Gibson Les Paul Vintage Mahogany

This is a Gibson Les Paul Vintage Mahogany, made in the USA. It has a 22 frets and a rosewood fingerboard. The is neck is flat and relatively fat -- I believe this is the "50s profile" neck.

The body is made of three pieces of wood and has a carved top cap, all mahogany. The finish is matte brown natural and the grain of the wood is visible. It is very minimal and elegant and looks especially great with the chrome and black hardware.

This guitar is noticeably lighter than the other Les Pauls I tried, almost as light as an SG. I have heard, but not confirmed, that the body pieces under the cap haven been routered out to reduce the weight. Oddly, there is no information about this model available on Gibson's website.

The guitar has two pickups, a three way selector switch, and separate tone and volume controls for each pickup. It has the standard tune-o-matic bridge and "green key" tuners.

It also came with a nice hardshell case. All in all, it is a good configuration: nothing exotic, but all the bases are covered.

This guitar has a great tone. I was looking for an guitar with a fixed bridge and two humbucking pickups. The Les Paul is the gold standard for that sound and this guitar delivers it. I have read that the pickups on this guitar are the BurstBuckers that are normally used on the higher-end Les Pauls. They do sound good. My other guitar is a G&L ASAT with single coil pickups, and this is much quieter. Compared to that the Les Paul has slightly reduced treble, but much more mid-range output.

Here is where it gets dicey. I tried at least six models at the store and all of them had significant flaws. I saw at least one of these problems on each of the guitars I tried (and also on Studios and a Special as well).

1. Neck -- misaligned, not a flush fit with the body or twisted.
2. Nut problems -- chips, blobs of glue not wiped off, open string buzzing.
3. Fret problems -- frets not seated properly, crappy job of gluing the fretboard onto the neck.

The quality of the wood is not as high as high as I would have liked on an instrument of this price. In particular, the rosewood on the fretboard feels cheap compared to other guitars I have owned or played. The pieces of the body wood are not bookmatched, but since they are only visible from the back of the guitar and the front has a cap, this isn't a major issue.

The manufacturing on these guitars is clearly hit or miss. The model I ultimately purchased had a nut that was cut too low, and chipped around the D string, so that the string often came out of its groove (I discovered this after getting home with it). There was some open string buzzing. The pickup selector switch was also not properly screwed in and was basically rattling around in its socket.

On the positive side, I did make sure that the guitar I bought had a straight neck, good frets and a solid neck joint. I have since had a local luthier replace the nut and set up the guitar and it is at the level of quality that Gibson should have produced.

I am skeptical about the tuners, since they look and feel rather cheap. I'll wait until I have had more time with the guitar to evaluate how well they hold up and decide whether or not to replace them. But no serious problems yet.

Otherwise the instrument seems very solid. There really aren't any moving parts. The neck is glued in and the joint seems very solid. Because the finish is so simple, I imagine it could be prone to scratches.

I haven't had reason to interact with Gibson, so I have no basis on which to rate their support. The instrument does come with a lifetime warranty.

Overall, this is a good guitar. I feel that I got a top-notch Les Paul with a uncommon look at a very respectable price, even after the cost of the repairs. I recommend this model with the caveat that they have quality problems. You will need to evaluate several guitars and the one you select will probably not be perfect off the shelf. Expect to replace the nut and pay to have the guitar setup professionally. But if you just make sure that the basics on the instrument are solid (straight neck, good flush fit with the body, no fret/fretboard problems) then you will be all right in the long run. I absolutely do *not* recommend buying this guitar over the internet or sight unseen.

I am an amateur player, who has been playing off and on for about 20 years. I have always played Fender and G&L guitars. A friend recently loaned me a Les Paul to try out, and it clearly made an impression. I really like the wider, flatter neck and shorter scale length of the Les Paul, as well as the humbucking pickups. Anyone who has only played guitars cut from the Fender mold owes it to themselves to check one of these instruments. There are certainly nicer Fenders you could get for the price, but the design principles of the Les Paul make it stand out, for me at least.

I would rate this as a 6 as purchased, but in its current form will give it an 8.

I recently re-aquainted myself with the Electric Guitar (after a 25 year hiatus) I was looking at a few different models and ran into this one. Made in USA, April 2007. All I did was play it un-plugged and knew it was a keeper. I have a friend who has LP Studio (2006) and I have fooled around with his, other than the finish( personel taste) I think the LP VM is a bettor axe, at least I prefer the BBUCKERS to the 490/498. I think the reduction in weight comes from the finish as well as the mahogany cap (not maple) on this model. I think the body may be chambered. The neck although the larger 50's style is fine for me and I would classify my hands as average-wide.

