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Unregistered burst up for auction

sws1

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Dec 4, 2001
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2,846
Westport Auctions
Looks like 9 0346. Maybe 9 0846

6_1.jpg



https://auctions.westportauction.com/lots/view/1-2YY2ID/1959-gibson-les-paul-standard-burst

They have a custom up for auction too

EDIT: Added pic
 
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Rich R

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4,999
Plain as plain can be, but looks like it's all there. They can't all be flame monsters. I was impressed by the completeness of the lot description. They usually are completely worthless. Naturally, a trip to the showroom would be paramount. Still, it's nice to see these starting to come out of the woodwork a bit more, and it could be a chance for someone to pick up a Burst for a decent price. Thanks for posting!
 

JBLPplayer

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Sep 29, 2010
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1,136
Plain as plain can be, but looks like it's all there. They can't all be flame monsters. I was impressed by the completeness of the lot description. They usually are completely worthless. Naturally, a trip to the showroom would be paramount. Still, it's nice to see these starting to come out of the woodwork a bit more, and it could be a chance for someone to pick up a Burst for a decent price. Thanks for posting!

It looks alot like "Buddy" 9 0378.... :salude
 

au_rick

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Mar 18, 2010
Messages
871
I wonder if there's a story behind the rotated neck pickup ?
 

67blackcherry

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205
Question for those not in the know (me)...

All things being equal - condition, tone, playability - what's the price difference between:

Plain top (as pictured)
Light/moderate flame
Monster Flame

Not that I can afford any of the three, I've just always been curious - thanks.
 

sws1

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2001
Messages
2,846
Question for those not in the know (me)...

All things being equal - condition, tone, playability - what's the price difference between:

Plain top (as pictured)
Light/moderate flame
Monster Flame

Not that I can afford any of the three, I've just always been curious - thanks.

A monster top could be 2-3x the price of a plain top. Maybe more. I've heard rumors of 4-5x this one's target price.
 

OKGuitar

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Joined
Jan 20, 2011
Messages
938
There is a photo on the auction site of the back of the guitar that looks like there is a small piece of mahogany grafted to the body making it two piece. Looks a little suspect. Anybody got an opinion? (dumb question). Sorry about the small photo. You can see it big using the link in the OP.


burst.jpg
 

deytookerjaabs

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Nov 6, 2016
Messages
1,592
There is a photo on the auction site of the back of the guitar that looks like there is a small piece of mahogany grafted to the body making it two piece. Looks a little suspect. Anybody got an opinion? (dumb question). Sorry about the small photo. You can see it big using the link in the OP.


View attachment 11607

:hmm

Kind of looks like the grain matches up pretty well on my screen, you sure it wasn't just a sticker?
 

sws1

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Joined
Dec 4, 2001
Messages
2,846
:hmm

Kind of looks like the grain matches up pretty well on my screen, you sure it wasn't just a sticker?

I'd like to think that, since they are specifically showing that spot in a photo, they aren't ignoring a wood graft, and it likely is some weird sticker.


I was in CT on Tuesday and tried to see the guitar, but they weren't ready for guests until next week. Also would have needed some sort of proof of buyer legitimacy to see it. Not sure what that would have entailed.
 

edwina

Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Messages
96
Plain as plain can be, but looks like it's all there. They can't all be flame monsters. I was impressed by the completeness of the lot description. They usually are completely worthless. Naturally, a trip to the showroom would be paramount. Still, it's nice to see these starting to come out of the woodwork a bit more, and it could be a chance for someone to pick up a Burst for a decent price. Thanks for posting!

I have an appointment to check out the guitar on Tuesday. 9 0346.

Due to the current health crisis, they have limited the in person pre show inspection to pre qualified buyers.

I will try and report back on Tuesday on the burst, which has been getting a lot of interest. It looks ok to me, and the owner of the auction house, Travis, has some knowledge on guitars and seemed like a righteous guy after talking to him on the phone.
 
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Rich R

In the Zone/Backstage Pass
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Jun 4, 2002
Messages
4,999
A monster top could be 2-3x the price of a plain top. Maybe more. I've heard rumors of 4-5x this one's target price.

There really are very few "monsters" and they are valued extremely subjectively (nothing wrong with that, it's the same with any uniques collectible). Think The African, etc

IMO, confusion arises when people equate "flame" with "Unicorn". I have heard of several REALLY nice, needs-nothing, Bursts (all-original, flamey, good color, out of a collection, etc) that, a few years ago, might reasonably have expected to find buyers in the $300K+ range, that aren't selling for those prices. Buyers emerge around the mid-to-high twos. So I like to work backward from there. Again this is just IMO, but in the current state of affairs, I don't think it's wise to pay much more than $150K for a plaintop like the one being discussed, and a PAF GT should be well south of $100K--and you'd better be damn sure you like it, because there's no telling what the future holds. I'm no perma-bear Cassandra: I love these guitars, and could easily see myself buying another Burst (prolly not another PAF GT--I've had my fill :spabout), even at my age. Sellers needn't whine, either. There are vanishingly few electric guitars that will find buyers for six figures--selling a guitar for $150K is a BIG deal!
 

sglp63

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Jun 29, 2007
Messages
529
Bought for $8,000 from second owner in July 1990 - was that the going rate for plaintops (with a bit of birdseye) back then?
 

boogieongtr

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May 16, 2006
Messages
937
There is a photo on the auction site of the back of the guitar that looks like there is a small piece of mahogany grafted to the body making it two piece. Looks a little suspect. Anybody got an opinion? (dumb question). Sorry about the small photo. You can see it big using the link in the OP.


View attachment 11607


I think it's a graft from the factory. I have seen this on Goldtops but never on a Burst. The color and grain patterns are both different. The add states it is 100% original from the factory. Why would anyone put a sticker in that location? If it were a sticker it would have had to be folded over the edge and that is at the curve of the body. The line on the back of the guitar would not be straight.
 
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