So the (apparently very LONG) story goes like this:
I'm a drummer and I've been playing since 92. I've played in a few bands with close friends and I would sometimes pick up the guitar at jams and sort of noodle around with it. I had no clue what to do except the basic power chords circa Nirvana. Never put any real effort into it since I concentrated mainly on the drums.
I picked up a bass a few years later - this really odd thing, looked like an Explorer or sorts but had no head. I don't have any pictures of it, unfortunately (or fortunately). I had that for a few months, never really got in to it. Eventually sold it for what I paid and that was that.
Kept with the drums, played with some really great musicians in Toronto, did a lot of gigs, some CDs, etc.
Fast forward to about 5 years ago. My drum playing sort of slowed down for various reasons - school, work, etc. I was gigging with a band but I lost interest, left that band, and eventually my playing pretty much stopped. I think I would touch my drums no more than once every two weeks, if that.
But I needed something musical to do, and I started longing for a guitar. However, since I knew absolutely nothing about them, I never put a lot of interest in it. At my previous job, I met a few guys there that were also musicians, and eventually we started to jam on a regular basis.
I told one of the guys that I was sort of looking at getting a guitar and he told me a few things to look for. He said you have to consider what style of music you want to play and get a guitar that would be suitable for it. Since I'm a hard rock/punk person, he said a good guitar would be a Les Paul or a Telecaster. I don't really like the look of a Tele, so I opted for looking at a LP. The guy said that he would look for one since he just found another co-worker a MANN Les Paul for $150.
So one day in July 07, he sent me a link from Craigslist for an El Degas Les Paul for $250. He told me not to waste any time and email this person right away. So I did and a few replies later I get that an offer of $350 was thrown out for the guitar, and I was asked if I would be willing to match that. I said I was willing to pay the $250 as long as everything checked out, and that I wasn't interested in a bidding war, but you were free to sell it to whoever. As luck would have it, the person emailed me back and said that they would let me take a look at the guitar first, since they realized that I wasn't out to make any money off this.
I meet up with this person's mother, a really sweet older Italian lady. She told me how she used to be an opera singer back home and that when she came to Canada, she wanted her children to be involved in music somehow. So she bought this guitar for her daughter but her daughter never really picked it up - rather, she opted for an acoustic. So the LP basically sat in its case in their basement or closest for who knows how long - my guess is at least 20 years or so.
When I saw this guitar, I was instantly sold on it. After checking it out, the only thing I noticed that was somewhat major, was the nut on the jack was missing, so the jack would fall inside the guitar. Also, the amp that came with the guitar, didn't work - I found out later, it was the patch cord. I managed to get the guitar with a shaped hardcase and amp for $210.
Honestly, this thing is perfect - no scratches, no dings, completely minty fresh. I'm actually (at times) reluctant to play it because I don't want to mess it up - ie. drop it, put any dings in the body, etc. But since I did buy it with the intent of learning, I haven't really put it down since the day I got it.
I also have a Yamaha F-160 acoustic, which I found on Craigslist. I'm currently looking for a better amp (since the one that came with the guitar sucks, haha). Not really sure what to get since there are so many options out there. Also hinting at another guitar but that would depend on what type of deal I can find.
Anyway, here are a few pictures of the LP:
You'll notice in the first pictures the black volume and tone knobs. Well, one of my co-workers pointed out that those weren't the guitar's knobs, and I realized that the original owners swapped the knobs from the amp since one of the guitar knobs was missing, haha. So I ordered a set from eBay and it's all "original" now.
So there's the story of this Les Paul. I'm really lucky that I was able to pick this thing up all things considered. I do know that I have learned a lot with it and I don't plan on slowing down at this point. Thanks for letting me share.
Just get some gold bell knobs on there... 
(13 bass, 26 electric, 3 acoustic)
but I sure love to play them all.
