If you really want a Les Paul Jr, these are a viable option - but if you're a beginner just looking for a guitar, other brands do offer quite a bit more options for the same money. 🔴Reverb: reverb.com/item/32358273?_aid=growsumo&gs_partner=Trogly 🍭Shop Sweetwater + Support the Show ➡️ imp.i114863.net/trogly 💰New to Reverb? Get $10 on Me ➡️ reverb.grsm.io/earn10 ❓Private Help Sessions: troglysguitarshow.com/help-appraisals/
Charlie Starr would agree. He bought his Gibson Les Paul junior in 1990s and the previous owner was the guitarist from the Georgia Satellites. He bought it for 600$ from a guitar shop and it's still his #1 guitar to this day. Guitars are really expensive now. I might pull the trigger on a black junior, I'd like to own one.
Yep. A bit more than 10 years ago, but In 2008 -2009 (maybe even later) a new Gibson LP Faded or faded V could be had for 799.99, and a Studio for a grand.
Ya know these days there is no such thing as a bad guitar. If you walk into a Guitar Center or in Canada a Long and McQuade you can drop $200 bucks or $2000 bucks you're going to get a very playable instrument. And as a bonus the cheaper guitars are a blast to mod and customize. I've been an epiphone fan for 30 years now and they never let me down. So when I saw this particular JR model at my local LnM I a/b'd it against the Gibson. And of course I went with the Epi and saved myself $1200 bucks. Epi's are for players. Gibson's are for collectors.
I’ve always liked how you do your reviews because you open up the guitar and provide measurements. I wanted a Gibson LP Jr for a long time, but when Gibson raised the price from 2011 $799 to 2015 $1,499 I gave up. When Epiphone came out with this I jumped at it even though the finish was way too dark for my taste. After doing a full setup mine had a high 17th fret and the neck was unusually thick and wide. I expected to mod this from the start so I sanded down the neck to a typical late 50s, sanded off about 1/8” of thick finish off the top and painted it black, added a tortoise shell pickguard, rewired it, and put in a Lindy Fralin vintage P90 with a shim.
so they doubled the price but not the quality , please send your email address on another matter ...I have something very interesting to share with you
There's some chibson guitars that are like 200$ or even firefly guitars hav some beautiful flying v guitars in the 200$ price range of you don't mind having a guitar tech set it up good
Or. It used and fix em up I have a epi Les Paul and sg I got both for $17.50 a pop a solder iron and $20.00 in parts and a pack of strings both of them are total shred machine's man
@@theccarbiter Of course they do, Gibson owns Epiphone. But how much difference should there be? A Special is just a Junior with an extra pickup. Those pickups are cheap. I looked on ZZ sound and the Junior was 20 bucks cheaper. Maybe a little overpriced compared to the Special but not much.
trogly doesn't a look at at a guitars individual parts and specs, he takes an individual look at the guitars parts and specs cause trogly is a true individual and i respect that
I was really torn between this model and the Special in TV yellow. I eventually went with the special because it has more tonal variety and I love that tv yellow. But, these are super duper nice. Awesome baseball neck, super chunky and great for punk rock.
@@averagecomrade5072 I'm just leery of Epiphone Juniors. The one in the video is pretty nice but I had an Epiphone Junior back in 2012, I bought it new because I traveled for work and just wanted a cheap guitar to play on while I was away from home. Anyway, it was, bare none, the worst guitar I've ever owned. It wouldn't stay in tune for more than a strum or two. I ended up giving it to a coworker. I mean, it was dirt cheap but I've had cheaper guitars that were at least playable. The Jr was just junk. Even when it was in tune the pickups sounded like hot garbage. A few years later I bought a 2015 Junior when they were blowing those out and the difference in build quality, sound etc is night and day.
@@rikantony6571 This is one reason why I love guitars so much. We all have different opinions of the same guitar. Thinking back to the 70s, the finish does remond me of furniture from that time.
Yup, Juniors need a back seat finish! They were always back seat instruments! That's why I bought them for $50-$150 back in the 80's. I always thought they had potential, Gibson never did...
A lot of people say that inexpensive guitars until recently were absolutely horrible. I would love to see a video reviewing some of those old horrible guitars just to see how good we actually have it today! Everyone says "price point" instead of "price". What happened to price? Is price just not good enough any more? We have to add point to it? I like price more than price point. Price point seems like someone is trying to rip me off..to make themselves sound smarter than me. Just use price..it works!
"It's quite easy for somebody to swap out the pickups" yeah... I tried to find those connectors, couldn't find it anywhere so I'm glad they donc advertise it ^^
The one I bought is awesome! One problem I seem to find with this one and some of the other new Epiphones are the Nuts. The action on the one I have was way too high at the nut. Easy fix to file down the nut slots. Also, Intonation was also off until I put some standard 10-46 gauge strings.
Gibson is charging what they think they can get for a Jr. It wasn't that long ago you could get a Jr for under $800 and a P90 Melody Maker for what that Epi costs. Pretty sure the cost of building guitars hasn't gone up 90% in the last 7 years. I do own Gibsons but if I was 20 and making $15 an hour I'd rock the hell out of that Epi
I have a Gibson jazz box.. from back in the day and it's quite expensive.... That was the last expensive axe that I ever got 30 years ago... I buy Epiphone.. my guitar tech hooks me up exactly the way I want it and I'm good to go
I have 2 Gibson LPj 1 slick finish 1 matte the slick is way more comfortable on your arm especially if you are aggressive player. The epi junior sounds as good as my usa gibs. To me lpj is the ultimate rock machine no matter where it’s born. I really like your vids they hold on to my short attention span
Love the channel my dude. Never thought I get this into guitars. Since I found your channel I got an electric Ibanez and a fender acoustic guitar. And I love it!
