Gibson Les Paul Junior

Mine is a 1986 in the classic 2 tone gold/brown. I was happy to find an older model as the new Jr's I've seen have 2 or 3 piece bodies and are pained black on the neck and back. Mine is clearly a one piece slab mohagany body. You can see the grain of the wood thru the laquer on the un-painted back and neck of the guitar.

My 86 Jr also has Mini Grover tuners (factory original) which I greatly prefer to the white plastic tuners which often break. Lastly, it has a tune-o-matic bridge as opposed to the wrap around single piece bridge. All stock.

The result of all this is a guitar that has the best sustain I've ever heard (even compared to my old 1996 Les Paul Standard, and any SG I've ever owned). The tune-o-matic allows for proper intonation.

Typical one P-90 p/u, set neck.

Simplicity at its best!

It has that big, chunky, earthy Les Paul sound and rings out for 'days'. Overdriven it is a screamer. P-90 hum can be loud when overdriven, but I don't notice the hum when rocking.

Fit and finish are superb. Better than what I've seen on newer entry level Gibsons. Compares to today's Custom Shop models.

No problems and it's 20 years old.

Never needed it.

Been playing for about 15 years, owned many, many cool guitars. And yet I've settled on this simple beast, and a P Bass reissue for my bass needs. Would definately buy another Jr. just like it. Definately, definately would recommend these 1980's Juniors for the great build quality and superior tuners, bridge and slab body. Would love an original 50's model but would never spend $5,000 to $10,000 on a guitar.

This is an '04 Les Paul Jr. A 22-fret, single-cut American Beauty! One single coil, dog-ear P-90 mounted on a slab of sweet mahogany. No switches... just a tone knob and a volume knob. Simplicity Baby!!!!!! If you're lookin' for features... go somewheres else!This

This baby can really kick blues, rock and country. That P-90 mounted by the bridge gives it a bright, nasty tone that breaks up nicely on any decent tube amplifier. I like to drive it through a black-face Bandmaster, silver-face Vibrolux, and best of all... a '59 tweed Champ! It takes on a different character for each amp but with its own rudeness. I originally bought it for slide use only, but have found myself playin' it normal since I bought it.

Set up perfectly. I bought it used at the Dallas International Guitar Show (the baddest of them all). Who knows how it was originally set up... it's pretty bad-ass, now. I had intended to raise the action and put monster-heavy strings on it for slide use, but am really digging the way it feels. This thing looks incredible! It's got a deep, dark mahogany burst finish. The P-90 is black and the pickguard is single ply black beauty. Both of these, along with the finish, give it a warm but mysterious look that I love.

It's a Gibson. What do you think?

I never had to deal with Gibson, but I'm sure they're nice folks.

I've been playing for about 20 years. I'm 32 years old... so I guess I've been at it most of my life and have owned, and still own, several guitars and amplifiers. I've always considered myself a "Fender Man", but this beauty has really got me! I still love my old Fenders but can definitely see myself adding to my Gibson collection. I know a guitar "has it" if it makes me play more than before. Because of this little baby, even my callouses have callouses! Yee Haw!!!

Its main feature is its lack of features. Gibsons analogy to the Esquire.

The sound is just incredible. This is my 3rd Junior and it truly lives up to its name. It growls, screams, spits and genrally kicks ass. I play it through a 66 Deluxe Reverb and don't use any effects with it. It would be a sin to cover up that primitive sound. The volume control has a nice taper to it and when you roll it back you don't lose high frequencies. The strange thing about this guitar is that I actally use the tone control,

It came strung with 10's and I usually use 10's on Gibsons but it felt a little stiff. I changed over to 9's and it really loosened things up. I wanted to do deep stretches on the first 3 frets (i,e. Leslie West) and the 9's accomodate that nicely. It intonates well (as good a non-adjustible bridge gets). Don't be tempted to replace the stop bar bridge because I am positive that is what gives this thing its great sound. I have a 54 Goldtop reissue that is set up the same way and it plays itself. The finish is very nice, not too heavily lacquered. The action is medium low and is perfect for me. No buzzes or fretting out.

A nuclear bomb would not hurt this thing.

F**K Gibson. They are just another corporation just like Enron or Tyco.

Been playing 43 years. I have a bunch of guitars and amps and I still play out at least 10 times per year. If it was stolen I would definately get another.

2001, tobacco sunburst, very simple guitar.

Oh, this is where it shines! LP Jr. + 100 watt Marshall= HEAVEN!
No effects needed, when you turn this thing up....it Growls!
Also have a Custom Shop "57" triple pickup Black Beauty, and this thing (as primative as it is), is way more responsive to harmonics.

Got this one used for $500.00 w/hardshell (go figure)
Was perfect top to bottom...not a scratch!

