There are rare guitars and there are legends. Les Paul’s cherished ‘Number One’ gold top is the latter: truly a historic instrument, it is the first Gibson Les Paul electric that the man who gave it his name approved after two years of trial-and-error prototyping between 1950 and 1952, the year the guitar launched.
The fruit of nearly three decades of labor, it was Les’s most cherished possession – but for years after his death in 2009 it dropped off the radar. Now, this iconic instrument is coming up for auction at Christie’s in New York on 13 October. The guitarist was granted a rare opportunity to examine this unique – and uniquely historic guitar –in detail while it was in New York. We were also able to speak to those who knew Les best, including his son Gene, an award-winning producer who was in Les’s band for many years, and Tom Doyle, Les’s right-hand man and guitar tech for over 40 years, who gave us the inside story of the many, many mods that Les made to his ‘Number One’ over the years. We also spoke to Steely Dan guitarist Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter about his memories of “joyous” playing with Les Paul in the guitarist’s later years.
If you only ever think of an archtop electric when you hear the words ‘Les Paul’, we think the extraordinary story of the man who has been called ‘Father of the Electric Guitar’ may just change your perception of six-string history forever.
ELECTRIC DREAMS
Denne historien er fra October 2021-utgaven av Guitarist.
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Denne historien er fra October 2021-utgaven av Guitarist.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
BASIC INSTINCTS
The sophisticated range of Swedish-designed guitars made by .strandberg* has lured thousands of players over to the headless side. But the company's new stripped-back Boden Essential model is its strongest play yet for the hearts and minds of mainstream players
Second String
As PRS's more affordable USA-made S2 line moves into its second decade, the series gets a revamp with - at last - USA-made pickups and electronics. What took so long?
PABLO VAN DE POEL
When a band from The Netherlands describes themselves as 'raw, psychedelic Southern rock', it may take a little cognitive processing to work out what that might mean. One listen to DeWolff, however, and you will be duly transported to the 60s for some fuzzed-out rock 'n' roll
THE BERNIE MARSDEN COLLECTION
With a fabulous collection of the late Bernie Marsden's guitars, amps and other highly collectable music gear going under the auctioneer's hammer on 11 June, we were thrilled to have the chance of a sneak preview
LENNY KRAVITZ
Some 35 years since the release of his debut LP, for his 12th record, Blue Electric Light, Lenny Kravitz is back again with equal doses of vigour and vibes, using vintage guitars and the purest valve amps
GEORGE VJESTICA
You may not know him at first glance, but the work of Stoke-on-Trent native George Vjestica has probably impacted some of your favourite albums and movies
DICKEY BETTS
Emerging from the shadow of Duane to write signature hit Ramblin' Man, the Allman Brothers guitarist was a hard-living pioneer of Southern rock
NICK GUPPY
It is with great sadness that we report the passing of our highly valued amplifier guru, who died suddenly in April
Lucky Break
Alex Bishop blends old wood with new in an attempt to fix a severely damaged guitar headstock
Tones Behind The Tracks
Cedric Burnside learnt at the knee of his fabled grandfather, but his latest album is a hill country blues masterclass on his own terms