@Coco Morales I’ve played one. They’re pretty nice. My one problem is that you can’t adjust the pickup height because it’s a dog ear. If you don’t know what that does, I’ll tell you. Lowering it (unscrewing it deeper into the body) gives it more treble and more on the high tones. Lifting it (screwing it in higher up and closer to the strings) gives it more bass. Not everyone does that but I like to and it is the most simple thing you can do to change the tone of your guitar and it costs nothing. So that’s my one gripe.
Bullshit. If you have a total POS guitar nothing is going to make it sound good. Or if you have shitty pickups nothing is going to make it sound good except changing the pickups. In 2012 I bought an Epiphone Junior and it sounded godawful. The pickups in it were just garbage and the fucking thing wouldn't stay in tune for anything. The new ones (or at least the kind Trogly is playing in the vide) seem miles better than those old $99 Epiphone Juniors GC was always selling.
Jason Allen I can't argue with the fact that if you have a totally POS guitar but from what I've seen and heard you can buy a very inexpensive guitar and still get a very good sound from a quality amplifier. That is my point.
I've had one of these since February. It's my favourite out of my collection, even above my Gibson SG. The pickup is excellent, I think it even looks nicer looking than the Gibson. I hope they do an SG junior next.
My first electric I actually still have it... It’s an Epiphone Les Paul Jr ‘57 Reissue with almost that exact paint job... It’s more of like a light brown sunburst along with it being all black...
The juniors with an uncompensated Stop-Bar can be intonated fairly well. You will need to choose your string gauge and brand very carefully. A wound third is usually necessary. With a 'Lightning Bolt' you may have to choose carefully also. I originally used a thinner plain g string. It was okay for rock but it didn't feel balanced. The luthier suggested a wound 18 and it worked well even with the smooth Stop-Bar. Thanx Trophy for the documentation of the Epiphone LP Jr.
I have the jr. and the special. The jr. is loud and unruly. The special is more refined. They are not the same at all. The sustain on the jr. is amazing! It just makes you want to play LOUD! Just buy both. You won’t be disappointed.
Great guitar save for the tuning machines and the jack. Installed Grover machines and a Switch craft jack and plate. With D'Addario pure nickel strings the intonation is ON. The wrap bridge makes this an ideal first electric - acoustic players should find this comfortable. Also, the single pickup is good for former acoustic only players - articulation and hand placement make the tone. Aesthetically the pickguard and veneers could go.
The quick connect on the pickup wire probably means that there is no soldering done within the guitar itself, reducing the chances of burning the finish. The pots, ground wire and jack are probably soldered together from template outside of the guitar, then dropped into the control cavity and the pickup is connected at the end.
7:22 old video, but it still add value: you do have to lubricate them, the only materials that are self-lubricated are TUSQ XL (different from regular TUSQ) and graphite, everything else requires/benefits from lubrication
As am I. Quite frankly, a high end Epi is just a middle end gibson at a mark down. Drop in actual gibson pups, and you get a gibson with a different name on the headstock, and about 500 bucks cheaper
Ive got an Epiphone Les Paul and its great. Guitar snobs really dont understand the impact Epiphone has had on music in general. It was in an Epiphone factory where Les Paul built "the log" guitar.
To be quite honest, I was pleasantly surprised by this guitar. I have a 2000 Gibson les Paul classic premium plus in the rare cinnamon burst finish. Original owner. I will never get rid of my Les Paul. Nice review trogly. I have been way way surprised by the epiphone stuff. Nice stepping it up epiphone.
I bought a metallic gold top standard with coil split at both pickups a couple months back. I did have to lower the action a little but other than that I pretty much haven't done anything but fine tune it. Plays great and loving it. So much so that since I cant seem to find one in a dark blue metallic dust finish I've ordered a kit and with the guidance of a friend who I know that builds I will have that one to add in my collection.
I think the Les Paul Special Tribute P90s is the best value for someone looking at getting a Gibson. The humbucker version is also $999. 600 bucks less than the LP Special TV yellow. Epiphone versions are great value, for sure, but it’s great to have a middle option US made ones. Plus, with that white satin finish and a sharpie... the possibilities are endless! 🤘😎
Scarf joints are also to strengthen the neck where the headstock angles cutting off the fibers in the wood, so on a engineering level it's better than a Gibson.
@@IrisGalaxis It's just science! One piece mahogany neck with angled headstock is the worst thing guitar manufacturers still do to this day. And I have about a bazillion examples of broken Gibson's to prove it.
