Gibson Les Paul - What well-known jazz guitar players have used one?

**wintermoon** · 03-01-2021, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by guavajelly

Don't get me wrong, I admire Ulf Wakenius. And I like that he always plays his budget friendly guitar. But with this kind of tone, with all the treble rolled off, it doesn't really matter which guitar he plays.

agree, no sparkle, sounds like someone threw a blanket on his amp.
but Ulf's an outstanding player, maybe that's his preference or maybe just this particular live performance came out that way [not always easy to dial in your sound on these kind of gigs]

**citizenk74** · 03-01-2021, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by Kmatuhin

Ulf Wakenius on les paul studio

**Lobomov** · 03-01-2021, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

agree, no sparkle, sounds like someone threw a blanket on his amp.
but Ulf's an outstanding player, maybe that's his preference or maybe just this particular live performance came out that way [not always easy to dial in your sound on these kind of gigs]

Nah .... He always sounds like that in my experience ... Absolutely stellar player tho

**sgosnell** · 03-01-2021, 01:28 PM

The bassist isn't bad.

**citizenk74** · 03-01-2021, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by GaloDeBarcelos

Well, I quite enjoy this tone

**guavajelly** · 03-02-2021, 05:45 AM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

agree, no sparkle, sounds like someone threw a blanket on his amp.
but Ulf's an outstanding player, maybe that's his preference or maybe just this particular live performance came out that way [not always easy to dial in your sound on these kind of gigs]

I think he deliberately sounds like he does. In no way do I want to belittle his playing and not even his tone. He's totally recognisable.
What I wanted to point out is that with this kind of treble roll-off and mid emphasizing the quality of the guitar seems to become deniable. I mean after all he bought that Aria Pro II for $100. That's a guitar most forum members here wouldn't even consider as backup. And he's touring round the world with it playing festivals and theatres.
BTW: proof that guitar tone is in the hands...
And BTW he also seems to play a Benedetto lately – with a completely different tone. Ulf Wakenius | Benedetto Guitars

Now playing like him – THAT's the hard part! ;-)

**Rob MacKillop** · 03-02-2021, 05:58 AM

Here's someone you should all know, Gary Boyle, with his band Isotope:

**djg** · 03-02-2021, 06:14 AM

Gibson Les Paul - What well-known jazz guitar players have used one?-thumbnail_grant-green-mit-les-paul-001-jpg

**icr** · 03-02-2021, 09:20 AM

Some Les Paul love...
Gibson Les Paul - What well-known jazz guitar players have used one?-les-pauls-jpg

**Hoots** · 03-02-2021, 11:42 AM

First Mahavishnu album

**fep** · 03-02-2021, 12:03 PM

If Larry Carlton counts for jazz, here he is playing a Les Paul. Are those P90s? That's a tone with less low end and mids for a neck humbucker pickup. Could be done with eq though.

**guavajelly** · 03-03-2021, 04:41 AM

Originally Posted by djg

Which album is that? The resolution of the pic doesn't allow me to read all the titles, Jack McDuff's Honeydripper has only six tracks – Grant Green sounds like himself on that wether he played the ES 330 or a Les Paul ...

**djg** · 03-03-2021, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by guavajelly

Which album is that? The resolution of the pic doesn't allow me to read all the titles, Jack McDuff's Honeydripper has only six tracks – Grant Green sounds like himself on that wether he played the ES 330 or a Les Paul ...

i dont think there is a recording of grant with the les paul

this is the record (not pink panther as the youtube vid claims)

Goodnight, It's Time to Go - Wikipedia

**rob taft** · 03-03-2021, 07:11 PM

Pat Martino started out on what would be a Les Paul Standard and switched up to a Les Paul Custom which he played during the early to mid 60's with Jack McDuff and Willis Jackson. His Les Paul Custom was stolen and he switched to archtops etc.

**citizenk74** · 03-04-2021, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by fep

If Larry Carlton counts for jazz, here he is playing a Les Paul. Are those P90s? That's a tone with less low end and mids for a neck humbucker pickup. Could be done with eq though.

That looks, color aside, like my '55/'78 "reissue. If so, it's a one-piece mahogany body and one-piece neck and P-90s. A very comfortable and eminently playable tone machine.

**Cunamara** · 03-04-2021, 11:31 PM

The top of LC's Lester looks flat under those lights, anyway. And yes, soapbar P90s are what those seem to be.

**guavajelly** · 03-05-2021, 04:22 AM

Originally Posted by Cunamara

The top of LC's Lester looks flat under those lights, anyway. And yes, soapbar P90s are what those seem to be.

It's a Les Paul Special.

**L50EF15** · 03-05-2021, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop

Here's someone you should all know, Gary Boyle, with his band Isotope:

I’ve got an Isotope CD. Hugh Hopper was on bass for the session. Boyle was playing an early P90 and Alnico staple equipped LP Custom. Great tone.

**bratistofeles** · 09-02-2021, 02:56 AM

Hi all,

First time posting here, and resurrecting a somewhat old thread. I do play a jazz (or at least I try) on a Les Paul Special and I was interested to see it used by many cats in this thread. I stumbled upon this video of Dickie Thompson playing a Lester Paul with Coleman Hawkins and the Prez in 1958. One more for the list.

**citizenk74** · 09-02-2021, 07:18 PM

[QUOTE=bratistofeles;1144108]Hi all,

First time posting here, and resurrecting a somewhat old thread. I do play a jazz (or at least I try) on a Les Paul Special and I was interested to see it used by many cats in this thread. I stumbled upon this video of Dickie Thompson playing a Lester Paul with Coleman Hawkins and the Prez in 1958. One more for the list.

[/QUOTE

I'm intrigued by your username. Any connection to the Boito masterpiece? Asking for a fiend.

**steve burchfield** · 09-02-2021, 08:48 PM

Bill Conners with early RTF Great Player !!!! Didnt digs Chicks Scientology Preaching and Zeal for it. His Step It album is one of my favorite fusion albums. Later on he switched to a Gibson L-5.

**Litterick** · 09-03-2021, 06:05 AM

Why is the Les Paul so highly regarded, outside jazz? I have played only one (the Black Beauty on the album cover below) and only for a few minutes. I could not see the appeal.

Gibson Les Paul - What well-known jazz guitar players have used one?-too-much-too-soon-jpg

Gibson Les Paul - What well-known jazz guitar players have used one?-too-much-too-soon-jpg

**L50EF15** · 09-05-2021, 06:57 AM

Not well known, but excellent nonetheless, Phil Lee on an LP Deluxe with Gilgamesh:

**L50EF15** · 09-05-2021, 07:02 AM

**Hammertone** · 09-11-2021, 02:22 AM

Originally Posted by Litterick

Why is the Les Paul so highly regarded, outside jazz? I have played only one (the Black Beauty on the album cover below) and only for a few minutes. I could not see the appeal.

Apparently, the kids have adopted solid-body guitars, including the Les Paul, for this new-fangled "rock & roll" music they like to play in a wide variety of forms. Some folks think it's a fad and are waiting it out, but it seems to have gotten pretty popular, or so I'm told.