Few guitarists are more synonymous with the Les Paul than a certain Mr Saul Hudson. However, some still don't realise that it was a replica, not a bona fide Gibson, that Slash used to record Appetite For Destruction.

During the sessions, Slash was frustrated with his studio guitar sound, but GN'R manager Alan Niven saved the day when he brought in a Kris Derrig replica '59 Les Paul Standard with Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro II pickups. This would promptly become Slash's main 'go-to' guitar for years, and he even told MusicRadar that it would be the one that he'd run into a burning building to save.

That said, the man who has done more for the popularity of Gibson than anyone since the late 1980s has played plenty of legit models too, and now there's even a whole range of Epiphone and Gibson signature models.

Now check out part 2 of our Les Paul Legends feature!