Gibson the Paul

The the Paul are electric guitars of full the body type (solidbody) manufactured by the American firm Gibson Guitar Corporation.

It is in 1952 that the first model of guitar the Paul left the Gibson factory of Kalamazoo. This guitar owes its name with the commercial collaboration of Gibson with the musician, very popular at this time there, Lester William Polfus, known under the name of the Paul .

After goods of the misadventures and an interruption of the manufacture of 1961 with 1967 (because of an evolution of the form towards SG), because Gibson was not satisfied with the results of sale, the Paul became the emblématique guitar probably of the mark and a great classic of electric guitar.

Construction

As there exist many different models, this section is limited to the description of the common characteristics of construction. One can consult the paragraph devoted to the principal models for a further information.

The form, high with the row of Icône is well-known greater number. This form is directly resulting from the Lutherie very traditional guitar of Gibson, although the body, provided with only one notch facilitating the access to the acute notes, is of a size much smaller than the guitars with case digs (hollowbody) mark.

The body full wood is manufactured in only one part of Acajou on which is brought back a table carried out in maple, except for the bodies of the first models “Custom” and the “economic” models facts of only one block of mahogany tree without brought back table. The maple tables consist of a piece of wood split and assembly by the medium. The “standard” models and “Custom” have the top of the body bent (archtop) , which initially was to mark the difference with competition.

The handle is in mahogany tree generally of only one part but of the models a handle three parts have. It is stuck to the case according to the technique Mortaise - Tenon whose form and proportions varied in time, the goal being to obtain the most stable possible assembly. It is equipped with an integrated system, the Truss rod being used to regulate its curve. The access to the truss rod is under a small plate (mask truss rod) screwed on the head of the handle and which bears the name of the guitar. The touches in Palissandre or in ebony, bordered of a net (binding) white-cream, is provided with 22 hoops and reference marks encrusted in Nacre. The shape of the incrustations also varied according to the models. The Diapason is of 24 ¾ inches.

Upperworks and the accessories vary on certain models on the level of the Chevalet, the rope-maker or of the micro number of and the presence or not of a plate of protection, the Pickguard . However, after a little different beginnings, as of 1954 the things were about stabilized.

The “standard” models and “Custom” are equipped with a rest of the type Tune-o-matic , making it possible to regulate the action cords on the handle and to make a very precise adjustment vibrating length of each cord (compensation) and a rope-maker of the type Stop-bar , both being fixed directly in the body of the guitar. The pickguard, of rather triangular form is traditionally white-cream on the “Standard” and black on the “Custom”. This plate is maintained with the table runner by a screw and a small pipe fitting of square fixed on the side of the body in order to minimize the contact with the table. This mode of fixing is a heritage of the guitars with hollow case. The mechanics laid out in 2 lines of 3 on each side of the head of the handle, is of the type Kluson with buttons characteristic in the shape of “tulip” or Grover type with oil bath.

Two microphones of the type Individual coil P-90 or Humbucker are positioned in cavities envisaged for this purpose, one very close to the end of the key and the other close to the rest. A selector (switch) with 3 positions, allowing for choice of one or the other microphone or both in parallel, is positioned in the left upper part of the body. There are traditionally at the base of the selector a round plate in figure white-cream or black being marked Rhythm for the “microphone handle” and Treble for the “micro rest”. One reaches the housing of this selector by removing the round plate which masks the cavity with the back of the body. Four buttons of Potentiomètre S of adjustment - one of volume and one of tonality engraves/acute for each microphone - are located on the right lower part of the body. During years of production of the Paul, Gibson used buttons of forms different according to the tastes from the moment. One reaches the housing of the potentiometers and the wiring of the guitar, as for the selector, by removing the plate which masks the cavity envisaged for this purpose. The exit, a taken Jack fixed on a plate square white-cream or black, is located on the side lower right of the body near the buttons of adjustment.

Like the majority of the Gibson instruments, the completion of the guitars the Paul is made with a varnish nitrocellulosic applied in several polished layers.

History

Preamble

At the end of the years 1940, Gibson which had largely contributed to the effort of war, had some difficulties in take again the full production of guitars worthy of its statute. Ted McCarty which had been named with the head of the company in 1950 sought new outlets. In same time, on the west coast, a small company, Fender, started to make speak about it with guitars " révolutionnaires". " planches" and surely not of the Stringed-instrument trade according to Gibson, which at the beginning looked at that with a little contempt. But " planches" , makes the Telecaster of it, liked more and more.

