What Is a Burst Guitar?

What Makes a Burst a Burst?

The term Burst applies specifically to Les Paul Standards made at Gibson's Kalamazoo, Michigan factory between 1958 and 1960. Three things define an authentic Burst:

• ›A book-matched flame maple top (degree of figuring varies greatly — heavily flamed tops command enormous premiums)
• ›The factory-applied cherry sunburst finish (fading to yellow/amber at the center as the nitrocellulose lacquer ages — this 'fade' is part of the appeal)
• ›Original PAF (Patent Applied For) humbucking pickups — the hand-wound pickups that define the Burst's legendary tone

How Many Bursts Were Made?

Gibson produced approximately 1,700 Les Paul Standards with the sunburst finish between 1958 and 1960. The production breakdown is roughly:

1958: approximately 434 guitars 1959: approximately 643 guitars 1960: approximately 635 guitars

Of these, many have been lost, damaged, refinished, or modified. The number of original, unmodified, original-finish Bursts in existence is estimated to be 800–1,200. The subset with heavy, dramatic flame figuring is much smaller — perhaps 150–200 examples.

The Three Burst Years: Differences and Values

The three Burst years are not equal in the collector market. 1959 is generally considered the pinnacle year:

1958 Burst: The first year of the sunburst finish, with a rounder neck profile and DeArmond-style PAF pickups early in the year. Late-1958 examples transitioned to the standard PAF configuration. Current market: $200,000–$600,000 depending on condition and figuring.

1959 Burst: The most iconic year. Features the medium-depth neck profile (often called the "D" shape), which is considered ideal. The heaviest, most dramatic flame tops appear in 1959. Current market: $300,000–$1,200,000+ for exceptional examples.

1960 Burst: Features a thinner, narrower neck profile that some players prefer and others consider less desirable than 1959. Still extraordinarily valuable. Current market: $200,000–$700,000.

Famous Burst Players

The guitar's reputation was built by a generation of blues and rock guitarists who discovered these instruments secondhand in the late 1960s:

Eric Clapton played a 1960 Burst (nicknamed 'Beano' for the comic book cover of an album where it appears) on the John Mayall's Bluesbreakers album, considered one of the most influential guitar tones ever recorded. Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac) used a 1959 Burst with the bridge pickup installed out of phase, creating his distinctive hollow tone. Mike Bloomfield (Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Bob Dylan sessions) used a 1959 Burst. Jimmy Page used several Bursts throughout Led Zeppelin's career.

Why Were Bursts Discontinued?

Gibson discontinued the Les Paul model entirely after 1960 due to poor sales. In 1961, Gibson renamed the model the SG (Solid Guitar) and gave it a completely different double-cutaway body design — ironic, given that the original Les Paul would later become the most valuable production guitar ever made. The original Les Paul design wasn't reintroduced until 1968.