dark burgundy color, while the new one is black. In addition, thanks to the advent of new machines, the pickup winding system has changed.

All of the above caused differences in the types of P.A.F. pickups. There is no doubt that some people may feel that some pickups are better than others. Pickups like the "P.A.F." have become legendary. That's why Gibson released a faithful reissue of the original humbuckers in 1980. With the exception of the "Patent Applied For" decal, which, however, is easy to fake, the original "P.A.F." can be distinguished by the following characteristics:
1. a special square hole on the top and bottom of the reel with a ring around the perimeter. The reels, designed by Seth Lover, were used without any upgrades until 1967. With the advent of new equipment, reels began to be marked with the letter "T" on the top;
2. dark burgundy braid color and black braid of the two output wires. Beginning in 1963, the wire braid became even darker, and the outgoing wire became white instead of black.

In 1957, the Les Paul model was equipped with two humbuckers, which replaced the original pickups with a white plastic body. The fourth version of the original series existed from mid-1957 to mid-1958. One year in total. Note that several gold tops with white P-90s were produced in 1958. Otherwise, the model was not much different from its predecessor.

Some gold tops from this period were made exclusively from mahogany, without a maple top. Probably, both the shortage of maple and the Les Paul Custom motifs had an impact. According to experts, the result was terrible.

A little later, in 1957, the Les Paul Custom was modified with three humbuckers instead of two single coils. The sensor switching system has also changed. A three-position toggle switch allowed the following selection of pickups:
1. pickup at the neck (“front”);
2. bridge and central pickup in antiphase;
3. bridge pickup ("rear").

Such a system did not allow the use of either the middle sensor separately or three simultaneously. In some cases, instead of the second combination, the center and neck pickups were used. However, the guitar was equipped with a traditional set of controls - two timbres, two volumes. Some rare Les Paul Customs may only have two humbuckers. This version turned out to be not widespread. The guitar was made to order. As before, the finish is "opaque black". Tuners - Grover Rotomatic.

LES PAUL STANDARD

In 1958, the Les Paul Model was again modified. Collectors of old Gibsons are chasing this fifth and final version. This is perhaps the most expensive example on the vintage guitar market.

First of all, the "gold top" finish has been replaced by "cherry sunburst" (top) and "cherry red" (head). These guitars - cherry fading to yellow - appeared in catalogs in 1958 for $247.50. Sunburst (as they are now called) has a top made from two matched pieces of either wave or tiger stripe maple. She really couldn't leave anyone indifferent. However, there were options when the upper maple part was made of one piece. The maple used on different guitars was very different from each other. On some guitars the wavy finish was very faintly defined, on others it was more pronounced, and in some places you could find huge stripes...

In most cases, the finish faded a little over time, becoming orange and more reminiscent of the natural color of mahogany.

Somehow in 1960, such a story happened. The owner of one of the Sunbursts accidentally scratched the varnish on the body. The damaged area was covered with red paint. So that it’s not so conspicuous. Over time, the red paint began to fade and the unpainted area was very noticeable!

The change in finish of the Les Paul Model, which was now called the Les Paul Standard, was announced in December 1958 by the Gibson Gazette, the company's corporate publication, which featured new models and musicians.

Beginning in 1960, the Les Paul Standard neck became flatter. It’s paradoxical but true: you won’t find the Les Paul Standard in the company’s catalog for March 1959! The model appeared only in May 1960 at a price of $265.00!

LATEST MODIFICATIONS

In 1958, in the same December issue of the Gibson Gazette, an announcement of more radical modifications to the Les Paul Junior and TV appeared. As with the Standard, the new Junior and TV style guitars were put into production long before they were announced. In fact, we are dealing with a completely new model, with two horns that gave access to 22 frets. The body and neck are the same mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard.

The pickups and controllers also remain unchanged. However, instead of the "Cherry" finish, "Sunburst" appeared - a flow from brown to yellow. A little later, in 1961, it was adapted to SG models. The new Junior features a neck-to-body connection at the 22nd fret, allowing easier access to the upper registers.

The TV model experienced the same innovations. However, there are slight differences in the finish - from “straw yellow” to “banana yellow”.

Like the Les Paul Standard, the new Les Paul Junior and TV appeared in catalogs only in 1960.

The Les Paul Junior 3/4 version also has two symmetrical cutaway horns. This model has only 19 frets. The neck connects to the body at the 19th fret.

The first Les Paul Special with a double cutaway had the neck pickup located almost flush with the neck, and the toggle switch for switching pickups was located just opposite the volume and tone knobs. Later the rhythm pickup was moved closer to the saddle, and the pickup selector was moved behind the stud taipiece. The second version had 22 frets. Since 1959, version 3/4 has been produced in fairly modest quantities.

On various models with two horns, the edges are more or less rounded. Between 1958 and 1961 the heel of the neck was changed.