Les Paul Juniors are my absolute favourite guitars in the world. This model here is actually a really nice sounding guitar. Only thing I’ll do is change the black pick guard to a red tortoise shell. I just like the fire on the black
Just got a modded Gibson 09 Melody Maker LP style with a Seymour Duncan humbucker in place of the single coil for 329. I love Squier stuff but have a hard time wrapping my head around the ask of Epis
I have two Maestro Jr's: an SG that's been upgraded better than entry-level it once was and a Les Paul that's currently under construction and on its way down the path of upgrading, hoping to drop a P90 in it. They differ from Epiphone by having a humbucking pickup and a bolt-on chunky '59 profiled maple neck that feels like butter in my hands but in the case of this Les Paul Junior, that P90 and CTS 500K pots are definitely was happening although the finish could be more period-correct... I wouldn't mind having one myself and @8.8K, in a single-coil pickup with that resistance would be definitely hotter than average which is the case of my Tradition CAB10 Tele's G&B Alnico 5 bridge pickup reading @8.5K is as hot as I like it... and so is that P90 pickup!
I’ve said for years how the Epiphone specials are the best guitars to hot rod. Personally, favorite detail about them is they don’t read “Les Paul” on the headstock, just “Special Model”. So no, I’m not playing an Epiphone Les Paul, I’m playing an Epiphone “Special Model” 😄😄
Now see Austin you make no sense lol. You said you couldn't understand the $20 difference between the Junior and the Special since the Special has twice as much electronics on it. That's what I have been saying about the Gibson Junior and the Studio models!! for $100 more for the Studio you get twice as much as the Juniors have to offer! I really like that finish!! I have an older Epiphone Special that I bought at a pawn shop that was going out of business for $50! Originally it was just the plain black but I sanded it down and the finish I have on it closely resembles the Gibson smokehouse finish and I love it!! Mine is a bolt on neck which was good because the original neck had a twist to it lol.
I've read and heard that the Dog ear pickups that Gibson used back in the day always sounded hotter and ballsier, (Is That a Word?), then the soap bar counterparts of the same era. Players that have both Jr's and Specials say the Juniors had the hotter, raunchier tone. Wonder if they wound those hotter or the way they were mounted to the body has some effect? I own a 2022 Gibson LP Jr, and an Epiphone Jr. The Epiphone is surprisingly a nice guitar. Not quite the quality of the Gibson, but for real, we're talking a one pickup, 2 control guitar originally made for students. And they both kick butt when pushing an overdriven amp. The "Less is More" factor draws me to these styles of guitars.
Hey trogly! I really love the content, you should try to get some harley benton stuff on the bench. I’ve heard they are the best guitars for a budget. would love to hear your opinion on them.
Looks good, sounds good, seams to play good, doesn’t coast much, sure the fretboard isn’t a beauty, and ok you had to set it up, but it seams decent for the amount of money that we are talking about. The body back and the neck is cool looking, and it seams that you have upgraded you playing skills, noice !
Another nice review. I purchased a 2020 Epi SG Special and like it a lot. I've been thinking of getting the Epi LP Junior, but I'm not really that crazy about that sunburst finish or the look of the veneer on the top. Still, it seems like a great guitar for the money.
I bought a cheap Epi LP Special with a bolt on neck new for about $100 on a lark. Fun guitar. I’m used to playing high end American guitars, but it’s fun to play and sounds decent. I actually enjoy playing it more than a real Les Paul because it’s light as a feather. It’s lighter than my Strat!
Hi, there, I recently got a "like new" 2019 Gibson LP Jr. It has become one of my favorite guitars to hear and play. Comes with a super Gibson hard case, and all the sound and vibe I could ask for. For the record, I have many Gibson and Fender guitars, including my first "real" guitar, a '76 Les Paul Custom I bought new in '78 (I'd been working 2 yrs by then. Yeah, I'm old). I also have (thanks to you) a totally original '79 The Paul that I love... and a few others. Not gonna bore ya. Is the Les Paul Jr. worth $1000+? To me it is. If you have the means, by all means. I just wish I'd live long enough to wear it out. Thanks for a great show, Trogly.
I just picked an Old Glory vs this one and I think this ones wins. First of all, you have to dig the single pickup, the feeling is quite the same with the exception that the neck on Old Glory is substantially chunkier. The looks of Old Glory are unbeatable, at least on pictures, in real life it’s kind of “too perfect”, I was getting ESP/LTD vibes with that finish. The sound of Old Glory is unbeatable, but I guess this guitar with a Lollar or Seymour D P 90 could do the same trick. Both are awesome!
Fretwire - if it's still scratchy after polishing, then it's still got cross-wise scratches (running in the nut to bridge direction) on the frets and you haven't started with a coarse enough sandpaper to remove them. I use P240 wet and dry paper (dry) as my base fret polishing grit. I take an off-cut of a top E string (0.010"), hold it between thumb and first finger and run it along the full length of each fret. If you can feel it catching at any point, then you've still got scratches that need to be removed, so rub them some more with the sandpaper. Only once you can run the string smoothly over the length of the fret have you removed those scratches that will make it feel rough to play. After that I use P400, P800 and then all the micromesh grades from 1500 to 12000. That will certainly get you smooth feeling frets. After the P240, you only need to do a few rubs with each subsequent finer grit. But if you don't get rid of the deeper scratches first, all the subsequent polishing will simply leave you with mirror-like frets that still feel scratchy to play. I always try and use the same amount of strokes of sandpaper on each fret in order to try and keep them the same height, so if I need to use 50 strokes on one fret to remove those scratches, then I'll rub each fret with that same grit paper 50 times. It takes a bit of time to do, and in guitar construction, time is money, so you can understand why a lot of budget models come out with scratchy frets. But luckily it is easy to remedy yourself. Sometimes the board itself can feel rough and make it harder to bend strings, so you can always sand that down to feel smoother. I use P400 and then P800 for that. Best to do this before sanding down the frets as you are bound to add some small scratches to the frets. Alternatively you can use thin masking tape (I buy sets of masking tape sold for using on model kits) to mask the frets if they are already well polished.
why the hell should u have to do this on a new guitar.?i bought a harley benton junior this yr and the fretwork was perfect.even the fretboard edges are slightly rolled.185 euro......
