Juniors and Esquires are great for developing dynamics in your playing. Stuff where I might normally rely on gear or settings, having a Jr. or an Esquire will force you to make decisions and to be deliberate in how you get the tone. I love single pickup guitars!
I have that LPJ, I don’t find the neck particularly fat. I first found it slightly narrow across the fretboard but maybe a little deep in the hand. The P90 is full of power and bite if that’s what your looking for, I also don’t find tuning a problem regarding lack of adjustment on the bridge. Great guitar…
Great comments and video. My Telcaster with a Strat neck and A Humbucker in the neck PUP, and my Les Paul Tobacco burst Junior are basically all I ever need for any Sound made with an electric guitar. Ive even retro fitted with 1 Meg pots and fiddled with caps and resistors to accentuate Either guitar. Its pretty amazing.
Single pickup guitars are just so interesting in the variance for tone and musicality. I’ve really enjoyed my Esquire and the nice switch between clean with slight twang to crunchy and sonic.
Great video, Mike! One thing you will find is that you can vary the tone by where you play. Hit the strings close to the pickup and you will get a more aggressive tone, play up by the neck (or on the neck) and you'll get a rounder, warmer tone. This is in addition to the tonal changes from picking dynamics and the volume & tone knobs. You'll find that a LP Junior is really versatile if you work with it. Have fun!
My first single pickup guitar was a Noventa Tele. I had also subscribed to the idea of more=better (I had plans to build a Jazzmaster with P-Rails and use the rhythm tone and volume controls as pickup selectors for each pickup), but I stopped into my local shop and decided to sit down with it. The Tele was one of those guitars that, as soon as you pick it up, you know it's your guitar. It took a bit of getting used to, but now I know how to get just about any sound that I want from it without adjusting EQ or pedals.
This is all I play. I'm65, a nobody and I'm not very good. When I got started 30 years ago, went through same process as everyone and settled on the les Paul jr. I play a couple of modified billy joe's and the new Jr ( like yours). The bullet proof simplicity is reliable and I find all of the expressiveness that I need.
Juniors and Esquires are massively fun to play. Tremendous tonal options in a single pickup format. Tone is in your hands, and these guitars prove that point.
A single P90 on a slab of mahogany through a nice amp is an absolute joy to behold. Lucky enough to own a stunningly resonant 2002 Gibson Art Historic 1957 Reissue LP Junior - it’s The Beauty and The Beast combined. Wish I could play better and properly justify owning it. Don’t give this on up - you know you need it! Cheers, Mike - loving your whole vibe.
Ayo! Junior enthusiast here. Mine is in the shop and this video gives me massive envy!! Enjoy the new guitar! As for getting the most out of these, it absolutely is down to your hands. I host a Jam Night, and the Junior is one of the guitars I take out and play all night. I also give it to guests to play in their performances. It really trains you to listen to the band around you, what space you have to fill/work with- and how your hands/rig can get the most out of it. I have a few videos on my channel discussing this, but one conversation with my friend Ash Tucker, he said, to start at both knobs at 7 so you have the headroom on both sides to brighten up or darken the signal. Setting up the amp so it breaks up around 7 also makes 10 that big couragous rock tone you want out of your guitar/pedals. Juniors are great guitars for these principles, and what you learn from them can really be transfered to every guitar. My junior has been out of action for about a year and I have only just taken it in to get worked on, but the things I've mentioned above has really made every guitar I play "The One Guitar To Do It All". Love the videos as always man! I dig the long form conent!
My first Gibson was a junior. I was stuck between an sg and a junior and I went with the junior because something just drew me to it and I wanted to challenge myself it quickly became my favorite guitar to play especially live to the point where I had multiple dings and a couple of paint chips within months of owning the guitar. Cuz I played that thing hard and I treated it like it was a cheap pawn shop guitar. But it definitely fills sound, my rig being a Marshall combo with a boss sd-1 and a tube screamer. With my two guitars being a junior and an has strat. And I love the sound I get from such a simple set up.
