Y’know I’ve never been a huge fan of Gibson guitars, and the few occasions I come across a foto of the 1950s Les Paul man on the internet I’m struck by the unassuming look he had. I know it was the 50s and all that jazz, but I would mistake him for an accountant. If there had ever been anyone who seemed like they really did sell their soul to the devil for fame, I used to think it was that guy, but then it doesn’t really make sense that he’d only be playing jazz.
Anyway, goodbye dude. You really were an amazing player and inventor. I’ll be really grateful if my hands work well enough to still be playing when I’m 94. Here is a mini-doco on your life. Okay I’m off to btjunkie to see if I can d/load some of yours and Mary Ford’s 50s jazz stuff. It sounds sweet.
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While we’re on guitar stuff, I haven’t been buy much lately, but I did get a small pack of v picks aka plectrums. Initially one would baulk at the price that averages out to three buck US for one pick – a piece of plastic afterall, but hey whatever—I gave it a try and wasn’t disappointed.
I had been using a really thing (0.50 mm) pick for the last year, so to begin with the vpick felt way chunky – but it’s really nimble too. The thing I noticed first was how much louder the guitar sounded when playing unplugged. Also the thickness seems to encourage harder strumming which is not a bad thing. Also, the pick is something that’s always used – so $3, at least the way I see it, pays for itself quickly compared to other things I’ve bought for 100 that I only use now ad then.
Les doesn’t look like a rockstar because the look followed the use of his guitar.
I am intrigued that the two men who created nearly all of what we see as ‘American popular culture’ – Les Paul and Andy Warhol – were POLISH.
Now who invented the plectrum when he got weary of bleeding fingers
Nicola tesla?
You know after I wrote that I did dload an album of Les n Mary
and it was terrible! Sounded more like he was playin a toy harpsicord
the sound of a million 1920s silent slapstick routines