I specifically asked the chat rep for a pristine new Les Paul, while I know the clerks at the store XYZAbc can’t really guarantee how item arrives hence always have it shipped.. they unboxed it in front of me, You would have thought this would’ve caught the eye of the person finishing the guitar with lacquer and strings, before even allowing this to pass. I just don’t know what to say when I have picked up insurmountable Epiphone and any other brand guitar, and old vintage Les Pauls, and still see this. Old ones don’t even have this. The cutaway is beautiful and fine. The topside is not. The very very first thing I noticed when the case was opened a place I always, always check on my indo cort factory Ibanez RG guitars when ordering, as I’ve has experience with pocket cracking before. Could’ve been weather shifting maybe being dropped hard during shipping even in a darn leather hard case and box. I can’t say. All I know is I did not, pay for something to look like this out of the box.