I have a PRS SE One. PRS's version of the LP Jr. It's even simpler having no tone control, just volume. It's awesome. No fidgeting or tone chasing. It is what it is, and you're forced to make it work. It really does help you get better.
Glad you found the magic of the Jr. I have a CS that's my couch guitar. About 3 weeks ago, I took the plunge and picked up a 56. Best purchase I could have made. I think you'll find your Jr will be a regular go-to for you. Keep it going and enjoy.
I've always been a Les Paul fan. My dad and uncles were big into bands like Kiss, so having my first "guitar hero" being Ace Frehley with his Les Paul is probably a big reason why. As I got older, I got more into the punk/emo scene of my generation, and noticed a lot of Les Paul juniors being played, as well as SGs and Telecasters. The only one I haven't tried yet out of these guitars that have become iconic, in my mind, for the era of music I love, is the Les Paul Junior. After watching your video on it, I'm more curious than ever.
I learned about the volume and tone knobs from CS Guitars and different guitar players like Toni Iommi and Brian May. Single coils are super responsive to the volume knob. If you aren’t playing with incredibly high gain then you can really get a lot of different sounds with your knobs.
I played a single-pickup Gibson Melody Maker for several years. Totally agree - I used to think it was really limiting but I could coax just about any tone I wanted to out of that guitar.
I have that very same guitar. Man it's more versitle than my LP standard. You can do litereally anything on that thing - super tactile. Hope you're enjoying it mate.
Wow that sounded great! I love simple guitars. It forces you to think outside the box in order to achieve the sounds you want. And in the process, you are going to become a much better player for sure. The video is spot on. It's all in the fingers!
My main guitar is a Junior style that was built by Roman Rist. It's kind of like a Junior with some minor differences. The volume knob is more in line with a Strat.
Currently building a couple of P90 guitars with 2 P90's. My first full P90 build. My fav so far has been an overwound hum bridge with a P90 neck. That thing is a ridiculous tone machine.
You just described the "Les Paul Junior experience" better than anyone I've ever heard. Fantastic insight! I have 4 single pickup guitars, and I love them. Great video!
Les Paul Juniors and Specials are great players. It’s amazing what you can do with just one pickup and a volume and tone knob. Some players have intonation issues with the straight stop bar tailpiece wraparound. So many options to fix that kind of issue - I’ve used a few configurations and really like the Graph Tech ResoMax bridges.
I had a faded one Gibson put out years ago. Keith was my reason for getting one then. I’m wanting the Epi version now with this side gig I have and plus the price is ideal
I've always been fan of guitars that have pickups that sound really good in high gain scenarios. For example my main guitar right now is '68 Reissue Fender Thinline Telecaster. My best friend recently got me a Gibson Les Paul Junior Double Cut, and I was worried how the one P-90 in the bridge might do, but now its my go to for any high gain blues songs.
The P90 is just an amazing pickup since it has the impedance of a humbucker. It blends beautifully with humbuckers and the volume knob should be treated more like a gain knob. It started out as a Jazz pickup. The fact that it breaks up and compresses from 6-10 on its own makes it even more versatile in front of tube amps so long as you keep their gain on a razer's edge between clean and breakup. o
I had recently gotten a Les Paul Special with P90s and holy yeah, it’s definitely the tone that I absolutely wanted. Between my Trad Pro V les paul and Jazzmaster, it’s the sound I wanted in between for an overall warm sound
My only electric is a Les Paul jr. Feels like it’s all I need. I mostly play clean on it with a little bit of overdrive. fingerinpicking chords w the capo on there to sweeten the sound a little. Throw the univibe on w it and you enter heaven.
I literally had no idea the volume knob could be used for tone. I thought it was purely for "play loud or play quieter". This is why I subscribe. Thank you @mikecole4489!!!
