In memnory of Les Paul.

[geminidglocker]

I don't have a link to any news breifs, but the father of electric guitar has passed. I loved the jazzy/ blues styles his creations created. Rest in Peace brother, Rock on.

[Sam]

RIP Les Paul.

I don't have an LP but I can appreciate the beauty and the signature sound of this guitar.

[Boris]

Having owned and sold a Les Paul to fund another gun, I was also saddened to hear the news. What a beautiful gift he gave.

Fortunately, I can personally say that "having a gun makes me armed" is more true than "having a guitar makes me a musician." -Jeff Cooper

Boris

[rickrock305]

A HUGE loss. RIP to a legend.

what he did for music and recording is amazing, much more than just the guitars. he invented multitrack recording!

[Left Sig]

Modern music owes a lot to Les.

The media keeps getting it wrong, though. The electric guitar was invented in the 1930's when magnetic pickups were stuck on otherwise traditional hollow body Jazz guitars. There were also electric Hawaiian guitars back then.

Les invented the electric solid-body guitar - he knew that an electric guitar did not need the hollow body to resonate for volume, and that a solid wood body would improve stability and sustain. His first solid body was a hollowbody with a 4x4 run down the middle - he called it the "log". That was in the early 1940's, and the traditional instrument companies weren't ready for his ideas yet. But a few years later, after Fender started mass producing solid body guitars, Gibson approached Les about making a solid body with his hame on it...

The Les Paul signature guitar is a classic, and original late 1950's versions are some of the most sought after and expensive electric guitars. They sell for well into 6-figures, and were the guitar of choice of Jimmy Page (Led Zep), Paul Kossoff (Free), Eric Clapton (Cream), Joe Walsh (James Gang), Duane Allman & Dickey Betts (Allman Brothers), Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac), Mike Bloomfield (Paul Butterfield Band) and many others.

But the multitrack recorder changed music forever. No longer did performances have to be live. Multiple tracks could be layered so an artist could accompany himself. Different parts could be recorded at different times and mixed together later.

And he was still playing regular gigs at a New York Jazz club into his 90's!

RIP Les, we will miss you.

[stipilot]

Farewell LP. I enjoyed the ride.

Les Paul at 93:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcmZsX_j5n8