subject: Fruition Of The Gibson Les Paul Custom Guitar [print this page] The Gibson Les Paul guitar is one of the most iconic instruments in popular music. A number of variations of the base model have been introduced over the years, including the Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar. This is one of the pricier and highest quality guitars that Gibson makes. The Les Paul was designed by guitarist Les Paul in collaboration with Gibson in 1952.
The original Les Paul guitar was among the first of the solid body electric guitars following in the footsteps of the Fender Telecaster. What differentiated the Les Paul from the Telecaster was that its strings were anchored on the surface of the guitar, instead of through its body. The Les Paul was also available in different colors and finishes.
The Les Paul Custom guitar, in particular, was designed to be a more high class looking instrument. It is primarily black in color, which led to the Custom being nicknamed the Black Beauty. When he first pitched the idea, Les Paul likened the design to the look of a tuxedo. The top of the guitar was made form mahogany, whereas the standard LP was made from maple. 1957 brought about the invention of the humbucker pickup, which was then added to the Custom, giving it a thick, warm sound.
Today's Customs also have an ebony fretboard, which gives them a more sharp sound. The frets themselves are also lower than standard frets, giving the Custom a second nickname: the fretless wonder.
Many famous guitarists have used a Les Paul Custom guitar throughout the years. Examples include The Edge of U2, Ace Frehley of Kiss, James Hetfield of Metallica, and the legendary Jimi Hendrix, to just name a few.
The modern custom costs several thousand dollars brand new. It has branched out from its roots as the Black Beauty and is now available in different colors and finishes including Cherry Sun Burst, Wine Red and others.
