The Gibson® Les Paul® Special Tribute is a throwback to the beloved Les Paul Special of the 1950s. His is known as “The Beast”, but he assures everyone that has nothing to do with any kind of devil worship. Slightly higher-end than the Les Paul Jr but still considered a student-level guitar, the Les Paul Special was introduced in 1955 with a pair of P-90 pickups. The two PAF humbucking pickups, electronics, ABR-1 bridge, stop tailpiece, pickguard, and pickup rings appear all original. Anyone who has taken an economics course knows that the scarcity of a product that is in high demand will dramatically increase its value. Anything that Jimmy Page touches is gold to us, though. This is THE 1959 neck profile... not shallow and wide, not gargantuan baseball bat, nice and full. Similarly, there’s something about the sound and feel of a ’59 Gibson Les Paul that just makes them sparkle and shine. I loved it, I feel like I went everywhere with it. In a similar vein, many guitar collectors seem to be willing to pay almost any price to get their calcified fingers on a real, authentic 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard. They regularly fetch six-figure sums, and a … Solid mahogany body, one-piece mahogany neck, and bound rosewood fretboard with 19 original medium frets and inlaid pearl dot position markers. And why shouldn’t they? Once Les Paul's contract had expired later that year,[citation needed] the Les Paul submodels changed with it. Dr. Jones is willing to risk life and limb to attain the mystical treasure. press@jbonamassa.com. The answer is the Les Paul gets its long ability to sustain notes and chords because of the sheer volume of its maple-capped mahogany body. Another point is that people spend that kind of money on all kinds of things: cars, comic books, tickets to see. 1959 Gibson Les Paul Special 3/4 This very rare guitar weighs just 7.30 lbs. high all i have just got myself a 1959 gibson les paul special in yellow and I'm wondering about the insurance price tag .any help would be very nice / I find Instagram and, Be back in 5 mins to never. A notch or two down from the Standard line, Epiphone offers a range of more affordable models, such as the Les Paul Special II and Les Paul SL. If you’ve ever watched the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, you know that the concept of a holy grail is nothing to take lightly. It has been stored in the case for all these years. Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea Mediterranean II, The 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard Is Anything But Standard. This impressive electric guitar is in very good-excellent … And probably some picks. This drives the price way up. If you’ve ever encountered a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, odds are you will know your answer immediately. There were several features that made the 1959 Gibson Les Paul Specialwell, special.. That particular guitar originated several years earlier, and evolved into a treasure favored by Eric Clapton, Michael Bloomfield, and other guitarists everybody knows. Well, the 1959 instruments became noted because they were the first to have all the specifications that have - in retrospect - become the ‘classic’ Les Paul formula: Mahogany Body / Maple Cap, the then-new PAF Humbuckers, the burst finish, and the tune-o-matic tailpiece. This very rare guitar weighs just 7.30 lbs. In 1958, the model received a major change when it was introduced as a doublecut model instead of the traditional singlecut. And unlike a house, you can’t live in a Les Paul. It was introduced in 1955.[1]. In 1961, the Les Paul received a drastic change when it was formed into what we know today as the Gibson SG. Unfortunately, I do not have a few hundred grand to drop on a beautiful, stunning, heavenly guitar. Extremely comfortable fast vintage neck. If you’re looking to breathe the rarified air of an original ’59 Les Paul, there are … So, why all the fuss? I will answer any other questions also. What’s the most beautiful guitar you’ve ever seen or heard? According to Guitar Player magazine, while a 1957 Gibson Les Paul, similar in specs to the ’59, will sell for something in the ballpark of $100,000, the ’59 will go for a half million dollars and have even gone significantly higher. From the first year of the double cut body style, we have this remarkable 1959 Gibson Les Paul Special. DESCRIPTIONFor your consideration a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Special with a Cherry finish. Of course, one could ask, is any guitar really worth that kind of money? An Epiphone Les Paul standard, that was the first guitar I remember being truly special to me. Isbell worked his way through the ’73 Strat that King used on “Sweet Home Alabama” and a parcel of gold-top Les Pauls before spying the 1959 Les Paul nicknamed Red Eye on a stand. And judging by the company he keeps in playing the ’59, we’d say he’s quite right. Everybody wants one, but far fewer people can actually have one. Made in partnership with the Gibson™ Custom Shop, the Limited Edition 1959 Les Paul™ Standard is Epiphone's stunning recreation of the rare vintage classic. And there most certainly are. Here's an early 1959 Gibson Les Paul Special Double Cutaway. But an overall downturn in the Les Paul range’s sales towards the end of 1957 prompted Gibson to take a fresh look at its designs. Brazilian rosewood fingerboard! And while models from 1958 and 1960 are also highly prized, they have not achieved the peak luster that the 1959 model has. Burst to the Future. The model has been reissued several times since and remains in production. In that film, the swashbuckling Professor Jones and his erudite father travel the world in search of the lost Cup of Jesus Christ, the Holy Grail, in a race against time and against the march of the armies of darkness – who happen to be the Nazis. 1977[3]/1978[5]–2013[6] Of the 434 Les Paul Standards that left Parsons St, Kalamazoo in 195… There's no truss rod fillet running through the neck pickup cavity, so it's not a Gibson made neck, the fretboard isn't Brazilian and the inlays are plastic, not celluloid so thats not '50s, and the edge roundover is too sharp for a mid '59 as this would have to be Enjoy the Joe Bonamassa Official Blog? Make sure to look on the right side of the screen for the e-mail sign-up form and sign up so you never miss a new post! 1959 Les Paul Special 3/4 - 19 fret - double cut - toggle switch is in the upper horn. Bernie Marsden is another guitarist who swears by his ’59 Gibson Les Paul, which you can read about here. Download a Free 12 Track Album from Joe Bonamassa! It has made an impact on many different genres of popular music, including rock, pop, country, jazz, blues, heavy metal, soul, and more. All the cool rock stars love them (except maybe Hendrix, but he’s his own beast). In 1958, the model received a major change when it was introduced as a doublecut model instead of the traditional singlecut. Well, to many, including one guitar collector named Joe Bonamassa, the answer is a resounding yes. At 61 years old this guitar is still rockin! Download Press Kit The condition is almost perfect, only used a few times. Make sure to look on the right side of the screen for the e-mail sign-up form and sign up so you never miss a new post! 1959–1961 (as SG Special)[1] An incredible value, to be sure. Awesome player grade Special, lots of repairs bring the price down and give this Special a clean bill of health! Any information would be great. Of course, one could ask, is any guitar really worth that kind of money? and has a nice comfortable nut width of 1 9/16 inches and a three-quarter Gibson scale length of 22 3/4 inches. They sound like a dream and are absolutely beautiful to behold. That included a guitar case. Well, one answer is: it is if there are people willing to pay that much. HSC almost two years ago for a grand. For your consideration a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Special with a Cherry finish. This holds true for the ’59 Les Paul. Gibson is missing out on a solid selling guitar by not making a regular production 1959 Junior style with the right neck shape. As an article by Gibson points out, however. and has a nice comfortable nut width of 1 9/16 inches and a three-quarter Gibson scale length of 22 3/4 inches. Like other Les Paul models, the Les Paul Special underwent a total transformation at the end of the '50s. The Gibson Les Paul in general has had an incredible reach and influence in music. (for details, see #Timeline), The Gibson Les Paul Special is a variation of the Gibson Les Paul guitar. This holds true for the ’59 Les Paul. Log in as an administrator and view the Instagram Feed settings page for more details. One of the most iconic Gibson guitar players, and an associated iconic 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, is Jimmy Page and his #1 guitar, Number One. Extremely comfortable fast vintage neck. Isbell wasn’t sure it was the real one. Rather, the name stuck around because he claimed that the guitar played like a beast. This very rare guitar weighs just 7.30 lbs. The bound Brazilian rosewood fretboard features trapezoid inlays. New posts will not be retrieved. 