Gibson is celebrating the coveted ’59 burst Les Paul’s 60th anniversary with a beautiful reissue

This year, Gibson has been busy showing us that its new mission is to please customers. After years of demand, the company has begun to focus on the legendary instruments of its past, instead of Gibson’s vision for the future of guitar. With new people at the helm of Gibson, there has definitely been a shift of focus within the company. This has become evident with their new product line.

If you weren’t satisfied with the ’50s and ’60s spec Les Pauls announced earlier this year, Gibson has announced a new 60th Anniversary 1959 Les Paul Standard from the Custom Shop. Many of you will recognize this as a reissue of the coveted ‘Burst’. The 59 Les Paul is favored by greats such as Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, Jeff Beck, Slash, Joe Bonamassa, and many more. It’s no secret that many guitarists dream of being able to own a ’59, and Gibson is promising their best copy to date. Every detail has been meticulously analyzed and reproduced. Chemically reproduced plastics ensure that the plastic components look and feel just like the original. Precision laser scanning of the top carve guarantees a body shape proportioned exactly like 1959’s Les Paul Standard. Gibson has even created 10 new finish colors, allowing precise control over the color and gradient of the burst.

The research team and luthiers did not stop at aesthetics and feel when trying to recreate the ’59 Les Paul Standard experience. With a single piece of mahogany accounting for the body, another for the neck, and 2 pieces of highly figured maple on top, the anatomy of the guitar stays true to its historic counterpart. There is a lot of myth, history, and lore surrounding the 1959 Standards, but the real magic of these coveted instruments comes in the form of sound. To recreate this, Gibson has opted for CustomBucker pickups powered by Alnico Three magnets. Not only does the 60th Anniversary 1595 Les Paul Standard look and feel just like the real deal, the sounds it produces are nearly indistinguishable from the original.

Of course, the 60th Anniversary Gibson Les Paul won’t come cheap — but if you want it, you can get it from Guitar Center for $6,499.