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Thoughts on the new Gibson Les Paul Jr Double Cutaways


Proclaimer888

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Hello fellow Gibbies,   So seriously considering coming to the dark side and getting a Gibson ELECTRIC Guitar😮  Love my J 45 but always wanted to mess around  and dance with an electric.  So seeing the LP Special Jr double cuts for around 700 bucks new.  Any thoughts on this model??  Good or bad??  I really do not speak electric guitar so any opinions/thoughts would be helpful.  It will be a kinda "noodle" guitar and I need to keep my price below 1k.  Open to any other suggestions, however, I love Gibson.  I would consider hollow-body if I could find one in the target price range.  

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Satin finished instead of gloss, I know I lot of people didnt like the non traditional pick guard but thats just personal choice 

Just play one and make your own mind up, doesn't matter as long as you like it

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A few months ago, they were selling the Jr at a clearance price of $549, $599 for the special & the bass. I bought the bass & jumped on a Jr just before the stock started dwindling. I really like them for the money. My Jr intonates almost perfect which is surprising with the compensated tailpiece. Also, the P-90 doesn’t seem to hum as bad as I remembered them humming years back. They have a maple neck instead of the usual mahogany neck, but it plays great after a little tweaking.

Rcr0FKk.jpg

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I bought one in February. 

For me is a nice option, even when doesn't match historic shapes (i.e.: for he pickguard), in addition  the P90s never will disappoint you.

I paid it about 600 usd at Guitar Center.

Good luck with the decision!!!

Andy

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I haven't played one. I did play a bunch of LP DCs back in 2015, I really wanted to like them but just didn't like the sound of the P90s. 

Ideally you need to play one. That could be impossible while lockdown is going on, so if you have to use mail order, make sure the store operates a returns policy that suits you just in case. 

Good luck.

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12 hours ago, merciful-evans said:

I haven't played one. I did play a bunch of LP DCs back in 2015, I really wanted to like them but just didn't like the sound of the P90s. 

 

I felt the exact opposite. I bought my 2015 LP Special Double Cut precisely because I did love the sound of the alnico slug P90's..

Well, that, and the light weight of this one.

(And the blow-out price didn't hurt, either!)

Lrv1NPN.jpg

Edited by Same Guy
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11 hours ago, Same Guy said:

 

I felt the exact opposite. I bought my 2015 LP Special Double Cut precisely because I did love the sound of the alnico slug P90's..

Well, that, and the light weight of this one.

(And the blow-out price didn't hurt, either!)

 

 

Oh, I am certainly the oddball around here; and very lucky to be tolerated TBH 😉

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On 4/19/2020 at 3:40 AM, merciful-evans said:

 

Oh, I am certainly the oddball around here; and very lucky to be tolerated TBH 😉

 

Ha! No problem. "Each to his own, "YMMV", and all that kinda stuff..

But yeah, when I tried out this 2015 LP Special DC in the store, I immediately took a liking to those alnico slug P90's. I had it plugged into a Twin there (GC) - which certainly didn't hurt the tone any  - but once I got it home and ran it through my amps (Deluxe Reverb, Vox AC15, and '69 Champ), I was still enamored with the tones I was getting from these pickups.

The fact that it was on sale for $599.99 didn't hurt, either. 

5vp4xsX.jpg

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8 hours ago, Same Guy said:

But yeah, when I tried out this 2015 LP Special DC in the store, I immediately took a liking to those alnico slug P90's.

 

 

Having tried out a bunch of these in 2015, another DC appeared at my local store. It was a goldtop with carved top; again with P90s. Never saw one before or since.

 

But hey Proclaimer888; are you any closer to a decision yet? 🙂 

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On 4/18/2020 at 3:45 PM, Same Guy said:

 

I felt the exact opposite. I bought my 2015 LP Special Double Cut precisely because I did love the sound of the alnico slug P90's..

Well, that, and the light weight of this one.

(And the blow-out price didn't hurt, either!)

Lrv1NPN.jpg

 

Agreed.  I have plenty of humbucker guitars as well (plus non-P90 single coils, like Tele, Strat, Hi-Gain, and DeArmond), but I'm a big fan of P-90s.

36148018332_ea5db17ec3_c.jpg

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Check out this video on single pickup guitars and how surprisingly versatile they can be, starting with a Les Paul Junior.

 

I also remember how much fun Mark Agnesi always seemed to have when he demo'd a Les Paul Junior on Guitar of the Day.

 

Original Juniors obviously cost a fortune. You can get relatively recent ones for a relatively decent price, but the new Junior Tributes look very good value. I've been jonesing for a single pickup guitar myself, and I've ordered a used Reverend Sensei Junior off the internet. Supposed to be arriving tomorrow.

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  • 5 weeks later...

I've had a Les Paul Junior DC for a couple of decades and I've always found if you can put up with the little bit of noise from the P90 the guitar sounds at its best when it's cranked up, that's when the pickup really shines. If you live in a block of flats and have to tether in the volume you won't really get the best from these guitars but if you can let them rip a bit they're great. The new ones appear to be well made and a reasonable price so if you're interested go for it but personally I just can't warm to that new scratchplate, and believe me I've really tried.

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I have been a P90 fan for a long time, currently all of my guitars have them. Over the years as amps and effects have improved P90 line noise has been decreasing. Having one P90 in reverse polarity can help, when both pickups are on you have hum cancelling. The Double Cut Specials and Juniors have always been my favorites.

Cc2IfT5.jpg

This is my 56 Les Paul Standard Pro.

Edited by mihcmac
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I have had this 97 Epi Junior DC for about 20 years, it has been rebuilt and upgraded with Kluson tuners, a 59 LP P90, rewired with CTS pots and frets dressed. I had an 04  Gibson LP Special DC but the finish was having trouble with my humid environment and recently had to sell it.  My 97 Double Cut has been a Killer since I took it out of the box, a total joy to play and I will keep playing as long as I'm still breathing.

CMRpXtU.jpg

Edited by mihcmac
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On 4/18/2020 at 3:45 PM, Same Guy said:

 

I felt the exact opposite. I bought my 2015 LP Special Double Cut precisely because I did love the sound of the alnico slug P90's..

Well, that, and the light weight of this one.

(And the blow-out price didn't hurt, either!)

 

Likewise here.  When I had the chance to buy new 2015 Junior and Special DC each at sub $500 prices, I bought one of ea. (especially coming with hard anniversary cases).  Both are great, and I think the Special with the 2 pups may be more versatile.  But I really prefer the Junior for it's raw simplicity.  It is a whole different guitar than a regular 2 humbucker LP.    The Junior is in a league of its own.   The lone volume control gives an amazing range of sound. 

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ACtC-3dN9H5VNNTmDOa610wZuL2Rz5-QQOS1-TAX

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 6/1/2020 at 7:41 AM, Wmachine said:

Likewise here.  When I had the chance to buy new 2015 Junior and Special DC each at sub $500 prices, I bought one of ea. (especially coming with hard anniversary cases).  Both are great, and I think the Special with the 2 pups may be more versatile.  But I really prefer the Junior for it's raw simplicity.  It is a whole different guitar than a regular 2 humbucker LP.    The Junior is in a league of its own.   The lone volume control gives an amazing range of sound. 

ACtC-3eclbbHbiKXGYxdc5v985zRMzpI70mQxI_R

 

ACtC-3dN9H5VNNTmDOa610wZuL2Rz5-QQOS1-TAX

 

 

Yep - I'm still loving mine 5 years later!

ILfNzYk.jpg

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