@@rikantony6571 I know. The Epiphone will include some better quality components, and you are paying a bit more for the veneer and a more complicated stain + paint job, the CTS pots and a slightly more expensive pickup, but the HB is far better value. All guitars at this end of the mass-produced scale are built to a price point. with fixed mark-ups at every stage back to the point where it comes off the factory production line. It doesn't take a huge difference in component costs to make a big difference to the retail price. So to hit that price point, if it means that Epiphone don't really spend enough time on the frets, then that's what happens. It is easily fixable, so I'd prefer that to some other compromise that didn't cost just some of my time to fix. But I'd be more likely to buy the HB than the Epiphone. I hope you are enjoying yours.
@@WonkeyWabbit i sure am thx.if i was 15 yrs old and the epiphone was my first guitar would u expect me to be able to dress the frets? my hb was giggable straight out of the box...all the components on the hb are top notch.the pick up is fine as is.u can always raise the polepeices if u want it a bit hotter.thx for ur response.
If you really want a Les Paul Jr, these are a viable option - but if you're a beginner just looking for a guitar, other brands do offer quite a bit more options for the same money.
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The Trogly's Guitar Show Hey Trogly!
When I change the pickups out on the 10 S silverburst I'll enail you a short video of how it sounds.
th-cam.com/video/fRUae9azhVI/w-d-xo.html
If they made a double cut I'd be sold
Do check out the Epiphone Les Paul Standard 1959 Aged Dark Burst!
Gibson Junior's should be $1000 new. It's a solid body mahogany, no maple, no binding, one pickup, easy to route.
They should be 800 bucks...
@@Samana009 They should be free with every 3-pack of overpriced strings.
@@Hexspa hahaha... agreed. Talk about an overpriced slab of wood...
@@Samana009 fuckin pirates
Agreed! Gibson Greed
"Good old days" 10 years ago when a faded Gibson Junior was around $600 and was everything anyone would ever need. Inflation is a b-word.
Charlie Starr would agree. He bought his Gibson Les Paul junior in 1990s and the previous owner was the guitarist from the Georgia Satellites. He bought it for 600$ from a guitar shop and it's still his #1 guitar to this day. Guitars are really expensive now. I might pull the trigger on a black junior, I'd like to own one.
Yep. A bit more than 10 years ago, but In 2008 -2009 (maybe even later) a new Gibson LP Faded or faded V could be had for 799.99, and a Studio for a grand.
Ya know these days there is no such thing as a bad guitar. If you walk into a Guitar Center or in Canada a Long and McQuade you can drop $200 bucks or $2000 bucks you're going to get a very playable instrument. And as a bonus the cheaper guitars are a blast to mod and customize. I've been an epiphone fan for 30 years now and they never let me down. So when I saw this particular JR model at my local LnM I a/b'd it against the Gibson. And of course I went with the Epi and saved myself $1200 bucks. Epi's are for players. Gibson's are for collectors.
I want epiphone to make double cut specials and juniors, they just have a more interesting look
I knooooow. Right now the Gibsons are $1500 and up. Way too much haha
If Epiphone could make a cherry double cut Junior I'd sell my soul for one.
@@leewhitworth9142 same bro
I’ve always liked how you do your reviews because you open up the guitar and provide measurements. I wanted a Gibson LP Jr for a long time, but when Gibson raised the price from 2011 $799 to 2015 $1,499 I gave up. When Epiphone came out with this I jumped at it even though the finish was way too dark for my taste. After doing a full setup mine had a high 17th fret and the neck was unusually thick and wide. I expected to mod this from the start so I sanded down the neck to a typical late 50s, sanded off about 1/8” of thick finish off the top and painted it black, added a tortoise shell pickguard, rewired it, and put in a Lindy Fralin vintage P90 with a shim.
Gibson has become very greedy and they are not good quality now
so they doubled the price but not the quality , please send your email address on another matter ...I have something very interesting to share with you
I like it when you review lower priced guitars instead of the guitars I can’t afford.
Yo bro what's your budget
There's some chibson guitars that are like 200$ or even firefly guitars hav some beautiful flying v guitars in the 200$ price range of you don't mind having a guitar tech set it up good
Or. It used and fix em up I have a epi Les Paul and sg I got both for $17.50 a pop a solder iron and $20.00 in parts and a pack of strings both of them are total shred machine's man
They shouldn’t raise the price of the special, they should lower the price of the junior
@@Rand_al_Thor372 ikr, the junior should be $80-$100 cheaper than its current price
Lol gibson lowering a price? johnny thunders! Lol every heroin addicted guitarists favorite player...
@@kiezersosay49 pretty sure gibson doesnt decide epiphones prices
@@Rand_al_Thor372 Thunders played Specials too.
@@theccarbiter Of course they do, Gibson owns Epiphone.
