This February, 2007, file photo shows Les Paul performing at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York.
For generations of guitarists, there were two Les Pauls. One was the guitarist, the other was the guitar, and while the former was treated with respect and admiration, the latter was positively adored.
Introduced in 1952, the Les Paul was the Gibson Guitar Company's answer to the Fender Telecaster, establishing a Ford-versus-Chevy-style rivalry that endures to this day. Fender guitars were simple and workmanlike, with a light, crisp sound that favoured the instrument's high end; they were an immediate hit with country players and others fond of twang. The Les Paul, by contrast, was heftier and more obviously a high-end instrument. (The first models were painted gold because, as Les Paul himself said, gold meant "expensive, the best, superb.") With a carved maple top glued to a mahogany base, they weighed more than a Fender, and had a darker, warmer tone that - particularly after the addition of hum-cancelling pickups in 1957 - grew fatter and heavier with increased amplification.
Over the years, numerous versions of the Les Paul went on the market, from the relatively inexpensive Les Paul Junior (introduced in 1954), to the low-impedance Les Paul Personal (introduced in 1969 and based on the guitarist's own, heavily customized guitar), to the computerized Robot Guitar (introduced in 2007 and capable of tuning itself). But for most guitar heroes, it was the Les Paul Standard that remained the gold standard.
Famous Players
Muddy Waters , on the success of I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man , bought a '52 Les Paul Gold-top in 1954.
Eric Clapton played a 1960 Les Paul in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and during the early days of Cream.
Neil Young 's main electric, "Old Black," is actually a repainted 1953 Les Paul Gold-top with a Bigsby tailpiece.
Jimmy Page 's "No. 1" guitar with Led Zeppelin was a '59 Sunburst Les Paul he bought from Joe Walsh. His "No. 2" guitar was also a '59 Les Paul.
Peter Frampton is shown holding a Les Paul Custom on the cover of Frampton Comes Alive .
Bob Marley was buried with his favourite guitar, a Les Paul Special.
Steve Jones 's first guitar with the Sex Pistols was a 1974 Les Paul Custom previously owned by Syl Sylvain of the New York Dolls.
Robert Fripp of King Crimson played a '59 Les Paul Black Beauty, most notably on the David Bowie single Heroes .
Ric Ocasek of the Cars played a '55 Les Paul double-cutaway, "Not a heavy one, because I can't hold 'em up. I'm too skinny."
Pete Townshend is pictured about to smash a customized Les Paul in an ad for the 1979 album The Kids Are Alright . The caption reads, "This guitar has seconds to live."
Slash played several Les Pauls with Guns N' Roses, and Gibson introduced a Slash Signature Model Les Paul in 2004.