Gibson Releases 1959 Les Paul Factory Burst

After recently announcing its 60th Anniversary Limited GoldtopLes Paul, based on the 1952 original model, Gibson has now unveiledthe extremely limited new 1959 Les Paul Factory Burst.

Paying tribute to the Les Paul's most sought after vintage year,these guitars are limited to only 100 of each finish, and while theMSRP of $9,174 (approx. £5,858) price tag may seem expensive, don'texpect these guitars to stay on the walls of showrooms toolong.  

This is taken from Gibson's press release:

Devoted fans of late 50s Les Pauls understand thesubtle ways in which these guitars' woods, carves and finishes canvary, and love them all the more for their fascinatingdifferences.

The '59 Les Paul Factory Burst from Gibson Custom captures theessence of a few of the Custom Shop's favourite examples oforiginal '59 Bursts, recreated in loving detail and presented intwo exclusive VOS finishes, in a strictly limited run of 200guitars (100 per finish).

This very special edition is headlined by hand-selected,premium-figured tops and accurate, hand-applied red aniline dyeback, sides and neck, available in either Factory Cherry Burst orFactory Dark Burst, in Gibson Custom's hand-sprayed VOSnitrocellulose finish for a gently aged appearance.

Each finish type carries its own set of accuratePAF-reproduction humbucking pickups, along with traditionalhardware and VOS appointments for a period-correct look and feel.The '59 Les Paul Factory Burst is sure to be a hit with players andcollectors alike, and is available on a first come, first servedbasis, so reserve yours at your authorised Gibson dealer today.

The first things you're likely to notice about the '59 Les PaulFactory Burst are the stunning woods and authentic finish andcolouring. As with any great and vintage-correct Les Paul, the '59Les Paul Factory Burst has the legendary mahogany/maple tonewoodcombination at its core. In this case, a weight-selected,unchambered, one-piece mahogany back is married to a hand-selected,premium-figured maple top, to capture the look of the mostdesirable Les Pauls ever built, as well as the tone that made theseguitars legendary in the first place.

The top carves on '50s Les Pauls could vary considerably, so tomatch the carved arch on one of the factory's favourite original'59s, Gibson Custom gives the '59 Les Paul Factory Burst a special"flat" dish carve, which is shallower than that of many otherexamples. A quarter-sawn, one-piece mahogany neck is glued in witha long tenon and topped with a rosewood fingerboard withtraditional nitrocellulose trapezoid inlays and a nylon 6/6nut.

Thin cream binding, a cream pickguard, vintage reissue fret wireand tortoise side dots complete the package visually, while arounded '59 neck profile gives the guitar the playing feel of abeloved original.

The '59 Les Paul Factory Burst takes its visual splendour rightthrough to superlative tone via two different pairs of reproductionPAF pickups, selected by the Gibson Custom Shop to represent thevariations in original Les Pauls. The guitars finished in FactoryCherry Burst carry '57 Classics with zebra coils under VOS-agednickel covers, while the Factory Dark Burst guitars have CustomBuckers with VOS-aged nickel covers.

Both sets of pickups are made to the specs of legendary originalPAF humbuckers, with genuine Alnico magnets and coils wound from42-AWG wire. As a result, they present all the rich warmth andsparkling harmonics of great vintage humbuckers, with thatcharacteristically soft, yet cutting, bite of original PAFs.

The VOS hardware includes an accurate nickel-plated ABR-1 bridgeand nickel-plated stopbar tailpiece made from lightweightaluminium, as well as nickel-plated, vintage-style tuners.

In short, the '59 Les Paul Factory Burst is the finestrecreation available of a rare and unique original, and each of thestrictly limited 200 guitars represents the unique beauty of theBurst in all its glory.

Each guitar includes a Custom Shop hardshell case, Certificateof Authenticity, owner's manual and adjustment literature, and iscovered by Gibson's Limited Lifetime Warranty and 24/7/365 CustomerService.

Information taken from official press release, for morevisit Gibson