1959 Les Paul Standard Mirabella

via this auction where you'll find more pics.

"1959 Les Paul Standard Mirabella Conversion: This is a 1952 Les Paul which started life with P90’s. This guitar was sent back to Gibson in 1959 for a refin and it was done with a cherry sunburst color…that’s right, this is an original Gibson 1959 cherry sunburst color refin top only with the back still original brown natural from 52’. It had an abbreviated tail piece but in 2010 this was sent to noted and world respected luthier and conversion expert Chris Mirabella on Long Island, NY. The neck angle was corrected, 59’ bridge, 59’ studs, thumbwheels and 1959 PAF’s added. The stop bar is a $300 Montreaux which is awesome!

Non Original: Has had a Mirabella refret with 59' wire, Over the Pond PUP rings, Montreax stop bar. Everything else is original 50’s. Case is a 70's plastic hinged protector chainsaw case.

Original: All plastic is 50's original plastic, finish front & back, pickguard, tuners, finish is original 59' burst finish done by Gibson. Switch tip, switch ring, 59’ knobs, 60’ harness & PAF’s. This guitar is KILLER!

This 59’ finish has been substantiated by Gruhn’s Guitars and I have the documentation letter from Gruhn’s that was given to me when I purchased the guitar to prove it along with a black and white photo of the original owner with his son on his lap dated Nov. 61' showing the guitar had already been re-fined in the cherry sunburst.

To quote George Gruhn in a letter to the owner dated 9/16/98 that I purchased with the guitar 'As is typical of the period, this guitar has no serial number. Based on what I can see in then photos, it would appear that this guitar was sent back to the Gibson factory sometime during the 50’s and was refinished in a sunburst color. At the same time it would appear that the instrument was set up with tune-o-matic bridge and a trapeze tailpiece as well as the type tone and volume knobs which were used by Gibson during the mid to late 50’s. As is typical of the guitars which had gold finished tops, this instrument has a top seam which is not in the center of the instrument. Since originally this joint would have been covered by opaque gold colored lacquer, it was not critical to have book matched tops with a center seam. The finish on this guitar is not typical of the original finishes Gibson used on Les Paul Models prior to 1958; however. We have encountered a number of examples which were originally finished in gold and were later refinished by the factory in sunburst. This guitar in my opinion IS such an example. The hard shell case appears to be original to the instrument.' Signed George Gruhn."