Thanks, Bill. At the time (1978) I got my Les Paul Custom (as a graduation gift from my parents) they were more affordable. My mother claims she only paid $350 dollars for it new. That would have been a crazy good price, but possible if they just wanted to get rid of it. It had been sitting the store display window for a year. I know because I drooled over it every time we went to the mall. I think they were selling for $500 — $700 new at the time. Of course, I was 17 and minimum wage was $2.30 an hour in 1978. So there was no way I could afford it myself.