“The story of this 1959 Burst, like its owner, is entwined with the musical soul of Dublin. And its sound has shaped the city’s music scene in ways that are still felt today”
Join Gibson President and CEO Cesar Gueikian in a new documentary on Gibson TV as he introduces the remarkable story of the Orphanage Burst, a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard purchased in 1969 by Irish guitarist Joe Staunton, the left-handed blues-rock wizard who played in the band Orphanage alongside Thin Lizzy icons Phil Lynott and Brian Downey.
Because the right-handed instrument was played for so many years by a left-handed player, its vivid flame top has a unique wear pattern that tells its own story about the expressive and passionate way in which Staunton played the guitar, and why he was a hugely respected figure in a Dublin scene that was the breeding ground for some of the most iconic rock music of the 1970s.
A rare example of a 1959 Burst that hasn’t circulated among collectors and stayed with the same player for most of its life, the Orphanage Burst is a very special guitar indeed. Hit the play button on the video above to find out about its restoration and new home with Gibson in Nashville, Tennessee.
Image: The late Joe Staunton on stage with the Orphanage Burst
Go here to find out why 1959 Les Pauls are so revered, and go here to find out everything you need to know about current production Les Pauls.
