This guitar takes me back to the first time I saw the album cover on "Frampton Comes Alive". Of course, that being the 70's, my brother had some seeds in the binder (I have no idea what that's about), but I quickly digress... That Les Paul was black and sleek, like an iconic revelation to any young and aspiring guitarist such as myself. That era was a time when you just dreamed. You dreamed, of course of becoming a teenage idol but more importantly, about owning such a majestic instrument. As to my experience, I would go down to Jackson's Music Store in Buckhead, Ga., stand in front of the window and just gawk. I was far from actually having the money to purchase a real Gibson, so I went home with a consolation prize instead. You remember that right? "Consolation prize" were words you heard on a game show as a child that meant if you chose the wrong curtain on "Let's Make a Deal", you would end up with a mule instead of that sky blue AMC Pacer sitting next to where Carrol Marrol was standing. My consultation prize, or "mule" if you will was a Hondo II Les Paul. But, it did have DiMarzio pickups in it, or that's what the sticker that was prominently displayed on the pickguard said. But to own one of these illustrious beauties would had meant becoming a high school immortal. No more 7th grade dances, it was straight on to rock-n-roll bliss. Sadly Folks, it wasn't meant to be for me back in the day. My Dad, in his wisdom saw that because I was locked into the dream of becoming a guitarist bought me a "The Paul" and to me, that was the greatest guitar in the world. Why? Because, by God it still had Gibson on the headstock and after all, if Kiss only played the best (and that is what it said on the back of their albums, remember?), then I was going to play only the best as well. Elks, this guitar not only brings back memories, it will make them for years to come and you just have to love that or you wouldn't even be looking, now would you?