An
electric guitar manufactured by
Gibson guitars. The Les Paul is, after the
Fender Stratocaster, the most famous
guitar by name, and the most influential on guitar manufacture. Guitarist Lester Polfus, known better as
Les Paul, created a solidbody guitar called "
The Log" out of an
archtop in 1941, and in 1945 and presented the guitar to
Gibson, who rejected it (which was probably a sensible idea).
Ted McCarty and his team later designed a prototype which was ultimately named after Les Paul, who had provided the inspiration for it and provided advice.
The Gibson Les Paul is a single cutaway guitar with a set neck construction and a 24.5 inch scale length. The guitar features two humbuckers, and a toggle switch which can select a neck, combined or bridge pickup. Normally the pickups cannot be coil tapped, and the coils of each humbucker are run in series, although many guitars are rewired to change this. The guitar is constructed out of mahogany, with a maple top and rosewood fretboard. It has a fixed bridge design.
The Gibson Les Paul is favoured for its sustain, and its midrange tone.