Electric guitar, Les Paul Standard model. Six strings, arch top, hollow body with black lacquer finish and cream edging. Cream plastic scratch plate. Four cream plastic control knobs at lower right hand of sound table, cream plastic on/off switch at upper left hand of sound table. Two humbucker pickups. Wooden neck and fretboard with metal frets. Gibson Les Paul type headstock, strings tuned by metal machine heads with white plastic buttons. On the headstock is painted in white: Standard; Gibson. Painted in gold: Les Paul.
One of the most popular and enduring electric guitar models of all time, the Gibson Les Paul was the result of an early 1950s design collaboration between the Gibson Guitar Corporation and Les Paul, the accomplished jazz and pop guitarist and audio electronics expert. The sound of the Les Paul is defined by the warm and fat tone provided by its 'humbucker' pickup – so called because its circuit eliminates the 60-cycle mains hum which can plague electric guitars. The guitar has been the choice of many leading rock guitarists including Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page who played one during a series of five high profile concerts at London's Earl Court Arena in May 1975
