The Gibson Les Paul: The Illustrated Story of the Guitar That Changed Rock

When I first got this book I was kind of hoping for a bible thick definitive work on vintage Les Pauls, well it wasn't that, but it is a great book and fills in where some other books have missing spots. The printing and the graphics, layout and photography are first rate. I find myself going back to it and finding things I didn't notice in it before. Hunter's books are all well written, well researched, and Hunter is not a guy writing about things he hasn't personally experienced, he is a guitar player and a good one, he builds amps, he does his research. If you love Les Pauls then you need to own this book for your Les Paul library.

If you like guitars and their history, especially the Gibson LesPaul, this is a great read. It covers the early beginnings and Les Paul’s influence and the musicians that made the guitar’s sound a part of their iconic music.

The Gibson Les Paul is the latest of Dave Hunter’s books which look closely at a particular guitar model. The first two were the Tele and the Strat, now we have the Les Paul. Visually the book is simply stunning. Les Pauls are famous for their magnificent tops and the book is packed with fantastic high-quality photographs of Les Pauls. These are just as drool-worthy as the pictures in Beauty of the Burst. A feature of this series is Hunter’s profiles of famous players who have used the guitars. It is terrific that he is so eclectic in covering a wide range of players, but this also contains my one criticism of the book. To have omitted John Fogerty, who played a number of Black Beauties, and Leslie West, who brought the Junior to prominence, is poor, especially when far lesser players, e.g. Buckethead, have made the cut. One star off for this glaring oversight. Hunter does well to include the variations on the Les Paul, so we are treated to Juniors and Specials as well as the SG in a range of formats, and he even looks at some of the oddball versions such as the Recording and Signature models. The book presents an excellent detailed history of the guitar, with some interesting information and stories. The final section is a technical dissection of the Les Paul and discussion of how its parts, construction and features all contribute to the range of Les Paul sounds. Dave Hunter is the author of many guitar books and his expertise as a writer comes across very strongly. He seems to have toned down his at times over the top style here and the book is better for it. If you are at all interested in electric guitar and especially if you like Les Pauls, this book is a must. I have a number of books on the Les Paul and this is the best.

Beautiful photos, history and famous players. Outstanding book!

Great book, well written lots of good photos. Dave Hunter always writes very well. Easy to read and understand with a high degree of attention to detail. Anyone who loves guitars will love this book.

Great addition to the other Gibson Les Paul books. Lot's of good info and pictures. I had pre ordered this book, worth the wait.

Got this for my brother, and he thinks it's a great book!

Great book on Les Paul guitars. Couldn't ask for better.

Beaucoup de belles photos et remise à jour par rapport à la version de Tony Bacon. Le livre est assez complet pour un amateur éclairé.

The book is in beautiful new shape. A gift so the contents are not reviewed but looks pretty comprehensive.

Really pleased with this book, comprehensive and informative

Braucht man nicht wirklich. Ist bei Interesse an Gibson Gitarren super und kurzweilig aufgemacht. Papier und Druck sind Klasse, Inhalt auch.

A good read... This is a book for Les Paul fans or anyone interested in the history of the electric guitar.