Ok, where to start with such an amazing guitar… the top maybe? The looks? The rarity? Nah, let’s dive into a bit of history first before we rave about that insane quilt maple top! This Gibson Les Paul Heritage Standard 80 Elite is a rare bird, made only between 1980 and 1982 and directly inspired by the legendary ’59 Les Paul Standard. It’s actually Gibson’s very first official ’59 reissue. The Heritage Series Standard 80 was the first Les Paul since 1960 to bring back a bookmatched figured maple top and a one-piece mahogany body, finished in a cherry sunburst that often faded into those gorgeous shades we know from the late ’50s Bursts. The brains behind this series are legends at Gibson: Tim Shaw, who joined in ’78 and teamed up with Bruce Bolen in R&D at Kalamazoo (which would close just six years later). Along with Chuck Burge and Abe Wechter, Shaw built prototypes, artist models, and developed new and revised designs – including Gibson’s very first real attempt to faithfully reproduce the original Burst. That wasn’t a production guitar though, more of a limited run. But in 1980, Gibson finally brought out a Les Paul worthy of the “Burst” name – in tone, in looks, and in vibe. A real gem, and an absolute must for any serious player or collector.

Our 1980 Gibson Les Paul Heritage Standard 80 Elite, first year of production, is simply stunning: flame maple top to die for, one-piece mahogany body, ebony board. That maple is just nuts – honestly the most outrageous quilt I’ve seen on a Gibson, comparable only to some PRS Private Stock pieces. The vibe is off the charts! This is a killer example of Gibson’s first serious attempt at a proper vintage ’59 reissue, at a time when the brand was finally stepping up its game across the board. The Elite was the top-of-the-line: best woods, ebony fingerboard with trapezoid inlays… This one has the “HSB” (Heritage Sunburst) pencil marking in the neck pickup cavity, and its burst, now slightly faded into a sweet Honey Burst, shows off maybe the nicest quilted maple top ever seen on a Gibson. The back isn’t left behind either – transparent finish over figured mahogany with killer grain. This guitar was born under a lucky star. And… its only owner, a customer and tech I’ve known since the ’90s, one day decided to take a router to it and add a third pickup. Yep, it happened. But honestly, the pickup isn’t even wired, the original soldering is untouched, and it actually gives this already unique guitar a one-of-a-kind look.

Tone-wise, the Tim Shaw PAF replicas are slightly hotter than the originals, but still clear, sweet and musical. With less than 3000 made, this series has become super sought after by Burst fans who don’t want to sell a kidney for an original. Hardware? Rock solid: two Shaw pickups with original pat. #, original pots, Nashville Tune-o-Matic and stop tailpiece, Grover tuners that hold tune perfectly. And yes, this is a one-piece mahogany body, at a time when Gibson was under fire for its “sandwich” bodies. Here, it’s one-piece body, one-piece neck, 1980 serial and specific run #0073 – one of the very first ones ever built.

In short: a killer guitar, in superb condition, complete with its original brown Tolex case and the original Gibson warranty card with the serial number. If it didn’t have that third pickup mod, the price would already be sky high. Still, this one’s a serious piece of history.