He created his first solid-body electric guitar, dubbed “the log”, in 1941. When he played it in a nightclub, people thought he was crazy. The first Les Paul electric guitars went on sale in 1952 and was in a way responsible for the birth of rock music.

That’s not all, he also:
(i) developed multi-track recording
(ii) developed overdubbing.
(iii) invented the 8-track tape recorder.

Countless world famous rock musicians are associated with Les Paul guitars, including:
(i) U2′s The Edge
(ii) Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page
(iii) Guns N’ Roses’ Slash
(iv) The Who’s Pete Townshend

Among the world’s greatest rock guitarists who paid tribute to him include Slash:

Les Paul was a shining example of how full one’s life can be. He was so vibrant and full of positive energy. I’m honoured and humbled to have known and played with him over the years.

Slash played the quissential “Les Paul sound guitar solo” in Sweet Child O’Mine.

Joe Satriani said:

Paul was the original guitar hero. Les Paul set a standard for musicianship and innovation that remains unsurpassed.

A successful performer in his own right, he notched up 11 number one singles and 36 gold discs with his wife Mary Ford, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1978 and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.

Here Gibson makes its most expensive and exclusive instruments. Recently CNET News.com reporter Daniel Terdiman got an outsider’s rare look at how custom guitars are built there. Anybody can visit the company’s regular factories in Memphis and Nashville, but not this factory.

The picture above shows many finished guitars awaiting a case and shipment to a dealer. They can easily cost USD10K+ retail.

Click here to see more pictures