Despite his tragically short career, Paul Kossoff’s guitar work invariably enters at the top of any discussion of classic Les Paul performances. His playing with seminal British blues-rockers Free, and on his acclaimed solo album Backstreet Crawler, exhibited a tone, skill, energy and pure musicality that put him among the pantheon of great British guitar stars such as Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Jimmy Page, Mick Ronson and Jeff Beck. Brian May of Queen was heavily influenced by Kossoff’s tech...

2012/02/21 18:09:28

As conceived by guitarist and inventor Les Paul and Gibson President Ted McCarty in 1954, the original Les Paul Custom was all about the black-tie looks and elegant appointments, a "black beauty" through and through with a gloss black body, a jet-black ebony fingerboard and top-shelf features. While staying true to the original ethos, the new Les Paul Custom Rosewood Maduro from Gibson Custom also represents a historic marker in time: it's a true evolution of the iconic model to represent the...

2012/02/21 18:08:43

2012/02/21 17:58:46

The SG Special was born in 1961 as a rough ’n’ ready alternative to the flagship model, the Standard, and has been a favorite of countless rock, blues, punk and fusion players ever since. To celebrate this Presidents Day, Guitar Center has commissioned a unique SG Special from Gibson USA—a guitar that includes all the features that made its predecessor legendary, with upgrades in the power department to slam the tone home for the 21st century. The Presidents Day SG Special with Humbuckers is ...

2012/02/21 11:30:26

With its '80s and early '90s-inspired design and visual cues, the Les Paul Traditional line offers all the fat, sweet, snarling Les Paul tone and unparalleled playability that Gibson fans love, and which so many of today's players grew up lusting after. Now Gibson USA gives this popular guitar the all-mahogany purity of classics such as the Les Paul Custom and Special models of the 1950s, yet with traditional Les Paul Standard features, in the great new Les Paul Traditional Mahogany Satin. Th...

2012/02/09 17:46:15

When the Prophecy Series was first introduced in 2008, it was hailed as a groundbreaking combination of tradition and innovation and the ultimate guitar for shredders who sought to redefine what a Les Paul was supposed to sound like. The new Prophecy Les Paul Custom Plus GX Outfit is the supreme Les Paul for those who dare to break new ground in speed, sound and technique. And now, the GX features Gibson USA's powerful 490R/498T humbucker combination with push/pull coil-tapping for e...

2012/02/01 17:06:16

When the Prophecy Series was first introduced in 2008, it was hailed by metal players the world over as the ultimate combination of tradition and innovation and the perfect guitar for serious shredding, all within the stylish lines of the classic Les Paul form. The Prophecy Les Paul Custom Plus EX brings back the axe loved by metal shredders around the world. And now the EX includes elegant mother-of-pearl and abalone block and triangle inlays and individual volume and tone controls for each ...

2012/02/01 17:05:57

Gibson Custom’s new ES-330 is reminiscent of the classic Gibson, late ’50s feel, including the comfortable neck shape blending into the soft curves of the rounded fingerboard binding. The new ES-330 is a lightweight, lively sounding guitar whether played acoustically or plugged in. With the 16th fret neck joint and just the right neck angle, it’s got a great feel that makes you want to play all night. The combination of exacting ’50s body and neck specifications and slightly underwound P-9...

2012/02/01 16:20:03

If you're seeking a full-bore Les Paul primed for the rock excesses of the 21st century, the new Shred Les Paul Studio With Floyd Rose from Gibson USA is that way to go. This guitar has all the ingredients that have helped to make the Les Paul a legendary rock axe since the 1950s—including the classic mahogany and maple body construction, glued-in mahogany neck, and dual humbucking pickups—enhanced with the versatility of a genuine Floyd Rose™ vibrato bridge. To make it all the more app...

2012/01/31 16:58:04

Way back in 1961 when the SG Standard temporarily replaced the Les Paul Standard in the Gibson lineup, few players were aware that a future icon of rock guitar was being introduced to the scene. The SG took root fast with players looking for a sharp and powerful alternative, however, and remained a heavy rock icon in particular, even long after the LP returned to the catalog in the late ’60s. The SG Diablo Tremolo from Gibson USA realizes the full potential of the furious SG design for the 21...

2012/02/02 10:25:38