The 10 Best Gibson Les Paul Guitarists Of All Time

Here's the top ten, as voted by you.   23-Nov-12

1. Jimmy Page

He's the man responsible for more classic rock riffs than almost anybody else, and he's the man you voted at number one on your list of the top 10 Gibson Les Paul guitarists.

Jimmy Page used the Les Paul to create a radically different tone to a number of the guitarists on this list. Far removed from the smooth, bluesy tone preferred by the likes of Slash and Gary Moore, Jimmy Page preferred the bridge pickup, and he preferred to crank the mid-range on his amplifier to breaking point.

The result of this was a thrashy livewire rock and roll tone which had a life of it's own. It was not a polished sound, it was often far from his blues roots, but it was something which excited audiences all around the world when he performed with Led Zeppelin.

As time went on, he reigned this in slightly, and the band started exploring a more complex sonic canvas, adding folk elements to their songs and eventually producing records which were far more controlled, marking a distinct difference between the early days and the latter days... as the compilation album suggests.

The band's refusal to go on a reunion tour in many ways firmly cements their status as one of the untouchable bands of the 70s, and perhaps it's better for us to remember them that way.

As a producer, a songwriter, and a guitarist, he ensured that Led Zeppelin were synonymous with rock and roll, and Jimmy Page too is synonymous with rock and roll.

You voted him number one, and here's why:


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13 Comments...  Post a comment    original story
rfurtkamp    Said...

Should be "sight" not "site."

Delete this at will!

24-Nov-12 03:04 PM

Amped Bot    Said...

Thanks Robert! Have subbed this now :)

25-Nov-12 06:36 AM

ANtonA    Said...

No Randy Rhoads? I agree with some such as Slash and Jimmy, but to put some of them above Randy is a disgrace... (unless this is players who only played Gibsons, Randy had a Jackson as well)

25-Nov-12 08:07 AM

Amped Bot    Said...

Hi ANtonA!

This was a poll, voted for by readers, so everything you see on the list is done by popular vote.

If it helps, Randy came in at number 11!

25-Nov-12 08:11 AM

Sal Adelfio    Said...

Ah - I think the great Ace Frehley should have made it in the top 5, but as this was a voting pole, voters didn't agree. Great to see Les Paul in there-but clearly Clapton only briefly used the Les Paul. But Jimmy Page as #1 totally makes sence!

25-Nov-12 08:54 AM

rustee    Said...

what, no bonamassa? but fair enough about the rest and it was a poll so guess i should've voted but overall a good list

25-Nov-12 09:44 AM

Joey Ray Del    Said...

interesting list but Peter Green for me should be number 1

25-Nov-12 10:42 AM

Sui    Said...

Billy Gibbons .... Holy Grail???This is a travesty, readers poll or not!

26-Nov-12 03:33 PM

Joe Mowrey    Said...

I am very surprised that Mary Ford (his wife) wasn't voted in.....she could go lick for lick with Les but I guess I'm showing my age now. Thanks Gibson for a great web site !

14-Dec-12 07:38 AM

TN    Said...

Joe Perry??? Where's he?

26-Dec-12 12:33 AM

LucyGowen    Said...

Paul Kossof!!!!

04-Mar-13 04:50 PM

sickfender    Said...

Absolutely, positively crap. You people who "voted" this shit list are completely fucked. Clapton, on a les paul list? Really?

24-Mar-13 08:42 PM

JK    Said...

If your giving out About Clapton being on the list consider this:If Eric Clapton hadn't used a Les Paul on the Bluesbreakers album, do you think any one of those players,as fantastic as most of them are,would have started using one? They were very unpopular until thet album,so Claton deserves to be on this list

30-Apr-13 11:16 AM

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