Gibson Les Paul Goldtop

Last update September 1, 2010

The Les Paul model was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late pop star, electronics inventor, and accomplished jazz guitarist Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson Guitar president Ted McCarty brought guitarist Les Paul into the company as a consultant.

The Les Paul guitar line was originally conceived to include two models: the regular model (nicknamed the Goldtop), and the Custom model, which offered upgraded hardware and a more formal black finish. However, advancements in pickup, body, and hardware designs allowed the Les Paul to become a long-term series of electric solid-body guitars that targeted every price-point and market level except for the complete novice guitarist.

The 1952 Les Paul featured two P-90 single coil pickups, and a one-piece, 'trapeze'-style bridge and tailpiece, with strings that were fitted under (instead of over) a steel stop-bar. The weight and the tonal characteristics of the Les Paul were largely due to the mahogany and maple construction: maple is a hard and quite heavy wood, but was restricted to a cap over somewhat lighter mahogany, to keep weight under control. In addition, the early 1952 Les Pauls were never issued serial numbers, did not have bound bodies, and are considered by some as "LP Model prototypes". However, the later 1952 Les Pauls were issued serial numbers and also came with bound bodies.

In 2007, Gibson announced an idea to create a computerized Les Paul, dubbed the "Robot Guitar". It was released on December 7, 2007. The guitar has a computer integrated into the body with a "master control" knob next to the volume knobs, which can be pulled out, turned, or pressed to issue different commands to the guitar. One of the more notable features is the ability to tune the guitar to standard tuning simply by pulling out on the master control knob and strumming the guitar, while the tuning pegs adjust themselves to standard tuning. Another use of the master control knob is to be able to tune the guitar to alternative tunings, such as drop D, by pressing on the control knob to fit the setting.

Notable Les Paul Players

Martin Barre (Jethro Tull)Z has used numerous Gibson models over the course of his career including: a sunburst ES-330, a 1958 Les Paul Special and a 1959 Les Paul Standard.

Jeff Beck (The Yardbirds/solo) purchased his first Les Paul, a 1959 model, while still a member of The Yardbirds. Beck's fascination with the guitar sprang as much from his interest in Les Paul, the man, as from his love of the guitar itself. Beck told an interviewer: "It had a deep powerful sound and you could use it to imitate just about anything - violin, sax, cello, even a sitar."[5] Beck also used an "oxblood" coloured 1954 Les Paul Standard, with PAF pickups, from 1972 to 1976 and is pictured with the guitar on the cover artwork of his Blow by Blow album.

Eric Clapton has used a variety of Gibsons throughout his career. The second electric guitar Clapton owned was a red 1964 ES-335 that he used with The Yardbirds, Cream, Blind Faith and as a solo artist. In 2004 Clapton donated the guitar to an auction to benefit the Crossroads Centre, where it sold for $750,000 ? a world-record auction price for a Gibson. In 1966 Clapton bought a 1960 sunburst Les Paul that he used while a member of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and Cream. This was the first of several 1958-60 Les Pauls that Clapton has used, contributing significantly to these models' popularity. In 1967 Clapton acquired a 1964 SG painted by the Dutch artists collectively known as The Fool; he used this guitar on the Cream albums Disraeli Gears and Wheels of Fire. Other models Clapton has used extensively include a Firebird I and a 1958 Explorer that he used on his 461 Ocean Boulevard and EC Was Here albums

Dave Davies (The Kinks) has used numerous Gibson models over the years, including a 1958 Flying V (prototype model), a 1960 Goldtop Les Paul and a 1978 Artisan.

The Edge (U2) uses several Gibson models including a 1976 Gibson Explorer Limited Edition, a Les Paul Custom, a 1983 30th Anniversary Goldtop, an ES-335, an SG and a J-200.

John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival and a solo artist) uses a variety of Les Paul models.

Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) has used several different Gibson models over the course of his career including Goldtop Les Pauls, Flying Vs, Explorers, ES-5 Switchmasters and Les Paul Juniors. His main guitar is a 1959 Les Paul Standard nicknamed "Pearly Gates". "Pearly has such an unmistakable character that we felt it was necessary to find another instrument with a similar sound to use as a spare guitar. We accumulated dozens of guitars, but nothing quite matched her. But instead of tossing these other acquisitions away, they kept accumulating. It's an ongoing saga that never ends."

Steve Hackett (Genesis, GTR) uses numerous Les Paul models. His main guitar for many years was a 1957 Goldtop. He had other Les Paul models fitted with a Fernandes Sustainer.

Kirk Hammett (Metallica) has used various Flying V and Les Paul models throughout his career.

Jimi Hendrix (The Jimi Hendrix Experience) is generally regarded as an iconic Stratocaster player, but Hendrix used several Gibson models including an SG Custom, Flying V, Les Paul Special and a Les Paul Custom. Gibson also gave him two guitars in 1970, a custom Flying V and an ES-345 (both left-handed models). Gibson has released an "inspired by" Flying V replicating his 1967 Flying V including the psychedelic floral design which Hendrix himself had hand painted on the original.

Jimmy Page (The Yardbirds/Led Zeppelin/solo) uses a 1959 Les Paul ("Number 1", acquired from Joe Walsh), a 1959 Les Paul ("Number 2" a 1973 Les Paul, an EDS-1275, a 1977 RD Artist, an ES5 Switchmaster, a Goldtop Premium Les Paul and a 1991 Custom Shop Les Paul (built to be an exact replica of "Number 1" and re-nicknamed "Number 3"). Page also owned a modified 1960 Les Paul Custom "Black Beauty" with a Bigsby tailpiece and a 3-pickup configuration. This guitar was stolen in 1970 and never recovered.[74] For acoustics Page used a Hummingbird, a J-200 and an A-2 mandolin. Gibson has released a Jimmy Page Signature model Les Paul replicating the features of "Number 2". Page used an EDS-1275 double neck guitar during his live performances of Stairway to Heaven and The Song Remains the Same.

The list goes on and on ....

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Gibson Les Paul Goldtop

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Notable Les Paul Players