The Electra Forums

It appears that guitar guru Les Paul died today.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090813/ap_en_mu/us_obit_les_paul

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In the words of AC/DC: We roll tonight...and for those about to rock...we salute you.

That is sad to hear. Les Paul contributed much to the birth of the electric guitar and to music as a whole. His inventions revolutionized how we hear music today. He was a great player and performer right up until now. He will be missed.

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Always give thanks for everyday, It may be your last so Rock On Semper Fi!!

Until recently he played regularly her in NYC and I never went to se him thinking that I caould always go some other time. Stupid stupid stupid me.

...listening to 'How high the moon' right now; RIP Les.



..there''s a lesson for us all right there; do it now 'cause you may not get another chance!

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"... and on the eighth day, God created New Zealanders.

Because even the Australians need heroes."

Schulte Les Paul Standard





Schulte Junior


Les Paulage Warmoth style......



My only real Gibber LP.... a '79 The Paul...



'76 Ibanez Goldtop LP...



'76 Ibanez '61 SG/LP copy...



The Pair of them...



My Hamer Les Paul like babies....

'81 and '80 Specials



'79 Sunburst



'92 P90 Special



Late '90's Sunburst import



Electra MPC LP




R.I.P. Red and Thank you for your wonderful gifts you shared.

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Free Your Mind and Your A$$ Will Follow......

Same here. Just another thing to add onto my "you were too slow, now you lost it" list.

Rest in peace.

I may not like his guitar, but he was a great musician, he's someone you never expect to die....

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Addicted to Matsumoku.

Agreed, on both points. He's someone I've expected to always be around.

Les Paul -

Rest in Peace ........

RCSBlues

Ok, Les was a very innovative guitarist, tenacious tinkerer and gifted inventor (of studio gear and techniques) but I'm about to blow up listening to a NPR interview with him (from '93) where he claims to have invented the solid body guitar, the electric pickup and just about everything else we use today... I've heard others say that ol' Les was a legend in his own mind, and now I know where they get that from.

Nobody had tried or even thought of multi-tracking or overdubbing before him, so yeah, he was a genius! And it is generally accepted that he invented the tape echo and other cool devices in the studio environment, full kudos there. But c'mon, Rickenbacker marketed the 'Frying Pan' in 1939, and Leo's Broadcaster made it's debut in 1948, a full four years before Gibson introduced the Gold Top in 1952 (in fact it was the success of the Fender that really pushed Gibson to finally make a Solid Body, and stop making fun of the 'upstart' California maker) and I'm pretty sure that Ampeg had developed an early electrified bass that predates many of those.

Acounts vary, but it is not fully understood all of what Les's input on the Goldtop were. Gibson had been using the P90 pickup on hollow bodies before that. What is known is that Les Paul insisted on the bridge... which if anyone has seen an original '52 LP, they have a really weird wrap under bridge that basically everyone hated, in fact Gibson changed the bridge as soon as they could, and very few originals remain because it was so awkward and uncomfortable, so people changed them out.

Also worth noting is that the original LP didn't exactly set sales records, so by '61 Gibson introduced a new Les Paul Standard (shaped like a SG) and stopped making the single cutaway we associate with him. This was a totally new guitar, that in interviews Les Paul admits he didn't know anything about, Gibson just did it behind his back, which indicates to me, that Les's name was more important than his consultation, at least to Gibson. The new Les Paul (SG) was an attempt to address complaints about weight, size and comfort of the heavy original design.

Yes Les lived a long time, longer than Ted McCarty and anyone at Gibson (or Fender or Rickenbacker for that matter...) and perhaps this is why his legend has grown. Recollections get foggy, details forgotten... but if someone claims something in an interview, and no one else is alive to substantiate or deny it, does it make it gospel?

I hope I don't sound bitter. Again, my head just spins listening to his recordings (although, he did pioneer slowing down the tape machine when recording to make the riffs sound faster!!), he was a great, great man... but lets not make him a saint just yet NPR!

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Electra Guitar Videos ===> http://www.youtube.com/user/mjm33mjm?feature=watch

True, the original Les Paul was something a pain with that bridgde.
It was like a strange trapeze, and, as mentioned, a wrap-around.
I don't recall much room for intonation either. Although, I think they switched it to a one-piece wrap-around that was bolted in, afterwards, too.

The tune-o-matic type is a definite improvement.

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Addicted to Matsumoku.

Actually, his "Log" guitar is often considered the first solid body. Gibson laughed at the idea until Leo Fender had success with his "Broadcaster" and then they invited Les in to get a closer examination of his "Log" and that was the starting point of the Les Paul guitar. So I remember on his documentary "Chasing Sound."

I will not pay for an overpriced Gibson LP and prefer a good American Stratocaster anyway!

I won't say Fender's aren't overpriced, but I hear ya!

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Addicted to Matsumoku.

Les built "the log" solidbody guitar out of a 4x4 post with wings to look like a standard arch top hollow body-- in about 1939.

No one ever said the Gibson Les Paul model was the first at anything.

The man deserves his props for any ONE of the following:
- guitar player
- pop artist
- producer
- multi-track recording

So, even without the hyperbole, you've got to give it up to LP.

I was in NYC about a dozen times over the past two years. Just talking to a co-worker about a month ago, "I'm someday going to regret that I didn't run over to Brooklyn and catch Les at the Iridium..."

I just didn't know I'd regret it so soon.

RIP LP.

Well said Ultra Sonic.

RCSBlues

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RCSBlues