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Les Paul Junior Club


truetone6

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Never had or even checked on a Les Paul Junior , what's the difference in a reg. LP ,size,weight . Just curious , how much do they cost

 

Juniors have the usual Les Paul size/ shape dimensions, but have flat tops without the cap just like the Les Paul Special. Not having this reduces the weight considerably and therefore they are very comfortable guitars to play. I've never weighed my own, but there is a big difference between a Junior and a regular LP. The one I have has a slim taper neck, but it actually feels more rounded than other 60's necks Gibson's I own - a bit of a hybrid between the two.

 

You should definitely try a Junior or a Special at some point if you get the chance as they are great and (sometimes) overlooked guitars. The P-90's have lovely bright, cutting tonal characteristics that are a nice change from the usual humbucker or single coil tone.

 

Here's my Junior (on the right).

 

LesPauls2_zps74994f05.jpg

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Juniors have the usual Les Paul size/ shape dimensions, but have flat tops without the cap just like the Les Paul Special. Not having this reduces the weight considerably and therefore they are very comfortable guitars to play. I've never weighed my own, but there is a big difference between a Junior and a regular LP. The one I have has a slim taper neck, but it actually feels more rounded than other 60's necks Gibson's I own - a bit of a hybrid between the two.

 

You should definitely try a Junior or a Special at some point if you get the chance as they are great and (sometimes) overlooked guitars. The P-90's have lovely bright, cutting tonal characteristics that are a nice change from the usual humbucker or single coil tone.

 

Here's my Junior (on the right).

 

LesPauls2_zps74994f05.jpg

Went to a few guitar sites and checked them out , for some reason I thought "junior" was for a child or smaller guitar. Not bad price wise and a good looking guitar,will have one in the future good lord willing and the creek doesn't rise. Noticed some have one pickup and others have two

 

4H

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Went to a few guitar sites and checked them out , for some reason I thought "junior" was for a child or smaller guitar. Not bad price wise and a good looking guitar,will have one in the future good lord willing and the creek doesn't rise. Noticed some have one pickup and others have two

 

4H

 

In the 50's they did make 3/4 size Juniors and Melody Makers which I assume were aimed at children and were also cheaper than the normal size instruments. The normal size Junior was the least expensive of the main 4 offered at the time - the Custom, the Standard, the Special and the Junior. There was also a Les Paul TV model which was very similar to the Special produced for a few years in the 50's. The Junior was aimed at beginners and the Special was a step up for the beginner who wanted the extra neck pickup. Over the years these guitars obviously were used by many pro players and lost their identity as instruments 'for beginners' as they play and sound just as well as Standards and Customs, but have different tonal qualities and also feel slightly different having no cap and reduced weight. All true Juniors should only have 1 pickup at the bridge, Specials have 2 and the more recent Junior Special also has 2 and looks identical to the normal Special.

 

When/ if you get one I am sure you will enjoy it very much.

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  • 5 months later...

I would really like to join the club. I just bought this 2014 Junior two days ago, and even though I had some good callouses, my fingers are sore and so are my forearm muscles. This little JR will never be sold. I love it. By the way, how and where do we sign up for The Junior Club?5D12306F-5B2F-49B3-A16B-B821233D1390.jpg

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1420567439[/url]' post='1611495']

Juniors have the usual Les Paul size/ shape dimensions, but have flat tops without the cap just like the Les Paul Special. Not having this reduces the weight considerably and therefore they are very comfortable guitars to play. I've never weighed my own, but there is a big difference between a Junior and a regular LP. The one I have has a slim taper neck, but it actually feels more rounded than other 60's necks Gibson's I own - a bit of a hybrid between the two.

 

You should definitely try a Junior or a Special at some point if you get the chance as they are great and (sometimes) overlooked guitars. The P-90's have lovely bright, cutting tonal characteristics that are a nice change from the usual humbucker or single coil tone.

 

Here's my Junior (on the right).

 

LesPauls2_zps74994f05.jpg

 

My 2014 has a mahogany body and a contoured Maple cap just like a real Les Paul. I wish that it weighed what Your Juniors do. It is a fun guitar to play. I traded an Epihone Les Paul Junior Special on it. That little guitar was a lot of fun for a bolt on neck and one Pup. An amazing guitar for 100 bucks. I can only imagine how nice the Gibson Juniors are!

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OK, finally adding a pic of my 2011 Junior, glossy Tobacco Sunburst. I replaced the adjustable tailpiece with a steel Callaham and the knobs with amber speed knobs...here it is when I first got it...

 

DSCN1487_zpscfac333a.jpg

 

 

I like this one so much, I just bought another Junior, a 2010, also tobacco burst, with a hard case...no pics, on the way here from California.

 

 

Pic of both just posted below...

 

mark

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  • 5 months later...

My 2...

 

IMG_0650_zpsy8mtuqdg.jpg

 

 

 

On the left is a 2010 "faded" or whatever the non-glossy finish models were called, with it's original gig bag and all paper goodies, and on the right is a glossy 2011 that came in a Gibson USA hard case with pink lining and a shroud and all original paperwork...

 

The 2011 has a Callaham steel stop tailpiece and it is worth every dime. I will get one for the other one as well.

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what is the callaham tailpiece,and how does it differ from stock? just got my junior a few weeks ago,and intonation is close but not adjustable like a strat...

 

It is made by Callaham, machined from a steel block that looke slike the original Gibson zinc tail piece, but with a curved ridge along the top that intonates the strings. I use Ernit Ball Slinky 10's on my Juniors and the Callaham works much better than the newer Lightning Bolt Gibson TP's or any of the other replacements I have tried...and I have a bag full of them. It is $107, but it works and sounds great and it does seem to improve sustain and maybe some tone.

 

I love playing Juniors and they are much better when they are in tune...this does it.

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what is the callaham tailpiece,and how does it differ from stock? just got my junior a few weeks ago,and intonation is close but not adjustable like a strat...

 

It is made by Callaham, machined from a steel block that looke slike the original Gibson zinc tail piece, but with a curved ridge along the top that intonates the strings.

 

http://www.specialtyguitars.com/callaham-les-paul.html

 

I use Ernit Ball Slinky 10's on my Juniors and the Callaham works much better than the newer Lightning Bolt Gibson TP's or any of the other replacements I have tried...and I have a bag full of them. It is $107, but it works and sounds great and it does seem to improve sustain and maybe some tone.

 

I love playing Juniors and they are much better when they are in tune...this does it.

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It is made by Callaham, machined from a steel block that looke slike the original Gibson zinc tail piece, but with a curved ridge along the top that intonates the strings.

 

http://www.specialtyguitars.com/callaham-les-paul.html

 

I use Ernit Ball Slinky 10's on my Juniors and the Callaham works much better than the newer Lightning Bolt Gibson TP's or any of the other replacements I have tried...and I have a bag full of them. It is $107, but it works and sounds great and it does seem to improve sustain and maybe some tone.

 

I love playing Juniors and they are much better when they are in tune...this does it.

 

With mine I have found if you adjust the two tiny screws on the stock Gibson tailpiece, pushing it quite far away from the anchors, it intonates really well. When I got mine the stopbar was flush to the anchors and the intonation past the 12th fret was way off, but fiddling around I got it playing great.

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With mine I have found if you adjust the two tiny screws on the stock Gibson tailpiece, pushing it quite far away from the anchors, it intonates really well. When I got mine the stopbar was flush to the anchors and the intonation past the 12th fret was way off, but fiddling around I got it playing great.

yep.the screws on mine are almost flush with the tailpiece but it sounds great all the way up the neck...

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