But how much difference should there be? A Special is just a Junior with an extra pickup. Those pickups are cheap. I looked on ZZ sound and the Junior was 20 bucks cheaper. Maybe a little overpriced compared to the Special but not much.
This was my first electric guitar in 2021 and probably my favourite still. I love the way chords ring out clearly on it compared to my other guitars
trogly doesn't a look at at a guitars individual parts and specs, he takes an individual look at the guitars parts and specs cause trogly is a true individual and i respect that
Those crunch tones sounded insane
I was really torn between this model and the Special in TV yellow. I eventually went with the special because it has more tonal variety and I love that tv yellow. But, these are super duper nice. Awesome baseball neck, super chunky and great for punk rock.
I got the TV yellow to. I love it. Except those 2 little screws that stick out of the part that holds the strings - they snag on a long sleeve shirt.
Love one pickup guitars. That sounds good and for the money it’s a decent deal.
Your playing has really improved, man! Kudos!
I've never really been a fan of the LP Juniors, but this one has certainly grabbed my attention. The finish on the front is absolutely stunning!
@@averagecomrade5072 I'm just leery of Epiphone Juniors. The one in the video is pretty nice but I had an Epiphone Junior back in 2012, I bought it new because I traveled for work and just wanted a cheap guitar to play on while I was away from home.
Anyway, it was, bare none, the worst guitar I've ever owned. It wouldn't stay in tune for more than a strum or two. I ended up giving it to a coworker. I mean, it was dirt cheap but I've had cheaper guitars that were at least playable. The Jr was just junk. Even when it was in tune the pickups sounded like hot garbage.
A few years later I bought a 2015 Junior when they were blowing those out and the difference in build quality, sound etc is night and day.
it looks like plywood or my parents coffee table from the 70s,shite
@@rikantony6571 You sure you know what plywood is?
@@Vichedges muppet
@@rikantony6571 This is one reason why I love guitars so much. We all have different opinions of the same guitar. Thinking back to the 70s, the finish does remond me of furniture from that time.
Yup, Juniors need a back seat finish! They were always back seat instruments! That's why I bought them for $50-$150 back in the 80's. I always thought they had potential, Gibson never did...
That thing SCREAMS
Perfect timing! As I’ve been looking at one of these recently.
One thing I love 'bout Epi's is they're easily upgradable. Standard CTS pots? That's a very nice touch!
A lot of people say that inexpensive guitars until recently were absolutely horrible. I would love to see a video reviewing some of those old horrible guitars just to see how good we actually have it today!
Everyone says "price point" instead of "price". What happened to price? Is price just not good enough any more? We have to add point to it? I like price more than price point. Price point seems like someone is trying to rip me off..to make themselves sound smarter than me. Just use price..it works!
Trogly is the best youtuber ever always wait for your videos keep up the great work
"It's quite easy for somebody to swap out the pickups" yeah... I tried to find those connectors, couldn't find it anywhere so I'm glad they donc advertise it ^^
The one I bought is awesome! One problem I seem to find with this one and some of the other new Epiphones are the Nuts. The action on the one I have was way too high at the nut. Easy fix to file down the nut slots. Also, Intonation was also off until I put some standard 10-46 gauge strings.
We need the review of the new Custom!!!
That would be so cool
Gibson is charging what they think they can get for a Jr. It wasn't that long ago you could get a Jr for under $800 and a P90 Melody Maker for what that Epi costs. Pretty sure the cost of building guitars hasn't gone up 90% in the last 7 years. I do own Gibsons but if I was 20 and making $15 an hour I'd rock the hell out of that Epi
I have a Gibson jazz box.. from back in the day and it's quite expensive.... That was the last expensive axe that I ever got 30 years ago... I buy Epiphone.. my guitar tech hooks me up exactly the way I want it and I'm good to go
I have 2 Gibson LPj 1 slick finish 1 matte the slick is way more comfortable on your arm especially if you are aggressive player. The epi junior sounds as good as my usa gibs. To me lpj is the ultimate rock machine no matter where it’s born. I really like your vids they hold on to my short attention span
You never realize that you sound best on ones you don’t dig, scratchy fret wire? It sounded awesome
LoL yeah right 😂
@@michaeljoseph8229 you ever notice that? I guess it’s a matter of taste or ears,100% of the time when I think Troy sounds good he dumps on it
Yes it seems to have a too big of a black border. Black just around the edges would have looked great!
With Christmas 🎄 coming up maybe I'll order two for my Grandchildren who play 😃 Enjoyed your review as always. Ty from Newburgh NY 🙂
Great review, I put mine on lay away last week! Excited to get it, I've tried it and personally I love it, perfect modern rock/punk guitar
Why did you stop putting centimeter conversions?
Love the channel my dude. Never thought I get this into guitars. Since I found your channel I got an electric Ibanez and a fender acoustic guitar. And I love it!
i like jr's i don't have anyone someday i really like this model
@Coco Morales
I’ve played one. They’re pretty nice. My one problem is that you can’t adjust the pickup height because it’s a dog ear. If you don’t know what that does, I’ll tell you. Lowering it (unscrewing it deeper into the body) gives it more treble and more on the high tones. Lifting it (screwing it in higher up and closer to the strings) gives it more bass. Not everyone does that but I like to and it is the most simple thing you can do to change the tone of your guitar and it costs nothing. So that’s my one gripe.
