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'Freeda'

1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard "Freeda"

This magnificent sixty year old Les Paul Standard 'Burst' weighs just 8.70 lbs. and has nice, fat nut width of 1 11/16 inches and a standard Gibson scale length of 24 3/4 inches. Solid mahogany body with a 'Glowing Honeyburst' bookmatched two-piece carved maple top with a quite spectacular, all-over, deep heavy flame with an almost holographic effect. The color is rich and strong and shows very little fading. One-piece mahogany neck with that oh so perfect '59 profile. Brazilian rosewood fretboard with 22 original medium jumbo frets. Inlaid pearl trapezoid (crown) position markers. Serial number "9 2212" inked-on in black on the back of the headstock. Headstock with inlaid pearl "Gibson" logo and with "Les Paul Model" silk-screened in gold. Two-layer (black on white) plastic truss-rod cover with two screws and era-correct 'striations'. The top of the guitar has single-ply cream binding and the fretboard has single-ply cream binding. Individual single-line Kluson Deluxe tuners with original single-ring tulip-shaped Keystone plastic buttons (stamped on the inside "D-169400 PATENT NO."). Two PAF humbucker pickups (double-white) with outputs of 8.57k and 7.96k. The cream neck pickup mounting ring is stamped on the inside "MR491" and "M-69 7" and the cream bridge pickup mounting ring is stamped on the inside "MR490" and "M-69 8." Single-layer cream plastic pickguard. Era-correct, impossibly rare 'round-cornered' jackplate. Four controls (two volume, two tone) on lower treble bout plus three-way pickup selector switch on upper bass bout. Gold plastic bell-shaped "Bell" knobs. Era-correct 'Series ll' Rhythm/Treble switch-ring with 95% of the gold lettering remaining. The potentiometers are stamped "134 907" (Centralab February 1959). Two original "Bumble-Bee" capacitors. ABR-1 non-retainer Tune-O-Matic bridge with metal saddles and separate stud tailpiece. Aside from the two exceptions listed below Freeda is still a 100% original example in exceptionally fine (9.00) condition with almost no 'weather checking' whatsoever. Housed in the original Gibson five-latch, shaped brown 'Burst' hardshell case with pink plush lining (9.25).

'Freeda' has what many 'Burst' aficionados consider THE consummate type of flame; breathtaking all-over coverage, thick, wide and wavy with strong color retention and richly colored mahogany back and sides. As you walk around Freeda and give her the eye - her flame seems to come alive; this Burst bursts into fire… 100% correct parts, untouched inlays/fretboard, proper 1959 neck profile, NEVER had a Bigsby, NEVER had Grovers, two 'Double-White' PAFs… 'Freeda' is a respected and highly admired guitar - in fact she is featured twice in Jay Scott and Vic DaPra's book The Gibson Burst 1958, '59, '60. (in color on page 64 and in monochrome on page 93) also in Vic DaPra's Burst Believers "A very pretty late '59 with an unusual flamed top, quite striking." (in color on page 23).

Provenance:
1959 - purchased by original lady owner [Freeda] in Pennsylvania
1997 - purchased by Vic DaPra - featured in his book The Gibson Burst 1958, '59, '60  (illustrated on p. 64 and p.93).
May 2010 - purchased by a private collector in California
Feb 2013 - purchased by Fretted Americana
Feb 2013 - sold by fretted Americana to a private collector in the US


Now lets be super critical:

1. This instrument was 'personalized' very early on by the original owner through the application of adhesive lettering to the bass-side of the guitar, above and between the pickups, with the letters "FREED". This 'personalization' was very popular during the '50s and '60s. Removal of these letters always causes slight surface loss to the clear lacquer top-coat. Master luthier Dave Lautner expertly removed these letter in the late '90s. The 'shadows' of the letters are now only really visible under ultra-violet light.

2. The corner (adjacent to the low 'E' tuner) of the black face of the headstock has been 'touched up' - again this is only really visible under ultra-violet light

Otherwise this '59 Burst is as good as it gets and to our knowledge the best available at the present time.

"What I dig most about bursts is, like chicks, they're all unique. Descriptions like, gorgeous, pretty face, killer, lightweight, great top, blonde, curly, or plain Jane apply to both. Nobody can really say they've got the best looking burst or chick. After all, one man's treasure is another man's trash and there's always one better anyway…" (Uncle Lou Gatanas)