Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

$78 LP Junior makeover


brianh

Recommended Posts

Guest icantbuyafender
Looks like I was wrong - there's a 3rd intermediate version of the Epi LP Junior that was neither an El Cheapo or a '57 Reissue' date=' just a standard LP Jr. with bolt-on neck, but with a mahogany (not plywood) body and [b']white P90[/b]:

 

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Epiphone-Les-Paul-JR-90?sku=518572

 

There's at least one for sale on Craigslist for <$200:

 

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/msg/1466047166.html

 

Note that in the photos below, the pickguards are different shapes, the PUPs and bridge have a different relationship, and the knobs are in different spots. So much for consistency...

 

EpiLPJrSB.jpg

EpiLPJrEb.jpg

 

I own one of these Jr 90's

 

I swapped the pup ring for a black gibby one.

 

The pickup is actually VERY good.

 

I put the vintage green keystone tuners on it too. the holes arent ina straight line so i couldnt put on any LP jr style ones that are 3 on a plate.

 

It was what i bought when i realized that the '57 reissue was out of my price range a few years back.

 

Pretty good settlement.

 

I only paid like 99 bucks at musiciansfriend for it... plus a black pup cover and some GFS tuners. Less than half of the '57's price.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There was a sunburst Epi '57 LP Junior reissue here in Philly on Craiglist with a Lollar P90 and the orginal P90 as a spare. It went on for $375, didn't sell, then went on again last weekend for $325. I didn't have the cash laying around so waited, hoping it would still be there next week (payday).

 

Well, it's gone so must've sold. I am bummed, that would have been a good deal with the Lollar, and I might have been able to put the spare on the el cheapo. You snooze you lose I guess...

 

I only paid like 99 bucks at musiciansfriend for it... plus a black pup cover and some GFS tuners. Less than half of the '57's price.

I guess that means that all-original non-57 Jr. on CL for $180 in Texas is a tad high...

 

Here's a '57 in Washington State for $200: http://kpr.craigslist.org/msg/1463383539.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest icantbuyafender
There was a sunburst Epi '57 LP Junior reissue here in Philly on Craiglist with a Lollar P90 and the orginal P90 as a spare. It went on for $375' date=' didn't sell, then went on again last weekend for $325. I didn't have the cash laying around so waited, hoping it would still be there next week (payday).

 

Well, it's gone so must've sold. I am bummed, that would have been a good deal with the Lollar, and I might have been able to put the spare on the el cheapo. You snooze you lose I guess...

 

 

I guess that means that all-original non-57 Jr. on CL for $180 in Texas is a tad high...

 

[b']Here's a '57 in Washington State for $200: [/b] http://kpr.craigslist.org/msg/1463383539.html

 

And they only came in sunburst and ebony

 

Dunno how (other than a respray) he got a red one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

An update on the makeover: Went to put the Leo Quan bridge on today and found that it's substantially taller than the stock wraparound. The advice on the wiki was to mount the bridge under the post flanges, which leaves the posts sticking up about 1/2", too high for my taste. So I took the studs out, got the grinder going and filed the stud flanges off. Here's a pic of the one stud with the flange and one with it removed:

 

640bridgestuds.jpg

 

A close up of the modded stud:

 

640bridgestuds2.jpg

 

The bridge installed:

 

640bridgepup.jpg

 

String height at 12th fret (pretty good):

 

640stringheight.jpg

 

Some beauty shots:

 

640body.jpg

640bridge.jpg

640body2.jpg

640full.jpg

 

I now have about $110 into the project, including the guitar Leo Quan bridge, but not the pickup.

 

Still need to get frets polished and the intonation perfect, but it seems to play fairly well already.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

can someone post a pic of the "julia" :-

 

also' date=' canbuyafender, can u post pic of your guitar. Please

 

 

Maybe we should start a lp jr pic thread!!!!!![/quote']

 

Can't resist a chance to show off Yoda again. Mrs. Hippie did a great job on the airbrush and paint work. My luthier went crazy figuring out a wiring problem on the Dream 90 but it was worth it, sounds and plays like butter.

yodaproject028.jpg w320.png

 

yodaproject029.jpg w240.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i was looking at the same one wondering if that price was good.

ps - i see that view of the ren cen everyday - from the other side.