A few years before, the Paul who in addition to being a musician, was also an inventor and curious about all, had been interested in the idea of a guitar whose body would be partially out of full wood. It “had arranged” a prototype “the log” (the log) which it had proposed towards 1946 with Maurice Berlin of the company CMI which had repurchased Gibson in 1944. Proposal remained without continuation initially.

To face the growing success of Fender, McCarty decided finally that Gibson was to produce its own model solidbody . But not any solidbody , a guitar which resembles a guitar, manufactured in the compliance with the rules of the stringed-instrument trade. As of 1951 McCarty showed a first prototype with Paul and proposed to him a commercial arrangement. Paul accepted while asking that certain modifications be carried out on this prototype. No one could not say with precision the degree of implication of Paul in the development of the guitar to come. What says Paul and McCarty on this subject differs appreciably. In fact, which seems acquired, it is which Paul was not beyond the development of the compound rest-rope-maker in trapezoid that one can see on the very first marketed models, and which one can say that it was of a proven inefficiency and perhaps the choice of the metallized painting of a color vaguely Or, because it was decided to paint the sounding board in order to mask the trade secrets to competition. Thus the guitar which was going to become the “Goldtop” was born.

Marketing

The guitar, was marketed in 1952 and although success was not exceptional, the sales were satisfactory compared to other model of the mark. It should be remembered that at that time, the Gibson customers were especially made up guitarists of Jazz. To touch customers broader McCarty decided to expand the range Solidbody while proposing since 1954 a model “Custom” more luxurious than Standard” and supposed model the “to better correspond in sonority to the desires of the musicians of jazz and a model “Junior”, economic, with the appreciably different characteristics.

During the following years, Gibson made evolve/move its models, as well on the plan of the microphones as on the accessories. Not true upheavals until in 1958 where it was decided to give up the gilded painting of the “Standard” (trade secrets were ventilated for a long time), with the profit of a presentation of degraded color (Sunburst) in the pure spirit of what the mark did on its models with case digs (hollowbody) . This could seem pain-killer, but one knows which importance that took thereafter in the world of the collectors.

Despite everything these efforts, and whereas the market of the guitar started with really becoming important, the Paul were sold less and less well, undergoing the strong competition of the other marks and even of some Gibson models, in particular the ES-335 appeared in 1958 and which by its versatility allured much more. To face this decline, fine 1960, Gibson decided to stop the production as of the Paul in their concept of the moment to the profit of a range of instruments completely renewed, the guitars SG (Solid Guitar) which at the beginning continued to raise the initials the Paul .

Scarcity and success

The Paul started to be very required by the guitarists whereas they were not manufactured any more. There is an explanation to that. In the beginning of the Years 1960, the music, resulting from the Rock' Roll, Blues, literally “exploded” in the western world. The great groups Beatles, Rolling Stones, to quote only them, largely contributed to this extraordinary passion. In same time, the forms of musical expression evolved/moved. Increasingly powerful systems of amplification were used. The guitars were connected on Amplificateur S with lamps often regulated with full power, producing very saturated sounds, very “heavy” and in this field, the Paul, in the hands of Mike Bloomfield with the United States and Eric Clapton in Europe, were intrinsically the champions. That liked enormously and the large majority of the guitarists wished to have this sound. It is at this time there that the prices of the “old women” the Paul started to go up very appreciably. The guitarists, who could it, did not hesitate to spend several times the price of a new guitar to acquire the coveted object

In 1968, Gibson, conscious of this situation, decided to start again the production as of the Paul. First of all two models; a model “Custom” painted in black with two microphones humbucker and a “Standard” model in presentation Goldtop with two microphones P-90 (a kind of return to the sources). Since this recovery and until now, the production ceased never again, on the contrary, Gibson with the passing of years left a quantity new models. By counting all the alternatives, all the options, one must lead to a total exceeding the hundred different, unquestionable models worthy of the more lively interest, others not answering but criteria of Marketing (mercatic). What seems obvious, it is that “” the Paul for a long time holds a position which perdure of model headlight of the mark.

