1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard Burst
photo: live auctioneers
Known as the Holy Grail of Guitars, the 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard Burst represents the pinnacle of electric guitar innovation during Gibson’s golden age. The Les Paul Standards from 1958-1960 are among the most collectible vintage guitars in the market, with the 1959 model as the most highly coveted of all. In 1958, the finish for the Les Paul Standard was changed from the famous “Goldtop" gold finish to the cherry sunburst finish from which 1958-1960 Les Pauls got their name, “Burst." To create this finish, the solid mahogany bodies were colored with aniline dye, giving a red hue that in time would react to ultraviolet light and other conditions, rendering each guitar aesthetically unique.
photo: live auctioneers
The 1959 Les Paul “Burst" has been touted by iconic musicians including Jimmy Page, Bernie Mardsen, and Keith Richards, who popularized the model when he toured with his 1959 “Burst" in the United States in the 1960s. An estimated mere 1700 “Burst" Les Pauls still exist today, making them as rare as they are valuable.This is a solid, no issues 1959 Burst. The guitar sports all specs intrinsic to this year and model, including center-seamed two piece maple top, Honduran mahogany body, one piece Honduran mahogany neck with long neck tenon, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, dual PAF pickups, M-69 rings, and the original wiring harness (Centra Lab pots with Sprague capacitors dated the 44th week of 1958). The original finish is in good condition and shows a reasonable amount of honest play wear that you would expect from a guitar 60 years old. All route and tooling marks are as they should be. The tuners, ferrules, and associated screws have been replaced but the originals are in the case. The original tuners were replaced with reproduction Kluson Deluxe tuners. These appear to be the same dimension as the originals but this should be verified. Very good vintage condition.
photo: live auctioneers
Serial number: 9 0346Condition details: Original ground wire absent; new ground wire added from bridge pick up cavity to bridge stud. Replaced washer at original output jack. Lock washers missing inside underneath pots; new washers added between pointer and nut on guitar exterior. Body is fashioned largely from one piece of mahogany with small wing on base side of lower bout. This is believed to be 100% original from Gibson factory. Stable surface crack in top between treble volume and tone pots. Treble volume pot has small crack in plastic on knob. Pickguard and one pickguard screw are not original; pickguard is possibly a cut 1955 Les Paul guard. Pickup covers were removed and reattached at some point; chrome pickup covers may be Gibson PAF 1960 or Gibson PAF 1961. Switch tip may not be original. Frets were dressed at some point.