In 1959, as a result of a slight shortage of black plastic bobbin bodies, cream ones began to be used for humbuckers. That's why from 1959 to 1960, pickups can be found with both two black coils and two pink ones, or one black and one pink. In terms of their technical parameters, these pickups do not differ from each other. However, all-black and white bobbins (nicknamed "Zebra") are rare.

In 1960, without any changes, the Les Paul Special and Les Paul TV were renamed SG Special and SG TV, respectively. Having lost the Les Paul name in the name, these models also lost the Les Paul mark on the crown. Yet these models are always remembered in connection with the Les Paul line and are rarely referred to by their real names - SG ("Solid Guitar"), which was staked on the double cutaway series, which began production in 1961.

THE END OF THE ORIGINAL LES PAUL SERIES

In the 50s, oddly enough, wood flooring was not suitable. As static data eloquently demonstrates, a decline in interest began to be observed in 1956, and in 1958-1959 it fell to almost zero. Today it’s hard to believe, but the reason is precisely the “internal” competition between the solid models that the company began to produce starting in 1952. Let's not discount our competitors - Fender, Rickebacker, etc.

In late 1960, the decision was made to revise the Les Paul line, which actually led to the introduction of twin-horn versions in early 1961, which were later called the SG. In theory, the original Les Pauls continued to be produced into early 1961. However, today we will not find a single Les Paul with a serial number of 1961, while Custom, Junior and Special - as many as your heart desires.

According to the Gibson Book, the last original Les Paul was registered in October 1961 (Les Paul Special 3/4). Then the first SGs had already begun to be produced.

Today it is completely useless to argue about the sonic merits and value of the "old" Les Pauls, which musicians like Eric Clapton and Mike Bloomfield began to use with great success, resulting in the original series, with one cutaway, republished seven years later, in 1968. And there is absolutely no need to name all those who played the old Standard, Gold Top or Custom: Al DiMeola, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Joe Walsh, Dewan Allman Duane Allman), Billy Gibbons, Robert Fripp...

CHRONOLOGY OF THE EVOLUTION OF THE LES PAUL SERIES MODELS

1951 - Gibson begins to master the "solid body", taking Les Paul as an endoser;
1952 - release of the first Les Paul guitars with a trapezoidal bridge-tapes combination (first version);
1953 - Les Paul Model modified with a "stud" tailpiece (second option);
1954 - Les Paul Custom and Les Paul Junior released. The first Les Paul TVs are released;
1955 - Les Paul Special released. Les Paul Model is modified with a tune-o-matic bridge (third option);
1956 - 3/4 Les Paul Junior version released;
1957 - The Les Paul model is equipped with humbuckers (fourth option). They are also installed on Les Paul Custom;
1958 - Les Paul Model is renamed Les Paul Standard. Instead of the "Gold Top" finish, "Cherry Sunburst" appears (the fifth option). Les Paul Junior and Les Paul TV come with two horns. Release of 3/4 version of Les Paul Special;
1959 - new design - double cutaway - Les Paul Special models, as well as a 3/4 version with two horns of this model;
1960 - Les Paul Special is renamed SG Special and Les Paul TV becomes SG TV;
1961 - The original Les Paul series is discontinued. Instead, double cutaway models appear, which will later be called SG.

Decided she needed a solid body guitar to compete with the Fender Telecaster. In collaboration with Les Paul, the legendary guitarist and inventor of multi-track recording, Gibson created the first Les Paul model with a unique mahogany body and a beautiful maple top, similar to Gibson models.

In 1957, the Les Paul (and subsequently all electric guitars) was greatly improved by the addition of a newly developed dual-coil humbucker pickup, which successfully suppressed the induced noise that single-coil pickups were prone to producing. Since then, Gibson has continued its line of Les Pauls, experimenting with adding and combining new features and innovative designs. Today, the Gibson Custom Shop reissues classic vintage Les Pauls with all historical features carefully preserved.

Which Les Paul do you need?

Since 1952, 127 models bearing the Les Paul name have been produced. Our guide will give you information to help you make the best choice. We will cover the following:

• Why are Les Paul guitars so popular and who plays them?
• Let us tell you “family stories” so that you can distinguish Custom from Standard
• We'll walk you through the features and characteristics of Les Pauls so you can decide which instrument with which set of options you need.

Why are Les Paul guitars so popular?

Almost every famous rock guitarist has used a Les Paul, from Beck, Page and Clapton to Slash and Zakk Wylde. But proof of the versatility of these instruments is their use in other genres, such as blues (Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker), jazz (Les Paul of course, John McLaughlin), and country (Charlie Daniels, Brooks & Dunn). Here are 4 main reasons for their popularity Les Paul:

1. Appearance
2. Sound
3. Ease of play
4. Rich story

Reasons to choose a Les Paul gator

You may be an aspiring guitarist who wants to play a famous instrument. You may be a player who desires a great sounding guitar. Or you may be a collector who appreciates the historicity and beauty of classic Les Pauls. Or you may fit into all 3 categories. Or not at all, you just, for some unknown reason, are attracted to Les Pauls - it's love at first sight.