Tough as any "Tele".......nuff said.

Customer WHAT?

Over 30 years playing, and never tired of these.
We all know what Leslie West did with this animal, but I was very surprised when I recently read an article in VINTAGE GUITAR's website
(artist pages), on Martin Barre of Jethro Tull. Seems he was so impressed with Leslie's tone while touring with Mountain, that the ENTIRE "AQUALUNG" album was recorded with a Junior!!!
Well, I had to go back and listen to the album, and sure enough!
One trick pony....MY ASS!

This review is for a 2004 model LP Jr. in Vintage Sunburst purchased new from MF. This year/model (I'm pretty sure)is exclusive to MF. Here are the specs:
Manufactured in: Nashville,TN

NECK
Species: Mahogany
Profile: '60's slim taper
Peghead Pitch: 13 degrees
Thickness at 1st Fret: 0.800
Thickness at 12th Fret: 0.875
Neck Joint Location: 16

FINGERBOARD
Species: Rosewood
Scale Length: 24 3/4
Total Length: 18.062
Number of Frets: 22
Nut Width: 1 11/16
Width at 12th Fret: 2.062
Inlays: dot
Fingerboard Bind: NA

HARDWARE
Plating Finish: Chrome
Bridge: Compensated wraparound bridge
Knobs: Black Top Hats
Tuners: White Button

ELECTRONICS
Pickups: one p90
Controls: one volume, one tone

CASE: Gibson gig bag

I gotta comment on the bridge. Most Juniors have an angled wraparound bridge. This one is not angled, the posts that hold the bridge are square with the pickup so the bridge is straight, or parallel to the p90 pickup.
I'm not rating features. It's a Junior, about as simple as they come, but that's the beauty of it!!!

I play mostly rock / punk, a little blues. I'm running this guitar through a Marshall DSL50 and Marshall 4x12 cabinet with greenbacks. This guitar sounds incredible! Sound is tough to describe but here's my take on it. Through the dirty channel it growls like a rabid pitbull that has the neighbor's cat cornered, and it sings nicely through the clean channel with the tone knob rolled back a little. Awesome p90 tone! Also played this through my TSL 100 and Vintage 30 loaded cab. That sounded great too, I just prefer the clean sound through the dsl 50 rig.

Guitar came ready to play right out of the box. Intonation was on, action is nice and low. The finish has a little orange peel in and around the cut out, bad chrome on the bridge where it wraps around the post, not that noticeable, but I expected a little better quality from Gibson. Otherwise the finish is really nice, and the mahogany looks great on the top.

I've played this guitar at several shows now. I need to tune this thing about every three songs, but I beat the hell out of it. I'm going to replace the tuners with something that will hold better. Also replaced the strap buttons with straplocks. I never gig with out a backup guitar, but I've also never had to use the back up since I started using this as a main guitar.

Requested the specs for this guitar from Gibson and they were unable to provide assistance. They said to ask Musician's Friend. Since they ordered these guitars they would have the specs. Just figured since Gibson built the dang things, they would know how they built them. Whatever, no big deal, I found the info.

I've been playing for 25 years. Right now I also have a 78 LP Std, 00 LP Std, and an Ibanez RG (it's my kids!), the marshall's above and a Line 6 Vetta Combo. I've always played Les Paul Standards, experimented with many others, but always end up going back to the Les Pauls. This junior is now my favorite axe. I love the simplicity of it. It's probably the funnest guitar I've ever played. If this one were lost or stolen, I'd save my money and get an older one or a re-issue. But for the price, this one is definately worth it.

2005 LES PAUL JR. Dark sunburst, volume and tone knob, one very nasty P90. The rest you allready know from the many reviews.

For now I have a Roland Blues Cube 30 watt. Has a clean and dirty channel. But next is a Fender tube something. Probably a Deluxe Reverb. For blues and rock and mild jazz this thing is great.

Came nicely set up to my liking. Action was close, and intonation was on at the 12th fret. (Really) Tuners seem ok. Stays in tune for my playing. But I check tuning between songs anyways.

I'm a weekend musician anymore. But would easily gig with this guitar. The sound is just ripping awesome. The glossy finish shows sweat marks easily dont care if it wears off in places. Could use strap buttons, at least it dosent weigh 10 pounds.

Never dealt with Gibson

Been playing many years. Mostly an acoustic player anymore but ventured into the electric venue again. Bought a LP Studio and sold it to get this one for simplicity. Was I surprised. It would never be stolen. This is not an entry level junker guitar. Maybe the Epiphone version of this is I cant say having never seen one. But after now owning something with a P90 seems I can tell them a mile away on songs now. With my little amp cranked normal or on overdrive, the volume and tone on 10 on the guitar, oh my god. For the money it is killer, in about four days it was sitting at my door. No tax and no shipping. Sorry I dont go into all the detailed gorey details but just wanted to add another positive comment about this guitar. Looking to get the Fender Deluxe so I'll have something I can crank to 9 or 10 with this guitar pretty much dry and still leave the roof on a small dive bar.