I love the sound of this guitar, I only play througha samll 30 Watt Marshall, but it does the job quite comfortably. Good for Rock, Blues and does have a "older" or shoud I say "Vintage Voicing" I fooled around in Open G with a slide and may not got back to A-440.
Very cool

I have had no problems at all. The frets could have had a little more attention paid to them before sending this one dowen the line, but all in all no worries for me. Set up was solid right off the shelf. I do not have any tuning problems, although I may only play on average of 1-2 hours per day. Hard Shell Case is great (white plush) would have prefereed the grey plush but hey no WHINING for the $ paid. Neck seams are really non-noticable. All in All pretty solid job here.

No comment on the live playing, the world isn't ready for that at this time. Hardware, although the basic Gibson variety is solid and should last, I did switch out the strap buttons to locking ones.
The finish is thin and will probaly wear but I like this and like anything else of any value, practice "easy love" and one should be rewarded. I would think this would be very dependable as guitars go.

Only for questions concerning this model (via email). I always did receive a reply and my experiences could be classified as positive

Overall "its all good" No complaints at all. Makes we want to get back going and I have pretty much caught up to where I was 25 years ago, although a little more mellow, I had played for about 7 years at that point in my life. I was leaning towards a Telecaster since I had originally played on an Gibson SG in the past and wanted to change up a lttle. As mentioned earlier I had made my mind up and was heading into the local shop to buy when I spotted this one, strummed it and fretted it unplugged and the rest as they say is history.

This guitar doesn't have any 'features' unless you count its lack of features a feature, which I do in the case of the finish since the satin finish is not gummy compared to the lacquer finish. It also is lighter and lets the wood breathe more. I like the speed knobs better than the tophats so I guess that is a feature worth noting as well. The pickups are the Burstbucker Pros, same as in the LP standard (as of 2008). Case is nice too.

Sounds good for rock, hard rock, blues, jazz, pretty much whatever. LPs were made for jazz but get that sustain and crunch for rock. Works great with Boss Blues Driver pedal and some Fender reverb. It's pretty sweet.

I mail ordered this one so I didn't have the luxury of seeing it in person. Set up is flawless. My frets are not too sharp as some have said. I would add some graphite to the nut to ease the tuning but that's about it.

This is a sturdy guitar. Lighter than a regular studio but that's from the thin satin finish I would imagine. Hardware seems fine. Should last for a long time.

Never dealt with them.

Overall this is a great buy. Sounds like it should and if you hear a good LP, then you know what this should sound like. It makes you want to go home and play music. You know, the kind of music where you pretend to be your favorite guitar hero. And it's inexpensive compared to the fancy LPs. Go get two.

Most of the features have already been covered pretty well here so we'll skip this.

I play a little bit of everything but mostly rock and some harder edged stuff. I've been running this through my Boogie studio 22+. The pickups sound pretty nice but have a warmer tone then I'm used to. I like to use a lot of pinch harmonics in my playing which these burst-buckers to not translate well. Thats OK though, I have other guitars for that. Over all they sound very smooth have a definite 70's sound to them. Nice definition when playing chords but they tend to feed back at higher volumes. If you're looking a for pickups with bite then these are not for you.

Let me start by saying I had no intentions on buying a les paul but a friend who works at GC gave me a deal I couldn't refuse (bought at $400 per) so I actually picked 2 up that day. I later sold the other one for $650 to off set the cost of the first. Other wise I wouldn't of paid the asking price of 900. That being said....

This is where this Gibson really drops the ball. I spent about 2 hours choosing between the 9 identical guitars in stock that day. Not one of them was set up properly. All had poor intonation and most had very high action. Most of them seemed to need a truss rod adjustment. Half of them had very poor fret work in the form of sharp edges/hangers.
Just know that if you buy one of these you'll be visiting your luther for a proper setup and maybe more. Mine had to adjust the truss, set the intonation and file 3 frets. He also had to do some work on the nut to fix a binding issue. In the end he was able to set the action very low with almost no buzzing. This cost me $80. On top of this a week later the pickup selector switch started making popping noises when used. When I opened up the back the culprit was shoddy soldering. An easy fix but annoying never the less.

