THE SEVENTIES WERE defined by the earliest wave of proverbial guitar gods — giant-slayers posturing at the stage’s edge, casting their lurid spells over unwitting audiences. The preeminent choice of magic wand? The Gibson Les Paul. But as the Eighties surged, the Les Paul’s fall was steep. Coinciding with that tumble from grace was a rise to prominence for technicolor, hot-rodded rigs. These seemingly mutant creations crafted in presto guitar labs were suddenly slung over the sweaty shoulders of droves of MTV-era icons.
Through synchronized bombast, this new generation of heroes wielded Jacksons, ESPs, haywire B.C. Rich rigs and eye-catching Ibanez JEMs. There was, of course, one notable exception: Slash, who is widely credited as saving the single-cut during the shred era. The Nineties would also prove challenging for the, twangy Telecasters and 12-string Epiphones instead of the load-bearing stalwart. Now, that’s not to say the Les Paul died entirely; it’s always had its supporters. But somewhere along the way, it became to eschew Les Pauls in favor of various new kids on the block.
