When we think of Les Paul, the immediate image is often of his iconic Gibson signature electric guitar, solid-body innovation, and multi-track recording genius. He literally put his name on electric guitar history. Yet, before the "Log" and before his legendary collaborations with Gibson, Les Paul's earliest forays into amplifying the guitar found an unexpected, yet crucial, partner: instruments built by the legendary Larson Brothers.
The Larson Brothers, Carl and August, were master luthiers operating out of Chicago from the late 1800s to the mid-1940s. They were far ahead of their time, pioneering techniques like steel-string guitar construction, laminated bracing, and their unique "built under tension" method. While they never put their own "Larson" name on their guitars, they built exceptionally high-quality instruments for various distributors under brands like Stahl, Maurer, and Prairie State. Their guitars were known for their robust build, excellent projection, and resonant tone – qualities that, coincidentally, made them intriguing candidates for early electrification.
It was precisely these characteristics that drew Les Paul to a Larson-built guitar in his quest for a louder, more sustainable instrument. In his youth, struggling to be heard over drums and horns in dance bands, Les Paul began experimenting tirelessly. One of his early, pivotal instruments for these experiments was reportedly a Larson-built acoustic guitar, specifically described by some sources as a Stahl or Euphonon model (both Larson brands).
Les Paul's method was radical for the time. He wasn't just amplifying an acoustic guitar in the traditional sense; he was beginning to transform it. On these Larson-built acoustics, he would often attach various pickups – phonograph needles, telephone pickups, anything he could get his hands on – directly to the guitar's top, aiming to capture and project the vibration. While these initial setups were crude by modern standards, they were the very first steps towards the solid-body electric guitar revolution he would later lead.
The Larsons' "built under tension" design, with its inherent stability and resonant qualities, likely provided a sturdy and responsive platform for Les Paul's early, often destructive, modifications. The strength of these vintage acoustic guitars meant they could withstand the attachment of primitive electronics without falling apart, allowing Les Paul to push the boundaries of what a guitar could do.
So, while the Larson Brothers might not have known they were building instruments that would become the canvas for the birth of the electric guitar, their meticulous craftsmanship and innovative designs played an unsung, yet significant, role. Les Paul's early experiments with their acoustics were the crucial bridge from the acoustic world to the electric future, proving that even a traditional, beautifully crafted Larson guitar could become a launchpad for revolutionary sound. The legacy of Les Paul and the understated excellence of Larson Guitars are, in this unique way, forever intertwined in the annals of musical invention.
