• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

What player made 'Bursts popular?

Ed Driscoll

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
4,691
I don't know anyone who wanted a 'Burst because Keith played one, and I suspect he got one because he could.

Reading through stacks of '70s and '80s Guitar Players, Guitar Worlds, and their spin-off books, I don't recall ever reading Keith credited for igniting the popularity of the 'Burst in the 1960s. It was always Clapton and Bloomfield. I think Keith is being retconned into Les Paul history because his popularity soared in the late '80s with his solo albums and the Stones reuniting and constantly touring since.
 

chasenblues

New member
Joined
Jul 3, 2006
Messages
1,228
Bloomfield, on the other hand, had played with Dylan, so anything he touched was instantly sought after, as Gruhn details. The impact of the Dylan association went far beyond the American Midwest.

Then people should've been reaching for a Tele or a Duosonic..:biggrin:

Bloomfield-Dylan-Don-Hunstein.gif

dylannewport.gif

c0943e2d514c8cd06fee9956bb045bb3--mike-bloomfield-bob-dylan.jpg
 

Xpensive Wino

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 3, 2012
Messages
6,079
Then people should've been reaching for a Tele or a Duosonic..:biggrin:

They did reach for Teles.

Did you hear what George Gruhn said in the OP?

When Mike picked up a Goldtop, the market followed. Same thing happened when he got his hands on Erlewine's 'Burst.




I saw the same thing happen when Clapton switched to Strats. Overnight the price of old Strats started to rise.

I suppose 'Bursts didn't fall out of favour because so many others were playing them by then.
 

thejaf

Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2006
Messages
527
Page, KISS and Slash didn't play 'Bursts when they entered the public eye, did they?


The 10-year old me didn't know or care about such differences at the time. It was a sunburst Les Paul, and I had to have one some day. Those early images defined my concept of a "lead guitar player."
 

Xpensive Wino

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 3, 2012
Messages
6,079
The 10-year old me didn't know or care about such differences at the time. It was a sunburst Les Paul, and I had to have one some day. Those early images defined my concept of a "lead guitar player."


OK, but it had nothing to do with 58-60 Sunburst Les Pauls, because none of those players used them early in their careers.
 

thejaf

Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2006
Messages
527
OK, but it had nothing to do with 58-60 Sunburst Les Pauls, because none of those players used them early in their careers.

True, but they made the Les Paul model popular.

Thus the question should be refiend to: "Who was the first nationally recognized guitar player to begin their career playing a 1958-1960 Sunburst Les Paul." :jim


If that's the question, then my vote would be Andy Tielman, at least recongizable based on the period (late 1950s).
 

Xpensive Wino

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 3, 2012
Messages
6,079
True, but they made the Les Paul model popular.

Thus the question should be refiend to: "Who was the first nationally recognized guitar player to begin their career playing a 1958-1960 Sunburst Les Paul." :jim


If that's the question, then my vote would be Andy Tielman




giphy.gif
 

ourmaninthenorth

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 28, 2009
Messages
7,119
13382093_f520.jpg


Trying to stick to the original question - which I think is a very clever one, and taking a step back somewhat from my own Anglo-centric position, I'll openly state that I've never factored Mr Bloomfield into my own thinking on this subject. It remains a fact that my Les Paul heroes are largely Brit's, but that's an irrelevance in terms of XW's posed question. I too have answered a question...Greeny, just not the one asked.

I have a blindside knowledge gap concerning Mr Bloomfield that even a little cursory reading around the subject shows to be huge. I simply don't know his work enough to make any meaningful contribution. I however believe his importance to this question is irrefutable, I need to get my eyes and ears busy for a while. This could be revelatory for me on a personal level.

"We" still saved the Les Paul's though, regardless......:laugh2::laugh2: accompanied to Elgar's Nimrod played on the spoons....
 

Patrick Ginnaty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2001
Messages
1,498
Bluesbreakers w/Clapton was the advent of the modern Les Paul sound. The sound that made players look for old Les Pauls.
 

Xpensive Wino

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 3, 2012
Messages
6,079
Bluesbreakers w/Clapton was the advent of the modern Les Paul sound. The sound that made players look for old Les Pauls.

Perhaps it was for many.

Yet it's a fact that Eric himself abandoned the sunburst Les Paul Standard in favour of the Les Paul Custom, 335 and SG after forming The Cream.

I didn't follow his lead at the time.

Did you?
 

