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.
- A feature on guitarists who use the famed Telecaster—an instrument beloved even by vocalists
- A gathering of super guitarists who deeply love the Fender Stratocaster
- [Western Music] A Compilation of the World’s Famous Hard Rock Guitarists
- A song with cool power chords
- [J-Pop] A compilation of popular songs with irresistible guitar cutting [2026]
- [2026] A roundup of classic Western songs with awesome guitar solos
- The quintessential shapely guitar: guitarists who favor the Flying V type
- Famous guitarists of the world. Great guitarists who have etched their names into history.
- [2026] Recommended for guitar-vocal performance! A collection of Reiwa J‑POP ballads
- The depth of guitar sound. A collection of songs with cool guitar.
- Fast-picking guitarists of the world
- [Western Music] A Collection of the Coolest, Most Rocking Guitar Riffs [2026]
- [2026] A compilation of Japanese songs/J-pop with cool guitar solos
The Majestic Aura of the Classic Guitar: Les Paul-Using Guitarists (21–30)
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
Wata
Wata, the sole female guitarist of Boris, a band with a cult following worldwide.
Her signature is the thick, massive sound she draws from a mountain of stacked Orange amps and a Les Paul.
This live footage was captured by Boiler Room, a popular channel known for uploading DJ sets and more, documenting Boris’s performance in Tokyo.
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.