2015[6]–present King and Gibson had collaborated on a Collector’s Choice edition, and he had multiple versions. You can check out Led-Zeppelin.org for further information on that specimen. He compares the desirability of the instrument to that of an aged fine wine of a particular vintage. I played … Another point is that people spend that kind of money on all kinds of things: cars, comic books, tickets to see Hamilton. Slash from Guns N’ Roses was a longtime owner of Aerosmith gunslinger Joe Perry’s 59 Les Paul Standard, for example. According to Tony Bacon’s book 50 Years of the Gibson Les Paul: Half a Century of the Greatest Electric Guitars, only about 650 of the guitars were produced. [7][failed verification], 1956 Les Paul Special Singlecut in TV Yellow(reissued by Epiphone, modified to stopbar-bridge), 1960 SG Special (renamed from "Les Paul Special Doublecut" in 1959)[1], Gibson Les Paul Special Singlecut in Spearmint (1998), The list of Special models manufactured since 1955. One of the most famous examples of a star’s use of the ’59 Les Paul, and the one that probably did the most to popularize the instrument in the mid 1960’s, was Keith Richards, who toured the United States with it in 1964. So what else is going on here? I’m taking a break, This error message is only visible to WordPress admins, this guitar didn’t gain its tremendous value over night, It has made an impact on many different genres of popular music. Is it really that different from a 1958 or a 1960 model? customerservice@jbonamassa.com, FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES: [shopify embed_type=”collection” shop=”jbonamassa.myshopify.com” product_handle=”collectibles-mini-guitar”], FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE: But if I did, well, you know how I would spend it. Joe has actually had the opportunity to play The Beast and has spoken about it at length in this video interview: According to guitarist Richie Sambora, it’s a bit hard to explain why the ’59 Gibson Les Paul Standard hit so big. These basic guitars are still excellent and reliable instruments and are a great choice for anyone looking to test the electric guitar waters for the first time. But rarity alone cannot account for the staggering value of the ’59 Les Paul. Bernie Marsden is another guitarist who swears by his ’59 Gibson Les Paul, Unfortunately, I do not have a few hundred grand to drop on a beautiful, stunning, heavenly guitar. Something about it just tastes right. 1972[2]/1974[3][4]/1976[5] If you know a little bit about fancy guitars or about Joe Bonamassa, you probably already know that the 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard is the most coveted guitar on the marketplace. Vintage Gibson 1959 thru 1965 Les Paul Custom "Poker Chip " This is the correct guard for your vintage late 50's or early 60's Les Paul Custom or SG Standard or SG Special Very nice patina from decades of use, printing is still vibrant. 1959 Gibson Les Paul Special 3/4. In an attempt to breath new life into the cheaper end of their Les Paul family, in late 1958 Gibson changed the deisign of the Junior to a Double Cut and introduced a cherry finish which increased sales immediately. Technically this early-1961 is an SG Special, but for all practical purposes it’s still a Les Paul. Photo: Billy Mitchell, courtesy Gruhn Guitars. Solid mahogany body, one-piece mahogany neck, and bound rosewood fretboard with 19 original jumbo frets and inlaid pearl dot position markers. Over the years, Gibson’s various reissue models have encouraged guitar players to think of particular features as specific to certain model years, but the reality is that 1 January 1958 didn’t see Gibson throw away its gold paint and immediately start applying cherry sunbursts. Not hacked Ladies gentleman. [6][verification needed], Media related to Gibson Les Paul Special at Wikimedia Commons, (renamed from "Les Paul Special Doublecut" in 1959), Learn how and when to remove this template message, http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-Custom/1960-Les-Paul-Special-Double-VOS.aspx, Les Paul Junior II/Les Paul Special Single Cutaway Reissue (LPJ2), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gibson_Les_Paul_Special&oldid=1000865976, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from March 2016, Articles lacking in-text citations from May 2009, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2015, Articles with failed verification from May 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 1955–1958:  Les Paul Special (Single Cutaway), 1989–1998:  Les Paul Junior II (Les Paul Special Single Cutaway Reissue), 2019-present: Les Paul Special (reissue with wrap tailpiece; vintage cherry and TV yellow finishes), 1999–2003:  Les Paul Junior Special (LPJS), 2001–2005:  Les Paul Junior Special Plus (LPJ+), 2001–2002:  Les Paul Junior Special With Humbucker (LPJSH), 2003–2006:  Les Paul Junior Special Faded With Humbucker (LPJSH), 2006–2008:  Les Paul Special New Century (LPJSHM), 2009–2011:  Les Paul Junior Special Robot (RBLPJ), 2011:    Les Paul Special Humbucker (Model LPJSHO), 2012–2013:  Les Paul Junior Special Humbucker (Model LSH), 2012–2013:  Les Paul Junior Special P-90 (Model LS90), 2014:  Les Paul Special AAA Flame Top Semi-Hollowbody (Model LPSPGCMCH1), 1959:    Les Paul Special 3/4 (Double Cutaway), 1959–1961:  SG Special (Les Paul Special Double Cutaway), 1993–1995:  Les Paul Special Double Cutaway (2nd Reissue), 2015:    Les Paul Special Double Cutaway 2015, 