Gibson Les Paul History. If you’ve ever wondered how Gibson made their guitars, then this article will give you the scoop. In this article, you’ll learn about Kossoff’s death, John Squire’s life, and the birth of the Gibson Les Paul. In addition, you’ll learn about the famous ‘Pat’ Kossoff. And, of course, you’ll discover how Gibson Les Paul guitars got their name.
Table of Contents
Gibson Les Paul History
Gibson Les Paul guitars
Les Paul has been one of the most popular guitars of all time. It is famous for its pancake body, made of maple sandwiched between two slabs of mahogany. The maple grain runs in the opposite direction of the mahogany grain. This process creates an incredibly thin guitar with a unique maple cap. The maple grain is also very noticeable when looking at the guitar’s edge. This process, known as crossbanding, was used for strength and resistance to cupping. However, it was phased out by 1977.
The original Les Paul was made for guitarists who were not necessarily renowned in their field. Some of the best-known guitars in history were made by Gibson and were used by artists in a variety of genres, from jazz and rock to jazz and country. In the 1960s, Les Paul was first used by Eric Clapton, who was inspired by blues guitarist Freddy King. The guitarist later traded his 1954 gold top, Les Paul, for a 1959 Les Paul Standard.
In the late 1970s, a custom shop in Japan began producing high-quality replicas of the vintage Les Pauls. These became increasingly popular and sought after, and the Custom Shop at Gibson responded to the demand for vintage models. By the 1980s, the company was making more unique Les Pauls. It was probably necessary to refer to images of Bolan holding his guitar on his T. Rex album jacket to ensure that the guitar was made in his likeness. In the meantime, Gibson began manufacturing a variety of different Les Paul models, ranging from acoustic guitars to electric guitars.
Gibson Les Paul’s father
In 1952, the Gibson Guitar Corp. released a solid-body electric guitar named after its founder, Les Paul. He became famous for introducing the techniques of multi-tracking, echo delay, and even an early-model synthesizer. His father, Gibson Les, was also a musician and was named the company’s president in 2015. Last year, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame paid tribute to the legendary guitarist.
The Gibson Les Paul guitar is named after him, and it is arguably the most well-known electric guitar. Les Paul, who was born in 1927, helped develop the guitar himself. He made the first solid-body guitar, and nicknamed it “The Log.” He was a successful recording artist, enjoying several hit singles in his forties. His guitar became an instant classic, and he was soon renowned worldwide. Among his innovations were the headless guitar, the eight-track recorder, and other revolutionary pieces of equipment.
While Les Paul had a passion for music, his father was fascinated with electronics. At the age of nine, he built his first crystal radio and listened to music on it. He then borrowed a carved wood Majestic radio from his friend Claude Schultz. He spent countless hours scrounging through old radio equipment. He spent his time in the studio of the local radio station and even practiced speaking on the radio.
Kossoff’s death
Paul Kossoff owned a Gibson LesPaul from 1970 to 1976, during the height of his band’s success. Their song “All Right Now” reached number one in 20 countries and Kossoff, a Hampstead, London native, was a master of vibrato on the guitar. Indeed, Eric Clapton once asked Kossoff how he did it.
Kossoff’s life and music are both interesting. He began his career as a drummer in a band called Black Cat Bones but never recorded with them. During his first tour in Japan, the band’s original drummer, Frank Perry, posted a raw rehearsal of the band. Later, Kossoff left the band and recruited Paul Rodgers and Andy Fraser, both of whom played in the Blues Breakers.
After a break-in in 1975, Kossoff’s guitar, a Gibson LesPaul, was stolen. Gooch bought the guitar for PS500, but Kossoff’s father tried to reclaim it, but he died of a heart attack. In addition to Kossoff’s death, ‘Stripped Top’ ‘Burst’ also passed to guitarist Mike Gooch, who later sold it to a music fan for PS1000.
John Squire
Throughout the history of rock and roll, the Les Paul guitar has been a staple of the arsenal of many a guitarist. Photographs of guitarists holding this iconic guitar are likely to feature all of the major players of the genre. During the summer of 2012, Squire patronized the brand by signing autographs and playing a Gibson Les Paul for fans. However, it is not easy to place an artist’s name and influence on Les Paul, as Squire influenced many other musicians in the process.