A good over driven amp makes any guitar sound good.
Bullshit. If you have a total POS guitar nothing is going to make it sound good.
Or if you have shitty pickups nothing is going to make it sound good except changing the pickups. In 2012 I bought an Epiphone Junior and it sounded godawful. The pickups in it were just garbage and the fucking thing wouldn't stay in tune for anything.
The new ones (or at least the kind Trogly is playing in the vide) seem miles better than those old $99 Epiphone Juniors GC was always selling.
Jason Allen I can't argue with the fact that if you have a totally POS guitar but from what I've seen and heard you can buy a very inexpensive guitar and still get a very good sound from a quality amplifier. That is my point.
I've had one of these since February. It's my favourite out of my collection, even above my Gibson SG. The pickup is excellent, I think it even looks nicer looking than the Gibson. I hope they do an SG junior next.
They have done a SG Junior couple of years ago. Great guitar. Take it every where in gig bag. The guitar I pick up most
@@philodonoghue3062 I know, I had one... It was a far cry from a proper SG Junior & definitely not on a par with the inspired by Gibson guitars.
I have a TV yellow satin SG Jr by Epi. But with 1 humbucker... Sounds great though I am curious if with P90 it would sound better...
My first electric I actually still have it... It’s an Epiphone Les Paul Jr ‘57 Reissue with almost that exact paint job... It’s more of like a light brown sunburst along with it being all black...
The juniors with an uncompensated Stop-Bar can be intonated fairly well. You will need to choose your string gauge and brand very carefully. A wound third is usually necessary. With a 'Lightning Bolt' you may have to choose carefully also. I originally used a thinner plain g string. It was okay for rock but it didn't feel balanced. The luthier suggested a wound 18 and it worked well even with the smooth Stop-Bar.
Thanx Trophy for the documentation of the Epiphone LP Jr.
This is interesting to consider...
I ordered one from eBay I can’t throw 11s on this model?
Very nice axe for a decent price. I think it looks fabulous. That one P90 pup sure sounds damn good.
I miss my old Epi Junior, I need to get a new one!
I have the jr. and the special. The jr. is loud and unruly. The special is more refined. They are not the same at all. The sustain on the jr. is amazing! It just makes you want to play LOUD! Just buy both. You won’t be disappointed.
Been waiting for this review from ya for as long as I knew this guitar was being made. Still looking to swoop one up.
For the $$ nice guitar. I thought the overdriven sound of the P-90 was really cool. Great video.
Great guitar save for the tuning machines and the jack. Installed Grover machines and a Switch craft jack and plate. With D'Addario pure nickel strings the intonation is ON. The wrap bridge makes this an ideal first electric - acoustic players should find this comfortable. Also, the single pickup is good for former acoustic only players - articulation and hand placement make the tone. Aesthetically the pickguard and veneers could go.
just got one 2e hand for 250 euro ( with gibson gig bag ) , sounds and plays great !
That crunch on the demo was pretty epic.
The quick connect on the pickup wire probably means that there is no soldering done within the guitar itself, reducing the chances of burning the finish. The pots, ground wire and jack are probably soldered together from template outside of the guitar, then dropped into the control cavity and the pickup is connected at the end.
With the high gain, that guitar sounded killer.
7:22 old video, but it still add value: you do have to lubricate them, the only materials that are self-lubricated are TUSQ XL (different from regular TUSQ) and graphite, everything else requires/benefits from lubrication
I am very fond of epiphone guitars
As am I. Quite frankly, a high end Epi is just a middle end gibson at a mark down. Drop in actual gibson pups, and you get a gibson with a different name on the headstock, and about 500 bucks cheaper
Ive got an Epiphone Les Paul and its great. Guitar snobs really dont understand the impact Epiphone has had on music in general. It was in an Epiphone factory where Les Paul built "the log" guitar.
Doesn’t matter where it’s made. What matters is how it plays and sounds! Just my opinion
I love these, that thing rips.
Man, I was eager to hear those 2nd and 3rd pickups
To be quite honest, I was pleasantly surprised by this guitar. I have a 2000 Gibson les Paul classic premium plus in the rare cinnamon burst finish. Original owner. I will never get rid of my Les Paul. Nice review trogly. I have been way way surprised by the epiphone stuff. Nice stepping it up epiphone.
I bought a metallic gold top standard with coil split at both pickups a couple months back. I did have to lower the action a little but other than that I pretty much haven't done anything but fine tune it. Plays great and loving it. So much so that since I cant seem to find one in a dark blue metallic dust finish I've ordered a kit and with the guidance of a friend who I know that builds I will have that one to add in my collection.
I think the Les Paul Special Tribute P90s is the best value for someone looking at getting a Gibson. The humbucker version is also $999. 600 bucks less than the LP Special TV yellow. Epiphone versions are great value, for sure, but it’s great to have a middle option US made ones. Plus, with that white satin finish and a sharpie... the possibilities are endless! 🤘😎
Got one near mint today for 100$ at a pawn shop. Very happy with it
That thing loved distortion!
Paid for one last week. Going to pick it up from the store tomorrow. Looking forward to try it out!
Scarf joints are also to strengthen the neck where the headstock angles cutting off the fibers in the wood, so on a engineering level it's better than a Gibson.