2002 I think, USA.
Pretty simple really, a P90, Vol, Tone and shiny black paint.
Looks like its a 3 piece body, mahogany. NecK? Who knows.. Nice rosewood board.
It has very few features, but in the age of things becoming so feature packed and whiz bang.. I consider simplicity a feature in itself.

Sounds fabulous unplugged, really resonant body.
Plugged, fat single coil sound. Really nice clarity, chords really ring out, power chords sound amazing, I'm used to them sort of just mushing together, but with this they just sing. Sustains beautifully and feels just so nice to play (feels alive in your hands).
Fun with distorion, its no full on metal machine, but still rocks fairly hard!
I love the clarity of this thing, truely love it,

Action was perfect, finish was perfect, really nicely finished frets.. nice all over. Perfect.. The paint is thinish though, not thick and glossy (is how I can see its a 3 piece body, can just make out the join in the wood, not through transparency, just a gentle dip). I figure the thin paint adds to the resonant feel, not a fan of all that 6 inch thick glossy goop.
Its so easy to play.

Despite what people have told me about the tuners, it stays in tune pretty well (better than my LP Voodoo for sure and that had Grovers).
I figure the paint won't last forever, it does feel thin, but I don't mind that, like a bit of wear and tear. Aside from that.. what can go wrong? Its so damn simple.

I sent them email, they replied. Aus distributor seems very helpful.

Admittedly I've only been playing for a year, I traded my LP Voodoo for this (sure I maybe got ripped a bit but I don't care, this is exactly what I wanted and how can you get ripped if you get what you want?), I couldn't come to terms with the neck on my Voodoo, Nice guitar though.
I love this axe, Its just sublime.. For me its all about how it feels unplugged and this thing speaks to me..
Only thing I wish it had was a different colour, wanted alpine white, black was all they had.. and was the last one..
I love it, if it were stolen, I'd be extremely upset, try to get another. It probably is a bit expensive for what it is.

Obviously a junior doesnt have many "features" in the sense of the term that guitarists most often use, ie: clicky knobs that coil tap and pickups that enchant your hands to play half decent. Juniors are guitars like they should be made. Its a peice of wood with strings that resonates through electricity. This guitar rocks and definitely gets a 9/10 for features because it has the features that one needs.

Ok TECHNICALLY.
the features depend greatly on what era junior you have. the original juniors had wrap around bridges and crappy little kluson style tuners. the new ones are basically the same in features. the junior that i own is from the late 80s, when they made them with tune o matic bridges and mini grover tuners...features that come on much more expensive high end models. this is why i went for an 80s junior, classic tone, stays in tune like a mofo. this neck aint bending.

If you crank the prescence on this guitar and set everything else (mids trebs and bass) to 5 then you get pretty much a clean pallette to use the tone knob to make the guitar sound however you want. Its not an amp sim or anything, but you can get a good range of tones. The clean tone is excellent, bright and sustaining and takes to reverb like a champ. ryhtym distortion is chunky and full, and the lead distortion sings.

again it depends on what era guitar you have. the finish on the new juniors, the 00' juniors, have an orangey see thru finish and the wood is crappy. the backside of the new juniors are painted dead black along with the neck so that you cant see through to the junk wood they made it out of. if you have an older junior they have the classic yellowey burst and the back of the guitar is translucent so you can see the beautiful wood. when i got my guitar the action was perfect, there were no dead notes at all, although i dont think this guitar is much for shredding, or being a metal dork. (no offense i like playing metal too)

rock fucking solid. get new strap buttons or a strap lock (duh)

Never talked to them, bought it used.

Awesome guitar. I use a 70s super reverb 4x10 and this guitar sounds amazing. i dont have a rat pedal but i want one because this guitar sounds great with a vintage rat. i would definitly buy it again, but i would never buy one of the crappy new juniors, what a joke. go vintage or go broke....or both.

This review is for a 2004 Les paul JR. I should mention that I have recently recieved this guitar! This is a straight-up Junior as the guy at Gibson said when I enquired about it before ordering from Musicians Friend. Mahogany neck and body,one P-90 at the wrap-around bridge,2 knobs,rosewood fingerboard,chrome hardware. The body appears to be solid one piece,sunburst top,black sides and back as well as neck. This struck me as kind of odd(black finish on back and neck) I would have preferred seeing the mahogany. Kind of wonder if it was painted to hide laminations in the neck and body.
Tuners are kluson-style with plastic buttons. Headstock has gold stencil logo,nice vintage angle.Fingerboard and fret-work are nice. Nice round vintage feel to the neck. Nice looking sunburst top-pretty wood! Good fit at body/neck joint. Single cutaway body. Finish is nitro-cellulose lacquer. Made in Nashville USA. Came with a nice Gibson gig-bag!!

