You Need a Gibson Les Paul Junior | Here's why...

My first impression when I picked up one was how close to an acoustic sound it was and how well it would sit in with acoustic instruments. Love the single Dogear P90 that's mounted simply to the body. Turn up the volume and it can be quite rude and bring a smile.

With only one pickup magnet they should call it the Less Pull!

Down in Australia these are "expensive", and actually cost more than some other LPs. They are also "rare" but you can get them. But for just one pickup? Why when you can buy two pickups? Yes it does look and sound great though.

bought a gibson custom shop les paul junior 57 reissue in 2007. Parents told me, you get a motorcycle or a guitar. 17 years later and don't regret my decision

Once again Jack thanks for your video 🙏🏻 very knowledgeable bud 🙏🏻 People …… do not underestimate these Junior Les Pauls, they are deadly 🙏🏻

Wish they made them with the 60's neck...

Had a Les Paul Junior since 1996. A rough, well played ‘55. Wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Just bought one 3 days ago - looking forward to digging in!

I have Ephihone LP Junior....bought 25 years ago! exactly the same color.

I bought a 2016 propiterary model made for sale in the Japanese Market off ebay about 4 years ago...ive always fancied one after owning a Gordon Smith Gypsy 1 in the late 80s which was a British version...i foolishly px it for a Gibson les Paul standard in about 1996 only to find that as cool as a sunburst flametop les Paul looks ..im not a les paul standard guy...i made the same error with Rickenbacker 330...love the looks...but after years of playing fender strats and the odd telecaster im a fender guy....that said the junior has not been in its case since i owned it and i had non of the notoriously poor QC issues Gibson are apparently famed for...(probably as it was made for the notoriously picky Japanese Market and didn't want to damage the brands reputation!!!).....it was flawless when i got it...although as its been played a lot and is neverin its case aways ready for action...its starting to "relic"....it just sings....it resonates unplugged you can just feel the entire thing vibrant...and the P90...well its sounds great...in fact the USA P90 is kinda making me dissatisfied with the P90s on my 2006 Korean epiphone casino with a factory fitted bigsby...theyre ok but lacking the USA one in my Gibson...in fact the only fault it has is whilst its vintage spec...the back it all black rather than brown like the originals...and its got strangely PCB wiring...that said its volume and tone work much the same as a mates "handwired " one...i.e set to distortion and roll the volume for anything from clean to crunchy clean to solo tones......its such an honest guitar...i still feel like im home with a strat....but i wish id bought one in my 20s. Rather than wait until im in my 50s....btw...the les Paul junior player who i always admired was Adam and the ants guitar hero..the highl underrated Marco Pirroni...if in doubt listen to kings of the wild frontier..especially. "Physical (you're so)... his use of feedback in a musical and exciting way could even teach Pete a thing or two!!!

Great video again Jack and very timely for me. I've been wanting a solid body P90 for awhile and have been flipping between a Junior and a Special. I decided to pull the pin on a Junior this morning for all the reasons you have detailed very well in your video. Can't wait for it to arrive.Cheers Jack

My LP Standard weighs 10 lbs. My LP Junior weighs less than 8. No further questions, your honor.

Another less expensive alternative might be to look for one of the 'top routed' versions Gibson released a few years ago. I think they reduced costs by simply using a single large top route, and then mounting the soap-bar P90 pickup/pots onto the pickguard (like a Fender). Some people don't like the untraditional larger pickguard shape, but they sound GREAT! And I was surprised just how much 'growl' you get from a P-90!

I bought a Harley Benton SC Junior. The neck was attached at the wrong angle. The action couldn't be set up in any way to make it play well. When I got it I only played it for a little while. I thought that I would adjust it later. It was put away and later turned into two months later. Only then, when all of the adjustments that were possible to get the action right failed, it was clear that the neck was on the wrong angle.

Thomann guitars come with a three year warranty. Tomann first asked for photos. Then they wanted a video. Then they asked me to take it to a local shop to get an estimate for the repair. After they received the estimate that was more than the price of the guitar, they didn't ask for me to return it. They magically decided, with no new information, that the guitar neck had warped and that it was my fault. So THEY REFUSED TO HONOR THE WARRANTY!

The guitar hadn't left my bedroom since it arrived at my house. The room was climate controlled. The guitar was fully painted from top to bottom except for the fingerboard. So no moisture got into it or left it in three months time. The problem existed on arrival. So Thomann shipped me a $235 paperweight. NEVER BUY FROM THEM! THEY HAVE NO INTEGRITY!

I intend to buy another single pickup guitar someday, but not an expensive Gibson or even an Epiphone. I did have a single P90 Grote jazz hollow body guitar that I liked. It was sold when I needed some money. I liked it. The P90 sound is one of my favorites.

There are several of this type of guitar on the market that are not Gibson, are less expensive, are excellent values and sound great. You can be swayed by he name on the headstock or you can get the most bang for your buck. It's your choice.

Have a DC Junior in Tvy and i love it❤ but also want to buy the singlecut

I have one. Black with an old Peavy amp.

Heritage makes a great version... they use Lollar P90s. Fantastic!

I've got two words for someone wondering about a LES PAUL JR.: LESLIE WEST.

I don't. I have my lovely Epiphone Coronet

I love me a junior, I’ve got a 2018 Billie joe (slim neck), a 2008 melody maker(round neck), and a Harley Benton (50’s neck). All have different aspects that I love, try and buy the body and neck that you really like, it’s easy to upgrade the electronics to make it your favorite guitar 😊.

