I'm in my office now, so I'll post some pics when I get home. Further more, correct me if I'm wrong - Per Gibsons serial number information, weren't guitars built in 1994 have serial numbers that start out 94xxxxx? I read the bit about the 1st and 5th which in my case it would be a 97. But when I obtained the guitar the first thing I did was shoot a e mail to Gibson's customer service. The reply I got said it was a 1994. The following is from Gibson:
There are always exceptions to these rules, the two listed below are worth noting:
Les Paul Classic: This model features an ink stamped serial number with no "MADE IN USA" (just as we used on the original 1952-1960 Les Pauls). Most will be 5 to 6 digits in length, but the earliest examples feature 4 digit serial numbers. There should be a space after the 1st digit with the 4 and 5 digit serial numbers, and no space with the 6 digit numbers.
The 1st digit indicates the year of manufacture for the 4 & 5 digit serial numbers, these were used from 1989-1999. The 1st and 2nd indicate the year of manufacture for the 6 digit serial numbers which we've been using since 2000.
Examples -
9 xxx = 1989 (4 digit number beginning with "9" used only in 1989)
0 xxxx = 1990
9 xxxx = 1999
00xxxx = 2000
05xxxx = 2005
Those beginning with "94":
In 1994, Gibson's Centennial year, many instruments have a serial number that begins with "94" for the year, with the remaining 6 digits indicating the ranking number.
I don't believe its a LP Classic hence it having "Made in the USA" stamped on its peg head. And like Standards from this year it has Standard on it's truss rod cover. And my point about it being "special" wasn't the fact that it doesn't have a pick guard, it's the fact that it has a birds-eye maple top. How many birds-eye maple top LP have you ever seen? In the 30 years I've been playing I had never seen a birds-eye maple top LP.
Other Gibsons that I own are: 1974 Grabber Bass, (heavily modified with 3 p/u's, Bad *** Bridge, dp/dt switches), 2007 '61 reissue SG, 1999 J200, 1993 LP Studio, 1994 LP Special in TV Yellow and a 1981 Sonex Deluxe