The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold by the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952. The guitar was designed by factory manager John Huis and his team with input from and endorsement by guitarist Les Paul.
In 1957, humbucking pickups were added, along with sunburst finishes in 1958. 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 1964, The Rolling Stones' Keith Richards began using a sunburst, 1959 Les Paul Standard — becoming the first "star-guitarist" to play a Les Paul on the British scene. The guitar, outfitted with a Bigsby tailpiece, served as one of the guitarist's prominent instruments and provided the first impetus to the use of Les Pauls during the British blues boom.
We don’t mean to imply that the Les Paul doesn’t do subtle — it absolutely does. Consider that the instrument is heard cross-genre from rock and blues to jazz and fusion. Even Bob Marley played one. Sure, the wiry, spanky sound of a Strat may be a better choice for funk. Or for country, you might want the twang of a Tele. And if death metal is your deal, the Les Paul is not the best candidate for down tuning, given its shorter 24.75″ scale length. However, the Les Paul has its eternal charms. There’s really nothing else like it. If it’s a Les Paul you want, there is no substitute. Sweetwater’s Guitar Gallery is brimming with Les Pauls from Gibson and Epiphone: Standards, Customs, Specials, Juniors, and more; spanning all price ranges, decked out in every finish you can imagine, and outfitted with a selection of pickups from vintage-style P-90s to high-output humbuckers. To illustrate this wide, versatile tonal range, we’ve included several sound examples that will help you choose the right Les Paul to suit your needs and budget.
Jimmy Page
George Harrison
Slash
Joe Perry
Jimi Hendrix
Paul McCartney