I just bought an inexpensive Telecaster which I am converting to an Esquire for the simple reason that converting is much less expensive than buying one, and I want a one pickup guitar precisely for the reasons you mention.
I bought a Kramer Barretta last year. Loved it but returned within 30 days because no tone knob :/ it was supposed to have a treble bleed type circuit but it was just way too bright and loud, and became too thin when rolled off to a manageable volume. I’m gonna give a vol/tone bridge pickup another chance
If you use a 500k resistor and no-load tone pot, a Les Paul Special sounds exactly like a Les Paul Junior, but you get the neck pickup too - which most use more often. The magnetic pull of the neck pickup has been proven to have no effect on the strings vibration (unless you have it too close).
one thing the new jrs got wrong was slamming the p90 right against the bridge. the old ones were pulled away my a measurable margin, and it matters. it softens or rounds off the sound a little. not sure why gibson can reproduce their own stuff
So many of my favourite guitarists from the late 70's and early 80's punk and new wave scene used LP Juniors. Marco Pironi from Adam and the Ants, DEVO, MIck Jones from The Clash are just a few. An iconic instrument for sure. The P90 is a beast of a pickup!
For some time now, I happen to be in search for a thing, and your 2hrs old video pops up and you're on the exact topic! I'm going to click that check out button and have my Junior!
My tone knob on all my guitars are turned down to like 3ish. I shoot for that warm sound similar to a slide guitarist. Volume up, Tone Down - warm sustain.
Check out The Georgia Satellites, Rick Richards used a LP Jr and Dan Beard used a Tele with EMG’s. Some of the best classic rock tones! Just so damn good together!!
Much continued success with your channel l much love 💕’ it’s a great exercise and continuous improvement of the knobs and tones ‘ so true of the telecaster too’
The best use of a LPJ, in current recording artists, is Charlie Starr from Blackberry Smoke. Look up their music, and his playing/interviews in particular. He typically uses a P90 in the bridge on most of his recordings. He's also an amazing Blues, Rock, and Country player.
Nice! You got the black one. I couldn't find one so got a vintage sunburst instead. Definitely an inspiring guitar. It really sings even before you plug it in.
I bought a Jared James Nichols signature Epiphone ‘Old Glory’ for the same reasons you got your LP Jr. Other than a bit of fret edge cleaning up, it’s been kicking ass! Sick low action and a absurdly great neck profile… just a smidgeon thinner than my R8.
Congrats Mike! I can see you are going to have a blast with your Junior…. Keep you awesome attitude and I see big things for you in the future.. Keep having fun and you’ll be a star (already a star, but even bigger things coming)
Try it through the AC15 Mike. Talk about a challenge! The aggressiveness goes to a whole new level. I am always amazed at how versatile the LPJ is but you rarely see anyone use them anymore. I think it IS the intimidation of not having anywhere to hide with it.
I have a Gibson LP Junior Double Cut. Compared to my Tele the fat neck is a bit of a work around. I like the P90 and experimenting with it is fun. All and all It is a pleasure to play.
I turned my sg special into an sg junior by just removing the neck pickup. For some reason. 2 pickup guitars are like 2 guitars in 1 for me. I mostly use bridge pickup anyway 90% of the time. Even if the neck pickup is installed. I use the volume and tone knob more than I use the toggle switch.