Principal models and alternatives

; The Paul Model known as Goldtop : from 1952 to 1958, it is the first the Paul. Initially equipped with a rest-rope-maker trapezoid quickly replaced by a compound rest-rope-maker Wrap-over firmly fixed on the table and 2 microphones Individual coil P-90. From 1955 she sees herself equipped with a rest Tune-o-matic and a rope-maker separate Stop-bar . In 1957 P-90 are replaced by humbuckers . ; Custom known as Black Beauty or Fretless Wonder : of 1954 at 1960, version luxates all black with a gilded upperworks, the body is made of only one block of mahogany tree, 2 microphones Single coil P-90 replaced in 1957 by 3 humbuckers PAF. The nickname of Fretless Wonder was misleading because the guitar was not deprived of hoops, but those were simply less prominent than on the other models. ; Junior: from 1954 to 1960, “economic” model with flat body, only one notch until 1958 then double notches of 1958 to 1960, Pickguard screwed on the body, rest-rope-maker combined Wrap-over , 1 microphone Individual coil Dog-ear P-90 . ; Special: of 1955 with 1959, it is a version of the Junior more sophisticated a little with 2 microphones Single coil , a new drawing of the plate of protection and the handle bordered (Binding) . ; Standard says Sunburst: from 1958 to 1960, identical to Goldtop of 1957 but gilded painting is replaced by a completion color “Sunburst” . They are the most coveted models. The majority are now in trunks of collectors. ; Custom: as from 1968, is not only any more delivered in black completion as in the past, but in any kinds of different completions, generally luxurious, with a plated upperworks gold. It represents the high-end as of the Paul. ; Deluxe: with 1969 with 1984, in completion color Sunburst or plain or natural, Deluxe are equipped with minis-humbuckers which place in sites of Single coil . These guitars were been sulky a long time by the guitarists. It is not any more the case and certain model are now rather required. ; Studio: starting from 1983, very popular, this model is to some extent an economic variation of the range. No the nets (binding) bordering the key or the body. The Studio exists in very many completions. ; Classic: starting from 1990, many Classic models with particular specificities were produced, either by taking again characteristics of guitars of the past, Classic 1960, or while misant on the beauty of the maple wood of the tables, Classic Plus, Classic Premium Plus, Classic Birdseyes and Classic Premium Birdseyes.

Some rare models

; Personal: from 1969 with 1973, Personal was based on the personal model used by the Paul himself. A a little strange guitar with two large microphones low impedance laid out in skew on the table and an electronic sophisticated. This guitar was produced with very few specimens, 144 between 1971 and 1972, 2 in 1973. One does not know the quantity produced in 1969 and 1970.

; Recording: from 1971 with 1979, Recording had been developed to be used primarily in studio. A guitar quite as complex as finally unpopular Personal if not more and very little appreciated by the guitarists of studio. A little more: 5000 specimens produced with the factory of Kalamazoo and one does not know the production of the factory of Nashville but the quantity is very weak compared to the mass production of the standard models. It was about the one of the models the Paul most expensive in 1972.

; The Paul: of 1976 in 1979, The Paul, models who contains the article “The” in his denomination, was produced in very minor amount, an about sixty luxurious specimens, carried out in wood selected, a exercise of style of the Luthier Dick Schneider for the account of Gibson.

; Craftsman: from 1976 to 1979, the Craftsman was produced with only 2220 specimens. Richly decorated, it had the characteristic to have 3 microphones humbuckers . One second version with 2 humbuckers was produced between 1979 and 1982.

; Artist or the Paul Activates : from 1979 with 1981, Artist was produced in very minor amount. 234 models in 1979. One does not know the quantity produced in 1980 and 1981. On the whole, not more than 500 specimens were manufactured. With an electronics complexes resulting from Moog and provided by Norlin Inc., this guitar offers a very wide pallet of sonorities.

; The Paul Signature: In spite of its name, this guitar is an alternative of Gibson ES-335.

Guitarists and the Paul

It would be impossible to quote here the innumerable guitarists of reputation who used (or use) a guitar the Paul. In the same way, it would be unjust to quote some that some so famous or emblematic are he. According to the tastes of each one, such or such artist revêt not the same importance, so that in order to show impartiality best seems to quote any of it while keeping in mind than it is not the guitar which makes the guitarist and it is not the instrument which gives talent.

See also: List of the guitarists playing on Gibson

See too

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