I think anything ever $300 (the original selling pirce) is probably too much for a '57 RI unless there's a Lollar P-90 or something similar installed. There's a stock one for $350 nearby, I'm going to go see if they'll come down...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Just an update. I've installed the Gibson P94R (yes I know it's a neck pickup) and the Leo Quan bridge. The P94 is much dirtier than I thought it would be, but in a good way. It seems to fit this little guy very well. So I now have more invested in the PUP and bridge than the entire guitar cost new. It's a gas to play - a one-trick pony for sure, but what a trick!

 

P1000673.jpg

P1000672.jpg

P1000674.jpg

 

I can get the action down a tad more if I get Tonepro locking studs to eliminate the classic LP Jr. bridge tilt:

 

P1000675.jpg

P1000676.jpg

 

It's still the best $78 I ever spent on a geetar...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest icantbuyafender
Just an update. I've installed the Gibson P94R (yes I know it's a neck pickup) and the Leo Quan bridge. The P94 is much dirtier than I thought it would be' date=' but in a good way. It seems to fit this little guy very well. So I now have more invested in the PUP and bridge than the entire guitar cost new. It's a gas to play - a one-trick pony for sure, but what a trick!

 

[img']http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/tt163/brianehuff/P1000673.jpg[/img]

P1000672.jpg

P1000674.jpg

 

I can get the action down a tad more if I get Tonepro locking studs to eliminate the classic LP Jr. bridge tilt:

 

P1000675.jpg

P1000676.jpg

 

It's still the best $78 I ever spent on a geetar...

 

do ALL the LP jr bridges have that annoying tilt??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sweet, I'm digging the bridge and chicken head knobs. Maybe I missed it but what did the bridge run you?

 

I'm thinking of the same for my Jr, and figuring what I spent on the SD P-Rail in mine I'm a tad over the $29 the guitar cost me [biggrin]

 

But if I could put a bridge on that actually let me get the intonation set, well that's good money spent IMHO...... Santa4.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brian, that is one fine looking LP Jr!

I really like the look of that bridge.

I've been thinking of replacing the stock wraparound on my SG Jr.

Did you notice a significant difference after putting on the Leo Quan? And if I may ask where did you buy it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sweet' date=' I'm digging the bridge and chicken head knobs. Maybe I missed it but what did the bridge run you?[/quote']

Sledge, the bridge was about $25, cheapest I could find. It's not Tonepros quality, but I didn't want to spend $100 for a bridge on a $78 guitar.

 

Did you notice a significant difference after putting on the Leo Quan? And if I may ask where did you buy it?

Brad' date=' it makes a slight difference (improvement, I think) in tone, but my main incentive was to be able to set the intonation correctly. I forget where I got it, and I have to run out but it came in a Mighty Mite blister pack mail order. Thery're pretty common, just Google it. I'll look it up later and post.

 

So do tonepros studs fix the "flange" problem with the inserts? or just the tilt?

ICBF, no, you'll still have to grind down the flange (or route the hole out somehow as others have suggested). It's funny that the Tonepros locking studs cost $35 alone, and the LQ bridge with studs and posts only $25. What a racket...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

i was rushed cause i wanted to get it back on, so there were scratches that went thru to the cream, so i colored em back in with a sharpie... classy, i know... but it kinda added to the aged look. i also sprayed my pickguard with a flat black... it turned out pretty good. (i absolutely hate the black/white/black pickguard!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i spraypainted mine black... lol...

Freaking brilliant idea!! Don't know why I didn't think of that! I love the Krylon spray paint for plastic.

 

I've used it for outdoor plastic chairs (really get sick of all that white!), the doorbell chime (it yellowed, so I painted it black), cheap plastic plant pots (you know, those faux terra cotta and green colored ones).

 

I think my Agile is getting a new look this weekend!!

Sheila

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Freaking brilliant idea!! Don't know why I didn't think of that! I love the Krylon spray paint for plastic.

 

I've used it for outdoor plastic chairs (really get sick of all that white!)' date=' the doorbell chime (it yellowed, so I painted it black), cheap plastic plant pots (you know, those faux terra cotta and green colored ones).

 

I think my Agile is getting a new look this weekend!!

Sheila[/quote']

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP2VyquMAaM

..... that being said, back to the topic on hand...

 

spraypaint was the cheapest option at the time

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...