The First Les Paul is Up For Auction, Quad City Guitar Players Tell Their Stories

News came out yesterday that Les Paul's son, Gene, is selling a very special Les Paul, with serial number "1."

“This was the most historically significant, valuable, pivotal, and important guitar to my father, his crowning achievement,” Gene said.

Les Paul and Gibson developed the guitar between 1951 and 1952.

I'm no guitarist, but obviously, I know these guitars are a big deal. I posted on Facebook and asked local guitarists what their personal favorite Les Paul?

I was always infatuated with Ace Frehleys tobaccoburst LP when I was a kid, it had double creme DiMarzio humbucker pickups and knew one day I wanted to own one. Here is mine and a pic of Ace's for reference....

- Mark Detl

Mark Detl via Facebook

I'm kind of surprised by this question from you. I'm positive you've met and questioned many famous and professional musicians in your life, to be able ask about why this type of instrument.

Now I never considered myself a guitarist. I've never been paid to play. I have jammed with others and been probably 20 yrs since my last open mic night. I just love playing a guitar. It's one of the very few things that can help me get out of my head, and I don't care if nobody hears it. Especially more so as my skills diminished due to lack of time to play and arthritis. But, now I hope someday I maybe to teach my autistic son.

A Les Paul LOOKS like a fine instrument. Like when you see a grand piano, a stand up bass, a golden 43 string harp, to a violin. It grabs your attention alone. All those instruments grabs your attention alone, without someone playing it. There's something sexy about it.

The figured maple top on the Les Paul with various finishes to enhance those grains. Shine a light and look at those grains... man that's an art by itself. Just those tops. Humbucker pickups to help kill the 60 cycle hum... so funny how quality control was in the late 50's were on those. But it seems the holy grail are PAF's stamped humbuckers from that era. And Billy Gibbons '59 Pearly Gates is always an argument as the the Holy Grail of tones.

As much as I love a Fender Strat. A Les Paul is just different. You can literally beat the hell out of a strat. Stand on it, smash it. And piece it back together. A Les Paul..... not so much, it just too damn sexy.

- Devin Madorin

Devin Madorin via Facebook

Great question! Believe it or not, I only have two "Pauls". Top is a Korean knock off that I've actually bought and sold to Music Go Round THREE TIMES!! Its called Series or Stages 10, IDK, but the neck is butter, the pick-ups wail, its balance and weight is perfect. The bottom guitar is a Gibson Les Paul 50's Tribute Gold Top. The mahogany wood gives it that sustain, of course with P-90 pic-ups, the bridge and action are great, however it needs some "frett love". Long story short, I grew up playing Stratocasters, I prolly had 15 at one time. Their versatile and a top level guitar for a reason. When I first played a Paul, I felt dirty. It had weight, sustain, a thick body and sound. I was hooked. Now, I'll grab a Paul over a Strat any day. 9 out of 10 times, its gunna be that Korean knock off.

- A.J. Haut

AJ Haut via Facebook

1971 Custom - I heard about it floating around town - A biker owned it and said he would sell it to me and he let me take it for a few days - He then changed his mind and took it back - 6 months later he had wrecked his bike and called me to buy it - I didn’t hesitate

-Paul Depauw

Paul Depauw via Facebook

1975 Custom - I bought it in 1986 off the used rack at Griggs for $400 - I had established credit at the store and made monthly payments to get it - I was 16 - I was able to take it with me for $20 or $30 down that day - I thought I was pretty cool - I think this was Dave Ruby’s guitar at one time

- Paul Depauw

Paul Depauw via Facebook

Standard GT. It’s my “go to” LP for Mizzipi Mud. Nothing breathes and responds like it.
Story? Saw it on a rack in a shop and bought it. Nothing special about that day and the guitar didn’t jump off the rack into my arms or anything of the sort. ‘Twas just another one of my impulse buys. The thing sat in its case for months before I finally played it, but when I did, I didn’t want to put it down.
I’ve got 4 other LPs that haven’t left their cases in several years now; not because they “suck,” by any means, but because this GT truly is a “do all” guitar.
It’s also the heaviest of the bunch, at right around 10#, but none of the others tick all the boxes like this one does.

- Aaron David Holst

I had 2, late eighties, 59 and 60 reissues....very heavy...cherry sunburst and beat to shit . Loved the sound and the look and it was as close as I could get to vintage. Bought them from Dave's in Wisconsin when I was living in Colorado ...1997 ish.

-Joel Pennington

Although I’m not a Gibson guy, I do own one LP. It’s an Epiphone LP custom in white with gold hardware. Just like my my favorite guitarist from my youth Randy Rhoads had. It’s not an expensive guitar, but it is special to me as the neck profile is definitely not like a standard LP. It’s slim and tapers like a Strat which is really unusual for a Paul.

-Tony Carducci

Tony Carducci via Facebook

What's your Les Paul story? Send us an email at dorks@2dorks.com.

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