Gibson Les Paul Junior Solid Body Electric Guitar (1956)
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Item # 12407
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Gibson Les Paul Junior Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1956), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 610492, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, original brown alligator chipboard case.
This is a nice, rip-roaring example of a third-year Gibson Les Paul Junior, one of the most elegantly simple electric guitars ever designed. It shows some general wear and a set of correct repro Kluson tuners but remains an easy playing and superb sounding example of this classic '50s Gibson solid body with a lightweight mahogany body and one very lively P-90 pickup.
The top sports a deep yellow/brown sunburst finish showing very little fade; the remainder is finished in dark mahogany. The one-piece mahogany neck has a lovely feel, with a round-backed but slightly less chunky profile than some '50s Juniors. The pickup is still in the original just-by-the-bridge position; it was relocated slightly more up from the bridge soon after this one was made. Unlike many '54-55 stop-tailpiece Gibsons the bridge is not leaning forward; the bushings and studs had recently been made longer to sit deeper into the body to solve this problem. Some afficionados would posit that this guitar's combination of the new longer studs with the old closer-set pickup represents the best possible combination of Junior features for sonic nirvana!
As the name implies, the Les Paul Junior was the most basic of Gibson's 1950s signature line, with a single P-90 pickup at the bridge and simple bar bridge/tailpiece. This was an exercise in superbly effective minimalist design and the Junior's very lack of complexity worked perfectly then and now. Launched in mid-1954, the model was a success right out of the gate. Over 3100 sold in 1956, the original model's peak production year. This more than tripled the number of Les Paul Standards shipped, proving to Gibson's management that inexpensive solid body electric guitars were the wave of the future.
While designed as a student guitar, the Junior has become justly renowned as one of the crunchiest and most powerful of all straight rock guitars, with fantastic natural overdrive capabilities when paired with the right amp. The combination of the thick mahogany body and neck with the solidly dog-ear mounted P-90 and bar bridge maximizes tonal response. The pickup on this Junior is fairly close under the strings resulting in a massive singing sound when the amp is cranked.
Since the late 1960's many players have come to prefer this model to all others for both heavy crunch rhythm and searing leads. From Leslie West to Mick Ralphs, Johnny Thunders to Paul Westerberg to Billie Joe Armstrong, Gibson's original 1950s Les Paul Junior has proven itself over and over to be the most basic of rock machines, as simple and effective as they come. This one is not the cleanest but one of the lightest of these we have ever had, a 6.67 LB. gem of '50s Gibson greatness.
Overall length is 39 in. (99.1 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 11/16 in. (4.3 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.)., 6.67 lbs.
This veteran Junior appears well used but not abused over the nearly 7 decades since the mid-1950s. The lacquer has some typical broad checking, heaviest on the back. Overall there are dings, scratches and dents with some heavier worn areas on the body edges and back. There is a deeply worn spot along the top rim, showing some minor touchup attempt long ago. The yellow-brown sunburst on the top has not faded much at all, with a couple of small but deeper dings by the edge below the volume control. The back has a deep scrape in the center and some heavier scratching on the upper rim.
The nickel tailpiece and studs show some plating wear (mostly to the top of the bass side stud) and small marks, while the plastic hardware shows scuffing and tiny dinks. The only thing not original on the instrument are the Kluson Deluxe tuners; the plastic buttons on the originals have usually crumbled away by now, and many folks elect to replace the units completely. There are no routs or extra holes and authentic originals could easily be re-installed if desired.
The original small frets have some wear in the lower positions, the fingerboard has only light wear and playability is excellent. The neck angle is excellent and there is plenty of leeway under the bridge to enable a very low action. This lighter-than-average Junior handles beautifully and plays and sounds exactly as one would wish, housed in the original brown alligator chipboard case, a bit battered but fully functional. For a nearly 70 year old guitar this Junior is quite spry, still loaded with the bad attitude these honkers are known and loved for! Overall Excellent - Condition.
This is a nice, rip-roaring example of a third-year Gibson Les Paul Junior, one of the most elegantly simple electric guitars ever designed. It shows some general wear and a set of correct repro Kluson tuners but remains an easy playing and superb sounding example of this classic '50s Gibson solid body with a lightweight mahogany body and one very lively P-90 pickup.
The top sports a deep yellow/brown sunburst finish showing very little fade; the remainder is finished in dark mahogany. The one-piece mahogany neck has a lovely feel, with a round-backed but slightly less chunky profile than some '50s Juniors. The pickup is still in the original just-by-the-bridge position; it was relocated slightly more up from the bridge soon after this one was made. Unlike many '54-55 stop-tailpiece Gibsons the bridge is not leaning forward; the bushings and studs had recently been made longer to sit deeper into the body to solve this problem. Some afficionados would posit that this guitar's combination of the new longer studs with the old closer-set pickup represents the best possible combination of Junior features for sonic nirvana!
As the name implies, the Les Paul Junior was the most basic of Gibson's 1950s signature line, with a single P-90 pickup at the bridge and simple bar bridge/tailpiece. This was an exercise in superbly effective minimalist design and the Junior's very lack of complexity worked perfectly then and now. Launched in mid-1954, the model was a success right out of the gate. Over 3100 sold in 1956, the original model's peak production year. This more than tripled the number of Les Paul Standards shipped, proving to Gibson's management that inexpensive solid body electric guitars were the wave of the future.
While designed as a student guitar, the Junior has become justly renowned as one of the crunchiest and most powerful of all straight rock guitars, with fantastic natural overdrive capabilities when paired with the right amp. The combination of the thick mahogany body and neck with the solidly dog-ear mounted P-90 and bar bridge maximizes tonal response. The pickup on this Junior is fairly close under the strings resulting in a massive singing sound when the amp is cranked.
Since the late 1960's many players have come to prefer this model to all others for both heavy crunch rhythm and searing leads. From Leslie West to Mick Ralphs, Johnny Thunders to Paul Westerberg to Billie Joe Armstrong, Gibson's original 1950s Les Paul Junior has proven itself over and over to be the most basic of rock machines, as simple and effective as they come. This one is not the cleanest but one of the lightest of these we have ever had, a 6.67 LB. gem of '50s Gibson greatness.
Overall length is 39 in. (99.1 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 11/16 in. (4.3 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.)., 6.67 lbs.
This veteran Junior appears well used but not abused over the nearly 7 decades since the mid-1950s. The lacquer has some typical broad checking, heaviest on the back. Overall there are dings, scratches and dents with some heavier worn areas on the body edges and back. There is a deeply worn spot along the top rim, showing some minor touchup attempt long ago. The yellow-brown sunburst on the top has not faded much at all, with a couple of small but deeper dings by the edge below the volume control. The back has a deep scrape in the center and some heavier scratching on the upper rim.
The nickel tailpiece and studs show some plating wear (mostly to the top of the bass side stud) and small marks, while the plastic hardware shows scuffing and tiny dinks. The only thing not original on the instrument are the Kluson Deluxe tuners; the plastic buttons on the originals have usually crumbled away by now, and many folks elect to replace the units completely. There are no routs or extra holes and authentic originals could easily be re-installed if desired.
The original small frets have some wear in the lower positions, the fingerboard has only light wear and playability is excellent. The neck angle is excellent and there is plenty of leeway under the bridge to enable a very low action. This lighter-than-average Junior handles beautifully and plays and sounds exactly as one would wish, housed in the original brown alligator chipboard case, a bit battered but fully functional. For a nearly 70 year old guitar this Junior is quite spry, still loaded with the bad attitude these honkers are known and loved for! Overall Excellent - Condition.