I first saw a Standard with Gold Hardware in the mid '70's. Ebony, always haunted me. I hate customs, they are too heavy, and the binding is, or seems sharper and less comfortable than a standard... not to mention, a standard is less pretentious. I finally found one, a '94. There is no mistaking that is all original. Non invasive surgery proves it. The story as I understand it, is that certain retailers ordered a lot of guitars, not great numbers, just a group all the same. Gibson responded as any manufacturer would and made a not so special run. I mean they had the guitars, the hardware was interchangeable so... I saw the note about Sam Ash. That makes sense, but I also remember a big, now defunct, music retailer called Grinnell's. If you remember these guys, you are really dating yourself, most of us recall there namesake pianos in our grade school music classes.
Growing up in Michigan, we didn't have Sam's and very few large retailers. The only place that had new Les Pauls in the area was Grinnell's. I barely remember, 1974,5? But it is the only place I could have seen one. I used to live at the Gibson factory in Kalamazoo when I was a kid, and in all the racks and racks of guitars, Les Pauls, I never saw one there.
I don't know how much of this is fact anymore, or just Gibson legend as conveyed by a lifer. I have 3 standards, 2001 Honey 5+ bought new, 2013 Premium 4+ bought new and now
the 1994 I got for a song, cuz a friend at GC need quick cash...
Rock Hard!
