Origins of the Gibson Sunburst Electric Guitar
Les Paul Guitars September 21st, 2009
In July 1958 Les Paul the late great guitarist and inventor, created a classic solid body guitar that he endorsed with his name and the Gibson was produced. The original and earliest Les Paul Standard Sunburst electric guitar had a bright ‘Cherry Red’ finish. The earliest known versions of the guitar are documented at the Gibson offices as having serial numbers 8 3087 and 8 3096.
The first ‘Cherry Red’ Sunburst Gibbons were produced by spraying an ultra-violet sensitive red and yellow dye onto the guitar body. With exposure to excessive light, the red color would usually fade and create an ‘unburst’ of yellow-honey, opposed to the desired red-yellow Sunburst.
Ultimately, the effect of fading is a result of how much UV exposure the guitar finish had received over the years. The models of 1958 have remained a bright red-yellow original Sunburst color opposed to the models created throughout 1959 to 1960 that have faded greatly by comparison into more of a generic red and orange color.
In 1959 the Les Paul Standard Sunburst electric guitar also became available in a ‘Tobacco’ finish for the first time. This was not as commercially popular as the original ‘Cherry Red’ finish.
Between 1958 to 1960, Gibson made a relatively small number of Les Paul Standard Sunburst electric guitars, approximately 1700. This was due to the type of music being produced at the time that mainly used the brighter sounding Fender Straocaster and Telecasters.
In the mid to late 1960s the Les Paul Standard Sunburst electric guitar became more popular with the emergence of rock and blues guitar legends like Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Paul McCartney and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Gibson continues to produce a wide range of sunburst Les Paul Gibbsons today that are available in a variety of Sunburst colors two of which are called Heritage ‘Cherry Red’ and ‘Dark Tobacco’ burst.
Karen Strutt is an Internet Marketer, Brand Consultant and Designer, who’s passions include helping people, image and identity and her collection of Sunburst Electric Guitars.
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Author: Karen Strutt
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