1994:    Centennial Les Paul Special Double Cutaway, 2003–2008:  Les Paul Faded Double Cutaway (LPFD), This page was last edited on 17 January 2021, at 03:14. Like most of Gibson's other budget models, the Les Paul Special was produced in a TV Yellow finish, which was made by Gibson as a finish that would look good on black and white television. Well, one answer is: it is if there are people willing to pay that much. A 1959 Gibson Les Paul might be worth $700,000 but what about other classic electric guitars? The Gibson Les Paul in general has had an incredible reach and influence in music. Like most of Gibson's other budget models, the Les Paul Special was produced in a TV Yellow finish, which was made by Gibson as a finish that would look good on black and white television. They’re not exactly easy to find though, hence why they get shared around. One of Only Twelve Les Paul Special 3/4's Made in 1959 . As an article by Gibson points out, however, this guitar didn’t gain its tremendous value over night. Made in partnership with the Gibson Custom Shop, the Limited Edition 1959 Les Paul Standard is Epiphone's stunning recreation of the rare vintage classic. This just goes to show how highly prized these guitars are. Today, the guitars are just a little bit pricier. I tried attaching a … If you know a little bit about fancy guitars or about Joe Bonamassa, you probably already know that the 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard is the most coveted guitar on the marketplace. I bought my 2010 Les Paul Special DC (TV Yellow) w/ orig. Or perhaps, in light of the topic at hand, we should say its “Goldtop”. A truly special guitar, this 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard has a nice looking bound maple top with a washed out sunburst finish — the red is pretty much gone. You can. 1959 Gibson Les Paul Special! Download. and has a nice comfortable nut width of 1 9/16 inches and a three-quarter Gibson scale length of 22 3/4 inches. Sass Jordan – Canadian Powerhouse Rocker. And these models are pretty rare. Awesome player grade Special, lots of repairs bring the price down and give this Special a clean bill of health! And none of those things let you rip the most badass sounding “Stairway to Heaven” solo you’ve ever heard. Gibson enjoyed its golden era between 1958 and 1960, and the 1959 Les Paul Standards are some of the most highly sought-after guitars in the world. Keith was the first British star to really use the sunburst and it lead to a craze, leading to much of its use during the British Blues boom. One of the most iconic Gibson guitar players, and an associated iconic 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, is Jimmy Page and his #1 guitar, Number One. It is known in guitar circles as the Holy Grail of Guitars. But as special as any Gibson Les Paul is, the ’59 Les Paul Standard is probably even a little bit more special. And there most certainly are. For most vintage-guitar collectors, sunburst Gibson Les Pauls from 1958-60 are the Holy Grails. Error: API requests are being delayed for this account. Mahogany is also a top quality wood that provides the most ‘resonance.’ The ‘set neck’ is also known for promoting more sustain, allowing the sound to resonate more effectively throughout the guitar. 1959 Gibson Les Paul Special 3/4. At 61 years old this guitar is still rockin! ... and probably a similar number of the double-cutaway guitars based on the 1959 version. And although Eric Clapton actually used a 1960 model on the Beano album, his work in the 1960’s is very much associated with the ’59 Les Paul. Anyone who has taken an economics course knows that the scarcity of a product that is in high demand will dramatically increase its value. Today, the guitars are just a little bit pricier. The famous Peter Green / Gary Moore ’59 Les Paul. And no mass produced guitar out there is more coveted, or worth more money than this particular Gibson. The Les Paul Special sold relatively well during 1955, 1956 and 1957, with figures showing an increase from 373 to 1,345 to 1,452 units shipped respectively. Brazilian rosewood fingerboard! The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold by the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952. 1959 Gibson Les Paul Special! In 1968, when the contract was renewed, the original models were rebooted, and Gibson and Gibson Custom Shop now offer a total of four Les Paul special models: two single cut and two double cut. According to Tony Bacon’s book 50 Years of the Gibson Les Paul: Half a Century of the Greatest Electric Guitars, only about 650 of the guitars were produced. Enjoy the Joe Bonamassa Official Blog? When they were first released, the asking price for a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard was under $300. But if I did, well, you know how I would spend it. Like, so high that it costs more than many houses. Electric Guitar History.