first, it starts based on a guitar which is pre historic les paul standard reissue with

larger kluson type tuners not exactly kluson replica tuners. (1983-1992)


now the history..................



"1993"

*deep neck joint.
*hollywood head veneer.
*silk screened les paul logo.
*correct pickup routing.
*les paul classic aged inlay.
*the 57 classic pickups.
*kluson replica tuners.
*vintage letter styled serial#.
*"historic collection" decal on the headstock.
*indian rosewood fingerboard.
*"AAAA" grade soft maple top.
*regular gibson usa brown case.
*regular early 90s style cherry sunburst.
*cherry sunburst and heritage darkburst"



"1994"

*historic parts, only pickguard, pickup rings, trussrod cover.
*regular gibson usa white pearloid inlay.
*"AAAA" grade soft maple top.
*darker transparent orangy cherry sunburst. (1994-1996)



"1997"

*ID micro chip in the neck joint.
*brass bridge saddles instead of steel bridge saddles.
*"AAAAA" grade soft maple top.
*brighter transparent orangy cherry sunburst. (1997-1998)
*unknown space between pickguard and bridge pickup ring.
*brighter back cherry color.



"1998"

*"AAAAA plus" grade soft maple top.
*butterscotch finish. (R8 only)
*no volume/tone knob washers.
*new custom shop black case.



"1999"

*"40th anniversary" unofficially nicknamed. (1959-1999)
*first Tom Murphy aged finish model.
*COA began.
*thin body binding.
*thin lacquer finish.
*"AAA" hard maple top.
*new vintage taste cherry and darkburst.
*vintage style back red filler color.
*refined parts positions and neck shape.



"2000"

*vintage lifton style brown case for R9/R0. (made in guatemara)
*lemon burst, tri burst.



"2001"

*thin neck binding.
*tortoiseshell color side dots.
*new round edged pearloid inlay. (2001-2002 only)
*vintage style mid jumbo size frets.
*new thick jack plate. (2001-2002 only)
*aluminum tailpiece.
*very bright red sunburst.
*custom authentic finish.
*faded tabacco, iced tea, washed cherry.



"2002"

*the burstbucker type 2 & 3.
*non wired ABR-1 bridge for the early units.
*genuine kluson tuners for the early units.
*vintage taste aged inlay. (only R9/R0, later for all models)
*vintage style thin jack plate. (only R9/0, later for all models)
*vintage style thin toggle switch washer. (only R9/0, later for all models)
*vintage color toggle switch knob. (only R9/0, later for all models)
*vintage style CTS pots and oil caps. not bumblebee. (only R9/0, later all models)
*vintage style tuner bushings.
*dark deep cherry sunburst.



"2003"

*brazillian rosewood fingerboard. (only on the unit from JAN to MAY)
*madagascar rosewood fingerboard.
*eastern hard maple.
*the burstbucker type 1 & 2.
*"AA" grade eastern hard maple top.
*gold knobs instead of previous vintage amber knobs.
*corrected tuner positions. "V" intead of "l l" way.
*a space between the trussrod cover and nut.
*vintage style CTS pots and BUMBLEBEE caps.
*transparent orange to regular red cherry sunburst.
*" i "dot on gibson logo moved to the correct position.
*refined parts positions and neck shape.



"2004-5"

*new custom shop black case.
*"AAA" eastern hard maple top.
*silk screened logo moved to the correct location.



"2006"

*VOS finish.
*pleked treatment neck.
*real vintage looking maple top grains/figures.


"2007"

*brighter back red filler color.
*real honduran mahogany.............
*real correct size pickguard.



"2008-XXXX"