Gibson Custom Shop 1959 Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar, VOS "Beauty of the 'Burst" Pg. 40

Making its entrance like a true belle, we have this Gibson Custom Shop 1959 Les Paul Standard "Beauty of the 'Burst" Page 40 in a clean VOS finish. A famous practice from the Custom Shop, this "Beauty of the 'Burst" Les Paul Standard model takes its inspiration from the Les Paul depicted on page forty of Yasuhiko Iwanade's historic 1996 photography book of the same name. This Gibson Custom model already has decades of legacy behind it from the Robert Johnson's original production Les Paul model off which it is based to the document cataloged in Iwanade's book.

The Beauty of the 'Burst, one of the world's most renowned testaments to the Gibson heritage, acted as a document of vintage Les Paul guitars from 1958 to 1960. Today's Gibson Custom Shop "Beauty of the 'Burst" models capture the design and essence of the guitars photographed in Iwanade's book page by page. This Custom Shop model before us continues on in the brand's and book's legacies with a gorgeously assembled piece.

This "Beauty of the 'Burst" Les Paul Standard starts with a mahogany body shaped in the iconic single-cutaway profile. A standby specification for Gibson guitars universally, this body is matched with a hand-picked AAA figured maple top. Matching the rich woodiness of the mahogany with the crisp cut of the figured maple, this body is effortlessly handled and seamlessly played. It is wrapped in a Gibson Custom VOS finish, replicating some slight age without going overboard with wear or relic jobs. This guitar's finish replicates the dazzling presentation of the The Beauty of the 'Burst page forty model for players looking for a warm and sweet burst pattern just like Gibson guitars of old.

The experience continues on from here with this Custom Shop's mahogany neck shaped in a Carmelita V1 profile. Measuring .860" thick at the first fret and .975" thick at the twelfth, this neck offers some notable change in feel from lower to higher registers, making for a captivating feel up and down its length. A 9mm one-piece rosewood fingerboard joins in with this neck bearing Jescar FW45100 Medium Jumbo Reissue frets for a comfortable and smooth fretting experience. Aged celluloid trapezoid fret inlays line the rosewood for a classic visual element.

For its voice, this beauty pipes up with the addition of two unpotted Custombucker humbuckers. These Custombuckers breathe with classic Gibson warmth and grit for summoning historic tonality. Holding a special distinction, this Beauty's Custombuckers are fitted with exposed Double Classic White bobbins, though the guitar's pickup covers are included with its case.

Considering this guitar's hardware, onboard, this Les Paul Standard loads in a nylon Reissue nut and Kluson Deluxe tuning machines for stable stringing past the headstock. These pieces are matched with a nickel-plated '59 ABR-1 Historic Reissue notched No-Wire ABR-1 bridge with an aluminum Stop Bar tailpiece, all decked in a Light Aged hardware finish treatment. Totally, the hardware of this "Beauty of the 'Burst" model is precise and sturdy for exceptional playability and maintenance. This Gibson Custom model travels with a Gibson hardshell case.

Succeeding generations of fine Gibson craft and design, this "Beauty of the 'Burst" Les Paul Standard is a striking addition to the Gibson canon.