Amped about this axThe Burst guitar, with its lush finish and rich sound, has gone from pawnshop castoff to $500,000 collectible. Its devotees are 'relentless.'By Mike Anton, Los Angeles Times Staff WriterAugust 21, 2007 When Joe Ganzler found Gladys, it was love at first sight. She had a curvaceous body and graceful neck. When he held her in his arms and turned her on, she filled with electricity and purred."The belle of the ball," Ganzler said.Ganzler, 51, has been married three times but has fallen for just one guitar. Gladys, as a former owner named it, is a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard with a sunburst finish. Ganzler keeps it in his Orange County garage, in a massive safe that looks as though it could withstand a bazooka attack.For good reason. Only about 1,500 Bursts, as they are known, were made between 1958 and 1960. They were a commercial flop. But today the Burst is considered the Stradivarius of solid-body electric guitars. Its distinctive, syrupy sound, mythic back story and cherry-and-gold wood finish have made it the world's most sought-after ax.Amid a bull market in collectible guitars propelled by baby boomer wealth and nostalgia, the price of Bursts has soared. One in mint condition with a desirable finish can fetch more than $500,000 -- 10 times as much as a decade ago. "It's the Holy Grail of guitars," said Dan Yablonka, a Laguna Beach musician who fondly recalls the one he owned for a few weeks 30 years ago before flipping it for a nice profit. "They sound like they are being played by the finger of God."
I phut my hand in here-I phut my hand in there.[a Dolly reference]
Mary Ann dance for Page Three
Good morning, DR Edisaurus! I just LOVE the idea of you and your friend singing "Lord Chancellor's Nightmare!" LOL...
Tuesday morning greetings! Back at work today, with a midday meeting at Brio Tuscan Grille. It's a tough job, but
I can still do it!
I never could actually "sing"!
But...What about the Professor?
Good morning.I'm looking forward to the arrival of "S & V - The musical"
Oh! I thought S & V was a musical. I've been mislead.The last DR Edi DVD was a musical. I just assumed......Never mind.Seriously - I'm looking forward to this slice of American history about which I know nothing.
I just LOVE roller coasters, but my DH doesn't, so I haven't been to an amusement park in far too long.
Meet me at Coney Island in September? (I wonder if the roller coaster will still be running then...)
Oh, for a piece of Monkey Cake, washed down with Farmer's Lemonade...
Yes, I did receive an ominous shipping notice. I paid for speedy delivery so I could watch and comment to warn others about the subversive material flooding the market.
ACL song cue!*bell tone*