Close Up of Les Paul Guitar in Black and White

Fine Art Print of Classic Electric Guitar Black and White

This one’s for the purists. The gearheads. The dreamers. The people who know that a toggle switch isn’t just a toggle switch—it’s the start of a riff, a change in tone, a personal signature. I captured this close-up of a Les Paul guitar with that exact thought in mind. It’s not about the whole instrument—it’s about the parts that make it sing.

I wanted to focus on the switch and strings because that’s where decisions happen. Clean or dirty? Rhythm or lead? It all starts right there. And that simple white switch tip—worn from use, smooth from hours of play—that’s character you can’t fake.

There’s a kind of unspoken elegance to the Les Paul body. The carved maple top, the arched curves, the way light slides across the lacquered surface. I chose to shoot this in black and white because colour would have softened the impact. Monochrome lets the hardware shine—every screw, every winding on the pickup, every reflection in the brushed metal. There’s nothing to distract you from the craftsmanship.

This shot isn’t studio-polished. There’s a bit of grit, a trace of fingerprints, a smudge of life. I like it that way. It’s a real guitar that’s been used, not displayed. The strings hum with tension, the frets show their age, and the toggle is tilted like it’s waiting for someone to come back and finish the song.

If you’ve ever lost time bending a note or chasing tone deep into the night, then you’ll get it. This image isn’t just for guitarists—it’s for anyone who sees beauty in tools, precision in wear, and art in function.

You can find more like this—quiet tributes to the instruments that shape culture—in my Musical Instrument Wall Art collection.

© Dan Kosmayer, 2025