Actually, I thought that Les Paul invented the hollow body electric guitar and Leo Fender the solid body; but I’m no expert.
Les Paul didn’t invent any electric guitar. Just popularized it. I think his work with overdubbing was probably more influential than anything he did with electric guitars. There were electric guitars by the 1930s. Charlie Christian comes to mind. All that said, Paul was a sweet funny guy and a decent musician.
Actually, Les Paul and Leo Fender were both working on solid-body guitars independently at about the same time. Fender got his to market first, though.
Les Paul had over 40 patents on music. He created over-dubbing sounds, delay effects, multiple-track recording, etc. Rock and Roll would not be what it is today if not for Les Paul.
I’m no fan of google, but I thought that was a nice tribute.
Depending on who you talk to, it is either Les Paul (who also came up with about a zillion other things, including "sound on sound" and multitrack recording), Merle Travis, or Rickenbacker (with their Hawaiian steel guitar).
Leo Fender introduced the "Broadcaster" (eventually renamed "Telecaster," after a trademark dispute) and of course, the "Stratocaster." But these were later on.
However, there's no dispute that Fender DID introduce the first Electric Bass Guitar.
Mark