Weekly Wednesday Q&A with Juha Ruokangas

#43 - The '59 Burst Magic... Can a new guitar have it?

September 29, 2021 Juha Ruokangas Episode 43
Weekly Wednesday Q&A with Juha Ruokangas
#43 - The '59 Burst Magic... Can a new guitar have it?
Show Notes

Last week Erik M. asked me in the Weekly Wednesday stream chat: "Do you have a theory on what the 59 burst magic is about?". Stephan S. emailed me a day later, continuing the question: "Do you think a new guitar can not cope with a burst?". Thank you guys - you're the inspiration for this week's topic! ;)

At the time of its production, the 1958–1960 sunburst Les Paul was considered a commercial failure, with low sales. This led Gibson to discontinue the model for nearly 10 years. Today, however, the Les Paul is one of the best-known electric guitar types in the world - and the original instruments from the era in question, 1958-1960, are the most sought after electrics ever,  selling for hundreds of thousands of euros/dollars. But... why..!? What is the magic? And... is it possible to have it in a new guitar..? This Wednesday I'll give my shot on the topic! Please invite all the Les Paul fanatics to join in the live broadcast!

The video diary playlist mentioned in the stream:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3...

Aaand the direct link to the 'Tonefest' episode, as mentioned in the stream:
https://youtu.be/a-ug6TN3oOw

This broadcast is targeted to all of you who enjoy guitars and basses, be it players, enthusiasts or collectors alike! The program is not about the guitars we make in my company Ruokangas Guitars. I'm doing this for you, who are interested in learning more about your instrument. The brand or monetary value of your guitar makes no difference whatsoever.

This podcast was originally published as a live stream on YouTube,  and the imagery of the original video is obviously missing from this audio-only version. Tune in on YouTube and search Weekly Wednesday Live Q&A with Juha, and you'll find the originals!

Talk to you soon,
Juha