@@IrisGalaxis It's just science! One piece mahogany neck with angled headstock is the worst thing guitar manufacturers still do to this day. And I have about a bazillion examples of broken Gibson's to prove it.
I prefer the tone of one-piece Gibson necks. You just have to be careful with them.
@@VIDS2013 If you can prove you can hear the difference I promise to shove my fist up myself.
Great video as always. Your playing is really improving!
This is definitely a budget "Blues Rocker" that pup sounded great.Trogly sounded great,good chord work ,you been listening to Pat Travers?
Les Paul Juniors are my absolute favourite guitars in the world. This model here is actually a really nice sounding guitar. Only thing I’ll do is change the black pick guard to a red tortoise shell. I just like the fire on the black
00000p
Just got a modded Gibson 09 Melody Maker LP style with a Seymour Duncan humbucker in place of the single coil for 329. I love Squier stuff but have a hard time wrapping my head around the ask of Epis
In 2023 they cost $479. If they made a Jr in solid red with a satin finish and a wrap-around bridge with adj saddles like PRS SE 245...lol
I have two Maestro Jr's: an SG that's been upgraded better than entry-level it once was and a Les Paul that's currently under construction and on its way down the path of upgrading, hoping to drop a P90 in it. They differ from Epiphone by having a humbucking pickup and a bolt-on chunky '59 profiled maple neck that feels like butter in my hands but in the case of this Les Paul Junior, that P90 and CTS 500K pots are definitely was happening although the finish could be more period-correct... I wouldn't mind having one myself and @8.8K, in a single-coil pickup with that resistance would be definitely hotter than average which is the case of my Tradition CAB10 Tele's G&B Alnico 5 bridge pickup reading @8.5K is as hot as I like it... and so is that P90 pickup!
You do such a good job on these review demo videos. Thank you!
I’ve said for years how the Epiphone specials are the best guitars to hot rod. Personally, favorite detail about them is they don’t read “Les Paul” on the headstock, just “Special Model”. So no, I’m not playing an Epiphone Les Paul, I’m playing an Epiphone “Special Model” 😄😄
Dog ear pickup height adjustments are done with shims. They are sold on REVERB and others.
yes matey. i placed shims under Harley Benton aka mustard and massive improvement.
Now see Austin you make no sense lol. You said you couldn't understand the $20 difference between the Junior and the Special since the Special has twice as much electronics on it. That's what I have been saying about the Gibson Junior and the Studio models!! for $100 more for the Studio you get twice as much as the Juniors have to offer! I really like that finish!! I have an older Epiphone Special that I bought at a pawn shop that was going out of business for $50! Originally it was just the plain black but I sanded it down and the finish I have on it closely resembles the Gibson smokehouse finish and I love it!! Mine is a bolt on neck which was good because the original neck had a twist to it lol.
I loved the sound of it on the dirty channel. Has a great big fat sound. Great Epi 🤘🏻
I've read and heard that the Dog ear pickups that Gibson used back in the day always sounded hotter and ballsier, (Is That a Word?), then the soap bar counterparts of the same era. Players that have both Jr's and Specials say the Juniors had the hotter, raunchier tone. Wonder if they wound those hotter or the way they were mounted to the body has some effect? I own a 2022 Gibson LP Jr, and an Epiphone Jr. The Epiphone is surprisingly a nice guitar. Not quite the quality of the Gibson, but for real, we're talking a one pickup, 2 control guitar originally made for students. And they both kick butt when pushing an overdriven amp. The "Less is More" factor draws me to these styles of guitars.
Hey, have you played any of the epiphone custom models? Either this year's or last. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on them.
I unboxed a white one. I wasn't all that impressed by it on first impression, but I never really sat down with it.
@@Trog I gotcha, appreciate the consistent uploads, thanks!
The Trogly's Guitar Show Hey trog, which vid is that on?
@@Trog and I played last years and I had to send it back.
@@Trog
My feelings exactly with every overpriced, out-of-tune Gibson.
You should also get your hands on the Harley Benton SC-Junior. The internet is booming over how much guitar you get for less than $ 200
It's basically the same as a Les Paul Special II but P90 and single pick up and glued neck. Clean it sounded Epiphone, but cranked WOW.
Hey trogly! I really love the content, you should try to get some harley benton stuff on the bench. I’ve heard they are the best guitars for a budget. would love to hear your opinion on them.
Played one of these today. Finally an Epiphone with a Big Neck!
I got the Billie Joe version. It was a lot more expensive than this for a coat of white paint! Mind you, it came with a case which is epic!
Looks good, sounds good, seams to play good, doesn’t coast much, sure the fretboard isn’t a beauty, and ok you had to set it up, but it seams decent for the amount of money that we are talking about. The body back and the neck is cool looking, and it seams that you have upgraded you playing skills, noice !
Another nice review. I purchased a 2020 Epi SG Special and like it a lot. I've been thinking of getting the Epi LP Junior, but I'm not really that crazy about that sunburst finish or the look of the veneer on the top. Still, it seems like a great guitar for the money.
I bought a cheap Epi LP Special with a bolt on neck new for about $100 on a lark. Fun guitar. I’m used to playing high end American guitars, but it’s fun to play and sounds decent. I actually enjoy playing it more than a real Les Paul because it’s light as a feather. It’s lighter than my Strat!
