I looked at Gibson and Epiphone Les Pauls but the price is high. This guitar has given me excellent service in all kinds of situations. I would buy another if this one were lost/stolen. I am in the process of having the pickups changed because, while they do provide good sound, the volume doesn't seem to deviate too much when adjusted.
Features: Made in China. Les Paul style; solid mahogany body; maple neck w/rosewood finderboard; gold trim; cherry sunburst; 3 way switch - 2 double hummers; Kluson-style machines.
Playability: The action on this guitar is fantastic. Very easy to play. The body is lighter than a regualr Les Paul, which is fine with me. It's very comfrotable and has a great sound. Aside from a little tweaking (my choice), the guitar played great right out of the box. The company I bought it from did some set-up on it so it was great.
Sound: I use it with a Fender 212R and a Roland Cube. The sound is tremendous! All the way from jazz to blues to rock and in-between. I have used it for stage and recording and it works well with b oth.
Durability: It stays in tune, never had a problem with it. Not "too" affected by climate changes. I have had it a year and only needed to adjust it a few times, mainly tweaking.