Gibson has shared a new mini-documentary that tells the story of the legendary Irish blues guitar player, Joe Staunton – and the 1959 Les Paul ’Burst that remained by his side for much of his career.
In releasing the film, Gibson answers a long-burning question that the firm’s followers have been asking for months: what was that mystery Les Paul that CEO Cesar Gueikian teased on his Instagram account?
With its head-scratching body wear and completely unique aging pattern, the guitar bewildered Les Paul fans, and the identity of its owner remained a complete mystery – until now.
In The Remarkable Story of the Orphanage Burst, Gibson charts the tale of Staunton, the “Left-Handed Wizard” who played the Holy Grail Les Paul upside down à la Jimi Hendrix as he helped shape the sound of Dublin’s music scene.
Staunton was a hugely influential figure in the Irish city, having received his start in the local music circuit when he was recruited to join renowned Irish rock group Orphanage alongside Phil Lynott, Brian Downey and Pat Quigley, prior to the formation of Thin Lizzy.
The band only lasted around a year initially but that was long enough for them to make a sizeable impact, largely thanks to Staunton, whose feisty and no-holds-barred guitar style electrified audiences and left an indelible mark on the blues circuit.
In 1969, Staunton was informed of a guitar that was up for sale: a 1959 Gibson Les Paul ’Burst, which Joe eventually ended up purchasing for a tiny sum
“I used to be out searching for secondhand equipment, and I knew all the musicians in town,” recalls Fran Quigley, an Orphanage and Thin Lizzy roadie who knew Staunton. “This chap, I can't remember his name, had the Les Paul that we're talking about.
“My brother Pat was in the band with Joe, and I told Pat about this great guitar. Pat and Joe came across to the shop, and he actually loaned the money to Joe to buy the guitar. And he bought it for £250.”
“He always knew the guitar was special,” adds Staunton’s widow, Ellen.“You know, he was very happy with the guitar, playing the guitar, using the guitar. He never contemplated how much the guitar was worth.”
But beyond its unique wear and the role it played in shaping the Irish music scene in the late 1960 and 1970s, Staunton’s Burst is wholly unique for the fact it’s only ever had one owner – a rare occurrence for collectible ’Bursts.
“One of the cool things about Joe's guitar is that, as a result of him owning it since 1969, this guitar has never circulated around the circle of collectors,” notes Cesar Guekian. “That's a really cool part of this instrument. Most of the ’59 ’Bursts have been bought and sold over time.
“This one is really cool. Joe owning it since ’69 and then that being his number one guitar since then, makes it very, very special. That's something that's very rare in the Collector's world.”
After Staunton’s death, the guitar remained in the family, but now it’s been returned to Gibson – its “original home” – for safeguarding. Of course, a hefty restoration job was required to get the ’Burst back to its former glory.
As Guekian explains, he sees it as his responsibility to tell the story of Staunton and the “Orphanage Burst” – so named in honor of Staunton’s first band.
“The other side of the history of the guitar is keeping the story of Joe alive,” he notes. “I feel like I'm a custodian of that story, and it's my responsibility to tell that story and to let everybody know what this guitar went through, what it did with Joe, and what Joe did for music.”
Visit Gibson TV to watch the full documentary.
