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Collector's Choice #26 "Whitford 'Burst"

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
I have a CC#26 Whitford low serial number (<10). I’ve never played or owned a vintage 1959 Les Paul and this is about as close as you can get . I paid <$5k and it’s mint. I have a A True Historic R8 which I like just as much. There are some guys here who own the vintage guitars and play them all the time. For most guys, you will spend you entire life and never be ina same room with one. I like both a lot better then the Les Paul Standard and Traditional.

Bottom line....good idea by Gibson. I was after the Beast but I’m waiting for a good deal. I’m happy.

Funny, I see you are already moaning about the tone, so not so happy, huh?
People with zero experience with real Bursts always seem to build up an unrealistic expectation of the tone.

A CC doesn't get you any closer to a Burst than any other Historic. They replicate the look and vibe of an existing Burst in a limited issue. Big ZZ Top fan? A Pearly Gates might float yer boat, right? Your buying a look. I completely agree with you that the Custom Shop vintage reissues capture that magic and I prefer them in general over the USA models.

Now a real Burst is a bright guitar. Listen to any of the early Burst users and you'll hear it. Also we all used our vol and tone controls then and savvy players still do. I always have my bridge pickups tone pot dialed down to fatten tone and have the volume up about 3/4. I then adjust for the song. More accurate vintage tone is bright. Plus the individual effects of timber and build further filter the tone. Pickups in my experience do not have the dramatic or transformative effect within the same type. PAF types are more similar than not, but the subtle changes can be profound when fine tuning your tone.

You might not have a 50's guitar, brother, but you wouldn't believe how close the feel and tone is between them. You ain't missing out, your livin' large!!
 
Last edited:

iknowpeanuts

New member
Joined
Feb 6, 2018
Messages
35
Funny, I see you are already moaning about the tone, so not so happy, huh?
People with zero experience with real Bursts always seem to build up an unrealistic expectation of the tone.

A CC doesn't get you any closer to a Burst than any other Historic. They replicate the look and vibe of an existing Burst in a limited issue. Big ZZ Top fan? A Pearly Gates might float yer boat, right? Your buying a look. I completely agree with you that the Custom Shop vintage reissues capture that magic and I prefer them in general over the USA models.

Now a real Burst is a bright guitar. Listen to any of the early Burst users and you'll hear it. Also we all used our vol and tone controls then and savvy players still do. I always have my bridge pickups tone pot dialed down to fatten tone and have the volume up about 3/4. I then adjust for the song. More accurate vintage tone is bright. Plus the individual effects of timber and build.

You might not have a 50's guitar, brother, but you wouldn't believe how close the feel and tone is between them. You ain't missing out, your livin' large!!

Though i've never tried a real burst, what you said really resonated with me: I agree that the bright sound is where the mojo is – or at least that's what i thought it should be. To me it's more dynamic and with the right touch and settings and you can have it both ways – dark or bright.

It was elusive to me for the longest time as I had been trying to find one in the regular Gibson USA range. Nada. A couple came close but I didn't bond with them for one reason or another. I never looked at the custom shop because i thought then the guitars were way overpriced.

Finally I got fed up (pretty sure shop assistants were fed up with me too) and started looking at the custom range and before long i found a couple that hit the spot. There were "duds" (one man's meat is another's poison of course) along the way but at least I felt that I had a realistic chance of finding one I liked. I missed out on a couple – a redeye by a matter of hours – but not long after I managed to get hold of a sandy. Some might say I overpaid but as far as I was concerned I found a LP where I liked the look, the sound, and the feel of. I could not fault it at all (well the colours and the relic work could be better but what the hell right... haha)

At least i didnt have to go through that painful process of buying and selling cos I cant seem to make myself like it no matter what I try. now my search is over and unless I find something better "this one's not going anywhere"...
 

El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
edit: initially I thought this referred to the eBay sale where Brad sold off 30 guitars and 50 amps. However, there was apparently a prior firesale where all the hit-recording gear were sold off when the band went broke. I remember buying mine in 2009-2011 from Stu at Fat Sounds Guitars. The guy who sold Stu the LP couldn't confirm if it was recorded on any album. All we know is that Brad picked out this les paul (8-9922) from a line of LPs at the Gibson factory. The guitar was one of those sold off in the eBay auction of 2008.

I havent been looking at Les Pauls for a few years ago and didnt realise there was a Collectors Choice released based on one of Brad's guitars as well.
Looking at this one I have and the CC, it sure seems Brad likes his LPs a certain colour.

p2950540003-6.jpg

p2950540004-6.jpg

Wow, stunningly beautiful and I am in love with envy and Lust !!!!!!!!!!!
 
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