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
Page's popularity was enormous. Zep dominated fanzines, music mags, record sales and radio. I was seriously into guitar and was playing gigs by 70. The Burst was known and used by some hipper dudes, but I saw the whole Burst thing just explode with LZ.
 

Xpensive Wino

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 3, 2012
Messages
6,079
Page's popularity was enormous. Zep dominated fanzines, music mags, record sales and radio. I was seriously into guitar and was playing gigs by 70. The Burst was known and used by some hipper dudes, but I saw the whole Burst thing just explode with LZ.

True, but when I saw Pagey the first time he was playing a Tele. It didn't occur to me to copy him.

This gent is responsible for my getting "an old Les Paul".


5903510_orig.jpg



That's what he said I should get when I asked, so I did.

He didn't specify which model, (he played a Goldtop at the time) so I, being an impatient sort, quickly acquired a '55 Special with the finish removed (and later a mint single cut Junior whose year of manufacture I never bothered with).

By the time I saw him again with a 'Burst, I was all set with old Les Pauls and unwilling to seek out a 'Burst myself. :laugh2:

getty638images-73988045jpg.webp



They were just used guitars, then.
 

deytookerjaabs

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 6, 2016
Messages
1,592
Page's popularity was enormous. Zep dominated fanzines, music mags, record sales and radio. I was seriously into guitar and was playing gigs by 70. The Burst was known and used by some hipper dudes, but I saw the whole Burst thing just explode with LZ.


I still think this is still it too, for many. Coming up in the 90's Page was really the only guy I knew of in terms of the "1959 Les Paul." I was aware of Slash but figured he played any random Les Paul model plus I was a little late to the GnR crazy, lol. But, I'd transcribed/learned plenty of Clapton & ZZTop stuff without ever knowing the 'burst connection there. I knew of Duane Allman but didn't know which Les Paul's he played, didn't know who Peter Green or Paul Kossoff or many of the other guys connected with them were. In fact, I recall thinking that Spinal Tap scene was just mocking Page, I didn't realize there was a whole culture like that at the time!


Let's put it this way, I was so late to the 'burst party the first time I heard the Beano album my initial thought was: "dude, this is the Otis Rush arrangement note for note...." :laugh2:
 

jbzoso2002

New member
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
1,089
Page's popularity was enormous. Zep dominated fanzines, music mags, record sales and radio. I was seriously into guitar and was playing gigs by 70. The Burst was known and used by some hipper dudes, but I saw the whole Burst thing just explode with LZ.


Damn right Al!!:dude:
 

mdubya

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
1,020
The 3 Yardbird alumni (Clapton, Beck, Page) and Greeny were who I heard about playing bursts when I was growing up in the 70's. In those days "'59 Les Paul" was all that was talked about with great reverence. It was ingrained mythology.

Funny thing, as a kid, I thought Wine Red was the iconic Les Paul finish. :hee
 

Ed Driscoll

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
4,691
Perhaps it was for many.

Yet it's a fact that Eric himself abandoned the sunburst Les Paul Standard in favour of the Les Paul Custom, 335 and SG after forming The Cream.

I didn't follow his lead at the time.

Did you?

Well, sort of -- all those photos of Clapton, Keith Richards, Page, Frampton, and Fripp playing Black Beauty Customs made it seem like a viable alternative to the three-piece topped Standards in the 'Burst lacuna of the early '80s, after the Heritage-80 run and prior to the pre-Historics.
 
Last edited:

Xpensive Wino

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 3, 2012
Messages
6,079
Well, sort of -- all those photos of Clapton, Keith Richards, Page, Frampton, and Fripp playing Black Beauty Customs made it seem like a viable alternative to the three-piece topped Standards in 'Burst lacuna of the early '80s, after the Heritage-80 run and prior to the pre-Historics.

I know what you mean. I transitioned mid-70's to a stripped '68 Custom - not because of anyone else that played one, BTW - and played it until I became a Strat addict a few years later. What fun I had with those T-tops. :spabout
 

Texas Blues

Active member
Joined
Apr 13, 2008
Messages
4,641
Gibson Les Paul fits my hand.

I have small hands.

Even the 50's baseball bats feel good to me

As do the slim 60's.

And they sound like hot redhead crazy women.

Moaning at midnight.

Influential real bursts have nothing to do with it.

When I was a kid in Austin TX in the 70's and first heard "La Grange" on the radio...

I didn't care what the guitar was.

It was about the music.
 
Top