It’s a 'beaut!
When we talk about Gibson Custom Shop guitars, we're never really working on a shortage of things to say. The Gibson Custom Shop, Nashville's finest in producing world-class electric guitars, has earned that reputation for a reason, after all. Guitars originating from Gibson's exclusive workshop are among the most highly coveted and celebrated models available today. It's a place where Gibson luthiers can really flex their creative muscle and share their visions with the world.
As you might expect, the artistic minds of Gibson Custom luthiers draw inspiration from all over. Everything from the cherished pieces of the electric guitar's pantheon of icons to the wildest and most off-the-wall concepts they could dream up, there's a wealth of destinations the Gibson Custom Shop sets sail for on their eternal quest for musical glory.
Among the many places from which to draw inspiration, the Gibson Custom Shop has shown affection for one in particular: Yasuhiko Iwanade's 1996 book The Beauty of the 'Burst. Today, we're talking about a couple things: the Gibson Custom Shop, their favorite book, Les Paul guitars, and a few others. Won't you join us?
This is the Gibson Custom Shop 1959 Les Paul Standard "Beauty of the 'Burst" Pg. 40.
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Pressed in a Book
Introducing the Gibson Custom "Beauty of the 'Burst" Les Paul Standard
The Gibson Custom Shop is among the most highly regarded producers of electric guitars today. Because of that, we have quite a bit to talk about with this "Beauty of the 'Burst" model.
While we're talking about one specific Gibson Custom Shop guitar that we have on our hands here, we do want to stress that, as we go on, so many of the concepts and standards for design and aesthetics apply to Gibson Custom Shop guitars universally. As we talk about this particular Gibson Custom Shop, just keep in mind that this guitar's high bar for sound, structure, and style is mirrored across the entire Gibson Custom catalog. In short, if this "Beauty of the 'Burst" Les Paul is your cup of tea, perhaps take that as a sign to look into other Custom Shops. The Gibson Custom Shop library is vast and varied, so get in and get excited!
The Beauty of the 'Burst, a 1996 photography book by Yasuhiko Iwanade, is a testament to the impact and legacy of Gibson's golden age of guitars. The book catalogs dozens of original Gibson Les Paul models as constructed from the years 1958 to 1960. As a document of – even by the '90s – vintage Les Pauls, the book faithfully captures both the larger impact and smaller intricacies of the guitars in visibly loving ways. You can find reprints of the book online for your usual coffee table book prices with limited edition copies easily sailing well past hundreds of dollars on the secondhand market. Exemplifying how deep the love for vintage Gibson guitars goes, the book taking on a life of its own is perhaps, no surprise.
Today's Gibson Custom Shop "Beauty of the 'Burst" Pg. 40 model we have before us is designed to replicate the model seen on the book's fortieth page. This practice of taking inspiration from specific models from Iwanade's book is in fact, a fairly popular one among the Gibson Custom Shop. You can find many "Beauty of the 'Burst" Custom Shop models from the Gibson Custom Shop out and about – even ones taking inspiration from the same page! Essentially, there's no shortage of "Beauty of the 'Burst" models from the Gibson Custom Shop. It's through these models that their '50s originators can receive new life and that's certainly something worth celebrating.
Let's talk about the guitar at hand, shall we?
Song as Old as Rhyme
Gibson Custom "Beauty of the 'Burst" Pg. 40 Materials
With us, we have a Gibson Les Paul as you've always known it. At the jump, this Gibson Custom Shop guitar aimed the capture the spirit of Iwande's page forty model, and with that goal ahead, the Custom Shop luthiers set out.
The Body
For Gibson fans, it should come as no surprise, or even as a given, that this Les Paul starts with a single-cutaway mahogany body. We're talking about vintage Les Pauls after all, right? This body, when sat down and balanced over your knee, gives that classic Les Paul solidbody weight and feel as you play it. Balancing a tangible weight between the body's upper and lower bouts gives a familiar feel for Les Paul players – especially fans of vintage models. The solid feel of the mahogany body is matched with the model's AAA figured maple top which bears the titular "Beauty of the 'Burst" finish.
Tight figured grains lay across this maple top alongside the Custom Shop's VOS finish treatment. VOS, or "Vintage Original Spec", is a lightly aged finish treatment meant to simulate a Gibson guitar's finish as if kept in pristine condition for decades on end. Natural finish aging and checking appears on this model, though not overly so, making for a finish that is emulated yet authentic. Page forty's model presented a Les Paul with a particularly bright color and pattern, such is the finish on this Gibson Custom Shop. Fans of the more "golden" style of Les Paul bursts are sure to have – what do the movie critics call it – a visual feast with this maple top.
The Neck
From this Gibson Custom's body, we get into its playability through its neck. This "Beauty of the 'Burst" model features a mahogany neck in a V1 Carmelita profile. A unique shape, this profile offers players some distinct difference in thickness from its lowest to highest registers. As one moves from the headstock to the body, a more tangible change is felt. A one-piece rosewood fingerboard joins in with this neck with Jescar FW45100 fret wire, a fairly common pick for Gibson Custom guitars. FW45100 frets, otherwise known as Medium Jumbo Reissue, is a popular pick among both vintage and modern-minded players for its familiar height and size. Perfect for any style of playing, this neck is mobile and fluid for exciting playability.
The Eye of the Beholder
Gibson Custom "Beauty of the 'Burst" Pg. 40 Tones and Hardware
Where would we be in this Gibson Custom world without some humbucking heat, though? Onboard this Gibson Custom, two unpotted Custombucker pickups summon a hefty dose of kick for breathing life into a teetering or cranked amp. These full-bodied humbuckers punch in alongside clean or dirty amps and make for a perfect companion to vintage models of either persuasion. Maybe you've got a lived-in tube that needs some love, in short, this pair of Custombuckers are prime targets to bring to the table and hear their breathy sonic profile blow into your amp.
Alongside these humbuckers, the guitar's hardware setup features a '59 Historic Reissue No-Wire Notched ABR-1 bridge and an aluminum Stop Bar tailpiece. These two elements ground strings stably to form the foundation of a sturdy playing experience with comfortable string spacing and solid intonation. A nylon Reissue nut and Kluson Deluxe single-band tuners only make the stringing and playing experience even easier. This Gibson Custom Shop, like many others, puts honest and authentic playability as a paramount priority. There are no snags with stringing, fretting, tone control, or anything in between to find here.
Gibson Custom Shop 1959 Les Paul Standard "Beauty of the 'Burst" Final Thoughts
Among the many Gibson Custom Shop guitars that pass through our shops here, we have to admit there is something special about "Beauty of the 'Burst" models. Maybe it's something about the history on top of history – that these models come from a now vintage book about even then vintage guitars – or maybe it's something else. Perhaps it's the attention to detail and ingenuity that the Gibson Custom Shop luthiers so evidently put on display with these models that gives them that extra it factor. Maybe it's all of the above plus a little more.
For documenting a key moment in Gibson history and preserving the legacy of Les Paul guitars into the then-coming new millennium, we have The Beauty of the 'Burst to thank. Inspiration comes from the most interesting places sometimes. Care to turn the page?
