Gibson Les Paul Standard 1960 Sunburst Identification, Price, and Story

The original Gibson Les Paul Standard guitars made in 1960 are some of the finest the company has ever made.

The third year for the "Burst", 1960 saw significant changes in the model and was the end of the Maple cap/single cutaway style Les Paul Standard. Read on for more information on 1960 Les Paul Standard features and the story of a very special 1960 Burst I purchased from its original owner "Rosie".

Jump to the information you're looking for:
Identification and features including serial numbers, neck profiles, and pickups
How much did it cost in 1960 and now? Check out a scan of the original 1960 Gibson catalog
The story of a 1960 Burst Les Paul "Rosie" Check out a scan of the original 1960 Gibson catalog

Do you have a 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard and are considering selling it? I'd love to take a look. You can contact me by clicking the button below:

1960 Les Paul Standard Burst Identification and Features

The 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard is primarily identified by its serial number, Cherry Sunburst color, and neck profile but there's so much more to this stunning year and model. 1960 was a significant year of change for the Burst but all of them are fantastic vintage guitars. 

Serial Numbers: 1960 Burst Les Pauls have an ink stamped serial number that begins with a prefix "0" and is followed by four digits (Les Paul Serial Numbers). Skilled Burst collectors can often predict the guitar's neck profile based on the serial number range. My favorite range: "0_0xxx" which is often referred to as a "double 0". Double 0 Burst Les Pauls have '59 era features.

Neck Profiles: The typical 1960 Burst neck profile is slim measuring about 0.80" deep at the first fret and 0.90" deep at the 12th fret. However, the earliest '60 Burst have a '59 profile (0.85"-0.95") or even an in-between measurement.

Pickups: All of the 1960 Les Paul Standards came with"PATENT APPLD FOR" sticker humbucking pickups from the factory. Under the cover, they can either have two black bobbins, one white, or double white bobbins.

Control Cavity and Capacitors: The typical capacitor brand for 1960 Burst is a Sprague, but other brands can be found including Astron. This early 1960 Burst has factory Astron capacitors.

1960 Les Paul Standard Price Then and Now 

Gibson guitar collectors (myself included) make a habit of collecting both the guitars and the literature that the company put out in the 1950s and 1960s. Gibson's catalogs and price lists help us identify certain models and how the features changed over time. The 1960 Gibson catalog scan to the left shows that the price of a Les Paul Standard in Cherry Sunburst in 1960 was $265.00 for the guitar, $42.50 for the case, and $30 for the case cover! The covers are quite rare but they do exist.   If you'd like to find out how much does a 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard cost today, then check out Les Paul Values. The value of a real original Burst seems a bit shocking at first, but not when one considers the true impact on music history this guitar has had and continues to be.

The story of this 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard "Rosie"

I was initially drawn to this Gibson Les Paul Standard 1960 because of its amazing story. This Burst was given brand new to an 8th grade girl from her parents in the early 1960s. They ordered it through a Gibson teacher-agent who were able to order Gibson guitars direct from the factory with no dealer in between. The Burst's proud new owner played it with her band The Rhythmette's for a few years before the other parts of life became a bit more important. She tells me that she can't remember ever taking it out to play after marriage and kids became more important than the band. 

Perhaps the most surprising part of the story of this Gibson Les Paul Standard 1960 is how it was rediscovered. Her granddaughter became interested in playing guitar via Youtube. She had an acoustic guitar but couldn't resist the allure of electric guitars (just like me!). She remembered that her grandmother had a guitar and asked to borrow it. Her boyfriend saw the guitar and recognized it as a true original Burst Les Paul. Can you imagine? I cannot. 

About the Gibson Burst Collector

My name is John and I'm a professional vintage guitar dealer, collector, and photographer with over a decade of experience. I prioritize connecting original owners of vintage Gibson guitars with the buyer they're looking for at fair prices and often wihtout the hassle of shipping. I've bought vintage guitars- even original Burst Les Pauls- all over the world. If you have 1950s or 1960s Les Paul then I may be able to come to you anywhere in the world. You can check out some other Bursts I've purchased in both South Africa and Norway.  Do you have an original Gibson Les Paul that you're considering selling? I can help: Sell Your Gibson Guitar