Key features of les Paul

Despite the fact that there are many modifications and exceptions, we will describe the main characteristics of Les Pauls

• Solid body - mahogany body with domed maple top
• Glued neck
• Rosewood fingerboard
• Polished varnish
• 2 humbucker pickups
• Fixed bridge
• 2 tone knobs, 2 volume
• 3-way pickup switch
• 22 frets
• Scale 24-3/4"

You've probably already noticed that there are exceptions: Les Paul bass, 1970 Jumbo flattop acoustic, LP Junior single pickup, SG-style Les Paul double cutaway. But we will "build" our guitar based on a classic set of characteristics.

Characteristics that will allow you to tell Les Pauls apart

Where and how the Les Paul was made, what materials were used, what functional and decorative features were present - all this will help you distinguish les Paul guitars from each other.

Below are the characteristics and variations of different guitars.

1. Top- Most Les Pauls have a domed maple top in the following styles:
   1. Flame Top (material rating from A to -AAAA)
   2. Plain Top
   3. Quilt Top
   4. Solid Finish
2. Finish color - many options, depends on the model
3. Vulture- usually mahogany
   1. Profile - depends on the type of neck
      1. Rounded '50s
      2. Slim-taper '60s
4. Overlay
   1. Rosewood or ebony
   2. Inlay - 3 main types:
      1. Points
      2. Trapeze
      3. Squares
5. Two pickup(usually humbuckers)
   1. Modern Gibson Pickups: 490R, 490T, 496R, 498T, 500T
   2. Historical humbuckers:
      1. Burstbucker Type 1, 2, 3
      2. BurstBucker Pro
      3. '57 Classic
      4. '57 Classic Plus
      5. Mini-Humbucker
6. Edging(if any) - color and number of edgings depends on the model
   1. Frame
   2. Vulture
   3. Headstock
7. Accessories
   1. Finishing materials
      1. Nickel
      2. Chromium
      3. Gilding
   2. Bridge/tailpiece
      1. Wraparound (bridge and tailpiece are one piece)
      2. Tune-o-matic/stopbar tailpiece
   3. Pens
      1. Top Hat
      2. Speed
   4. Pegs
      1. Schaller
      2. Kluson
      3. Grover

Keep in mind that if you have a lot of money, you can order a guitar to any specification from the Gibson Custom Shop.

Gibson Les Paul Family History

There are 3 models that stand at the origins of the Les Paul family history: the original Les Paul Model, Les Paul Custom, and Les Paul Special.

Gibson Les Paul Family Timeline

• 1952 - Les Paul Model (named "Goldtop" due to its gold trim)
• 1954 - Les Paul Custom and Les Paul Junior
• 1955 - Les Paul Special
• 1958-1960 - Les Paul Standard (often called "Sunburst") - replaced Goldtop

Some Outstanding Additions to the Gibson Les Paul Line

• 1961-1962 - Les Paul SG Custom
• 1969 - Les Paul Deluxe
• 1976- The Les Paul Standard Reissue
• 1990 - Les Paul Classic

Gibson USA

As the name suggests, Gibson Les Paul guitars are made in the USA.

Today there are 3 main lines in operation: Les Paul Studio, Les Paul Standard, and Les Paul Custom (roughly speaking, they can be described as Good, Better and The Best). Let's start with the Les Paul Standard.

Additional models

In addition to the three main LP models, there are several more.

Variations

By adding options not found on existing models, Gibson is releasing new models of its instruments. For example, by replacing the top material, you can create a new model. By replacing "AA" maple with "AAA" maple, Gibson created a new model - Les Paul Standard Premium Plus. Or, after upgrading maple "AAA" to "AAAA" LP Supreme the result is a model Les Paul Supreme Figured.

Thus, the key to understanding the variety of "branching" models is knowing what options have been added or changed.

Gibson Custom Shop

Gibson was the first major guitar manufacturer to establish a "custom shop" in addition to its main production line. Guitars produced in the Custom Shop are more carefully crafted and are made primarily by hand. The materials used in production are carefully selected. For example, Gibson USA recently received a shipment of 200,000 board feet of mahogany lumber, of which only 14,000 (or 7%) were selected for production.

VOS re-releases (Vintage Origin Spec.)

To satisfy the demands of Gibson collectors and enthusiasts, the Gibson Custom Shop launched a series of VOS reissues in 2005. Instruments in this series have a special nitrocellulose coating, which creates a patina and gives the instrument an antique appearance. With the help of manual processing, greater playability and comfort is achieved. Each VOS model features a mahogany top, a neck set deep into the body for added sustain and strength, a neck profile that matches the year the model was made, and period-correct hardware and electronics.

Named models

Typically, guitars created taking into account the wishes of famous artists are called “signature models”. The Gibson Custom Shop has produced a large number of Les Pauls, created to the exact preferences of famous guitarists, starting with Jimmy Page Les Paul in 1995. Subsequently, Les Pauls were created for Zakk Wylde ( Zakk Wylde Signature Les Paul- Bull's Eye) and Billie Joe Armstrong ( Billie Joe Armstrong Signature Les Paul Junior).

