News Electric Guitar inventor dies.

[ryan]

http://news.uk.msn.com/world/article.aspx?cp-documentid=149168501
I just noticed this, and i never knew on what this man did, but when you think about what it made and who eventually played this instrument, its really incredible.
RIP Les Paul.

 

[Andy44]

I didn't know he was still alive. I thought I remembered hearing of his demise about 10 years ago or so. Funny, just the other day I was thinking about Les Paul guitars as I gazed at some CD jackets...

If there had been no Les Paul there'd have been no rock and roll. RIP, Les.

 

[Usquanigo]

who eventually played this instrument, its really incredible.

I know you meant electric guitars in general, but there's a couple people that are seldom (to never) seen without Les Pauls.

Sucks to hear he died.

 

[ryan]

What about this guy.

Or this guy

.

 

[jedidia]

Well, they are usually not playing LesPauls...

anyways, the father of Rock has gone the way of all man, in a ripe age, leaving an immense legacy behind. What more can a man wish for?

note: The emoticon should be a toast, not a cheer.

 

[Urwumpe]

Angus (Young) usually plays on a Gibson SG (A Les Paul without the Les Paul trademark, as Les Paul did not endorse this kind of guitar and split with Gibson because of it), don't know how many guitars Hendrix used, but he was not known for using a Les Paul.

Joe Perry from Aerosmith is also known for playing on a Les Paul. Things get hard for Bill Gibbons - he plays a Gibson Les Paul. (OK, all Les Pauls are build by Gibson, I thought it was a company of it's own)

 

[ryan]

When i said who played his instrument i ment the electric guitar as a whole, without him the electric guitar will sound different hence the different musical carrers of those people.

 

[Usquanigo]

Things get hard for Bill Gibbons - he plays a Gibson Les Paul. (OK, all Les Pauls are build by Gibson, I thought it was a company of it's own)

The Reverend Billy G plays all kinds of things from fuzzy to normal, but I don't often see him with a LesPaul (sometimes, but not "often"). Now, if it's a case like you mentioned with Angus (which I hadn't heard before), then that might be a different story. Lately, his main touring, and I believe even recording guitar is one of his own making. He took a guitar given to him by Bo Diddley, got new copies made, but added a bit of his own twist (or mojo as he calls it) to the copies. He calls them the Billy-Bo.

Here's a sample -

 

[Urwumpe]

I remember him with a Les Paul more often lately though, but you are right, there is not clear preference from him... during the last years, he had almost any kind of strange guitar in his hands.

 

[MAraujo]

When you seen Jimmy Page or Slash leaning back into there solos, its cause that thing weighs a ton.
Its the heaviest guitar in rock and roll (except of course for Robbie Robertson's solid brass stratocaster). Not being a fan of the Les Paul or the SG models, I will celebrate Les Paul for his music (of which I am a big fan) and of course his other huge innovation multitracking!

 

[EJ316]

RIP Les Paul

Was very saddened to hear of his passing. I play a Les Paul myself and they are beautiful guitars.

 

[Andy44]

Rush's Alex Lifeson has a number of different guitars, including a Les Paul:

 

[spcefrk]

I'm a Fender Strat man myself, but I've been dying to try a Gibson. I was just enamored with the Strat from day one and learned about the Gibson design much later.

And for those who are listing artists, I don't think there's a better guitarist out there than David Gilmour. And he plays both.

Lastly for laughs, the Fender Strat I got for graduating from Grad School is almost identical to the one Wayne bought on Wayne's World, :rofl:though I have different pickups.

 

[adamb193]

Rush's Alex Lifeson has a number of different guitars, including a Les Paul:

I'm pretty sure that's a PRS not a Les Paul, notice the tremolo bar, but he does have Les Pauls. But still Les Paul was very influencial, sucks that he died.

 

[Saturn V]

No, Lifeson is playing a modded Les Paul in that photo. The last of 11 times I saw Rush (summer '08) he played 9 different Les Pauls in the course of the evening. And I know Les Pauls. I own 5 myself at the present (besides a few SGs, a Hamer and several basses). I recorded & toured for more than 30 years till I semi-retired from music 4 years ago. His multi-tracking techniques are industry standard. And of course the iconic instrument that bears his name will live on.

However, he did NOT invent the electric guitar (that distinction belongs to Adolf Rickenbacker), he perfected and mainstreamed it. And Leo Fender also has some claim to that achievement.

But Les was truly one of a kind. My wife and I saw him in NYC several times over the last 20 years and found him to be one of the warmest folks we've ever met.

If you're into the screeching metal and distorted dirges that account for a lot of current music, Les Paul wouldn't be your cup of tea. But if you want to hear what a master of the instrument truly sounded like, do a search for "Les Paul & Mary Ford," or "Chester & Lester," or anything he recorded as a solo artist.

Sadly a man that can honestly say he shaped the course of modern music for the last 60 years gets barely a mention in the news, but Michael Jackson (talented though he was) still gets the headlines every single day.

Les will be sorely missed by those in the music business and those old enough to remember his hits. Farewell old friend...

 

[flying coffin]

I can validate that. Here are 2 Les Pauls, one with a tremelo bar. Also with another great guitar player