Another problem I have with this guitar is the fact that gibson is putting jumbo frets on them. When I fret chords I use a fairly firm grip. This combined with the tall frets makes everything go sharp. Some players have a lighter touch, but for me this is a serious issue. This can be fixed but thats going to cost me more money

The tuning pegs are less then desirable. Mine came with the gibson deluxe kluson style machines with those ugly green tinted plastic keys. They are worthless unless you like re-tuning every other song. I had them replaced with grover rotomatic locking tuners and this has fixed the problem. Add another $50 for those.

I do like the simple mahogany finish. Its no frills and I dont have to worry about dings and the occasional bump here and there. Over all I think the action fit and finish from the factory were shameful. If Ibanez can deliver an axe ready to play out of the box then why cant Gibson?

I dont play out much anymore but if I did I'm sure it would hold up well. Its basic design and simple finish should holdup well over time. The hardware is what it is. A basic tail piece and standard bridge.

The stock strap buttons have been replaced with shaller strap locks but then again all my guitars have them and I feel this is a must have item on any axe.

Didnt deal with them.

I've been playing 24 years and have owned enough guitars over the years that I've lost count.
This was my first les paul because frankly I have always felt that for the money that they were over-rated. If someone stole it I'd report it to my insurance and buy something different.

Again I bought two of these at a discount and sold one to off-set the cost of the first. When all was said and done I'm out about $300 which would be a fair price for this guitar in my opinion. For the retail price of $900 I think this guitar is over WAY over rated. The set up and quality control from Gibson is down right shameful. In this case you're paying for the name and not the product. If you buy one of these you had better plan on dropping more money into it to get it to play as it should.

My ultimate recommendation would look at other Asian brands and get a hell of a lot more bang for your buck.

Bought Dec. 2007. Standard Les Paul features. Two volume, two tone knobs, and three-way pickup switch. The wood used seems rather nice, and my neck feels and looks great. I played a few of these at GC though, and the one I bought was the only one I liked, at all. The fit/finish is good, and the pickups and hardware make this guitar look really cool on stage. The case is WAY nice for this price range. I got one with white fur on the inside.

I play primarily Hill Country Blues and some Rock and Jazz. I'm givin' this guitar a 7, but it's an easy 8-9 through the right amp and cab. That's the biggest drawback I've found with this tool. It only sounds really good into the right amp and cab. It's got a darker tone with huge bass and sharp highs. I've got a decent collection of amps built up, and if I go LP-THD Bivalve (w/6L6's)-Epiphone Valve jr cab, it absolutely rocks! Very easy Duane Allman @ the fillmore tones, and with a couple knob twists you can get some awesome clean sounds on the edge of break-up ala Deluxe. The pickups are pretty hot too, so if you crank the amp there's plenty of Sabbath, ZZ-top, AC/DC in the same setup. I would imagine this guitar would perform well with some of the super-high gain outfits as well with its ample bass, harmonics, and resonance. However, it sounds like muddy crap through my '67 Princeton and Blues Jr., no matter what cab I'm runnin'. The bass and mids are just always muddy through those amps and the treble is harsh and piercing. My Deville does just a little better, but even the Bivalve into a V30 loaded Marshall 4x12 cab doesn't work that well. This is the only one of the 20 or so electric guitars I've owned that's been this finiky about amp and cab selection. The classic tones are in there though, no doubt, and if you get a good one, they play great! I particularly like mine because the last three digits of the serial # are 666!!!

I reset everything myself. It wasn't too far off to begin with though. I think the instrument itself is well built and seems like it will last a lifetime if cared for.

All things considered, it's well worth the price tag. The case is great, the quality and craftsmanship are there, and you can nail the classic LP sounds with the right setup. I'd give it a 9 if it worked equally well through all my amps.

High quality USA made Gibson Les Paul Studio. Quite a bit lighter than most other Les Pauls I've played probably due to the chambering. Even lighter than my Ash Fender strat. Fat 50's style neck with pearloid aged trapezoidial inlays. Vintage Gibson Deluxe tuning machines. Many people complain that these machines do not stay in tune however with the proper set-up, proper string winding technique and a little graphitall on the nut and this guitar stays in tune remarkably well. Mine is the brown finish. Extremely thin nitrocellulose finish with no binding. Very hard to tell where the pieces are glued together. Nice chrome hardware with 2 Burstbucker Pro humbuckers. The guitar was purchsed new but they couldn't find the case that went with it so mine came with a used but good condition Gibson USA hardshell case with a shroud. This knocked quite a bit off the final price.

