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Electric guitar
Maker: Gibson, Inc.
Maker: Gibson
Date: 1952
Place Made:Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States, North America
Model: Les Paul Gold-top
Serial No: none
SignedInlaid in plastic (or mother-of-pearl) at upper end of headstock, thick letters: (script) Gibson
MarkingsStamped onto surface of headstock, parallel to neck: (script) Les Paul / MODEL
DescriptionThe Gibson “Les Paul” is one of the most copied electric guitar models ever made. Introduced in 1952, it was Gibson’s first solid-body, electric Spanish-style guitar and was named for its endorser. The success of Fender’s Esquire and Telecaster models pushed Gibson into launching this competing product. In the first year-and-a-half of production, the guitar featured a trapeze-style tailpiece (string holder) patented by Les Paul.
The solid-body Les Paul guitar, made from mahogany with a maple veneer, originally came in a gold metallic finish on the top with a clear lacquer on the back or, more rarely, with an all-gold finish, as on NMM 5916. The 1952 instruments feature a modified version of the trapeze tailpiece-bridge combination that Les Paul (Lester Polfuss) patented in 1952. However, disputes with Gibson resulted in the strings being wrapped under the upper tailpiece bar rather than over the upper side, as Les Paul intended. This caused the strings to be difficult to damp with the player's hand, so it was replaced in 1954 with a top-mounted bridge and string holder.
The solid-body Les Paul guitar, made from mahogany with a maple veneer, originally came in a gold metallic finish on the top with a clear lacquer on the back or, more rarely, with an all-gold finish, as on NMM 5916. The 1952 instruments feature a modified version of the trapeze tailpiece-bridge combination that Les Paul (Lester Polfuss) patented in 1952. However, disputes with Gibson resulted in the strings being wrapped under the upper tailpiece bar rather than over the upper side, as Les Paul intended. This caused the strings to be difficult to damp with the player's hand, so it was replaced in 1954 with a top-mounted bridge and string holder.
DimensionsOverall length: 980 mm (38.6 in)
Back length: 438 mm (17.25 in)
Back length: 438 mm (17.25 in)
ProvenanceNMM Board of Trustees purchased guitar from Gruhn Guitars, Nashville, Tennessee, 1995.
Terms
Credit Line: Board of Trustees, 1995
On view
Published ReferencesAchard, Ken. The History and Development of the American Guitar. London: Musical News Services, Ltd., 1979.
--------. “Gibson Turns 100,” Music Trades, (August 1994), p. 94.
Bacon, Tony and Paul Day. The Ultimate Guitar Book. London: Dorley Kindersley,
1991, pp. 80-81.
Bacon, Tony. s.v., “Gibson,” New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments, II, p. 45,
(1988).
--------. s.v., “Guitar,” New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments, I, pp. 651-654,
(1988).
Brosnac, Donald. The Electric Guitar, its History and Construction. San Francisco:
Panjandrum Press, 1974, p. 23.
Carter, Walter. Gibson Guitars. Los Angeles: General Publishing Group, 1994, pp. 188-191.
Evans, Tom and Mary Anne. Guitars. New York: Paddington Press, 1977, pp. 348-349.
Gruhn, George and Walter Carter. Electric Guitars and Basses: A Photographic History. San Francisco: GPI Books, 1994, pp. 148-149.
Gevik, Bryan (2021, May 14) 1952 Gibson Les Paul vs. '58/'67 Explorer - Old Guitars and the Local Musicians Who Love Them [Radio broadcast]. SDPB. https://www.sdpb.org/blogs/images-of-the-past/1952-gibson-les-paul-vs-5867-gibson-explorer-old-guitars-and-the-local-musicians-who-love-them/
Gevik, Brian, "Images of the Past: Old Guitars and the Local Musicians Who Love Them," SDPB Magazine (June 2021), cover, pp. 4-5
--------. “Gibson Turns 100,” Music Trades, (August 1994), p. 94.
Bacon, Tony and Paul Day. The Ultimate Guitar Book. London: Dorley Kindersley,
1991, pp. 80-81.
Bacon, Tony. s.v., “Gibson,” New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments, II, p. 45,
(1988).
--------. s.v., “Guitar,” New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments, I, pp. 651-654,
(1988).
Brosnac, Donald. The Electric Guitar, its History and Construction. San Francisco:
Panjandrum Press, 1974, p. 23.
Carter, Walter. Gibson Guitars. Los Angeles: General Publishing Group, 1994, pp. 188-191.
Evans, Tom and Mary Anne. Guitars. New York: Paddington Press, 1977, pp. 348-349.
Gruhn, George and Walter Carter. Electric Guitars and Basses: A Photographic History. San Francisco: GPI Books, 1994, pp. 148-149.
Gevik, Bryan (2021, May 14) 1952 Gibson Les Paul vs. '58/'67 Explorer - Old Guitars and the Local Musicians Who Love Them [Radio broadcast]. SDPB. https://www.sdpb.org/blogs/images-of-the-past/1952-gibson-les-paul-vs-5867-gibson-explorer-old-guitars-and-the-local-musicians-who-love-them/
Gevik, Brian, "Images of the Past: Old Guitars and the Local Musicians Who Love Them," SDPB Magazine (June 2021), cover, pp. 4-5
Object number: 05916