brianh Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 MF has this Junior on closeout for $129: So I ordered one and it came in today. The neck, fretboard and fret-ends are fine, won't need much if any fret-dressing, and the grain looks nice: Same schitty tuners tho'. (Note the scarf joint.) But is it solid Indonesian Mahogany-like wood, or the usual plywood? Dagnabbit, the control cavity rout is covered in shielding paint: Try the pickup rout....hmmm that's a nicer pickup than the usual Epi Jr.... More sheilding paint... So off comes the "Cheery" neck: No extra charge for the pocket shims... In summary, it looks like for $129 shipped you get a solid mahogany-like guitar with nice grain, decent pickup and playable neck. It will need new tuners, nut, and electronics minimum. Easy peasy. You could keep the pickup or swap it out, add an intonatable bridge, and if you're feeling crafty, rout for a second pickup, add push-pull pots, kill switch, coil split, etc - hello GFS!!! More pics here. As of today, MF still has them in stock.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjael Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 MF has this Junior on closeout for $129, less 5% with NINA discount code (today only) = $122.55: The description claims it's a solid mahogony body, not plywood like the other bolt-on Juniors. Also claim a better pickup. Same schitty tuners though. I'd grab one, but don't need another Junior right now... http://guitars.music...itar?sku=423557 Solid Mahogany layers laminated into a Body Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted October 11, 2010 Author Share Posted October 11, 2010 Solid Mahogany layers laminated into a Body I know, I know, but here's what piqued my interest: Epiphone Limited Edition Les Paul Junior Electric Guitar (Cherry): The LP Junior features Epiphone's SlimTaper™ neck profile that's both fast and comfortable to play. To add bite as well as stability, the neck is made of hard maple and bolted to a select mahogany body. Epiphone LP Junior Special Electric Guitar (Ebony): Fast-playing neck and resonant tonewood body enhance the amazingly powerful, sustain-drenched tone of the single humbucker in the bridge position. Epiphone Les Paul Jr. Single Cut Electric Guitar (Vintage Sunburst): The Epiphone Les Paul Jr. electric guitar has a single-cutaway body made of basswood with a 24-3/4" scale bolt-on mahogany neck. I'm tempted to buy one just to see if it's really maple/mahogany....can always return it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjael Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 Good point. Pity there are zero juniors in NZ - I would love a pre-made maple neck for all my wiley build projects... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted October 12, 2010 Author Share Posted October 12, 2010 Good point. Pity there are zero juniors in NZ - I would love a pre-made maple neck for all my wiley build projects... Here's one! http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item20b42f8e0f Oh dang that's not a Kiwi seller. But closer than China... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_amos Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 That sure is a sweet deal. I'd love a junior but they don't seem to be offering a lefty version at that site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjael Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Here's one! http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item20b42f8e0f Oh dang that's not a Kiwi seller. But closer than China... How bout this, I'll order one, get it sent to you, and you can inspect the woods to your satsifaction, then send it on to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouth58 Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 I know, I konw, but here's what piqued my interest: Epiphone Limited Edition Les Paul Junior Electric Guitar (Cherry): The LP Junior features Epiphone's SlimTaper™ neck profile that's both fast and comfortable to play. To add bite as well as stability, the neck is made of hard maple and bolted to a select mahogany body. Epiphone LP Junior Special Electric Guitar (Ebony): Fast-playing neck and resonant tonewood body enhance the amazingly powerful, sustain-drenched tone of the single humbucker in the bridge position. Epiphone Les Paul Jr. Single Cut Electric Guitar (Vintage Sunburst): The Epiphone Les Paul Jr. electric guitar has a single-cutaway body made of basswood with a 24-3/4" scale bolt-on mahogany neck. I'm tempted to buy one just to see if it's really maple/mahogany....can always return it.... Musicstore calls it a "Hardwood body": http://www.musicstore.com/nl_NL/BEF/Epiphone-Les-Paul-Junior-Single-Cut-BK-Black/art-GIT0015721-000 and G.A.K. says the pitch black version is Alder.... http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/77237 