My 1st guitar was the Epiphone LP Special P90. So it was a Junior with a neck pickup. I didn't know what I was grabbing off the wall at Guitar Center that day, but I was buying to a budget. Mine was a 2017 worn cherry that I bought late May 2019. So it either hung there for 2+ years or it finally rotated to the wall to be demo'ed & bought. The price was $ 149.99 and that was reduced by $ 10. Eventually it would be a price match within 90 days and final cost was $ 129.99. Anyway, there were 5 guitars I considered for price point. The LP Special P90 I preferred to the LP Special HH. Just for feel alone, the sound & tones were a bonus that I preferred the P90's. I then compared a Squier Mini Strat, a Squier Bullet Strat & Squier Affinity Tele. The LP P90 was better than them too. Ended up leaving the store without anything, I wanted to make sure I was ready to buy anything because I was with 2 frineds that had been playing a living room session & decided they wanted to go to Guitar Center. I wanted to make sure I wasn't buying this instrument as an impulse purchase. Even at $ 160+ after taxes, that's not a candy bar purchase at the checkout register at Walmart or Target. And then there are the other things you're going to need with a open box guitar purchase, the strap, an amp, an instrument cord and now we're looking at closer to $ 300 to find myself with essentially an Epiphone P90 a la carte starter pack. To this day, the Epiphone LP P90 is the most versatile guitar I've owned. If you're still reading this at this point, here's my secret tip for any LP. The secret string recommendation is to get the Gibson Les Paul 10-46 Premium strings. Why ? Well they are silk wound ball ends and the bridge on a Junior or Special is a wrapover tailpiece & intonated saddle as an All in One bridge solution. Also they are Gibson & Les Paul's Studio grade strings. They can be pricey, but you can also find them on sale periodically. I ended up with 3 packs for $ 6.99 each, that's about what D'Addario's go for as Gibson was changing the packaging of their premium strings. I also wanted to test the theory that a Epiphone could become a Gibson with Gibson strings. I won't say that happened, but I will say the Gibson premium grade strings were that & away better than the strings that were on the guitar I walked out of the store with as OEM strings. Epiphone indicated he Guitar Center Special P90 has D'Addario 10's on it. But they aren't silk wound ball ends. Not sure that D'Addario has silk wound 10's that are similar to the Gibson strings. Another brand of strings that work quite well on the Epiphone Special P90 are the Musician's Gear 10-46's.
I love my LPJ.. it’s an 05 and I ordered a backup for it and it had a way chunkier neck (normal) than mine. I sent it back and went on a mission to find another LPJ with the super thin neck my 05 tobacco burst has and I can’t find one?? If u have a guitar you love cherish it
Man o man, never seen your channel before …. Where you been? 👍 I recently put together a kit guitar, which looks something like a LP junior crossed with a melody maker and a Flying V but nevertheless, I am now a convert to the single P90 config. It is the one I now pick up the most with great amounts of dust accumulating on the rest of the herd. I look forward to seeing more of your content, 😎🤟🏻
This is one trick that works really well on a Les Paul. There are quite a few famous guys out there when you watch them you can subtly see them use the side of their hand to adjust the volume as needed. I'm going to have to expiriment with it on a strat though.
Great episode Mike!👍The LesPaul Jr is one of my very favorite guitars! I was lucky enough to own a 1957 Tobacco burst JR had it for about 7years then was injured at work and had to sell it! I bought it in a small shop In SanFrancisco that was in an alley around 1986. The place was called Real Guitars and I bought it in excellent condition for $750.00! With what they sell for now I doubt I’ll be able to afford another😢But I do have a lot of excellent memories of playing and enjoying it beyond my wildest dreams! Oh well maybe I can afford a current or slightly used Epiphone version? I’ll have to start the hunt soon as you’ve managed to rekindle my memories of that mighty 1957 Gibson LesPaul Junior!👍🙏🤗❤️💕🎸✌️👋
Juniors are friggin awesome guitars. So many tones, one pup and a regular USA is cheap compared to a lot. Just bought one to go with all my high end shit and love it. Great video. Thx.
Love the Les Paul junior.. gibson and epiphone... the epiphone les Paul junior cost me 99 dollars at the time... one of my favorites.. guitar had an attitude..
It's so fun watching you learning from your gear! You're like a young wizard with a new crystal lol. I admire the minimalism of the Jr.. the opposite would be a triple pickup Gretsch(2627gt). That would be a fun review. FOUR volumes on one axe!
