This guitar is magnificent. It weighs a ton, think "anchor for USS Constellation," but it has a singing tone. And it just looks so COOL.I'm primarily a "Fender guy" because I prefer the brighter and slightly thinner sound, but I love the look of a Les Paul. This sunburst beauty with these mini buckers fed into a cranked DSL... It's the best of both worlds. I'm a huge Thin Lizzy* fan so perhaps I'm not the most objective person here, but it totally rocks. (*The LP Deluxe was the primary axe for Robbo and Scott on their five studio LPs together. If that isn't endorsement enough, well...)The guitar itself had no QC issues and only required a slight lowering of the bridge to meet my needs. Cosmetically, the sunburst wasn't too red - the blend into the yellow was nicely done. Whoever sprayed the finish had a good touch. The grain of the maple cap has a nice horizontal wave on the upper bout that only adds to the overall beauty. (I've noticed that zZounds no longer carries the cherry sunburst model and Gibson's website says there is limited stock on hand. Are they discontinuing it? Bad idea, guys.)Speaking of zZounds... I regularly check their 'Scratch and Dent' column because you can find some crazy-good deals there. About six weeks ago I was browsing and saw this model as a 'scratch and dent.' I rationalized the purchase by calling it my birthday present. (You only turn 60 once, right?) All told, the total price ended up being -33% of what it'd have cost 'new.' That made it "affordable."… read more I checked it closely when it arrived. Other than a tiny bit of overspray on the binding where the neck joins the body and some tiny scratches on the back, it was pristine. THAT is a great deal, y'all! Being a reproduction of a 70s model Les Paul, there is no weight relief and so this dude is #HEAVY. I'm not a big guy but since my gigging days are over and I'm on the sofa now, the weight isn't a concern. In closing if you're wanting that classic Les Paul roar as heard on Zep IV or early Montrose, this isn't your guitar. But, it is the perfect synthesis of 'Fender bright' and 'Les Paul sustain' for those wanting something a little bit different.Yes, I heartily recommend this model.

Musical Background:
Former semi-pro now at-home jammer

Musical Style:
Rock, rock and rock. Beatles, Yardbirds/Zep, Floyd, Jimi, Thin Lizzy, Purple, Mountain... You know, the good stuff. read less