Epiphone should really put these on their website and give some specs. Anyway, I ordered a Pitch Black one on saturday and it should be here tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjael Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Anyway, I ordered a Pitch Black one on saturday and it should be here tomorrow. Ack! I've been dying to get one for ages - they are currently the only LP Junior you can get here. <_< I demand a full review when it arrives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swoop Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Ack! I've been dying to get one for ages - they are currently the only LP Junior you can get here. <_< I demand a full review when it arrives. If it's a Junior your after, I have one of the usual plywood sunburst ones that I'll probably end up selling in the not too distant future. I have a Mean90 on the way for it and am going to attempt to do a good job of rewiring it vintage style, and I've upgraded the tuners to some Gotoh Kluson style ones. I also hit it with some steel wool so it has a satin finish. I'll probably play it for a bit then move it on. No doubt at a loss but I hope to have some fun with it beforehand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouth58 Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Ack! I've been dying to get one for ages - they are currently the only LP Junior you can get here. <_< I demand a full review when it arrives. I'll let you know ;-) But for about $100 you can't go wrong imo. I haven't played one of the Juniors myself, this one was an impusle buy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjael Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 If it's a Junior your after, I have one of the usual plywood sunburst ones that I'll probably end up selling in the not too distant future. I have a Mean90 on the way for it and am going to attempt to do a good job of rewiring it vintage style, and I've upgraded the tuners to some Gotoh Kluson style ones. I also hit it with some steel wool so it has a satin finish. I'll probably play it for a bit then move it on. No doubt at a loss but I hope to have some fun with it beforehand. Color me interested. Really depends on what you will want for it, I guess. At the least I would refin it (not a VSB Jr fan) or at the extreme end cut a radical new body for it (probably this one.) That's where the maple neck of the Ltd Cherry one up there would be dandy. 'member this? I'll let you know ;-) But for about $100 you can't go wrong imo. I haven't played one of the Juniors myself, this one was an impusle buy NZ$330 in shops here - about US$250. Not quite the steal it could be, but it still looks pretty darn good for the price. I'm just not a fan of buying site-unseen. <_< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted October 12, 2010 Author Share Posted October 12, 2010 Well the suspense got the better of me, and I ordered the "select mahogany" cherry one last night. $122.55 shipped, should be here by the end of the week. I'll post pics as new, but it won't last long that way, I plan to gut it and rebuild from scratch. MF was keen to sell me their 3-year gold warranty plan - haha. Need to find a used Charlie Christian pickup somewhere...the Lollars are $165 to $250 new....and the vintage spec Seymour Duncans are $320! http://www.mylespaul...ian-pickup.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted October 14, 2010 Author Share Posted October 14, 2010 The Red Junior arrived, see OP at top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitmore Willy Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Brianh, Love it!. Also love the pics. Went to your pic link at photobucket and got a virus!.(just kidding) Looks like you got a fun project going. Keep us up on it. Also, as you do seem to get such good pics, keep them organized as you do your mods. Animalfarm might want to add some of this to his DIY thread. Thanks for the update. Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordy01 Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Hard to beat for just over a hundred bucks. Nice color. What are the shims about? It looks as though the bridge could be lowered enough to get a decent setup without the shims. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted October 15, 2010 Author Share Posted October 15, 2010 Willy, I will try to keep things organized, but it's a bit nuts in the shop right now, three simultaneous projects going on. And my son brought home a Revell model from the hobby store today on top of it all. Guess who gets to oversee that little project... Gord, I've found shims before in these low-end Jrs. Pulled them out with no noticeable issues. Part of the job is to smooth out the pocket and get that wood-on-wood connection tight as a bull's you know what in a windstorm. BTW, what do you think of this for the yellow one? Just foolin' around with it but I think it will work if I can get some locking studs. Tonepros has this intonatable wraparound and locking studs combo: But it costs as much or more than the guitar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjael Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 BTW, what do you think of this for the yellow one? Just foolin' around with it but I think it will work if I can get some locking studs. Tonepros has this intonatable wraparound and locking studs combo: But it costs as much or more than the guitar! You seem to have a pretty well-equipped shop. Just take the stock bridge, and drill for and add grub screws to the sides (a bit forwards of the center) to lock it to the post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted October 15, 2010 Author Share Posted October 15, 2010 You seem to have a pretty well-equipped shop. Just take the stock bridge, and drill for and add grub screws to the sides (a bit forwards of the center) to lock it to the post. Good idea Sjael - you just saved me a Benjamin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouth58 Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Very nice guitar Brianh and a good review My Pitch Black Junior arrived a couple days ago. It's a great guitar for this price. Good, flat neck and frets, nice looking fretboard,... But just like you said, the tuners (with the plastic knobs) feel cheap. I'm checking the pup when I replace the strings this weekend but from the control cavity it does look like solid wood. It's also a lot heavier and thicker than I expected. The Junior feels like a proper Les Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted October 15, 2010 Author Share Posted October 15, 2010 FedEx came this afternoon, and the $129 Red Junior from MF has undergone some changes: The pickup is Golden Age Parsons Street Alnico 2 with metal surround, and a new gold neck plate from Stew Mac. The badass style intonatable bridge, strap locks, nut, jackplate, knobs, and tuners are GFS. The pots are Alphas with an orange drop cap, switchcraft jack, and cloth wiring. The action is acceptably low, but I think I can improve it slightly with a minor truss rod adjustment. There was nothing to do to on fretboard or frets, they were virtually perfect out of the box. I had to grind off the bridge stud flanges again, those Badass bridges sit too high unless you want to shim the neck (I didn't). I took the set screws out, they weren't needed - the posts are snug up into the slot. I also had to file a deeper groove into the G, B, & high E saddles to get them within a reasonable height-adjustment range. New set of D'Addario 10s and plug 'er in. Those S/M Parsons Street pickups sound pretty dang good for $55. The plating is heavy and the cloth wire with braided shield is a nice touch. Guitar: $122.45 Pickup: $55.45 Surround: $8.98 Bridge: $32.95 Tuners: $22.95 Knobs: $12.95 Straplocks: $10.95 Nut, jackplate, jack, pots, wire, screws, etc: $25 TOTAL COST: $291.68 (call it $300 with Stew MAC & GFS shipping.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted October 24, 2010 Author Share Posted October 24, 2010 My Pitch Black Junior arrived a couple days ago. It's a great guitar for this price. Good, flat neck and frets, nice looking fretboard,... But just like you said, the tuners (with the plastic knobs) feel cheap. I'm checking the pup when I replace the strings this weekend but from the control cavity it does look like solid wood. It's also a lot heavier and thicker than I expected. The Junior feels like a proper Les Paul Nice looking guitar Plymouth - it looks like an old school hot rod! A Gibby P94 would look awesome on that thing. Post some pics of the pickup cavity if you can. And if you don't mind taking the neck off, I'd be curious to see the neck pocket. Here's your tuner upgrade: http://www.guitarfet...auls_p_170.html Cheers, Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouth58 Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 Those upgrades make it look really classy Brian. Gold hardware is always a good choice imo. Very nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted October 24, 2010 Author Share Posted October 24, 2010 Those upgrades make it look really classy Brian. Gold hardware is always a good choice imo. Very nice Thanks Plymouth. Did you swap those tuners out yet? I had to do a fair amount of reaming to get the GFS to fit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SketchyEtchy Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 Brian what are you going to do with your Junior?? I think I fell in love with it, and if you're goig to sell it please let me know!!! Would love it to go with my Junior! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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