Incredibly playable, '59 spec 1960 Les Paul Junior that just oozes vibe with just the right amount of wear and fade to the cherry finish, a perfect ’59 neck profile and a rowdy and rocking P-90. We sold this guitar some time a go and its a real pleasure to have it back in the shop.
The always popular Les Paul Junior was introduced in 1954 as the simple, no frills, student model solid-body guitar of the Gibson range, it would remain in the catalog as the Les Paul Junior until 1963 when it was replaced by the SG Junior model. The design would evolve from the original single cutaway style of 1954 to the new symmetrical Double-Cutaway body design in 1958 through to to its final incarnation in 1961 the contoured, pointed double cutaway SG/Les Paul Design. despite these changes the Junior model would resoundingly feature a simply appointed solid mahogany body and neck with rosewood fingerboard and a single P-90 pickup.
Dating to the first part of 1960, this Junior has survived with no breaks or repairs and is in generally great cosmetic condition. The Cherry finish looks great, there is some inevitable fading to the finish and there is tight cellular lacquer checking throughout. There is a swathe of buckle rash to the back that if anything adds to the overall appearance and character. Being an early ’60, the guitar has retained the desirable ‘big neck’ 59 profile every player wants, it’s instantly comfortable and a joy to play. The dark Rosewood fingerboard has some pleasant figuring and light wear that is a testament to how playable the guitar is. Frets and the bone nut are replacements. The P-90 is a fine sounding example, it has a powerful but very balanced tone but isn’t as upfront or shouty as some 60’s P-90’s can be. The pickup measures a healthy 8.49K at the output. Pots are replacements and the guitar is currently sporting a Bumble-Bee Capacitor. Currently fitted with a set of great reproduction Kluson tuners the guitar has previously been fitted with different tuners and regarding the rest of the hardware there are a few replacement parts, often par for the course with Les Paul Juniors. The bridge is a replacement stop tailpiece and the input jack plate and truss rod cover are replacements.
Guitars don’t get much simpler or intuitive than a good Les Paul Junior, a featherweight Honduran Mahogany body and neck, single P90 pickup in the bridge, volume and tone controls and a wraparound bridge and tailpiece. Weighing a featherweight 7.3bs it feels lively and resonant acoustically which in combination with the fine sounding P-90 pickup translates into one excellent sounding Junior. Measuring 23.30 at the first fret and filling out to 25.01mm at the 12th fret the neck has a decent depth to it but thanks to the almost shoulder-less profile feels slimmer than the numbers suggest.
Easily one of the cooler guitars in the shop, there is something undeniably Rock and Roll about the Double cut Junior. This was a great example when we had the guitar in stock before but I can safely say it has gotten better. It does the Junior thing with aplomb, big, bold and punchy but will clean up to an almost acoustic like whisper with the incredibly interactive volume and tone controls.The guitar comes in a later 70’s Gibson Case.
The always popular Les Paul Junior was introduced in 1954 as the simple, no frills, student model solid-body guitar of the Gibson range, it would remain in the catalog as the Les Paul Junior until 1963 when it was replaced by the SG Junior model. The design would evolve from the original single cutaway style of 1954 to the new symmetrical Double-Cutaway body design in 1958 through to to its final incarnation in 1961 the contoured, pointed double cutaway SG/Les Paul Design. despite these changes the Junior model would resoundingly feature a simply appointed solid mahogany body and neck with rosewood fingerboard and a single P-90 pickup.
Dating to the first part of 1960, this Junior has survived with no breaks or repairs and is in generally great cosmetic condition. The Cherry finish looks great, there is some inevitable fading to the finish and there is tight cellular lacquer checking throughout. There is a swathe of buckle rash to the back that if anything adds to the overall appearance and character. Being an early ’60, the guitar has retained the desirable ‘big neck’ 59 profile every player wants, it’s instantly comfortable and a joy to play. The dark Rosewood fingerboard has some pleasant figuring and light wear that is a testament to how playable the guitar is. Frets and the bone nut are replacements. The P-90 is a fine sounding example, it has a powerful but very balanced tone but isn’t as upfront or shouty as some 60’s P-90’s can be. The pickup measures a healthy 8.49K at the output. Pots are replacements and the guitar is currently sporting a Bumble-Bee Capacitor. Currently fitted with a set of great reproduction Kluson tuners the guitar has previously been fitted with different tuners and regarding the rest of the hardware there are a few replacement parts, often par for the course with Les Paul Juniors. The bridge is a replacement stop tailpiece and the input jack plate and truss rod cover are replacements.
Guitars don’t get much simpler or intuitive than a good Les Paul Junior, a featherweight Honduran Mahogany body and neck, single P90 pickup in the bridge, volume and tone controls and a wraparound bridge and tailpiece. Weighing a featherweight 7.3bs it feels lively and resonant acoustically which in combination with the fine sounding P-90 pickup translates into one excellent sounding Junior. Measuring 23.30 at the first fret and filling out to 25.01mm at the 12th fret the neck has a decent depth to it but thanks to the almost shoulder-less profile feels slimmer than the numbers suggest.
Easily one of the cooler guitars in the shop, there is something undeniably Rock and Roll about the Double cut Junior. This was a great example when we had the guitar in stock before but I can safely say it has gotten better. It does the Junior thing with aplomb, big, bold and punchy but will clean up to an almost acoustic like whisper with the incredibly interactive volume and tone controls.The guitar comes in a later 70’s Gibson Case.