In 1960, Gibson experienced a decline in electric guitar sales due to  strong competition from Fender's comparable but much lighter double-cutaway design, the Stratocaster.
In response, Gibson modified the Les Paul line.
For 1961, the Les Paul was thinner and much lighter than earlier models, with two sharply pointed cutaways and a vibrato system.
However, the redesign was done without Les Paul's knowledge, and he hated the design, so he asked Gibson to remove his name.
The single cutaway design retained the "Les Paul" name until 1963 when Les Paul's endorsement deal with Gibson ended.
Without a contract, Gibson could no longer call its guitars "Les Pauls', and it renamed them "SGs" (for "Solid Guitars").
In 1960, Gibson experienced a decline in electric guitar sales due to  strong competition from Fender's comparable but much lighter double-cutaway design, the Stratocaster. In response, Gibson modified the Les Paul line. For 1961, the Les Paul was thinner and much lighter than earlier models, with two sharply pointed cutaways and a vibrato system. However, the redesign was done without Les Paul's knowledge, and he hated the design, so he asked Gibson to remove his name. The single cutaway design retained the "Les Paul" name until 1963 when Les Paul's endorsement deal with Gibson ended. Without a contract, Gibson could no longer call its guitars "Les Pauls', and it renamed them "SGs" (for "Solid Guitars").
Gibson Les Paul