The first John Squire Gibson Les Paul was released in 1982. It was the most successful guitar ever made and was an instant hit with Squire. The first model was a semi-circular tremolo plate, but he subsequently opted for a more modern and techno sound, shaping his guitar sound in a new way and adding digital/MIDI gear. Unlike other ‘rock guitarists’, Squire resisted going down the Les Paul road in his music.
Squire was a member of the band Stone Roses and also co-founded the group Patrol with singer Ian Brown. His songwriting partnership with Brown became a crucial part of the band’s output. Their debut album, “Anthems of Love”, became a UK classic and reached the top of the Greatest British Albums list. Squire co-wrote all of the songs on the album with Brown and painted the cover art, which featured references to the May 1968 Paris riots.
Pete Townshend

The guitars that Pete Townshend used the longest during his career were Les Paul Deluxe. In the early days, he had been using SG Specials, but by the time of his Quadrophenia tour in 1973, he was using stock Les Paul Deluxe. He also made some modifications to his guitars over the years, including installing DiMarzio Dual Sound humbuckers in the middle position.
The guitar remained in Pete Townshend’s possession until 1975. It was later passed on to Jon Astley, the long-time producer, and engineer of the band. During this time, he also played it on stage in several TV shows and films. Despite the long history of Pete Townshend and Gibson Les Paul guitars, the guitarist continued to make changes to the instrument and its style.
Pete Townshend was a prolific guitar player and his guitars reflected this. He played a cherry red Gibson SG Special and made many iconic performances on it. A few years after the concert, he auctioned his guitars at Sotheby’s for a record of $5,750. In a separate auction in 1997, Gibson sold two of these Pete Townshend Les Pauls, a pink Les Paul, and a blue one.
John Lennon
Guitars were a huge part of John Lennon’s life and legacy. An icon, poet, and voice of a generation, he was one of the greatest icons in rock ‘n’ roll history. And he played guitars that reflected his taste and lifestyle. During the Beatlemania era, Lennon played a Gibson J-160E, and later a Gibson Les Paul Junior, which he modified to be more like the classic Les Paul.
A Les Paul Junior was a guitar that Lennon bought for himself during the early 1970s. It originally featured a single P-90 pickup, a wraparound tailpiece, and Kluson tuners. Lennon took his Les Paul to New York, where the guitar’s original guitar builder, Ron DeMarino, installed a Charlie Christian pickup in its place. This guitar had a much more powerful sound and Lennon was very pleased with the result.
A famous episode of John Lennon’s life occurred during the “Get Back” documentary. During a rooftop concert, The Beatles performed nine takes of five songs. With the help of keyboardist Billy Preston, the rooftop concert was the final public performance for The Beatles. In his iconic song “Get Back,” Lennon demonstrated his unheralded mastery of the guitar. As a result, the guitar became an important part of his musical identity.
Mark Knopfler
When you think of guitars, you likely think of the iconic Les Paul guitar. Many players have become famous with their Les Paul models, including guitarists such as Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and Peter Townsend. However, there are several other guitarists whose work has made Gibson Les Pauls an indispensable part of their music. Here’s a look at some of the most influential players who have endorsed the Les Paul guitar.
Mark Knopfler has been associated with Fender for decades, but the legendary guitarist became a Gibson signature artist in 2016. During his early days with the band Cafe Racers, he purchased a used PS80 double-cutaway Les Paul Special and played it on the band’s first album. Gibson also produced a limited-edition Gibson Chet Atkins CE nylon string that was praised by guitar enthusiasts. It’s no wonder Gibson partnered with the singer.
The legendary Mark Knopfler played a 1958 Gibson reissue guitar on the band’s LP Brothers in Arms. Later, Gibson gave a twin reissue to Jeff Beck for a Les Paul tribute concert. Then, he used the reissue on his album You and Your Friend and played it on live shows. The guitar has a distinctive sound, and Knopfler even made a special edition, limited to 250 guitars, in 2002.