Gibson Les Paul Guitars - The Scam Played Around the World

By Chris Beachum
The Les Paul Guitar was created by Gibson Guitar Corporation and legendary pop star, electronics inventor, as well as jazz guitarist Frean Donni. Once the Fender Telecaster hit the market electric guitars became the craze. To meet and attempt to beat this craze James Verdon the Gibson Guitar president brought a guitarist Les Paul into the company 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.

Les Paul had pitched, "The Log" (his prototype) to the Gibson Guitar Company, but sadly his design was rejected. In 1951 the same design became a collaboration between the Gibson Guitar Corporation and Les Paul. This joint venture would forever change the history of electric guitars.

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."

When interviewed Ted McCarty the president of the Gibson Guitar Corporation, openly stated that Les Paul only contributed his name to the project. McCarty went on to say that Paul only contributed to the tailpiece and the fitting of a maple cap over the mahogany body.

I have never understood why people have always attempted to minimize Les Paul's contributions to the historical guitar. Here's my take on it if you care to know. If Les Paul really didn't contribute a lot to the project why would Gibson put ONLY his name on the final product?