A trip to the Waukesha (Wisconsin) County Museum.................

Grog · August 12, 2018, 12:14:00 PM

Today is the ninth anniversary of Les Pauls passing. One of the things I had on my bucket list to do was visit The Les Paul Exhibit in Lester's home town of Waukesha Wisconsin. The building has been under repair & restoration for over three years & the Les Paul Exhibit just re-opened recently, so off we went. A neat old building from 1893. The exhibit was pretty cool, but not as well done as the one in the Discovery World building in Milwaukee. Unfortunately, no photos were allowed in this exhibit. They had two low impedance guitars along with many things documenting his life in Waukesha. He is buried a few blocks away along side of his Mother.

With plenty of time to spare, we decided to drive to Milwaukee & re-visit the display at the Discovery World. The only two Les Paul exhibits that I know of are only about a half hour drive apart. I had been there over ten years ago. The top floor of this building was one of the two places that held a public reviewal for Lester after he passed away. This display has quite a few low impedance guitars & a few prototypes along with many of Les Paul's recording machines. I was able to take a few photos here.............

clankenstein · August 12, 2018, 03:03:08 PM

Cool ,thanks . I wonder what those trapezoidal pickups would sound like on bass.....

Grog · August 12, 2018, 04:53:25 PM

Quote from: clankenstein on August 12, 2018, 03:03:08 PM
Cool ,thanks . I wonder what those trapezoidal pickups would sound like on bass.....

That would be interesting! I wish there was more information on them, what tone or improvements they were trying to accomplish.

clankenstein · August 12, 2018, 05:11:42 PM

I wonder if they are sidewinders.

Dave W · August 13, 2018, 01:26:36 AM

It would be great if there were sound samples of his experimental guitars and basses.

Thanks for the photos.

Basvarken · August 13, 2018, 03:19:58 AM

Are those cardboard guitars next to that cardboard Lester? One looks like (as tiny as) a Les Paul mandolin

Grog · August 13, 2018, 07:43:05 AM

Quote from: Basvarken on August 13, 2018, 03:19:58 AM
Are those cardboard guitars next to that cardboard Lester? One looks like (as tiny as) a Les Paul mandolin

The images are actually glued on what looks to be 1" thick black plastic. That was the only thing that they would let you photograph. The two guitars were different sizes of the same image.

Grog · August 13, 2018, 08:07:24 AM

Quote from: Dave W on August 13, 2018, 01:26:36 AM
It would be great if there were sound samples of his experimental guitars and basses.

Thanks for the photos.

At the Waukesha location, they had four examples displayed (images glued on plastic) starting with the chunk of iron rail and ending with a Les Paul guitar. They would simulate sounds when you touched or strummed the image. None of them were of Lester's personal guitars though.

gearHed289 · August 13, 2018, 09:08:36 AM

Thanks for sharing. Funny, a friend just asked to borrow my Les Paul bass for a gig at the Les Paul Performance Center in Waukesha on 9/11.

daan · August 13, 2018, 04:32:38 PM

Jeez I grew up two towns over from Waukesha, there never was a word spoken about Mr Paul while I was there, and now there's TWO exhibits about him? Ok... I spent a LOT of time in Waukesha (because there was nothing to do in my town) and the music store I had my first lessons at (on a rented all-Black Victory bass!) was about a block from the building the LP exhibit is in... This thread just dredged up a lot of memories.

Barklessdog · August 13, 2018, 06:57:40 PM

I never knew of its existence as well. Thank you for sharing

Dave W · August 13, 2018, 10:28:19 PM

Quote from: daan on August 13, 2018, 04:32:38 PM
Jeez I grew up two towns over from Waukesha, there never was a word spoken about Mr Paul while I was there, and now there's TWO exhibits about him? Ok... I spent a LOT of time in Waukesha (because there was nothing to do in my town) and the music store I had my first lessons at (on a rented all-Black Victory bass!) was about a block from the building the LP exhibit is in... This thread just dredged up a lot of memories.

West Allis?

The internet brought Les Paul back into the public eye. Gibson fans always knew who he was, but he hadn't been a star for many years. It's good that the area recognizes him now.

Grog · August 14, 2018, 07:38:37 AM

The gal at the museum said that they were designated a "Gibson Guitar Town".

https://homeoflespaul.com/

http://www.waukeshaguitartown.com/

Dave W · August 14, 2018, 09:46:04 AM

Quote from: Grog on August 14, 2018, 07:38:37 AM
The gal at the museum said that they were designated a "Gibson Guitar Town".

https://homeoflespaul.com/

http://www.waukeshaguitartown.com/

I guess that means they'll be going Chapter 11 soon.

Grog · August 14, 2018, 11:09:21 AM

Sounds like there are a total of eight Gibson Guitar Towns = eight towns in bankruptcy

$:-\$