Epiphone Les Pauls

Almost every Gibson Les Paul model has a "cousin" bearing the Epiphone name on the headstock. The name Epiphone comes from the name of the company's founder, Epaminodas Stathopoulo, known as "Epi." In the 1930s, Gibson and Epiphone were competitors in the production of semi-acoustic guitars and went side by side. In 1957 Gibson acquired Epiphone. In addition to Epiphone's high-quality double basses, Epiphone's line of guitars is also known, including the Casino model played by The Beatles.

Differences between Les Pauls and Gibson and Epiphone

1. Country of Origin: Gibsons are made in the USA, Epiphones are made in other countries.
2. Finish: Gibson uses nitrocellulose varnish - ultra thin, ultra light (the varnishing process takes weeks). It allows the wood to “breathe”, becomes thinner over time, and has a good effect on the sound. Epiphone uses a polyurethane finish, which is more practical: the process takes a couple of days, does not require much labor, and the finish is more durable.
3. Materials: Gibson uses higher quality materials such as mahogany from South America. Epiphone uses cheaper materials or combines some of them, such as using alder and mahogany for the soundboard.
4. Sound: The Epiphone's sound is darker, with the lows and mids dominating. Gibson has a lighter sound.

Price ranges

• Inexpensive Instruments: Epiphone Les Paul Junior or Epiphone LP Special
• Average Price: Variations from Epiphone Les Paul Custom to Gibson Classic or Studio
• Expensive models: Gibson LP Standard
• Collectible models: VOS models, i.e. Les Paul Custom VOS, Les Paul Standard VOS

This is one of the most famous electric guitars in history. A cult instrument that stands above any momentary assessments. A guitar that has become a symbol of the highest quality workmanship, an example of beauty in appearance and magnificence of sound. Perfection itself is embodied in these rounded forms of an instrument with a woman's name. It would be a waste of effort on my part to analyze this guitar in terms of its functionality and sound characteristics. After all, this is a classic and therefore all it deserves is a good musician who can fill the guitar with beautiful music.

It so happened that now under the name Gibson there is not just one Les Paul Custom model, but more than two dozen different versions of the famous guitar, and therefore it can be difficult for an ordinary person to immediately understand this “carnival of beauties.” Let's try to systematize the knowledge so that we can make the process of choosing “that very guitar” easier.

The very first Les Paul Custom was born in 1954. At that time, Gibson had only one Les Paul model, which was called the Les Paul Model without any additional words like Standard, Classic, etc. Over time, when Les Paul became the name of a whole series of guitars, this first model began to be called the Les Paul 1952 GoldTop. The phrase GoldTop reminds us of the gold-plated body of the guitar, and the number 1952 denotes the year in which this model was introduced, and therefore the birth of the first Les Paul guitar.

Two years after its debut, the Les Paul evolved from a single model into a series. In addition to the main one, Gibson released two more models - one was a “cheaper, simplified” version (Les Paul Junior) for the poor and students, and the second, on the contrary, a “rich, sophisticated” guitar for the elite and moneybags. This was primarily a marketing decision. In order to cover a large part of the market with your product, you need to make more different versions of the product for different audiences.

In addition to the external features - rich finishes (gold-plated fittings and multi-layered edging on the body, neck and head), the new guitar had a slightly different solution in terms of wood. In particular, unlike the GoldTop and, in general, most of those Gibson Les Paul guitars, the new Les Paul Custom guitar did not have a body made of two layers of different species (a thick layer of mahogany and a thin layer of maple on top), but only of mahogany - both the top layer and the bottom. The Les Paul musician, who, according to various sources, is related to the development of guitars, and not only “sold his name to advertise” new guitars - this musician claims that this “wood solution” is a common mistake of the Gibson company - they say in 1954 it was It was decided to make the GoldTop entirely from mahogany, and the Custom, as a more expensive model, from mahogany with maple. And then Gibson got mixed up. But be that as it may, the Custom was actually produced until 1960 with mahogany bodies.

All Custom guitars from 1954 to 1960 came with two bridge options - either a fixed (Tune"o Mattic combined with a Stop Bar) or a Bigsby tremolo bridge.

The Les Paul Custom's headstock featured diamond-shaped inlays that would become iconic for the model for decades. Gibson borrowed this item from the design of the Super 400 model - its most expensive, prestigious and largest model in terms of body size. This jazz legend (Super 400) has its own epoch-making history, which began long before the advent of “les floors”.

The 1954 Les Paul Custom itself was black, plus the pickups had black plastic covers and plus an ebony fingerboard - all this allowed Gibson to use the phrase Black Beauty in advertising - a phrase forever stuck with all 1954-1960 Gibsons and their reissues. This term is also sometimes used to refer to any black Les Paul Custom guitar. Another advertising slogan used by Gibson to promote the new model is "Fretless Wonder." This term is meant to emphasize the extraordinary ease of playability that results from the very low, small frets.

