1998 Gibson Les Paul R7 Goldtop
Custom Shop R7 with the original 1998 Guitar Center receipt — single-owner from new.
Why this price
This is a 1998 Gibson Custom Shop Historic R7 — the ‘57 Reissue Goldtop, with two P-90 pickups and the wraparound aluminum bridge of the original. The R7 is the Goldtop variant in the Historic line and has its own collector following separate from the more publicized R8/R9 burst reissues.
What sets this particular example apart is provenance. It was purchased new in 1998 — the original receipt is included — and has had a single owner from new. The natural patina and oxidation on the pickups, bridge, and tailpiece is the slow chemistry of nearly three decades of careful ownership, not the artificial aging applied to current Custom Shop product. The electronics appear original; the original case is included.
Recent Reverb and Carter Vintage sales of late-‘90s Custom Shop R7s in similar honest condition have ranged from $4,200 to $4,800. Asking $4,500.