This is a 1998 Les Paul Gold top Classic. It's beautiful and heavy. The ceramic humbuckers are hot and very brassy sounding. This Paul has thick gutsy tones. The neck is the thinner 1960 design and the fret board is easier to manuever around on than thicker models. The Classic model has been "aged" at the factory with yellowed plastic parts and pearl fret inlays. This gives the guitar a very nice vintage feel.