I dig single pickup guitars. Simple and elegant. I have 4 at the moment have been finding myself gravitating to my Les Paul Double Cut Junior a lot lately. It does that thing that makes me smile. No choice but to love it. Great video!
I love a lot of stuff, like Gordan Lightfoot, or Ray Lamontagne, or even like Sturgil Simpson. Or even like Tim Buckley who's son was Jeff Buckley that made an appearance in the 90's or even like John Denver, and James Taylor .. They are becoming my favorite pass times..
Wait... The tone knobs aren't just decoration to be at max? Mind blown. 😉 In all seriousness. I always have way more satisfaction with my tone when I reel those knobs back a bit and boost them for certain parts. Gives you way more to work with.
Honestly. I get the appeal and what everyone says. But you don't need to solely buy a Junior to learn dynamic control. Put your guitar on the bridge pickup only, and learn volume and tone control on that, and learn the different picking spots for dynamics, you will get the same experience.
Leslie West created Mississippi Queen and all of the other Mountain songs using a Les Paul Jr. with light gauge strings. In fact he played Jrs. with P90's mostly for his entire career up until Dean did his signature model that had a single gun bucket. P90's are my favorite pickup and a Jr is on my wish list.
Check out Emmylou Harris’ live video version of “Luxury Liner” with Frank Reckard on Lead. He’s playing a TV Yellow Les Paul Jr. Perfect example that a Special or a Junior are perfect for country music.
@Mike Cole Just for fun, i want to see you play some metal! The REASON is because players from other genres trying to play metal bring a different and unique sound, tone & style. Just a little challenge for ya just for grins.
My Gibson Custom Shop 57' Reissue LPJ is by far my favorite Les Paul I own. I was drawn to it from Billie Joe Armstrong's constant usage of the instrument along with Leslie West. It inspires me to play in a way my other guitars don't. Also, having only one pickup substantially improves the tone to my ear, although I adore the tone of my Fender Custom Shop 1950 Broadcaster reissue. Time to sell my 2014 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Custom (Black Beauty).
I just wish Epiphone would make a Les Paul Jr in a finish other than sunburst besides the Green Day model in white...why not black with a tortoise pickguard (like featured in the video) or TV Yellow, and why not a slim tapered neck !?
Versatility is something that’s commonly talked about within these GuitarTube videos. I think we all believe we *want* an incredibly versatile instrument/rig, when really the limits of your sound are ultimately in your hands. You can have a guitar rig that can do “anything”, but that doesn’t make the player anymore skilled. This isn’t to say a single pickup guitar is all you need. But that single pickup guitar will force you to play differently, and that’s where I think versatility lies. Great video!
I love Juniors!!I own one and it is a fun guitar.I'm mainly a Strat and Tele guy but I like to dabble with Gibsons too...I own Les Paul standards and SGs with Humbuckers.The P90 has the twang of a single coil but the output of a vintage style humbucker.That tone to me is like a Tele on steroids...like a Tele bridge pickup tone with a bit more output and that extra low midrange you get from a Gibson guitar.Of course a Junior witll never give you a Strat neck pickup tone but you can still adapt it to suit many styles of playing depending where you pick and if you use the tone knob to slightly roll off some treble.But for my uses,I like to use a Junior for a nice meaty bridge pickup sound with bite and snarl....think of George Thorogood for example with his nasty Blues/Rock n Roll tone.
P90 guy here. I built guitars for a number of years. There’s a little known secret pickup that gets categorized as “not a rock pickup”. It bridges that gap between a p90 & a standard humbucker. While I’ll always be a P90 guy, the Super’tron has become my pickup of choice, due to its humbucking nature & it’s crystally smooth sound. Run it into that Princeton of yours or pickup an early 80’s MXR Distortion+(not the new version) & you will find something that is wildly versatile, in any type of guitar. I’ve used mine in punk bands through a 5e3 clone. At home through my Tone Master Twin. It’s simply the best all around pickup I’ve ever used. It can kick & it can clean up amazingly. It’s like a smoothed over Filtertron. Both my Super’tron guitars have pickups from TV Jones. A good P90 is tough to beat but, they can be noisy in the wrong situations. Super’trons can go anywhere/do anything
A Les Paul Jr. is my main guitar tuned to open G. No pedals, wham whams or zuzus needed. Just two hands, 6 strings electrificated, and a cranked tweed champ. It’s the sound of rock and roll.