Out of the 12 guitars I own, this has quickly become my go to guitar. It fits all styles of music I play which is Rock, Metal, Blues, some Jazz/Fusion. I play this guitar through a Soldano Hot Rod 50 head with a matching 4 x 12 cab with Celestion v-30's through a Rocktron Intellifex and BBE Sonic Maximizer and a Vox AD30VT. This thing smokes once properly dialed in. The Burstbucker's sound meaty and full and are extremely sensitive to tonal changes with the volume and tone knobs. The Burstbuckers are some of the most balanced humbuckers I have heard.

Intonation was way off from the factory. You could practically walk under the strings. Pickups were adjusted well enough that I didn't mind waiting a month to get it to my tech so he could work his Mojo on it(Thanks Rob @ The Custom Shop ATX). The nut was cut a little weird but everything else including the tone controls was real solid. I had to pick through 4 different ones to find "The One". You really have to go try these out at a store then pick best one you can find then set it up properly since the QC consistency is all over the place with these models.

Yes this guitar can withstand live playing. Just take care of it like you would any other guitar and use some common sense. This is a tried and true Gibson and these instruments are built to last. The finish will probably wear off after awhile since it's so thin and is much more susceptible to dings. The hardware is high quality but the toggle switch is a little loosey goosey. I may swap out the switch if it gives me any problems. The strap buttons are too small but with straplocks that was an easy fix. I never gig without a backup since I'm a firm believer that anything can happen and usually does at the worst times.

Haven't dealt with Gibson except to send in my registration info. Lifetime warranty but void if you modify anything on it(gotta read the fine print heh). I don't forsee having to contact them for anything anyway.

I have been playing for over twenty years and have 11 other guitars. If this was stolen I would buy another one in a heartbeat. Most of my other guitars are getting a well deserved break while this one will take the spotlight for awhile. I really wasn't much in the market for a new guitar but this deal came to me at the perfect time so I jumped on it and I have no regrets. I considered an epiphone les paul but once I factored in the guitar, a case and probably a pickup swap I would have spent more on that than getting a real Gibson Les Paul, something that was high quality, American made, without any major mods and a hardshell case to boot.

Cherry Mahoganey. Says "Studio" but it' sold as a "Vintage". Kind of weird. I can't seem to find it on the Gibson page either. I guess they don't want to admit they make such an excellent low priced LP Studio. Hard to believe the standard finish would add so much to the price? (standard Studio with finish is $1199 and these are just $899). Screaming deal considering you get a nice case as well. I don't know enough about tuners and everything else so I won't pass judgement here but they do seem to turn smooth and change the tension at a predicable rate.

Locking case included which really makes this a screaming deal (especially if you have to keep little kids fingers off). Grand daughter already asked what the combo was. She doesn't realize she is exactly what the lock is there for.

I don't know about others but it did take some knob adjustments to get the pickups even and sounding smooth. With both volumes set to 10 the bridge pickup was extemely hotter than the neck pickup. It was so hot it made my Vox Ad15 buzz. Nothing makes it buzz except this pickup. I had to set the bridge down to 4 to equal the neck, that's hot. Tone wise I set the neck to a 4 and the bridge to a 6 which so far seems about right. Any brighter and it would be too tinty. I know it all depends on the amp settings and your ear that day but that's what it's at now. When I first got this Vintage I still liked the warm sound of my Epi Standard more. After adjustment the Vintage kills it. I like the strings it came with as well. The 3rd string always sounds a bit like a banjo when new but on the Vintage it warmed up real fast and now sounds great! I am certainly happy with the sound now. I'd say there are probably better sounding LP out there so I'll rate it in line with them and knock it down a notch.

I went through several to find one with the best action, fit, and finish. Some had buzzes here and there but the one I got has none. I checked the first, 5th, 12th, and last fret on all strings and no buzzes were found. Most other Vintages had a buzz here and there so you it is certainly buyer beware.

Because of the natural wood finish you get what you get when you go for the best action but I was not let down too much with the wood design. It has a two piece back but the second piece is on about an inch or so off by the horn. I would not have noticed but I read the comments on this board about that so I checked. The front has an "eye" or knot on the big open area but it's not extremely bad. I figure it's the price I had to pay to save the money over the finished Studios. Hopefully nothing will ever get spilled on this "nude" finish.

I noticed some comments on the sharpness of the frets and can say mine are execellent. They are rounded on the ends and must have been sanded to meet the edge just right, no sharp edges at all. I was prepared to walk away if I didn't find a good one but GC had about 6 out in this color stain (I didn't like the darker stain as much but might have choosen one if none of the red ones were good).

