The Beauty of the Burst

Spec’d by Sweetwater’s team of guitar experts, our Gibson Custom lineup of Dealer Select Les Paul Standards pays direct tribute to the beautiful Les Paul “Bursts” cataloged in Yasuhiko Iwanade’s The Beauty of the ’Burst. This book has long been considered the definitive resource on Gibson’s historic, sunburst-clad Les Pauls from 1958 to 1960, and our limited-edition re-creations capture every nuance of their vintage predecessors. Moreover, we’ve augmented this collection with our own Sweetwater-spec’d set of The Beauty of the ’Burst guitars that feature our Sweetwater-exclusive Sugarbuckers! Read on for the lowdown on why exactly Les Paul Bursts are so legendary, along with a complete breakdown of our entire array of The Beauty of the ’Burst–inspired instruments!

The Best of the Bursts

In the late 1950s, Gibson’s Les Paul Standard models shed their metallic-gold tops for stunning sunburst finishes. It was an admirable attempt to claw the model back from diminishing popularity, ending when the single-cut Les Paul was discontinued in 1960. Only 1,500 or so of these Les Paul Bursts were made between 1958 and 1960. Underappreciated in their time and later championed by countless guitar heroes, Bursts now regularly fetch prices on the vintage market that could buy you a fine home in Sweetwater’s home base of Fort Wayne, Indiana!

These guitars are the focus of Yasuhiko Iwanade’s book The Beauty of the ’Burst, which contains extensive evidence on Bursts as they stand today. Our Gibson Custom Dealer Select Collection of The Beauty of the ’Burst models replicates these glorious finishes with surgical authenticity and precision. In fact, every model references the exact page in Yasuhiko’s book where you’ll find the guitar that inspired your Gibson Custom creation — another great reason to pick up a copy of The Beauty of the ’Burst for your coffee table!

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From bog-standard Bursts to alluring, factory-modified axes, these Les Pauls run the gamut. And while we strive to enjoy every burst equally, it’s hard not to be blown over by models like the Gibson Custom Dealer Select 1960 Les Paul Standard Bigsby from page 138 or the eye-catching, double-white PAFs and tiger-stripe style of the Gibson Custom Dealer Select 1959 Les Paul Standard from page 40. And if you’re after a guitar with an aged-in appearance, then you’re sure to be thrilled by the marvelous Murphy Lab relic’d models, including the Gibson Custom Dealer Select 1960 Les Paul Standard displayed on page 151 and the Gibson Custom Dealer Select 1959 Les Paul Standard from page 116.

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A Sweeter Spin on the Legendary Burst

We’re also proud to offer an extremely limited run of The Beauty of the ’Burst Gibson Custom Les Paul Standards that you can only get at Sweetwater! These guitars mirror their standard Gibson Custom Beauty of the ’Burst models in almost every respect, with one major deviation: our Bursts boast Sweetwater’s exclusive Sugarbucker pickups, designed in a collaboration between Gibson’s Jared Brandon and Sweetwater’s crack team of guitar experts.

By combining Alnico IV magnets, a subtly under-wound construction, and non-vintage-correct wax potting, these honeyed humbuckers provide you with a sweet, sweet twist on time-tested PAF punch. Did we mention that every Sweetwater-exclusive The Beauty of the ‘Burst guitar boasts crisp, double-white bobbins?

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The Legend of the Burst Lives On

Short of shelling out six figures on a vintage example, our Dealer Select collection of The Beauty of the ’Burst Les Paul Standards is as close as you can get to the real thing! So, if you’re interested in securing a Gibson Custom Burst of your own — whether it be our Dealer Select Range of ultra-authentic vintage models or our modified, Sugarbucker-equipped exclusives — simply give your personalized Sweetwater Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700 to take the most legendary Les Paul formula in history into your own hands!
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