I have an Esquire, which has a similar appeal. I did put a T-style p90 in it and removed the switch so it would be even more LP jr.-ish, but later I put in a DiMarzio Chopper T and added the switch back in, but wired it for series/split/parallel wiring. Because why go with a one pickup guitar when you can go with a one pickup guitar with three bridge pickup options?
Juniors and Esquires are great for developing dynamics in your playing. Stuff where I might normally rely on gear or settings, having a Jr. or an Esquire will force you to make decisions and to be deliberate in how you get the tone. I love single pickup guitars!
Yes I've heard that before
I have that LPJ, I don’t find the neck particularly fat. I first found it slightly narrow across the fretboard but maybe a little deep in the hand. The P90 is full of power and bite if that’s what your looking for, I also don’t find tuning a problem regarding lack of adjustment on the bridge. Great guitar…
Great comments and video.
My Telcaster with a Strat neck and
A Humbucker in the neck PUP,
and my Les Paul Tobacco burst Junior
are basically all I ever need for any
Sound made with an electric guitar.
Ive even retro fitted with 1 Meg pots and fiddled with caps and resistors to accentuate Either guitar.
Its pretty amazing.
Single pickup guitars are just so interesting in the variance for tone and musicality. I’ve really enjoyed my Esquire and the nice switch between clean with slight twang to crunchy and sonic.
Great video, Mike! One thing you will find is that you can vary the tone by where you play. Hit the strings close to the pickup and you will get a more aggressive tone, play up by the neck (or on the neck) and you'll get a rounder, warmer tone. This is in addition to the tonal changes from picking dynamics and the volume & tone knobs. You'll find that a LP Junior is really versatile if you work with it. Have fun!
Nice name lul
Play a Mountain song. That's the guitar that Leslie West used
I love my 86 Gibson Les Paul Jr Double Cutaway. I bought it in 2020 and it has become my main guitar of how simple and versatile it is.
That's a sweet guitar. The double cutaways just feel right to play. Cheers.
I’ve been watching your videos for a while now and I really like the new, long form videos you’ve been making. Keep it up, your doing great!
My first single pickup guitar was a Noventa Tele. I had also subscribed to the idea of more=better (I had plans to build a Jazzmaster with P-Rails and use the rhythm tone and volume controls as pickup selectors for each pickup), but I stopped into my local shop and decided to sit down with it. The Tele was one of those guitars that, as soon as you pick it up, you know it's your guitar. It took a bit of getting used to, but now I know how to get just about any sound that I want from it without adjusting EQ or pedals.
This is all I play. I'm65, a nobody and I'm not very good. When I got started 30 years ago, went through same process as everyone and settled on the les Paul jr. I play a couple of modified billy joe's and the new Jr ( like yours). The bullet proof simplicity is reliable and I find all of the expressiveness that I need.
Juniors and Esquires are massively fun to play. Tremendous tonal options in a single pickup format. Tone is in your hands, and these guitars prove that point.
Apparently so
A single P90 on a slab of mahogany through a nice amp is an absolute joy to behold. Lucky enough to own a stunningly resonant 2002 Gibson Art Historic 1957 Reissue LP Junior - it’s The Beauty and The Beast combined. Wish I could play better and properly justify owning it.
Don’t give this on up - you know you need it! Cheers, Mike - loving your whole vibe.
Great wordss
Ayo! Junior enthusiast here. Mine is in the shop and this video gives me massive envy!! Enjoy the new guitar!