The sound of this guitar is awesome. Unplugged, it has a rich,full resonance that hints at good things to come. Plugged in, I am not disappointed. P-90 covers all strings true and balanced. Harmonics to chunky rythms. Singing sustain can be obtained when driven hard through a small 6V6 amp. Clean full chords through the Super Reverb amp. Tone knob offers a nice tonal sweep. Some might think this guitar is a one trick pony but it offers a lot of tone in my opinion--2 knobs, 1 pickup, 2 hands and an amp...what else ya need!

Straight out of the box-this guitar is set-up to my liking. great action on the whole neck. No buzzes or fret out. Frets well polished and smooth. Intonation pretty close. The only problem I had was the G string nut-slot was not cut deep enough and the string would pop out when I did bends. I do my own guitar maintenance and with the proper file I quickly remedied that situation!!
On the subject of finish--it could be better! Overall I am happy with the top and neck(with the exception of it being black). However, the black finish on the back has light scratches over the surface. Looks like it could have been buffed out a little better!
All the parts--bridge,tuners, p'up and p'guard seem to have good fits and the neck/body joint is seamless!

Since I just purchased this guitar--I can,t attest to its reliability at this point BUT will say that it seems to be quite well-built and road-worthy. All parts and strap buttons are well-mounted. Being light and relatively inexpensive I feel that it is a real gig-worthy guitar and reliable

Have not had to use customer support...so don,t know!

I have been playing for 35 years. I currently own 12 guitars-all vintage except this one and a Guild Jumbo. Have been through 30 or so guitars and for the last several years been interested only in vintage AND primarily Gibson. Regular Les Pauls are too heavy for my liking and I had the 'jones' for a junior AND the price was right! So far, I am extremely happy with the purchase. Great sounding,vintage-feeling and playing guitar. Would buy again if necessary!

Built in 1955 its basically one of the simpelst electric guitars ever made. Mahagony body in three tone sunburst nitro laquer finish, glued mahagony neck, rosewood board with 22nd frets and mother of pearl dot inlays, kluson tuners, one dogear P-90 single coil pickup rated 7.6 kOhm in bridge position, wrap around tail piece, tone control, volume control and a large bumble bee capacitor, thats it. The neck is fat (but not as fat as the '55 LP Special neck)and dead straight, and the frets are of small size. I suggest rating a 2 is ok, I'll save the 1 for a guitar with the same features except tone control.

If you like P-90s and are familiar with the different types and companies which produce this pickup you'll gonna hear the difference between this one and the contamporary types at a glance. On one hand, it sound great in all situations (clean, crunch, high gain) and with all major amps (Fender, Boogie, Marshall). It has plenty of power with the right bottom and overall frequency response, never harsh, always balanced and dynamic with transparency. The tone pot in combination with the bumble bee provides a wide range of usefull sounds, especially when you vary the position where your right hand strokes the strings. For sure, you won't get for instant those pretty singing sound of a pickup in the neck position of a Les Paul, but it's possible to come close to it. Sound is full and rich, not much noisy for a single coil pickup.

At first, it's a 49 year old guitar. Looking at myself (I'm as well born in 1955) it seems in the same good shape I am (laughing). Surely, there are some dings, dongs and scratches, but if you take a look at my homepage www.coleslaw.de you could see under gear, how wonderfull those ol' lady looks like. Concerning the action it's the best guitar I own. Even when the strings are set low (I use .11 - .49 gauge) there's no buzzing at all and your fingers could speed up and down the fretboard. So far action is much more better then my MM van Halen, my PRS Custom 22 or one of my Strats.

I guess the age and shape of the guitars speaks for its own. It's rock solide and build for more than a lifetime.

I bought the guitar at the beginning of the year 2004 from Germanys best known vintage dealer Wolfgang Eistert (see www.guitar-coffee-shop.com), thus I can only rate his competence. He's a smart guy and well known worldwide as a reliable vintage dealer.

Basically I wanted a guitar which had been manufactured in the same year I am born to a convinient price. Always addicted to Les Paul's in some kind of love-and-hate association I ocassionally bought either a Standart, Custom or Special by purpose to get rid of it after 5-6 month of playing. At a time, where every week another affordable normal or nearly unaffordable custom shop Les Paul is leaving the Gibson factory I suggest that such an old Les Paul Junior represents an achorpoint for the restless guitarslinger on his ever lasting quest for sound. Thus I'll give the highest score in the overall rating.