When I was first looking at guitars I tried a nude wood like this but didn't like it. After playing that epi I realized I needed this nude finish to help me slide better and more accurately. I did like the slide on a finished Studio but it had other issues so I walked. I noticed not all nudes let my hand glide as well as this one but on the most part they were better than the finished (I checked the expensive GLP Standards which also gave me problems sliding).

The itination (sp?) was perfect on all but 2 strings and those are so close I may never bother.

I won't rate just on the near perfect copy I picked. My rating will reflect more of what I saw as a general rating over all the copies I checked and how much setup this thing required. I would consider my self a super newbie. I can't play yet but I'm 47 and with the help of the internet I understand everything about them and how they should be setup, play, and sound.

Let's hope if something ever does spill on this or it gets wet from dampness or rain the finish wards it off, but I doubt it. It did come with a very nice case which an epi does not. That's like $150 off the price if it came without and you had to buy. I'll have to knock it a few points because it's not finished but in all fairness, I got a GREAT Gibson for an EXCELLENT price so this really isn't meant to knock their attempt.

I've heard they are nice folk but I never contacted them (I should call them to see if this bridge pickup is abnormally hot or if the neck is just weak but I doubt I will).

Overall this is an excellent guitar for the money. I just started playing (Dec '07) but I'm 47 with a lot of time on my hands to figure out what I want quickly (that epi was the first but I could never get the hang of sliding my hands down it's neck for some reason. They would always stick even after it was rubbed with baby power several times). I also certainly enjoy the Gibson name over Epiphone. My favorite features have to be how it feels in my hands and how it sounds and price (did I mention you get a free case as well!). At this price point I think you'd be hard press to find something that plays as well and can do most music types well. Thank you Gibson for making such a great instrument that doesn't require an extreme fiscal devotion!

Features are just the same as on any Gibson les Paul...No Problems found...

That's were this guitar performs hands down...worth every cent I paid for it!

Mine looks great! It took Gibson 4 guitars to get it right, but you see Gibson DID get it right! Unlike over companies out there Gibson USA Stands behind their product!

Built like a Tank and I'd Gig alone with this guitar anytime...but first the Nut needs to be replaced with that of a Bone material...then the guitar won't float in and out of tune...(minor issue for my guitar Luthier)

Gibson is the best...it took them 4 guitars to get me a Cherry! But they DID get me a cherry...A real quality guitar!

Great in all areas! Tone is excellent too! Neck is Big and frets are large and level! Great Guitar!

All Mahogany body with satin nitrocellulose finish in cherry. Wood grain really comes through and is very durable. Has the burstbucker pro pickups which put this guitar in another class based on its price point. Came with a good quality case. Typical Les Paul Studio setup for neck, tuners and controls.

The sound is really big and warm for a guitar in this price range. The burstbucker pro pickups are tempered by the all mahogany body. Excellent for hard rock (AC/DC) and blues. Feels like a cross between a Les Paul standard sound and an SG. Seems best with a high gain amp. I have a Mesa Express 5:25 and this guitar really lights it on fire. The pickups can easily push it into overdrive, but also have sensitivity. Gets feedback easily in the high gain settings, but the good kind - not microphonic. Tried it with my '59 Baseman reissue, but it didn't sound as good as with the Mesa. A tad more muddy in the mids. I was looking for a lower priced guitar I can travel around with and tried several in the $500 range including PRS SE models as well as an Epiphone Les Paul Ultra. The Gibson was a couple of hundred dollars more, but the sound was way above the class of the others.

The guitar came set-up well from the factory, but a later setup (intonation) improved the sound. Action was low - how I like it, and plays fast and easy. The cherry finish on the body really shows off the wood grain and is really good looking although you can see the seems, but this doesn't bother me. I would have preferred natural finished wood on the headstock instead of the black plastic looking veneer. Fit and finish were very good - no visible flaws.

This guitar looks and feels like it can take a beating. I bumped the body several times and no apparent dings due to the thin natural finish. It feels very solid if not on the heavy side, but no heavier than other Les Pauls I've tried.

No experience yet with Gibson customer service.

I've been playing for a few years now mainly with rock and blues. I'm overall please with the Gibson and I didn't regret spring for a Les Paul Custom I had been gawking over; the vintage mahogany provided the sound I was looking for and the durability at a great price point. In addtion, I have a Eric Johnson strat and a PRS CE Maple top (most recent purchase), along with a Breedlove focus on the accoustic side. I had an American Deluxe HSS strat, which I traded for the EJ model. I play these though a "59 baseman reissue and a Mesa Express 5:25. I have a roland AC60 for the Breedlove. I love each guitar for its own sound, but of the electrics my favorite is the PRS.

