What you're looking at here is a 1952 Gibson Les Paul, Gold top. Not a player's guitar, but a collector's. It's worth probably somewhere around $15-18,000, and it includes the original case. I got to play it just a bit, but not amplified. This guitar belongs to Bill (arm pictured) who is a coworker. He was loitering around my cube the other day waiting to talk to the dude in the cube opposite mine. I said just have a seat in my lobby, there are magazines to read. Incidentally I just remodeled my cube "Office Space"-style by removing a half wall that blocked a window. I have a conference room in my cube now. :)

Anyway, Bill perused my mags, one of which was Vintage Guitar. Bill mentioned that he had an old Les Paul, and I must've started drooling as he said he'd bring it in to show. He did, and I'm showing you now. Bill got this when he was seven from his father's bud who played in a band. Man, that's a lucky sumbitch right thar...