Gibson Les Paul Junior Solid Body Electric Guitar (1955)
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Item # 9739
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Gibson Les Paul Junior Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1955), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, original brown alligator chipboard case.
This is a seriously superbly clean original second-year Les Paul Junior, one of the most elegantly simple electric guitars ever designed. It shows some minor wear but remains a superb unmolested example of this classic '50s Gibson solid body with a fairly lightweight mahogany body and one lively P-90 pickup. The top sports a vibrant sunburst finish with a deeper orangey shade than many survivors showing virtually no fade. The mahogany neck has a lovely feel, somewhat shallower in profile with a less chunky profile than some '50s Juniors.
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 2800 sold in 1955, more than tripling the number of Les Paul Standards shipped and proving to Gibson's management that solid body electric guitars were there to stay.
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 right up 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 the nicest we have ever had, a 7 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.)., 7 lbs.
Gibson guitars from this period rarely show up now in the 21st Century much cleaner than this one. While not absolutely near mint, this Junior appears little used since the 1950's, apparently put away not long after the initial purchase and only unearthed recently. The finish has some typical light checking with small dings, scratches and dents here and there but still shines like it did when Ike was in the white house. The rich color in the 'burst has not faded at all. The nickel tailpiece and studs are equally shiny with some small wear marks, while the plastic hardware shows only very light scuffing and tiny dinks.
The only thing not original on the instrument are the plastic buttons on the Kluson Deluxe tuners; the originals had completely crumbled away. Oh, and the strings of course, but there is an original box of 1950's Gibson Sonomatics in the case if one wanted to rectify that! The original small frets have only tiny areas of wear, the fingerboard looks untouched and playability is excellent. As is typical with '54-55 Stop tailpiece Gibsons the mounting studs are leaning forward somewhat; the next year the bushings and studs were made longer to sit deeper into the body. This is not affecting playability on this guitar as there is still enough leeway to enable a very low action.
The original alligator-grain chipboard case is solid and intact with some external wear but has protected the guitar well enough for 65 years. In the case pocket are some odds and ends including the original hang tag stamped "Les Paul Jr", the envelope with the bridge-adjusting Allen wrench, the aforementioned box of strings and the instruction/schematic paperwork for the Les Paul Junior amp originally sold with the guitar, which has apparently been misplaced over the last 65 years. Anecdotally this guitar was owned by a singing nun who passed away long ago; while we can't absolutely verify that we will say this Junior is a heavenly good find! Excellent + Condition.
This is a seriously superbly clean original second-year Les Paul Junior, one of the most elegantly simple electric guitars ever designed. It shows some minor wear but remains a superb unmolested example of this classic '50s Gibson solid body with a fairly lightweight mahogany body and one lively P-90 pickup. The top sports a vibrant sunburst finish with a deeper orangey shade than many survivors showing virtually no fade. The mahogany neck has a lovely feel, somewhat shallower in profile with a less chunky profile than some '50s Juniors.
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 2800 sold in 1955, more than tripling the number of Les Paul Standards shipped and proving to Gibson's management that solid body electric guitars were there to stay.
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 right up 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 the nicest we have ever had, a 7 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.)., 7 lbs.
Gibson guitars from this period rarely show up now in the 21st Century much cleaner than this one. While not absolutely near mint, this Junior appears little used since the 1950's, apparently put away not long after the initial purchase and only unearthed recently. The finish has some typical light checking with small dings, scratches and dents here and there but still shines like it did when Ike was in the white house. The rich color in the 'burst has not faded at all. The nickel tailpiece and studs are equally shiny with some small wear marks, while the plastic hardware shows only very light scuffing and tiny dinks.
The only thing not original on the instrument are the plastic buttons on the Kluson Deluxe tuners; the originals had completely crumbled away. Oh, and the strings of course, but there is an original box of 1950's Gibson Sonomatics in the case if one wanted to rectify that! The original small frets have only tiny areas of wear, the fingerboard looks untouched and playability is excellent. As is typical with '54-55 Stop tailpiece Gibsons the mounting studs are leaning forward somewhat; the next year the bushings and studs were made longer to sit deeper into the body. This is not affecting playability on this guitar as there is still enough leeway to enable a very low action.
The original alligator-grain chipboard case is solid and intact with some external wear but has protected the guitar well enough for 65 years. In the case pocket are some odds and ends including the original hang tag stamped "Les Paul Jr", the envelope with the bridge-adjusting Allen wrench, the aforementioned box of strings and the instruction/schematic paperwork for the Les Paul Junior amp originally sold with the guitar, which has apparently been misplaced over the last 65 years. Anecdotally this guitar was owned by a singing nun who passed away long ago; while we can't absolutely verify that we will say this Junior is a heavenly good find! Excellent + Condition.