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This is one-of-a-kind, "Roof of the World" Epiphone Limited Edition Les Paul Special I Electric Guitar, honors Tibet and His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama. Not pictured, but included, is a pearloid pickguard signed by the musician Sting.
The front image is the flag of Tibet (which is banned inside Tibet) designed by The 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso. The Rosewood neck features a series of pearloid white lotuses, a symbol of the enlightened mind within everyone. At the top of the neck there is a small metal plate that says "TIBET" in Tibetan language (བོད་) and a small turquoise and coral prayer amulet called a "gau" that contains small pictures of Lord Buddha and HHDL with a flower petal from his home in India and sand granules from a sacred mandala.
The headstock features an "endless knot" symbolizing the unity between compassion and infinite wisdom, that is without beginning or end. On the back of the body, HHDL is pictured above The Potala Palace, the home he fled in 1959. At the bottom is the "Long Life Prayer" for The Dalai Lama in Tibetan Uchen Script. (English translation): “In this Pure Land surrounded by the snowy mountains You are the source of all benefit and happiness, without exception. All powerful Avalokiteshvara, Tenzin Gyatso, May you stay immovable until Samsara becomes exhausted.”
The inside the back panel contains the signature of the artist, Hillary Levin, and a small capsule containing Buddhist prayers blessed by HHDL. The metal neckplate has an image of the "double dorjee" which represents that which cannot be destroyed, but which destroys all delusion that causes suffering - it is indestructible or diamond-like.
Guitar Features:
The authentic LP power starts with an basswood, trademarked Les Paul body with a bolted-on "1960's" SlimTaper, mahogany neck featuring a 21-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays. The Special-I is voiced by a pair of hot open-coil Epiphone 700T and 650R humbucker pickups, giving it massive, unmistakable Les Paul tone. Like all of Epiphone's electric guitars, it comes standard-equipped with 500K potentiometers for the master volume and master tone controls, plus Epiphone's heavy-duty 3-way pickup selector toggle switch and exclusive non-rotating heavy-duty output jack. This value-champ also now features nickel hardware including an intonated, one-piece wraparound bridge-stopbar. Basswood body Bolt-on mahogany neck Rosewood fretboard 21 frets D-shaped profile Epiphone 700T bridge humbucker Epiphone 650R neck humbucker Master volume, master volume controls 3-way pickup toggle switch Nickel hardware Intonated, one-piece wraparound bridge-stopbar Coverered, 14:1 diecast tuners Polyurethane finish 24-3/4" scale 1-11/16 nut width 12" fretboard radius
Artist bio:
"I was named “Hillary” by my mother, who was fascinated by the first climber reach the top of Mount Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary. If our names influence our destiny, then it may just be the reason I fell in love with photographing the world, far and wide. To me, there is nothing more exciting than capturing the abundant beauty of other cultures. While I am a sucker for travel assignments, I am endlessly fascinated with finding something extraordinary in ordinary places too. To me, photography is about finding richness in reality and sharing it with the world. After visiting Tibet in 2007 and witnessing violation of the human rights there, I committed myself to help preserve Tibetan culture and support the Tibetan freedom movement in any way possible. I served as a Regional Coordinator for Students For A Free Tibet and have supported the work of Tibet House, International Campaign For Tibet, Machik, and other NGOs for over a decade. My photography clients include magazines, newspapers, political campaigns, and stock photography. I’ve donated my services to several non-profit organizations in the USA and abroad. In my spare time I study Buddhism, design guitars, and dream up my next travel adventure."