VM Les Paul, bought it new` in 2005, worn cherry finish, mahogany body/cap, 2 vol, 2 tone, 2 Gibson Burstbucker Pro Humbuckers. The only real differnce between this and a regular Studio model are the humbuckers, and the finish, which is a satin finish. I read another review which stated it had a chambered body...when did they start making 'em with chambered bodies? Mine is heavy as hell. But that's the way I like it. I replaced the tuners at one point, with Grovers, which I realize now are just clones of the Gibson tuners that were on it when I got it. So now, I'm getting some of the new Grover Rotomatics with 18:1 gear ratio.

After playing this, and then playing a Les Paul Standard at Guitar Center with the same amp, no less (Vox AD15), the sound is almost identical. No two guitars will ever sound exactly alike, however. It suuits my musical style, I play a lot of Page/Frehley pentatonics and 70's style proto-metal. This guitar is perfect for that stuff. At the moment, I'm between amplifiers...waiting for my new Roland Cube to arrive (15w version...I'm mainly a bedroom player). In the past, I've played it through Marshalls, Line 6, and Vox amps and it sounds pretty damn good. Nice and crunchy, but a "cleaner" sounding crunch, a lot clearer than any other pickup I've played. The BB Pros tend to get a bit shrill at times, but it's not really a problem. It isn't noisy at all, if you have a good cable like a Monster, and if the outlet you're using is fairly new. The wiring in my house is very old, so it's not gonna be 100% quiet. Still, it's do-able.

I will say one thing about this guitar...the frets are a tad sharp when you first pick it up. It does take some getting used to. Not a problem for me because I've played it for so long. There were no problems from the start, but after about seven months of play, I needed to have it professionally set up. I was noticing very audible buzzing on the low E, 9th and 10th frets, as well as a few other areas. After having proper setups done a few times after that, I can say that the pickups are pretty much rght where I want them as far as height is concerned. One of the peaople that worked on it pointed out that lately Gibson has been using cheap imported switches rather than the Switchcrafts they'd previously been using. I may replace that at some point. Also, the tuners are definitely going to need replacing. I can't be playing wide bends and have the strings slipping out of tune. I'd say definitely buy new tuners right away with this thing.

I'm a bedroom player, so this thing probably won't be seeing any live action any time soon. If it did, I'd use a backup. You just never know what can happen to your stuff in a public setting. But I think this guitar would last. I'm not gonna try and smash it, or drag it around like a caveman, throw it across the stage like a javelin. I take care of my stuff because I want it to serve me well in the long run. The finish may be a slight issue, being a satin finish. It doesn't take much to ding up the paint, which is why I probably wouldn't use it live anyway. But overall, a very heavy, sturdy guitar that's great for playing rock.

They're usually pretty good.

I've been playing for nearly 15 years. At the moment, the only other piece of gear I own is a Marshall MG15, which I'm returning to MF in a day or two. My Cube 15 should be arriving at the beginning of next week. I'm looking forward to hearing what this guitar will sound like through the overdrive setting on the Cube (which is basically the famous Boss yellow-box super overdrive technology built into the amp). I used to have a lot of other gear, which I sold due to limited room space, and financial reasons. But I've had this guitar nearly 2 and a half years and I plan on keeping it. I love the weight, sound, and feel of it. The inlays look more like aged pearl than on other VM's I've seen. They have a slightly "yellowed" look, depending on the light. I'd like to think mine was unique because of this, like someone made a mistake at the factory or something, but I'm sure there are others out there like it. One thing I wish it had were better tuners, but like I said, that's not far off into the future. I've tried other guitars like strats, cheaper Les Pauls and even a Dean Cadillac, but I just couldn't get used to those. When I'd play this, and then play my Cadillac, the difference was like night and day. It was like getting out of a Humvee and then jumping onto a moped. The Gibson is a much more solid, confidence inspiring instrument. It's also pretty cool to be able to copy the tone of people like Jimmy Page and Ace Frehley. When Frehley got his first Gibson Les Paul, it had P.A.F's. It wasn't until after the first KISS album and tour that he switched to Dimarzio DP100's. Those are great pickups, too! But Good old Gibson P.A.F's are what he used to get that classic sound on that first record. It still sounds great 34 years later. Burstbucker Pro's are simply the next step in the evolution of the P.A.F. and I'm glad I have them in such a relatively low priced guitar.