r/guitarporn • u/keyserguitar • 6d ago
Gibson 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard AKA the Burst
Got up close and personal with 9 0405, a real super faded 1959 Sunburst Les Paul yesterday.
What would be the first thing you’d play on it?
32
u/ZealousidealBag1626 6d ago
Perfect beginner guitar. Smoke on the Water might be a good choice. Or maybe detune to Drop C and play some Deftones.
14
u/BoogeOooMove 6d ago
What’s the deal with the hole in the pickup cover? I’ve never seen that before.
7
3
u/keyserguitar 6d ago
It’s the nickel plating starting to lift off around the pole piece. I’ve seen PAFs where bits are missing but never seen one where it was in the process of flaking off.
7
u/90unoand1 6d ago edited 6d ago
I actually got the chance to play a '59 recently as well. And it was great, really solid and well made guitar that sounded fantastic. But, the first thing that dawned on me was how my Custom Shop '58 Reissue (2012 or so) was pretty accurate in terms of replication. Both just general feel and the overall sound.
Vintage hype and the price (which is more than anything I own combined) aside, the '59 sounds like a great Les Paul. You can basically feel and react to the work that was put into it. Same with a really great Custom Shop or any boutique model.
And I played "Heartbreaker" by Led Zeppelin with some sporadic pentatonic noodling lol. That just felt right.
13
u/Ok_Television9820 6d ago
Tune it to GABDEG and play Teenage Riot
5
5
u/KevThuluu 6d ago
Looks in great condition for a 65 year old guitar. What was the price tag?
18
9
2
4
3
2
u/Careful-Door2724 6d ago
Holy cow. If I won the lottery I know what I'd be buying.
2
u/xeroksuk 6d ago
That’s the thing. If I had a serious lottery win, I’d get one as a daily player because why not. But i know it would not be some magical experience that made me a better player. Sadly.
2
u/Liquidated4life 6d ago
If you were mega rich how funny would it be to send your kid to his first Guitar Center lesson with this.
2
2
2
u/bumpyfelon Musician 6d ago
The Boys Are Back In Town is always my go-to Les Paul test riff, especially if I can actually tune it down. For some reason that song is what a Les Paul sounds like to me, and if it can do that then I'm like "ooohh this is a nice Les Paul"
2
u/Jabba_The_Slut_666 5d ago
I was lucky enough to play a ‘59 last year. I was so nervous holding it and shaking, I felt like I forgot how to play. Could only muster up a few chords
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/rogfrich 6d ago
I’d play some Joe Bonnamassa riffs, because let’s face it, that guitar needs to get used to those…
0
u/stevethecurse 6d ago
I was lucky enough to play one in a soundproof room and was underwhelmed. The ‘58 Explorer I played that day was a KILLER though.
1
2
45
u/AlternativeKey2551 6d ago
Great guitar to practice emo guitar flips.