I've always been partial to Juniors. Leslie West really showed me the magic. Phil X tends to favor single pickup guitars, and I can understand why. There's a more open sound than a multi pickup guitar. I have one with a Filtertron pickup, and one with a DiMarzio noiseless P90. Both are Tokai guitars, not Gibsons. I did have a Gibson LP Jr back in the day, but I sold it when I was running low on cash. The Tokais are easily as good playability wise, but they really cheaped out on the electronics, hence the reason I completely changed the pickup, pots and jack socket. Still comes in at a fraction of the price of a Gibson.

It’s hard to describe. A Les Paul Junior is a totally unique experience. Harmonically there is something special. When you play it you surprise yourself by how good you sound. Palm mutes and single notes sing. I love my Junior!!

The combination of my Les Paul junior and my Supro Black Magick Reverb has inspired me to ditch my pedals lol

Came to see the Junior and stayed for the playing🎉

I have the same guitar, I bought it new in 2019. Juniors are really liberating guitars that force you to play them on their own terms, they make you focus more on technique and getting everything you can out of that single P90…they can be quite versatile depending on the player. I’ve owned several Specials over the years, but they never sound as good or pure as the Junior…the Junior has unmatched clarity because there’s not a second pickup and magnet pulling on the strings. Plus they just feel so good to play, nice and light with great necks.

Then send me one with all haste and stop making excuses about why you haven’t yet done so!

I'd like one but, the most affordable one is $1,600. FOR A LES PAUL JR!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have an SG Junior. Fantastic guitars!

At the beginning of 2023, I saw WISHBONE ASH live, and Mark Abrahams was playing a 1959 JR, and the tone was incredible. I am 70 and have a nice collection of guitars I love and play, so instead of going off and spending the money for the Gibson JR. I bought the Epiphone version and am thrilled with the control I have with just a volume and tone control. The P90 is amazing. I can only imagine how much better the Gibson model is, but for my budget, this one hit the mark! If you get a chance to play an Epiphone JR, please post your thoughts!! Thanks!!

Picked one up last Christmas, and it is my favorite to pick up and play on for sure. I only wish I got the tobacco instead of the ebony!

My Special is my goto guitar ....Thanks Jack

I cut my teeth on that tone. 59 Les Paul Jr. & a 1951 Fender Bassman cranked, unsurpassed tone!

Love my Gibson SG Junior plus don’t like fat necks, so I am good!

I can live with one pickup. But i dont love p90s. Too gnarly. Good for the right occasion. Not all occasions.

I picked one up a couple of years ago. I love it as a beginner.

I absolutely love les paul Jr's. I find myself loving the pickup yet longing for a neck and a middle option like most guitars. I enjoy the beefed up tele tone out of the jr. But I find myself resorting back to my tele and just boosting the midst to get a very close sound. I do like the way the Jr's resonate the body when played, almost like a hollow body. I have yet to own a jr, but do plan to eventually get one

i bought the Epiphone billy ray Armstrong les paul junior i couldn't be happier i love the fat neck which i thought i wouldn't end up liking, i was wrong i love it. its so amazing. I agree about the acoustic guitar thing as well.

I bought an ebony 2022 Gibson LP Junior in April. I have a 2007 Epiphone '59 Reissue Junior (P-100) that I bought a few years ago and it's a good guitar, but I really wanted a Gibson.
I have five single pickup guitars so far:
LP Junior dog ear P-90
LP Junior Tribute DC soapbar P-90
'59 reissue Melody Maker with a lipstick tube
Epi '59 Reissue Junior dog ear P-100
Aaaand a 2004 Squier Bullet (Strat) with a soapbar P-90 😁

I need a guitar with a single neck pickup. Maybe convert the DC to a neck mini hum? Or a Fender reissue CuNiFe WRHB?

Always fancied an LP Junior, but next one for me is an SG Special.

When I saw this thumbnail, I was tempted to say out loud, “Because John Lennon played one.” That’s a bad joke, though, because I have gotten well over getting gear because an artist I admire played it first. Besides, John’s Junior was modified with a neck pickup and a toggle switch. That made it almost like a Tele with a Gibson headstock.
The year before the pandemic lockdown, I was at my local Guitar Center outlet (which unfortunately was wiped out by the lockdown), and I came upon a British couple with their son who was wailing on an LP Junior identical to this one. He was around 16 at the time, and I was impressed with how well he managed to get all the best out of the Jr, using a drive tone at full volume and getting it to clean up wen he dialed back the volume control.

Seems to have the tone of a strat going into an SD-1

Seems to have the tone of a strat going into an SD-1

I love my Les Paul Junior. It’s such a straightforward no-nonsense guitar which sounds so great.

I know what you mean when you say single pickup guitars sound more natural. I usually pull the neck pickups out of my guitars because I never use them and I like the sound better when there's only one pickup. A Les Paul Junior is third behind a Firebird and an SG Junior on the list of guitars I want to get so thank you for letting me know I am correct in thinking I need a Les Paul Junior.

I wish Gibson could just lower the price on these. Sure, I could buy the epiphone, but I would just go crazy for not buying the Gibson. I’ve wanted a single pickup guitar for a while. However, it seems like you could get a vintage fender music master with a single pickup for around the same money? Have you tried one of those? Plus being short scale too?

It at first appears to be a primitive design that has no merit in today's world. You're wrong. Play one, and you'll think it's all you need.

Does a Gibson melody maker count? Same body, two P-90s. This guitar is so primitive it’s interesting.