As for getting the most out of these, it absolutely is down to your hands. I host a Jam Night, and the Junior is one of the guitars I take out and play all night. I also give it to guests to play in their performances. It really trains you to listen to the band around you, what space you have to fill/work with- and how your hands/rig can get the most out of it.
I have a few videos on my channel discussing this, but one conversation with my friend Ash Tucker, he said, to start at both knobs at 7 so you have the headroom on both sides to brighten up or darken the signal.
Setting up the amp so it breaks up around 7 also makes 10 that big couragous rock tone you want out of your guitar/pedals.
Juniors are great guitars for these principles, and what you learn from them can really be transfered to every guitar.
My junior has been out of action for about a year and I have only just taken it in to get worked on, but the things I've mentioned above has really made every guitar I play "The One Guitar To Do It All".
Love the videos as always man! I dig the long form conent!
My first Gibson was a junior. I was stuck between an sg and a junior and I went with the junior because something just drew me to it and I wanted to challenge myself it quickly became my favorite guitar to play especially live to the point where I had multiple dings and a couple of paint chips within months of owning the guitar. Cuz I played that thing hard and I treated it like it was a cheap pawn shop guitar. But it definitely fills sound, my rig being a Marshall combo with a boss sd-1 and a tube screamer. With my two guitars being a junior and an has strat. And I love the sound I get from such a simple set up.
I have a PRS SE One. PRS's version of the LP Jr. It's even simpler having no tone control, just volume. It's awesome. No fidgeting or tone chasing. It is what it is, and you're forced to make it work. It really does help you get better.
Good to see Keith getting the recognition he deserves. Totally underrated player
Glad you found the magic of the Jr. I have a CS that's my couch guitar. About 3 weeks ago, I took the plunge and picked up a 56. Best purchase I could have made. I think you'll find your Jr will be a regular go-to for you. Keep it going and enjoy.
I've always been a Les Paul fan. My dad and uncles were big into bands like Kiss, so having my first "guitar hero" being Ace Frehley with his Les Paul is probably a big reason why. As I got older, I got more into the punk/emo scene of my generation, and noticed a lot of Les Paul juniors being played, as well as SGs and Telecasters. The only one I haven't tried yet out of these guitars that have become iconic, in my mind, for the era of music I love, is the Les Paul Junior. After watching your video on it, I'm more curious than ever.
Bought an Epi Junior. Had to change the wrap around bridge and tuners. I use the tone knob quite a bit. Absolutely love it
I learned about the volume and tone knobs from CS Guitars and different guitar players like Toni Iommi and Brian May. Single coils are super responsive to the volume knob. If you aren’t playing with incredibly high gain then you can really get a lot of different sounds with your knobs.
I played a single-pickup Gibson Melody Maker for several years. Totally agree - I used to think it was really limiting but I could coax just about any tone I wanted to out of that guitar.
Played same but with hu buckers a couple decades,no complaints.
I have that very same guitar. Man it's more versitle than my LP standard. You can do litereally anything on that thing - super tactile. Hope you're enjoying it mate.
Wow that sounded great! I love simple guitars. It forces you to think outside the box in order to achieve the sounds you want. And in the process, you are going to become a much better player for sure. The video is spot on. It's all in the fingers!
My main guitar is a Junior style that was built by Roman Rist. It's kind of like a Junior with some minor differences. The volume knob is more in line with a Strat.
Currently building a couple of P90 guitars with 2 P90's. My first full P90 build. My fav so far has been an overwound hum bridge with a P90 neck. That thing is a ridiculous tone machine.
You just described the "Les Paul Junior experience" better than anyone I've ever heard. Fantastic insight! I have 4 single pickup guitars, and I love them. Great video!
Les Paul Juniors and Specials are great players. It’s amazing what you can do with just one pickup and a volume and tone knob. Some players have intonation issues with the straight stop bar tailpiece wraparound. So many options to fix that kind of issue - I’ve used a few configurations and really like the Graph Tech ResoMax bridges.