Les Paul himself (the musician) said that the new model looks unusually luxurious and is very suitable for concert performances in a tailcoat. When “everything is black and only white hands flutter over the fretboard.” I agree - it sounds quite romantic.

Custom 1954-1956 guitars were equipped with two single-coil pickups of the traditional Gibson design - P-90 and Alnico V. Thanks to this solution, the guitar sounded very good on a clean sound.

In 1955, Gibson engineer Seth Lover (now working with Seymour Duncan) invented the world's first humbucker pickup. In 1956, this pickup began to be installed on the Les Paul GoldTop, and from 1957 on the Les Paul Custom.

Thus, from 1957 to 1960, an instrument was produced that was called the second version of the Les Paul Custom (or simply 57 Custom), differing, as stated above, only in the pickups. The new revolutionary pickups were an incredibly progressive step and to highlight this, as well as to create the appearance of competition with the Stratocaster, the new models began to be available with three pickups in addition to the regular version. However, models with three sensors were never particularly popular and the idea was subsequently abandoned. Just like the idea with Bigsby, who stopped using Les Pauls after 1960.

Despite the fact that the Les Paul Custom was positioned by Gibson as an elite model, few famous musicians played this guitar in those years. It is only known that in addition to the , for some short time before Led Zeppelin (in 1965), the already famous one had a Black Beauty with three humbuckers, and also “at the dawn” of the Rolling Stones played a Les Paul Custom. As for the rest of the celebrities, their hearts were given to the Les Paul Standard in Sunburst color. Some blues guitarists like GoldTop played at the beginning of their careers.

But in general, Les Paul guitars were not at all popular among most guitarists of the 50s. And this situation prompted Gibson to close the Les Paul line in 1960. It's hard to imagine, but these guitars have been discontinued.

Then, only in 1968, Les Paul production was resumed. And for 8 long years the world lived without a Les Paul. These eight years became a very serious watershed in the minds of collectors. Thanks to these years, Les Paul guitars from 1952-1960 became incredibly expensive and became mostly collection guitars.

What happened to Gibson these 8 years? Instead of the "unfashionable" Les Pauls, a new guitar was presented to the public - it was the Gibson SG. At first, this guitar bore the name Les Paul and everything was presented as a “great Les Paul revolution” when the famous guitar dramatically changed its appearance. The new SG guitar was in many ways the same as the Les Paul, and was, in theory, a more progressive step.

In my opinion, the appearance of the SG was caused by an attempt to compete with the stratocaster. Judge for yourself what SG is - it's a new thin body with comfortable contours and two horns for quick access to the 20th frets on the neck. Plus, the socket for connecting the cord is located on the SG not at the end of the case, but at the top. In general, all this is the most direct evidence of the influence of the stratocaster on the minds of the creators of SG. The new guitar, I repeat, was originally called Les Paul and was presented in three models: Standard, Custom, Junior.

The Les Paul (SG) Custom model, like its older brother, had all the features of an expensive model - ebony on the fretboard, diamond-shaped inlays on the headstock, gold-plated fittings, a bound headstock, three pickups, and... its own color that made it stand out. her from the “crowd of brothers.” The new guitar was white as opposed to Black Beauty.

In the mid-60s, the Les Paul name disappeared from Gibson guitars, and new guitars were named SG. And everything calmed down until 1968.

And then a new era began. In 1968, Gibson began re-producing Les Pauls. And one of the first models was the Les Paul Custom. It was practically unchanged, with the exception of a couple of innovations compared to the 1957-1960 version:

The bodies began to be made of mahogany with a top layer of maple (as is customary for all Les Pauls)
- The color palette of guitars included, in addition to black, other colors (white, cherry, cherry sunburst, tobacco sunburst, silverburst, natural, etc.), so the phrase Black Beauty lost its relevance.
- The neck has become noticeably thinner and more comfortable for most guitarists. Earlier guitar necks (50 rounded profile) were often criticized for their size

In 1969, that is, literally a year later, Gibson changed its owner and this had a very serious impact on the design of the guitars.

Firstly, the vultures began to be made from three longitudinal pieces of wood, which was caused by considerations of greater strength of these vultures. This, by the way, lasted until about the end of the 70s.

Secondly, the bodies began to be made not from two layers of wood (mahogany and maple), but from four layers: the mahogany layer was divided into two layers and between them there was a thin layer (two to three millimeters) of maple. Such buildings were made until the mid-70s. Plus, the top layer of maple was very often made not from two pieces, as was customary in the 50s (and now), but from three pieces.

In the second half of the 70s, another interesting event occurred. Gibson opened a new factory in Nashville and gradually began to transfer all production there from Kalamazoo, where they had been based for centuries. At the new Nashville factory, most (but not all) Les Pauls of the late '70s were built with maple necks. Moreover, some of them also had a maple fingerboard. Despite such “radicalism” and “non-Gibsonianness,” Les Pauls with maple necks still sounded 100% Les Paul. Moreover, it can be extremely difficult to discern the difference between different necks (maple and mahogany).

