?Gibson Les Paul Juniors are really seeing a resurgence as of late. These are GREAT simply built guitars that are finally getting their due. The first and most highly collectable versions started in the mid 1950’s and were designed and built to be basically student or beginners models. No frills, just quality design and build with one single coil P-90 pickup. There have been some small design changes on these models over the years but basically even available today with the same basic formula that works and that’s one P-90 in a slab of mahogany.

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?The bodies are made from Mahogony, the earlier versions were one piece but now they are several pieces most of the time. The body is a flat top, not rounded/arched like the regular Les Paul line. They usually are a little more light weight but balance well and feature the same scale length and feel as a regular Les Paul. The neck shape can be anywhere from thick to 60’s slim taper according to the years they were made. On the earlier vintage Jr.’s they had non adjustable stop tails, so it was tough to get a really accurate intonation, the new models however have compensated tailpieces that work well. Also there are aftermarket compensated tailpieces that are very affordable to fix this small problem. How’s the tone? Well they have a tone that’s to die for. Very clean or fat and punchy but they can really get “snarly” and a bit “nasty” on the distortion side. I believe this pickup, the P-90, is the most versatile ever designed. Besides the flaw of some hum, think single coil 60 cycle hum that the Fenders have, they are very useable and are clean and fat sounding, they are NOT thin like the Fender single coils in any way. They seem to have more openness and less mud than humbuckers but can still sing sweetly and rock when pushed in a killer amp.

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? I guess the biggest drawback is versatility. They lack a little without a second pickup but with just a twist of the volume or tone knob you can really change the response of the pickup, from clean to mean in the right setting. I have included a pic of a new Junior and they are excellent guitars and are hard to beat at the price. A genuine Gibson for under a grand!! Wow. ?If your thinking that a single coil Gibson couldn’t rock I challenge you to check one of these out. Every player should own one!!

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Guitar Guru