The Gibson Les Paul: A Short History, from Creation to Custom Shop

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Let me first say that I am not sponsored by Gibson in any way. I make these history videos for educational purposes, my own, and hopefully as a result, yours. I hope you enjoy it.

This is my short history of the Gibson Les Paul, from Creation to Custom Shop. You might think that "short" here in the title is something of a misnomer, but the history of about 50 years worth of guitars is packed in to this.

I am fully aware that I couldn't fit every single model here (I actually learned of many I'd NEVER heard of during the research) but tried to choose each guitar for its effect on the direction the model took as time went by.

I'm sure I can count on you to add those in the comments. :)

Two books in particular helped in pulling the video together. ***Five watt world participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn commissions by linking to Amazon. In simpler language, this means that whenever you buy something from Amazon from a link on here, I receive a small percentage of its price.
Thanks!

"The Gibson Les Paul: The Guitar That Changed Rock" by Dave Hunter

"The Les Paul Guitar Book" by Tony Bacon

Finally I need to thanks Dave Onorato of Dojo Guitar Repair in Atlanta, Georgia. Dave has been helped me from brainstorming to final fact checking scripts and for that I am grateful.

A lover, and owner of some exceptional Les Paul's he even broke one out to provide the original music at the beginning and the end of the video.

I'd add that some subscribers have commented on the seeming "duality" of the channel. Encouraging minimalism while posting histories of instruments that might, in some, inspire passing (or prolonged) moments of gear lust. This is not my intention. I have come the long way around to learning to think something is beautiful without feeling that I need to own it. It is perhaps a fine distinction but also one I believe we should take more time to ponder.

Thanks for watching.
Keith

[bassfishingwiththeantichri]

A friend from Jr. high school came by one day in the early 80’s with a Les Paul Custom Black Beauty with three pickups and the tuners that has flip out winders built in.
He wanted to trade me for my red Kramer Pacer series, one H pickup w/standard fender style trem.
The Les Pauls case had to cost more than my Kramer with 3/4 size neck plate.
I was reluctant to do it so he threw in the Patterson 24” racing cruiser he rode up on.
So we shook on it and he walked away with the Kramer and crappy case they threw in when I bought it.
By then I could squeak out the solo to stairway to heaven and with the Gibson i sounded identical to Jimmy Page in my mind. (It was probably a Tele he played on the track)
I started envisioning myself as Jimmy Page instead of EVH. (There we’re already three kids at Ridgemont that dressed like Eddie, anyways)
I fell in love with that guitar. Just looking at it in that plush case it was like the Holy Grail.
At Guitar Showcase they had never even seen the flip out tuners before. (As I play the beginning of stairway to heaven in the store)
Believe it or not I was more jazzed about the bicycle. Life was grand!
Then a few weeks later I hear a knock at my door. I knew exactly who it was and my heart sank. I look through the peep hole not making a sound.
And what do you know, it’s my school friend with my Kramer case in hand and he’s balling his eyes out with his mom waiting in the car.
I thought about switching schools and going in hiding BUT I considered him my friend so I opened the door.
He’s obviously been crying because snot was hangin from his nose and his eyes were bloodshot.
I asked what was the matter? He said his mom flipped out when she found out about our trade. She paid big money for that Les Paul for his b-day.
The band he was in, all older guys, pointed out all the shortcomings of my $299 Kramer and that the Les Paul cost as much as a car. (She had asked them what guitar to get him and that was the best guitar in the store)
My friend was like the coolest kid in my class and to see him bawling like that I knew he was in a lot of pain, so I reluctantly traded the guitars back. He let me keep the bike saying he was sorry.
He was happy with the trade but everyone was making him get that Gibson back and that’s why he was crying.
I’m 54 now and I still have that Kramer. I also have a LP black beauty and a LP Classic 1960 and about seven Strats, an Esquire and a real 58’ a Les Paul Jr. Marshall & Fender amps, etc. etc.
I think about that Les Paul every once in a while but I don’t regret opening the door that day.
I still consider him my friend and I’d like to think he still thinks of me as his friend. He better.

[BrandOdyssey]

Keith is the best guitar historian out there. He should release a book.

[leomonster]

The Most famous Les Paul of the 80's era was Slash's Les paul, Which was a copy of a Gibson Les Paul, which Gibson then went on to copy and market as the Slash Les Paul....Play authentic

[Tehdurkniht]

Whoa never knew Les invented multitrack recording. What an absolute legend

[dandelcastillo]

I am confounded and constantly amazed how Gibson will fight customer needs and requests, from early years till this very day. So damn foolish

[RickBeato]

Finally Hypes!! I have been waiting weeks for this!

[adamterry]

I think you forgot the infamous "play authentic" era. Perhaps the most defining era for gibson!

[JC-]

I finally looked up some of Les Paul's music with the sped up parts an octave higher. It's definitely different than anything else from that time. I'm sure Les was ecstatic when he figured that all out. Imagine being the first to pioneer a sound that makes you stand out from literally everyone else. Not only a sound but an entire recording and production process. He was an innovator, that's for sure.

[BobbyBriscoeBeats]

I started playing guitar 2 weeks ago, and this is all fascinating!

[tryten]

This dude should be doing Gibson's marketing.

[firemarshal]

That bobbin bit got a chuckle out of me. Just proves that guitarist will reach beyond the realm of reality to explain why another guitarist sounds better instead of just practicing lol. “He’s not a better player, he has better bobbins!”

[weggs]

I met les Paul back in 93’ i think. He was a really cool guy.

[southtombob]

Les Paul was so far ahead of his time in many ways. The “log” he built in the early 30’s had stacked coils that were reverse wind and polarity making them the first stacked humbucker. His 54 Custom that was the prototype for the LP Custom had a cavity he routed between the P90s with dummy coils for each pickup and a cover to hide them.

[christianlassen]

The Super-400CES at 6:24 used to be mine, the shot taken on my sofa It belonged to a pro player in Britain, who bought it the US, already re-finished (by the looks of it a factory refinish) but with all the original parts. Now it's with a collector in France.

[jeffjfindley]

Les Paul, Leo Fender, Bob Moog and Dave Smith are deserving of Mt. Rushmore status. Probably a few others too, but those four... No brainer! Thanks Keith!

[diegovargas]

I just got my first Gibson Les Paul Classic, after 20 yrs playing Epiphone. The quality and the sound of Gibson is stunning.
This video also shares so much information that is priceless.

[TheMusicfan]

Favourite guitar ever. Nothing comes close. Looks, sound, history and legacy. The Les Paul has it all.

[tgrules]

Gary Moore will always be my favourite Les Paul player. Stunning aggressive blues playing!

[codydiamond]

I forgot my squire for band today so I got to play my teachers les Paul... I’m gonna forget my guitar more often

[danmayes]

NICE JOB. That took a lot of work.
That 54 Custom with gold hardware must have been a showstopper at NAMM