Hi, there,
I recently got a "like new" 2019 Gibson LP Jr. It has become one of my favorite guitars to hear and play. Comes with a super Gibson hard case, and all the sound and vibe I could ask for. For the record, I have many Gibson and Fender guitars, including my first "real" guitar, a '76 Les Paul Custom I bought new in '78 (I'd been working 2 yrs by then. Yeah, I'm old).
I also have (thanks to you) a totally original '79 The Paul that I love... and a few others. Not gonna bore ya.
Is the Les Paul Jr. worth $1000+? To me it is. If you have the means, by all means. I just wish I'd live long enough to wear it out. Thanks for a great show, Trogly.
Are you the Kermit the frog voice actor?
The Gibson juniors are so fucking perfect. That's pure sound.
That P90 sounds really good. I've got an SG Classic with P90's and those sound just as good. I'm really impressed with Epiphone these days.
Maybe next time you could demo the neck pickup???? Thanks
Sounds good. Surprisingly lovely instrument.
I wish they made this Epi LP Jr in the vintage sunburst as well
I just picked an Old Glory vs this one and I think this ones wins. First of all, you have to dig the single pickup, the feeling is quite the same with the exception that the neck on Old Glory is substantially chunkier. The looks of Old Glory are unbeatable, at least on pictures, in real life it’s kind of “too perfect”, I was getting ESP/LTD vibes with that finish. The sound of Old Glory is unbeatable, but I guess this guitar with a Lollar or Seymour D P 90 could do the same trick. Both are awesome!
I’ve just got my new Junior and it’s a 2019 model, fackin great 👍 guitar 🎸
I just wished it was in TV 📺 yellow, But never mind the colour it’s still a Junior
I have the special version with 2 p90s, and it is frikkin awesome! I play it almost daily
For the price, excellent guitar, through a decent amp will sound awesome.
I played one of these a few days ago. Very solid feeling and a nice neck. I been wanting a P90 guitar. I think I would go for the TV Yellow Special.
Sounds better in my headphones that most of the vintage gibsons he demos
Weeeelcome back, chocolate ice!
Oh yeah! The pickup height I sorted with a set of Shim to bring it up toward the strings. Its doesnt look bad.
Epi makes a short scale les paul express, 2 hum-b's, & its not bad.. Needed frets leveled etc., good sound, like a jr.
10:36 is that Trogly's no copyright version of Good Riddance?
it must be, cos they are blockers and the video will get taken down
Have you ever played Harley Benton guitars??
Really great review inside and out.
Fretwire - if it's still scratchy after polishing, then it's still got cross-wise scratches (running in the nut to bridge direction) on the frets and you haven't started with a coarse enough sandpaper to remove them. I use P240 wet and dry paper (dry) as my base fret polishing grit. I take an off-cut of a top E string (0.010"), hold it between thumb and first finger and run it along the full length of each fret. If you can feel it catching at any point, then you've still got scratches that need to be removed, so rub them some more with the sandpaper. Only once you can run the string smoothly over the length of the fret have you removed those scratches that will make it feel rough to play. After that I use P400, P800 and then all the micromesh grades from 1500 to 12000. That will certainly get you smooth feeling frets. After the P240, you only need to do a few rubs with each subsequent finer grit. But if you don't get rid of the deeper scratches first, all the subsequent polishing will simply leave you with mirror-like frets that still feel scratchy to play.
I always try and use the same amount of strokes of sandpaper on each fret in order to try and keep them the same height, so if I need to use 50 strokes on one fret to remove those scratches, then I'll rub each fret with that same grit paper 50 times.
It takes a bit of time to do, and in guitar construction, time is money, so you can understand why a lot of budget models come out with scratchy frets. But luckily it is easy to remedy yourself.
Sometimes the board itself can feel rough and make it harder to bend strings, so you can always sand that down to feel smoother. I use P400 and then P800 for that. Best to do this before sanding down the frets as you are bound to add some small scratches to the frets. Alternatively you can use thin masking tape (I buy sets of masking tape sold for using on model kits) to mask the frets if they are already well polished.
why the hell should u have to do this on a new guitar.?i bought a harley benton junior this yr and the fretwork was perfect.even the fretboard edges are slightly rolled.185 euro......
@@rikantony6571 I know. The Epiphone will include some better quality components, and you are paying a bit more for the veneer and a more complicated stain + paint job, the CTS pots and a slightly more expensive pickup, but the HB is far better value. All guitars at this end of the mass-produced scale are built to a price point. with fixed mark-ups at every stage back to the point where it comes off the factory production line. It doesn't take a huge difference in component costs to make a big difference to the retail price. So to hit that price point, if it means that Epiphone don't really spend enough time on the frets, then that's what happens. It is easily fixable, so I'd prefer that to some other compromise that didn't cost just some of my time to fix. But I'd be more likely to buy the HB than the Epiphone. I hope you are enjoying yours.
@@WonkeyWabbit i sure am thx.if i was 15 yrs old and the epiphone was my first guitar would u expect me to be able to dress the frets? my hb was giggable straight out of the box...all the components on the hb are top notch.the pick up is fine as is.u can always raise the polepeices if u want it a bit hotter.thx for ur response.
I finally ordered one today,
thanks to this video.
So you can bill Epiphone
for the advertisement
and refer to this comment😉
🎶It's a GAS, GAS, GAS🎶