Les Paul: The Final Words Of A Pioneer And Guitar Legend

[Squier Ken]

This is the title of an hour-long programme to be broadcast on BBC Radio 2 at 10pm on Tuesday 10 August. "Duane Eddy presents this musical salute to Les, who died a year ago this month."

Not sure if those outside the UK can listen 'live' on the web (www.bbc.co.uk), but no doubt it can be heard later on the 'listen again' feature on the same site.

Ken

[JimN]

Many thanks, Ken .

Sky+ box about to be set...

JN

[Bluesnote]

Its strange that a guitar such as Les designed and developed started off life as an ultra clean sounding instrument only to become the most powerful screaming tool a guitarist could want in later life in the hands of Mr Moore and the likes. I was talking to a young guitarist only the other day, and he associates the Les Paul only with heavy rock and blues and not the clean and jazzy sound which it can produce equally well too. I suppose the same goes for the Strat too.
I saw a documentry on Les just after his passing, and what lovely sounds he produced from that instrument. Without ripping his shirt off his back
I love the guitar, no matter how its played.
I'll need to watch this program too.

[almano]

I've even still got about twenty or so of Les's original 78's (which I've since converted to CD) - so I'll definitely not miss this program. Thanks ever so much for the info, I'm looking forward to it already!

Cheers,

Alan.

[AlanMcKillop]

I think it's a radio broadcast.

[LONGPLAYER09]

It is ! BBC Radio 2 Tuesday 10pm
mick

[JimN]

I think it's a radio broadcast.

It is.

Strictly, I haven't set the Sky+ for it (that box makes a federal case out of recording radio programmes).

I've set my Humax PVR (which makes recording DAB radio a two-click affair) for it...

JN

[cockroach]

Whilst I love Les and his playing, and his amazing technical inventions etc, I've never been a fan of the Les Paul guitar- to my mind the most over-rated and certainly the most over-valued guitar.

Let's face it, they weren't really successful originally- they stopped producing them in 1960 or so, and only made about 2,000 of the so-called Holy Grail 57-60 models....they only started making them again in about 1967-8 because they finally understood that the contemporary 'guitar heroes' like Clapton, Bloomfield, Beck etc had made them a must-have for young wannabees...and that this time around, they could make money from them.

Although they are supposedly treasured for their mystic, magical 'tone' , this sound only comes with an overdriven amp- played at lower level with a clean amp setting, they sound like pretty much any guitar with humbuckers. And they are as heavy as lead to wear on a strap on stage too....back and shoulder problems!

[Picker]

As I am very new to this site, I should I supose stand back and watch for a while but I felt I had to add a line or two to the comment
by cockroach, as I totaly agree with him, I think the Les Paul is very over rated, extreamly heavy and I can't understand how people can talk
of great tone when most of the artist's like Gary Moore play it with so much distortion its the quality of the FX box you hear not the guitar.
I have played a very expensive Les Paul Studio, with some vintage P90 pick ups fitted I found the neck uncomfortable, the body although small
a pain in the neck it was so heavy. the tone controls not very responsive, and to be truthful I was very dissapointed I expected much more.
When any one refere's to such an iconic label on a guitar such as "Les Paul" I don't know what I expected but give me a Stratocaster any day.
I would add that I think it all comes down to personal taste, the build quality on the LP was very good, but if you put it along side another make of
guitar of the same price i.e. a Gretsch, or Stratocaster, to me its a loser.
Rob

[Martin Page]

I think it's a radio broadcast.

It is.

Strictly, I haven't set the Sky+ for it (that box makes a federal case out of recording radio programmes).

I've set my Humax PVR (which makes recording DAB radio a two-click affair) for it...

JN

You can make a manual recording on Sky+.

Martin.