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1959 Gibson Les Paul Values?


Joeballz

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I don't think there is a hard range. They come up so infrequently that each one is an isolated auction. They are easy pulling $250,000+ in great condition these days. Poor condition models never seem to come up for sale, so I don't know if anyone could nail down a price.

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which 1959 LP?

Standard?

Custom?

Junior?

Special?

 

 

Well, the word "Standard" wasn't officially used until the '70's.

 

So it was ...

... the Les Paul model

... the Les Paul Custom model

... the Les Paul Jr. model

... the Les Paul Special model

 

But that is a fair question since he didn't use the magical "burst" word.

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Well, the word "Standard" wasn't
officially
used until the '70's.


So it was ...

... the Les Paul model

... the Les Paul Custom model

... the Les Paul Jr. model

... the Les Paul Special model


But that is a fair question since he didn't use the magical "burst" word.

 

 

I think "Standard" replaced "Model" in '58, but I could easily be wrong. Clean '59 Standards are easily six figures these days, but a lot depends on amount of curl, phase of moon, how the fade is, etc. Of course, this is a screwy economy to figure out any price on true vintage guitars, much less something like this. In any event, it's the price of a house, or several houses in Detroit.

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All I know is that they are HUGELY overpriced for what you are actually getting. Or, to put it another way, the price reflects more how rare they are, and the stupid kudos that goes with them, than the actual quality.

 

Now, rather than spend 200K on a 1959 Les Paul, I would much rather spend 6k on a 1955 or 1956 Les Paul Junior. You'd probably get a much better guitar too. But then I am very biased. And of course, people don't buy 1959 Les Pauls to play them, I would imagine.

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I think "Standard" replaced "Model" in '58, but I could easily be wrong. Clean '59 Standards are easily six figures these days, but a lot depends on amount of curl, phase of moon, how the fade is, etc. Of course, this is a screwy economy to figure out any price on true vintage guitars, much less something like this. In any event, it's the price of a house, or several houses in Detroit.

 

 

"Standard" was first used officially by Gibson when they reintroduced the model in 1976 (which is also when it first went on the truss rod cover). Before that it was just a nickname.

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All I know is that they are HUGELY overpriced for what you are actually getting. Or, to put it another way, the price reflects more how rare they are, and the stupid kudos that goes with them, than the actual quality.


Now, rather than spend 200K on a 1959 Les Paul, I would much rather spend 6k on a 1955 or 1956 Les Paul Junior. You'd probably get a much better guitar too. But then I am very biased. And of course, people don't buy 1959 Les Pauls to play them, I would imagine.

 

:facepalm:

 

failzorz on the highest of levels.

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Because it is not just a myth, it is truly a "special" instrument.

 

 

But so are 1955 Les Paul Juniors. And so are 1950s strats, and 1952 teles. My point is that 1959 Les Pauls seem to be disproportionately sought after, compared to other vintage instruments, which may be as special, or even more special (in terms of how good they are as instruments), especially since there are probably a few more of them (say Juniors) about and the chance of getting a good one is that much higher.

 

But as I (perhaps flippantly) suggested, I doubt the people with the dough to buy 1959 Les Pauls are actually interested in playing them.

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"Standard" was first used officially by Gibson when they reintroduced the model in 1976 (which is also when it first went on the truss rod cover). Before that it was just a nickname.

 

 

Kap'n is right, "Standard" was first used in '58. that's according to all Gibson books i have and all Gibson history i'ved read. but it was in '76 that Gibson started putting "Standard" on the truss rod cover.

 

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson5.html

 

 

 

 

.

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But so are 1955 Les Paul Juniors. And so are 1950s strats, and 1952 teles. My point is that 1959 Les Pauls seem to be disproportionately sought after, compared to other vintage instruments, which may be as special, or even more special (in terms of how good they are as instruments), especially since there are probably a few more of them (say Juniors) about and the chance of getting a good one is that much higher.


But as I (perhaps flippantly) suggested, I doubt the people with the dough to buy 1959 Les Pauls are actually interested in playing them.

 

 

At this point, save for a special few players, yeah it is collectors who are ending up with them. I understand what you are saying though, and agree with you in many ways.

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But so are 1955 Les Paul Juniors. And so are 1950s strats, and 1952 teles. My point is that 1959 Les Pauls seem to be disproportionately sought after, compared to other vintage instruments, which may be as special, or even more special (in terms of how good they are as instruments), especially since there are probably a few more of them (say Juniors) about and the chance of getting a good one is that much higher.


But as I (perhaps flippantly) suggested, I doubt the people with the dough to buy 1959 Les Pauls are actually interested in playing them.

 

 

1955 les paul juniors are a dime a dozen.

 

1959 Les Pauls are 50% musical instrument and 50% art.

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