For the most part, though, it should be noted that Les Pauls with maple necks tend to have more weight and sound "more aggressive and tougher," so to speak. We are, of course, talking about nuances, but they exist. These are "eviler guitars."

In the 70s, among the legendary musicians, despite the popularity of the Les Paul in general, none of the stars particularly shone with the Les Paul Custom model. Except Steve Jones (from the Sex Pistols) with a white Les Paul Custom, which he said he stole from someone in Britain.

The 1980s were relatively quiet for the Les Paul Custom. There is only one notable event in the existence of the Les Paul Custom - the appearance of the Custom Lite model (1987-1989). We must remember these were the years of heavy rock, for which a sea of ​​new guitars were invented. Gibson tried to do their part. Custom Lite was specifically aimed at heavy music.

"Eviler Pickups" as well as a guitar variant with Floyd Rose. You heard right. Custom Lite - this was the only Les Paul model with Floyd Rose (if you don’t take into account self-made ones like Eddie Van Halen’s personal “Les Paul with Floyd”). This model did not achieve particular popularity and therefore it was discontinued in 1989, two years after its debut. Another feature of the Custom Lite was its thinner (twice as thin) and therefore lightweight body. In our country, the Custom Lite model is known mainly as Shura's favorite instrument BI-2 from the BI-2 group - it has a version without Floyd Rose.

As for world rock music, the face of the Les Paul Custom model in the 80s can be called (with its white instrument) from the band Ozzy. The 90s saw another notable event for the Les Paul Custom. It was decided to divide all the guitars of this model into two color groups. The first group was just Les Paul Custom - they had three colors Ebony, White, Cherry.

The second group is Les Paul Custom Plus and Premium Plus. These guitars cost $500-700 more and were distinguished by sunburst paint finishes and special “beautiful” maple (“striped”, “fire”, etc.). That is, for the additional beauty of the Gibson they took extra money.

However, there were very few people willing to buy a “beautiful pattern” of maple for that kind of money, and therefore, in the late 90s, Gibson left only three Les Paul Custom options in its catalog - Ebony, White, Cherry.

Another interesting event of the 90s was the opening of the Gibson Custom Shop, to produce more expensive, improved guitars. In the 90s, Les Paul Customs were produced in two factories - regular guitars were made at Gibson USA, and more specific guitars were made at the Gibson Custom Shop. The very first Les Paul Custom versions from the Custom Shop began to make models that completely copied the Les Paul Custom of '54 and '57.

These guitars were part of the Historic Collection series and were called Re-Issues. There were 6 Les Paul Custom Historic Collection guitars:

54 re-issue Les Paul Custom Black Beauty
- 54 re-issue Les Paul Custom Black Beauty w/Bigsby
- 57 re-issue Les Paul Custom Black Beauty
- 57 re-issue Les Paul Custom Black Beauty w/Bigsby
- 57 re-issue Les Paul Custom Black Beauty 3 pickups
- 57 re-issue Les Paul Custom Black Beauty 3 pickups w/Bigsby

These guitars sounded better than the regular Les Paul Customs from Gibson USA. Many noted that the Black Beauty, due to the abandonment of maple on the body, had more low end and “meat”. Although their '50s inspired necks were thicker than regular Les Paul Custom necks and therefore less comfortable.

The next step in the development of the Les Paul Custom in the Custom Shop was the Florentine model. It had a semi-acoustic body in the vein of the Gibson ES-335. This model, produced in fairly large quantities in the 90s, has now been discontinued. It was aimed at jazz/blues players and sounded very good either clean or overdriven. It also had a Plus version with a nicer maple finish.

Since the 90s, Gibson began making signature Les Paul models, something that had never been seen before. Personalized Les Pauls of various musicians were and are produced by both Gibson USA and the Custom Shop. The Les Paul Custom direction is marked by three signature guitars:

This is a luxury guitar from a Kiss musician. What sets it apart from a regular Les Paul Custom is its three DiMarzio Super Distortion pickups, Cherry Sunburst paint job, and KIss-inspired neck inlay.

Peter Frampton. This guitarist is not very well known in Russia. And therefore we will limit ourselves to the description of its model. This is an amazing hybrid of the B.B. King Lucille, Les Paul Classic and Black Beauty models. So imagine a regular Black Beauty Les Paul with three humbuckers. Now remove the covers from the sensors. On the bridge, put the “evil” 500T from the Les Paul Classic model, the thin neck profile of the Slim Taper also from the Les Paul Classic model, and make the body empty inside, but without f-holes (like the B.B. King Lucille). The result is the lightest, most comfortable neck model yet, with a very versatile sound. This guitar is also very expensive, for this money it’s easier to buy separately, if not all three models, then definitely two. But such are the unusual tastes of this musician.

