I have the Les Paul Special model in vintage mahogany and I love it!! It's different in that it's a flat top and has the belly cut in the back.
I did find the stock pickups are a little muddy, so I replaced the bridge pup with a Seymour Duncan Distortion...it's just an animal now!
I got mine used for $550 and I can't imagine why anyone would abandon this wonderful guitar. I played it for 10 seconds and knew right away it was coming home with me. Oh well, one man's trash is another's treasure.

I too looked at that model, Very nice!! With my budget at the time, I looked at the Les Paul (VM), SG Classic, and the SG Faded Brown. As you can see by the pic, I went with the Faded Brown. The neck just felt "broken in" more, and I had sentimental reasons also (1980 "The SG" I once owned). Congratulations on an excellent choice, I know you wont be disappionted later and you will have an axe that will last you a life time. FYI: dont ever sell or trade it (unless your offered a 1958 standard-haha), your hearing this from someone whos "been there-done that"

TATORSALAD

Now THAT is baddass. I'm gonna get a couple of Gibsons next (I've never owned one...)

Flying V's of all things...

I thought about snaggin one o' those m'self...if I recall, it has either '57 Classics or Burstbuckers instead of the 490/498 pair, which is good news.

Welcome to the sustain-for-days club...and enjoy that neck pickup lead tone!

Gibson is a great choice of guitars! Great pick man!

Thanks y'all. Thoroughly enjoying the sustain and the beauty, much to the disappointment of my Am. Std. Strat (pictured left).

The fun bit is to record something on one guitar, then the other. The different tones and the approaches for the axes makes for a real full sounding recording.