The Stella Carved Top is an outstanding LP-inspired build with enough meaningful tweaks to right some of the common complaints of the iconic LP.

The Stella Carved Top is Josh Williams' Les Paul-inspired guitar, though in hand, it definitely has its own vibe - ie, this isn't a replica, and honestly, we're thankful for it.

The recipe for this guitar is what you might expect - maple top/mahogany body, mahogany neck/rosewood fingerboard, 24.75" scale length, twin humbuckers, and a tune-o-matic style bridge. What's endlessly fascinating though, is how a wide range of builders can use this standard recipe and achieve vastly different results.

One of the biggest differences between the Stella and a Les Paul is the body width - the Stella measures 14" wide vs a Les Paul's 13". You wouldn't think an inch would make such a difference, but it does - and a positive difference in our book. This extra width makes the Stella more comfortable and less prone to balance issues when seated or standing.

Another highlight of this model is the neck carve. Measuring .89" @ the first fret, the carve feels very similar to a '59 Les Paul though the Stella has more of a soft V to it. Suffice it to say, it's a carve that a lot of players will find agreeable and is definitely one we really love.

Tonally? Outstanding. The regular wind Lollar Imperials are a nice change from the ubiquitous low wind versions (which are great, don't get us wrong, but they tend to overshadow the excellent regular winds) and deliver exactly what we love hearing from a guitar of this style - the "Tele on steroids" tones. Clear with a nice top end bite supported by the output and punch of a great humbucker. Along with the well dialed in volume and tone controls, you can cover a wide range of clean to overdrive tones via just the volume controls alone - and a great amp, of course.

Simply put - the Stella Carved Top is an outstanding LP-inspired build with enough meaningful tweaks to right some of the common complaints of the iconic LP. Excellent stuff, Josh!