Les Pauls royalties?
Jonathan Krogh
Since the Gibson Lp is no doubt the most sucessful signature axe ever,
i was wondering if Les makes comission on each LP sold, or if he had
originally sold the design to gibson, with one condition being that his name
is used?
anyone know?
Chris
I doubt that after this long he would still be getting royalties. I'm not
sure he ever did get royalties to begin with. Gibson probably just paid
him one set amount of money to use his name and design.
Jonathan Krogh <jo...@ican.net> wrote in article
<6gos8b$o0a$1...@news2.tor.accglobal.net>...
Bradley D. Spence
Nope, you're wrong. In the very beginning, Les was given $5 per
guitar. He still gets a royalty, although that has been adjusted for
inflation.
Brad
(Les Paul Player)
AndrwPiety
nospam...@one.net writes:
Didn't they enter into an entirely new contract in the sixties, after that
period when the original "Les Paul" guitars were discontinued and Gibson began
issuing what later became SGs under the LP name? Maybe I'm misremembering
this.
Andy
Andrew Piety
"Hated by fools, and fools to hate,
Be that my motto and my fate"
--Jonathan Swift
MWS2468
> Since the Gibson Lp is no doubt the most sucessful signature axe ever,
>>>> i was wondering if Les makes comission on each LP sold, or if he had
>>>> originally sold the design to gibson, with one condition being that his
>>>name
>>>> is used?
>>>> anyone know?
I believe Les Paul did not design the guitar which bears his name.
>>>> anyone know?
C.D. Damron
Unfortunately for Les Paul, the royalty was based on the use of his
name, not the design of the guitar.
Faced with Gibson's decision to "officially" abandon the "Les Paul
nameplate", while continuing to manufacture the same guitar - Gibson had
the upper hand in negotiating a new contract in the sixties.
The new contract reduced the royalty amount significantly. Of course,
even if Gibson dropped the name, everyone would have continued to refer
to the "Les Paul".
I wonder where we could get some production numbers to put some values
to our speculation.
I'm looking for the source of my information. I do recall it was
published in a book or magazine
Regards,
Sean D.
Tim Gibson
For the record, Les didn't design it, even though he basically invented the
electric guitar with "The"Log". He merely endorsd it because he liked how
it played, sounded, and looked. The reason he stopped endorsing the Gibson
guitar in the 60's when they switched to the SG style was because he didn't
like the looks of it. Once they went back to the classic design, his name
reappeared.
BTW, the SG style body with the Les Paul name is rare, only being produced
for 2 years I believe. I'd like to get my hands on one of them.
Jonathan Krogh wrote in message <6gos8b$o0a$1...@news2.tor.accglobal.net>...
Thurston
> I believe Les Paul did not design the guitar which bears his name.
I'm fairly certain he did. I've read several places where he says that
he was involved in the creative process. He is also no slouch when it
comes to techie stuff... He created one of the first solid-body guitars
while working at the Epiphone plant on weekends... took a hollow body
and made a piece of wood to fit inside it. He was also one of the first
people to build a multi-track tape recorder.
I also know that he designed the original SG shape, which was the Les
Paul Special guitar... a double-cutaway body which Hamer copied almost
identically for their Sunburst series and which Paul Reed Smith modified
only slightly for his guitars. Gibson didn't like it and went to the
sharper, uniform double cutaway Special Guitar still in production
today.
As for royalties, I'm pretty sure he's got no money worries on the
Gibson front...
Scott Pritchard
So is it the 56 Les Paul that has the later SG shape I think. A friend
of mine has this one with the soap bars on it ( P90s). This I think
was the one that Les originally designed and played. You can see this
one in the early pictures of him and Mary Ford. This is a fine instrument.
An old issue of GP mentions many of his contributions, they are quite
numerous, he is a innovator that's for sure. I don't think alot of
things in recording would have been possible without his vision.
Wolfgang
One thing I have to add here.......I know Les DID invent some things,
allot of things, but has also taken credit for allot of stuff he didn't. If
you get a chance read his biography, it's very revealing as to what a BS'er he
is.
The book is very well researched, (Les was actually interviewed many times
for the book) and it became almost comical how often the writer would give a
fact stated by Les (ex, being paid $1500 a week during the depression when the
club records and band mates say it was only $50) and then the truth from
Gibson, friends, co-workers, family and actual printed records. Great book,
very un-biased, he had quite a career!
Wolfgang
Bradley D. Spence
First off, Les did not design the guitar which bears his name, Ted
McCarty did. Secondly, the 56 Les Paul is just like the other guitars
known popularly as Les Pauls. It is a fine instrument. The SG shaped
guitar made its appearance in 1961 or 62.
BS
On 13 Apr 1998 18:12:11 GMT, sco...@genalex.engr.sgi.com (Scott
LuvDr35
actually, the SG was originally the"new' Les Paul in 1961-Les refused to have
his name on a guitar that looked like that-you will notice that the 1961 SG's
have the Les Paul logo-as for the original, Ted McCarty built the guitar to
lure Les andMary away from Epiphone-Les was heavily involed in the later mods
(new tailpiece, etc)-the gold color was a Les idea too-he askedGibson to make
anall gold ES-175 for a sick friend and the color was thenused on the
"standard" models for the first 6 years or so
LuvDr35
as for money, Les and Mary's endorsement royalties on the Les Paull were
deferred for 10 years for tax reasons-they were making almost $1 million a year
in 1952, so the royalties for the guitar would have been taxed at Roosevelt
rates-LOL
Brian M. Hickey
Les Paul was without a doubt involved in the creative process that led
to the guitars which bear his name. Specifically, the original tail
piece on the first Standards and Customs were his specific design and
contribution to the guitar. Paul was originally spurned by Gibson
when he went to them with "the Log," but later, after he had achieved
some performance notoriety, and Gibson wanted a famous artist to front
their new solid body electrics, they collaberated on what became the
Les Paul line. Les Paul, however, after being initially spurned by
Gibson, spurned them when they first approached him. The deal that
was eventually worked out included him NEVER performing in public on
anything but Gibson Les Paul guitars, AND a royalty off of every Les
Paul sold.
On Mon, 13 Apr 1998 13:55:51 -0700, Thurston <john_...@ncsu.edu>
wrote:
Raiffeisenbank Baden
materials to show that all materials have an uniqe sound