Free Guitar Lessons Blog » gibson

The Gibson Guitar Story

Corey Murphy — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 11:15:34 +0000

Anyone that has just started playing guitar or has been playing for a little (or long) while has probably wanted to have a Gibson guitar if they do not already own one of the many fine models. Over the years, Gibson has made themselves known as a top player in the music and guitar industry and many famous guitarists have been using their guitars exclusively.

Gibson began with their first guitar that they brought out to the world back in 1936, the ES-150. This popular guitar became, at that time, the top electric guitar for jazz music for its sound alone. For it’s time, it was quite an accomplishment in the music world.

However, it was in 1952 when they released their most well known and popular model, the Les Paul. The first Les Paul solid body electric guitar had a single coil pick up called the P-90 which is part of the reason for the amazing tone that they can produce by a skilled player.

About nine short years later, they came out with another very popular model (best known for being used by AC/DC’s guitarist, Angus Young), the SG. Some people say that the SG stood for standard guitar. This guitar has a thinner body than the Les Paul creating a slightly different tone.

After the success of these two guitar releases, Gibson started designing other models which included the Explorer, Flying V, Firebird and others. Just about all of the models of guitars became very successful which says something for the company itself.

With the amount of other guitar companies emerging in the music world, it is amazing to see Gibson staying on the top end of the pack. They have always been committed to making the highest quality instrument that they are able to make. If you do not own one yet, get one or at least try one out!

About the Author:

Finding Gibson acoustic electric guitars and used Gibson guitars online can be as easy as looking at your local shops and on the internet.

No related posts.

Gibson Les Paul Guitars – Why Does Paul Continue To Get Screwed?

Tim Beachum — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 14:44:53 +0000

by Guest Author: Tim Beachum

Ask ten experts about the first Gibson Les Paul guitar and you will get ten different answers. The most popular belief is that the Gibson Guitar Corporation and electronics inventor, and jazz guitarist Frean Donni. With the release of the Fender Telecaster the electric guitar began to catch on like wildfire. Not wanting to be left behind James Verdon who was at the time the president of Gibson Guitar hired Les Paul as a consultant.

Rumors had been circulating that Les Paul had been experimenting with various guitar designs for years. Paul did have a prototype that he called, “The Log.” If you were to ask some industry experts they would say that this was the first solid-body Spanish guitar ever built.

Another fact that not many know is that Les Paul had pitch his prototype, “The Log” to Gibson, but his design was rejected. Things changed in 1951 when the same design became a collaboration between the Gibson Guitar Corporation and Les Paul.

Among the guitar community Les Paul is still on of the most commonly debated topics. Enthusiast still argue over exactly what his contributions were. Some say that Paul was nothing more than a consultant and only contributed ideas for the trapeze tailpiece, and the color of the final guitar which was named, “Les Paul.”

Ted McCarty the president of the Gibson Guitar Corporation said that Les Paul only contributed his name and allowed them to imprint it on the headstock to increase model sales. McCarty went on record stating that Les Paul only contributed to the tailpiece and the fitting of a maple cap over the mahogany body.

For whatever reason people have continued to minimize Les Paul’s contributions to the historical guitar. The strange thing is the original guitar only has Les Paul’s name on it.