(three models). His signature guitars grew out of his personal guitar. As a child, my mother gave little Zakk a white Les Paul Custom, released in the late 70s and with a maple neck. Zakk ended up putting EMG pickups on this guitar and painting the body with a "target" design. This instrument became his signature style and calling card. Over time, he bought several more old Les Pauls with maple necks, put EMG pickups on them, and painted them in all sorts of designs.

Gibson, through its Custom Shop, copies personal Zakk guitars for everyone to buy. It is, however, very expensive. Many Zakk fans prefer to buy old guitars just like him, install EMGs and repaint them. This is exactly three times cheaper than buying a Custom Shop. And it sounds much better.

One of the strangest and most unusual LesPaul Custom models produced by the Custom Shop is the 68 Custom. The thing about this model is that it is not a reissue. Gibson deliberately does not include the words Re-Issue in its title and does not classify it as a Historic Collectiom. The number 68 in this guitar symbolizes something unclear and is most likely aimed at people who don’t care about the history of guitars.

I will try to explain the meaning of this guitar. So, it’s the end of the 90s and the beginning of the 2000s. Personalized guitars aside, all a person can buy from a Les Paul Custom is either a Gibson USA guitar with a Mahogany and Maple body, or a Custom Shop guitar with a Mahogany body (Black Beauty). That's all. That's all the choice.

But at the same time, there is some part of people who want to buy a Les Paul Custom

With a mahogany and maple body and from the Custom Shop
- with a body that has a beautiful maple (and where can I get it if Plus is no longer produced)
- a guitar that looks like an old vintage instrument (note the word looks)

That is, there is a demand for Les Paul Customs, which are not produced by Gibson. Then, in order to make money (and this is why all guitar companies exist), the Les Paul 68 Custom model appears in the depths of the Custom Shop. In this case, the model:

It has a mahogany and maple body. Therefore, this is actually a regular Custom, but only from the Custom Shop.
- It has Custom Authentic versions (that is, aged in appearance) - due to this, firstly, the white and black versions look neither like Black Beauty nor like a regular Custom from Gibson USA, and secondly, those who want a guitar with an old appearance can get the required
- It has FlameTop options in "sunburst and other colors", with "beautiful maple", and the maple is in two pieces. In 1968 and the 70s there was no Les Paul Custom with two pieces of maple, and even such a beautiful striped maple. Therefore, the guitar cannot be called Re-Issue. But there is a demand for such colors and such a maple pattern. At the same time, it is difficult for a person to overpay for the regular Plus version, but for the phrase Custom Shop, as a guarantee that the guitar not only has a more elegant appearance, but also sounds better, one can pay for this.

The release of the Custom Shop models 54 Black Beauty, 57 Black Beauty and 68 Custom caused sales of regular Les Paul Customs from Gibson USA to plummet in the early 2000s. People preferred to buy Custom Shop, despite the fact that the difference in price was minimal, and sometimes there was none at all.

Then in 2004, the decision was made to move production of the regular Les Paul Custom from Gibson USA to the Gibson Custom Shop. Due to this, the 68 Custom models in black and white will be discontinued at the end of 2004. Due to its irrelevance. So now, at the beginning of 2005, all Les Paul Customs are made in the Custom Shop and you can purchase the following Les Paul Custom models:

Les Paul Custom (ebony, cherry, white) - for those who need a regular new Les Paul Custom
- Les Paul Custom 54 Black Beauty (with or without Bigsby) - for those who value clean sound, singles and blues
- Les Paul Custom 57 Black Beauty (with two or three pickups, with or without Bigsby) - for those who need “more meat” and aggression
- Les Paul 68 Custom Figured Top - for those who would like to have a Les Paul Custom in sunburst colors with “striped maple”
- Les Paul Zakk Wylde - for those who need the most aggressive and angry Les Paul in the world
- Les Paul Peter Frampton - for those who need the most unusual Les Paul Custom

Thus, Gibson is now trying to present all possible variants of the Les Paul Custom. Don't forget about Korean and Japanese Epiphone, who also make Les Paul Custom, but only in the "poor man's" version.

In addition, as part of the Historic Collection, very strange versions of 57 Black Beauty were released:

Faded Cherry, TV White are Black Beauty that have a very non-Black color. Guitars like these weren't made in 1957, but if there's a demand for them, why not make them? Faded Cherry is a guitar as if all the paint had been removed from Black Beaty and it became a natural mahogany color (red-brown). TV White is a whitish color through which the structure of the wood is visible. Obviously, in the 50s and 60s there were such guitars, but they were the result of someone repainting factory guitars. That is, Gibson reissues not only its own models, but also remakes of models that are found on the secondary market. By the way, TV White was not officially announced; I personally learned about this model only when I was in foreign guitar stores and saw it live.

Master Tone. This is another "out-of-factory alteration". During this speech, changes affected the control knobs. There are only three of them and they are built in the spirit of a stratocaster. No one had ever heard of Gibson making guitars like this in 1957. However, perhaps someone independently remade the original model and now Gibson is re-releasing it.

