This Guitar is the Prototype Guitar for the Collector's Choice #9, the Vic Dapra 1959 Les Paul, aka "Believer 'Burst". It is, without a doubt, the most stunning guitar to be released in the Collector's Choice range to date. Signed and dated by Vic DePra.

As you can see, the "Believer 'Burst" -- thus named as its the guitar pictured on the owner's book of the same name (Hal Leonard 2013) -- is one of the most beautiful 1959 Les Pauls that Gibson ever held, studied, and recreated. With its subtle chevron and deep flame top that exhibits exceptional "fluidity" as you turn it under light, the sourcing of qualifying materials has been a severe challenge, and as a result Gibson will offer no more than 100 units worldwide.

Gibson Custom has gone to great lengths sourcing wood in the field, grading and regrading the tops as they pass through production, and evaluating each instrument at Final Assembly to insure that every one of these very rare pieces lives up to the promise of the original. It is the most extensive production of a Collector's Choice model that they've undertaken so far, with results that show in the final presentation.

Well beyond its looks is a great sounding guitar with bell-like clarity and balance between its pickups, based of course on extensive study of the original and approval by its owner, Vic DaPra. The guitar also features the original's '59 neck profile, hand-aging to match the wear of the original, and all of the 2013 Historic feature upgrades including aniline dye on the back and sides, hot hide glue neck fit, custom wound Custom Bucker pickups, and single layer rosewood fingerboard.