I have always thought of Gibson Les Pauls to be a hit or miss kind of thing (more miss than hit though). I have played a lot of guitars (many Gibsons included). I have told many people that IMHO, 95% of the time the quality of the guitar that you will get from Gibson is not worth the price. That being said, finding a quality Gibson Les Paul is an exciting experience for me as a guitar player. When they are great they are inspirational. It is also in my experience that quality is never a given just because of a high price tag from any manufacturer. I have played some high priced "crap" and I have played some cheap guitars that have blown my mind. Bottom line, a brand name can never replace what your ear can hear.