Another facet of the Custom Shop's work is that this department makes many guitars based on Les Paul Custom specifically for individual orders by the guitarist and in this case the world can get the most amazing guitars - because human imagination is limitless. While in Japan, in guitar stores in Tokyo, I saw the most unusual Gibson Les Paul Custom guitars.

What does the future hold for these guitars? I will share the most popular rumor on this matter. In recent years, guitarists from Metallica, and especially James Hetfield, have been appearing very often with these guitars. As you know, ESP has great difficulty releasing signature Hetfield guitars. The thing is that he prefers to play guitars that copy the Gibson Explorer in every way. For him personally, ESP has the opportunity to make such guitars. But for fans, ESP cannot mass produce guitars with someone else’s design. No rights. For this reason, ESP makes guitars that look nothing like the ones James appears in public with. A contract with a musician like Hetfield costs a lot of money. And the release of his personalized guitars (not like personal ones) does not bring any benefit. In this regard, the return on cooperation with Hammet, who plays guitars of the same design as the factory ESPs, is much greater.

In general, the relationship between ESP and Hetfield is getting worse and worse, because they pay him money, but there is little return. That's why lately he can be seen more and more often with Gibson SG, Explorer and Les Paul Custom. Moreover, Gibson's managers do not hide their plans to bring Hetfield under their wing. They spoke about this to me quite openly at an exhibition in Frankfurt last year in 2004. Despite the fact that for them I was just a visitor to the stand who asked a lot of questions. Because who knows, maybe in the very near future we will see a new guitar - Les Paul Custom JH. Or maybe not. In any case, the Les Paul Custom has long had its place in history and this place is very honorable - after all, it is one of the most legendary guitars and the pride of mankind for the best that it has been able to create.

P.S. Unfortunately, I am not one of the good musicians (or musicians in general), however, despite this, I have had the happiness of communicating with these amazing guitars in my life. At the time of this writing, I have tried quite a few Les Paul Custom guitars and have owned eight of them at various times.

1968 Les Paul Custom (Ebony)
1971 Les Paul Custom (Cherry Burst)
1978 Les Paul Custom (Cherry Burst)
1995 Les Paul Custom (Ebony)
1997 Les Paul Custom (White)
1998 Les Paul Custom (White)
2003 Custom Shop Les Paul Custom 1957 Black Beauty
2004 Custom Shop Custom Authentic 68 Les Paul Custom

My current Les Paul Custom is a black instrument from 1968-1969. It is impossible to determine the exact year of the guitar. The neck of this guitar was clearly made in 1968, the body could be from either 1968 or 1969. This is the oldest tool I have ever owned and without a doubt the best. Maybe in the future I will have another guitar, maybe not.

The Gibson Les Paul guitar is one of the most frequently copied and famous in the entire world, not just the guitar world. Designed in 1950, it was the first solid body guitar released by Gibson.
Gibson Les Paul was developed by Ted McCarthy in collaboration with inventor Les Paul, an innovator who had long experimented with guitar design. Paul was drawn to create this guitar in the wake of the popularity of electric guitars following the release of . There is still debate about Les Paul's main contribution to the development, boiling down to the fact that he proposed installing a trapezoidal tailpiece, and also influenced the choice of color for the new guitar.

The Les Paul model range differs from other electric guitars, of course, in its recognizable shape, body design and string fastening: they are attached, like on Gibson semi-acoustic guitars, on the top of the body. There are quite a lot of models and variations of this line, the series has been updated more than once. Thanks to advancements in guitar technology, these solid electric guitars have flooded the market.

The first models were the Gibson Les Paul Goldtop and the Gibson Les Paul Custom. The Goldtop featured a trapezoidal bridge and . The Custom, which came with an ebony fingerboard, was nicknamed “the black beauty” by Les Paul himself, and it was on this model that the ABR-1 tailpiece was first installed, which was later installed on all subsequent models in the series. Before the famous Les Paul Standard, which is still in production, saw the light of day, this line also included models with the nicknames Junior, TV and Special.

Gibson Les Paul Custom

The guitar, called the Gibson Les Paul Standard, is still in great demand in the musical environment; its production was resumed in 1968, and the latest variation was released in 2008. This model retains most of the Goldtop's specifications but has changed the coloring, and the 2008 model has straightened the frets, lightened the body bores, installed improved ratio locking tuners, and introduced a long neck with an asymmetrical profile.

Gibson Les Paul Standard

The popularity of this electric guitar began from the moment Keith Richards () received his, which became the first model owned by the famous guitarist in the UK, the Gibson Les Paul Sunburst model (which later received the name Standard, and was originally called Sunburst due to the currently most recognizable colors of guitars of this series). Interest in her increased when her rock potential was recognized by George Harrison and. In addition to them, guitarists such as Peter Green and Mick Taylor played Les Pauls. It was used by Mike Bloomfield and was the one he became best known for.