1956/59 Gibson Les Paul Sunburst Conversion

There are about a dozen different ways to convert a Les Paul of any type to look like a burst. The range in prices is as wide as the techniques for doing the conversions. If you simply want a guitar that looks like a burst, buy an R9 (or R8 or R0). You'll get an excellent guitar that looks like a burst. If you want to get as close to a burst as possible, then you need to start with old wood and add old electronics. If you convert a humbucker equipped 57 or a 58 gold top, you're as close as you can get but starting with a $125,000 donor guitar (assuming it is refinished already or has a major repair) is going to make for a very high cost. Next best thing-but still an expensive proposition would be a late 55 to early 57 P90 equipped goldtop. Then, it's just a refinish and re-routing for humbuckers (and some small stuff like modding the guard and obtaining pickup rings). That's what we have here. It's a 56. The routs were filled and redone for humbuckers and the guard was cut. The rings are repros because original M69 rings in white are impossible to find and crazy expensive if you do find them. The part of this that is always a crapshoot is what's under the gold paint. One piece (rare), two piece off center (common), two piece center seam (rare) or three piece (common). There are even four piece tops and anything more than two pieces isn't going to look good. This one has a very rare one piece birdseye top. It has been refinished completely. The pickups are zebra PAFs (no covers). The harness and most of the parts are from 56. The tailpiece is a 59 and the bridge is a 59. Tuners, truss cover, poker chip are from 56. The knobs are 56. No extra holes anywhere and no repairs. This is nearly indistinguishable from a real burst unless you look closely at the routs where you can see where the maple insert compensates for the difference in the size of the PAFs. It's expensive for a conversion but when you start with an expensive 56 goldtop, you get an expensive conversion. This one looks the part and plays like a burst and sounds like a burst (to my ears anyway). You want to spend way less? Get a Jr. that's been re-topped. That's a little like buying a reproduction Porsche Speedster with a VW engine. Looks like a Porsche but drives like a VW.