The 10 Best Gibson Les Paul Guitarists Of All Time

Here's the top ten, as voted by you.   23-Nov-12

1. Jimmy Page

He's the man responsible for more classic rock riffs than almost anybody else, and he's the man you voted at number one on your list of the top 10 Gibson Les Paul guitarists.

Jimmy Page used the Les Paul to create a radically different tone to a number of the guitarists on this list. Far removed from the smooth, bluesy tone preferred by the likes of Slash and Gary Moore, Jimmy Page preferred the bridge pickup, and he preferred to crank the mid-range on his amplifier to breaking point.

The result of this was a thrashy livewire rock and roll tone which had a life of it's own. It was not a polished sound, it was often far from his blues roots, but it was something which excited audiences all around the world when he performed with Led Zeppelin.

As time went on, he reigned this in slightly, and the band started exploring a more complex sonic canvas, adding folk elements to their songs and eventually producing records which were far more controlled, marking a distinct difference between the early days and the latter days... as the compilation album suggests.

The band's refusal to go on a reunion tour in many ways firmly cements their status as one of the untouchable bands of the 70s, and perhaps it's better for us to remember them that way.

As a producer, a songwriter, and a guitarist, he ensured that Led Zeppelin were synonymous with rock and roll, and Jimmy Page too is synonymous with rock and roll.

You voted him number one, and here's why: