This is the story of the “APP” guitar. A solid-body electric guitar designed and built by O. W. Appleton in 1941, ten years before the introduction of the Gibson Les Paul.
The APP was unlike any other electric guitar in the world. Although electric guitars existed in 1941, they were all either archtop guitars with added pickups, or small laptop Hawaiian guitars. Even the guitar that Les Paul was using, "The Log," was basically an archtop guitar with a solid center section. Appleton's design was something new. And this new design foretold the future look of electric guitars!
In 1943 Appleton took his guitar to Gibson, to see if they had an interest in manufacturing the model. They told him that they couldn't imagine someone playing a solid-body electric guitar.
App attempted to patent his instrument, but as a musician from the small town of Burlington, Iowa, he didn't have access to a patent attorney. He sent letters and money to folks who advertised themselves as patent attorneys in the back of Popular Mechanics Magazine, but they merely took his cash. During World War II, as manufacturers dedicated their factories to the war effort, all guitar production ceased. Appleton stopped pursuing a patent.
Almost ten years later, in 1952, Appleton received a letter from a friend at Gibson. The letter read, "Well, App, you see our competition (editor's note: that would be Fender) has finally forced us to come out with your solid guitar. Sure wish we had listened to you back in 1943." Included with the letter was a brochure for the new Gibson Les Paul Model. In frustration, App threw the letter out.
Today, App's story is largely forgotten. And although Gibson's R&D department took credit for the design of the Les Paul Model, you have to imagine that they were influenced by a nearly identical guitar presented to them a decade earlier by O.W. "App" Appleton.
O. W. Appleton Home Page
The APP was unlike any other electric guitar in the world. Although electric guitars existed in 1941, they were all either archtop guitars with added pickups, or small laptop Hawaiian guitars. Even the guitar that Les Paul was using, "The Log," was basically an archtop guitar with a solid center section. Appleton's design was something new. And this new design foretold the future look of electric guitars!
In 1943 Appleton took his guitar to Gibson, to see if they had an interest in manufacturing the model. They told him that they couldn't imagine someone playing a solid-body electric guitar.
App attempted to patent his instrument, but as a musician from the small town of Burlington, Iowa, he didn't have access to a patent attorney. He sent letters and money to folks who advertised themselves as patent attorneys in the back of Popular Mechanics Magazine, but they merely took his cash. During World War II, as manufacturers dedicated their factories to the war effort, all guitar production ceased. Appleton stopped pursuing a patent.
Almost ten years later, in 1952, Appleton received a letter from a friend at Gibson. The letter read, "Well, App, you see our competition (editor's note: that would be Fender) has finally forced us to come out with your solid guitar. Sure wish we had listened to you back in 1943." Included with the letter was a brochure for the new Gibson Les Paul Model. In frustration, App threw the letter out.
Today, App's story is largely forgotten. And although Gibson's R&D department took credit for the design of the Les Paul Model, you have to imagine that they were influenced by a nearly identical guitar presented to them a decade earlier by O.W. "App" Appleton.
O. W. Appleton Home Page
I had a bullwhip of sorts when I was a kid - it wasn't hard at all to make it crack. Idk what sort of whip the Aeros used, but geez ... I guess they could've used some help. 
