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API Says Happy Birthday to Les Paul

Today (June 9, 2017) is the great Les Paul's 102nd birthday, and what better way for API to celebrate than sharing a bit of our history with the man himself?

API began making modular consoles in the late 1960s that were quickly met with renown and placed in in some of music's best known and most enviable recording environments of the time. Always a pioneer, Les Paul was one of the first to buy an early API console. He purchased his 28 by 16 recording and mixing console in 1971, and it went back to his home studio in New Jersey, where it stayed with him for many years.

Although perhaps best known as the iconic guitarist and luthier who invented the solid-body guitar, Paul was also prolific in recording, and was an early user of effects such as overdubbing and multitrack recording. He built a home recording studio in 1945 and began to experiment with different recording techniques, creating methods of his own that would go on to become incredibly influential in the music industry.

API is honored to have Les Paul as a part of our legacy, and we try to ensure that no one passes through our headquarters without having at least one moment with his console, whether it be a photo or a glimpse at Les' original handwritten tape markings. In fact, a pair of API interns recently spent their summer dedicatedly restoring the console.

Les Paul's console has meaning to everyone at API, as it reminds us of his impressive body of work and innovation, and inspires those of us working to achieve the same.