Guitarists who use the Les Paul: the dignified aura of a classic guitar
Gibson’s Les Paul, alongside Fender’s Stratocaster, is one of the most iconic electric guitar models and is beloved by players around the world.
Originally released as an artist model named after the jazz guitarist Les Paul, its construction and the high-output pickups known as humbuckers pair exceptionally well with rock-style overdriven tones.
Thanks to that appeal, many guitarists have chosen it as their instrument of choice.
First manufactured in 1952, it may appear a bit “old-fashioned” from the perspective of the 2020s, more than half a century later, yet it also exudes the dignified presence of “the electric guitar.”
Here are some famous guitarists known for their use of the Les Paul.
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The Majestic Aura of the Classic Guitar: Les Paul-Using Guitarists (21–30)
Billy Gibbons
The bearded guy on the right in ZZ Top is Billy Gibbons.
He uses various guitars, but the Les Paul is one of his main ones.
Its thick, beefy sound and feel-good rock ’n’ roll are perfect for driving.
He’s known for a distinctive tone because he doesn’t use a pick—he strikes the strings with a coin.
Ken Yokoyama
Ken Yokoyama, the guitarist of the melodic hardcore legends Hi-STANDARD.
That thick, cutting sound unique to a Les Paul is so cool.
Shredding is great too, but I’m sure many musicians have been influenced by the way Ken Yokoyama aggressively pounds out riffs.
Pete Townshend
When you think of mod music, it’s The Who.
And this is Pete Townshend, known as the guitarist of The Who.
He often plays not only Les Pauls but also Strats, Telecasters, and hollow-body guitars, though the Les Paul image is strong for him.
TAKURO
TAKURO, the guitarist and leader of GLAY, one of Japan’s most popular bands that sparked a major boom in the early 2000s, is also a devoted user of the Les Paul.
He has composed numerous hit songs and is highly acclaimed as a songwriter as well as an artist.
Kazuyoshi Saito
The popular solo artist Kazuyoshi Saito also uses a Les Paul as his main guitar.
He’s actually an all-rounder who can handle every instrument, and on the album “Because,” he even played all the instruments himself.
In 2012, Gibson released his own “Kazuyoshi Saito Model.”
Lee Malia
Bring Me The Horizon, an English band that has been hugely popular among young people since their formation.
Their guitarist, Lee Malia, is known as a Gibson enthusiast and has released a natural-finish signature Les Paul through Epiphone.
In an interview, he said that because the Les Paul has a medium scale, he strings the sixth string with an .80 gauge to accommodate lower tunings.
Ryusuke Minami (manga BECK)
The beloved Les Paul is also the favorite instrument of Ryusuke, the lead guitarist from the popular band-themed manga BECK.
He plays a guitar called “Lucille,” once owned by a legendary bluesman and known for the bullet holes in its body.
The series was also adapted into a film, in which Hiro Mizushima played the role of Ryusuke.