I had a faded one Gibson put out years ago. Keith was my reason for getting one then. I’m wanting the Epi version now with this side gig I have and plus the price is ideal
I've always been fan of guitars that have pickups that sound really good in high gain scenarios. For example my main guitar right now is '68 Reissue Fender Thinline Telecaster. My best friend recently got me a Gibson Les Paul Junior Double Cut, and I was worried how the one P-90 in the bridge might do, but now its my go to for any high gain blues songs.
The P90 is just an amazing pickup since it has the impedance of a humbucker. It blends beautifully with humbuckers and the volume knob should be treated more like a gain knob. It started out as a Jazz pickup. The fact that it breaks up and compresses from 6-10 on its own makes it even more versatile in front of tube amps so long as you keep their gain on a razer's edge between clean and breakup. o
I had recently gotten a Les Paul Special with P90s and holy yeah, it’s definitely the tone that I absolutely wanted. Between my Trad Pro V les paul and Jazzmaster, it’s the sound I wanted in between for an overall warm sound
I got the black. It's sooooo comfy to play
My only electric is a Les Paul jr. Feels like it’s all I need. I mostly play clean on it with a little bit of overdrive. fingerinpicking chords w the capo on there to sweeten the sound a little. Throw the univibe on w it and you enter heaven.
Just starting out the video and thinking about how you always mention your musician friends. Wish I had more than just my dad
I have a guitar modded to be similar to tom Delonge, and it really opens up your mind to how much a volume change affects the sound
I literally had no idea the volume knob could be used for tone. I thought it was purely for "play loud or play quieter". This is why I subscribe. Thank you @mikecole4489!!!
I want one of those Juniors in black so bad. looks amazing, sounds even better.
I just bought an inexpensive Telecaster which I am converting to an Esquire for the simple reason that converting is much less expensive than buying one, and I want a one pickup guitar precisely for the reasons you mention.
I bought a Kramer Barretta last year. Loved it but returned within 30 days because no tone knob :/ it was supposed to have a treble bleed type circuit but it was just way too bright and loud, and became too thin when rolled off to a manageable volume. I’m gonna give a vol/tone bridge pickup another chance
If you use a 500k resistor and no-load tone pot, a Les Paul Special sounds exactly like a Les Paul Junior, but you get the neck pickup too - which most use more often. The magnetic pull of the neck pickup has been proven to have no effect on the strings vibration (unless you have it too close).
one thing the new jrs got wrong was slamming the p90 right against the bridge. the old ones were pulled away my a measurable margin, and it matters. it softens or rounds off the sound a little. not sure why gibson can reproduce their own stuff
So many of my favourite guitarists from the late 70's and early 80's punk and new wave scene used LP Juniors. Marco Pironi from Adam and the Ants, DEVO, MIck Jones from The Clash are just a few. An iconic instrument for sure. The P90 is a beast of a pickup!
Johnny Thunders!
For some time now, I happen to be in search for a thing, and your 2hrs old video pops up and you're on the exact topic! I'm going to click that check out button and have my Junior!
My tone knob on all my guitars are turned down to like 3ish. I shoot for that warm sound similar to a slide guitarist. Volume up, Tone Down - warm sustain.
When using guitars like this it helps to have a very touch sensitive tube amp to pair with it.
Check out The Georgia Satellites, Rick Richards used a LP Jr and Dan Beard used a Tele with EMG’s. Some of the best classic rock tones! Just so damn good together!!
Much continued success with your channel l much love 💕’ it’s a great exercise and continuous improvement of the knobs and tones ‘ so true of the telecaster too’
Dimarzio Fantom P90 50s wiring Gotoh bridge orange drop capacitor - killing it
The best use of a LPJ, in current recording artists, is Charlie Starr from Blackberry Smoke. Look up their music, and his playing/interviews in particular. He typically uses a P90 in the bridge on most of his recordings. He's also an amazing Blues, Rock, and Country player.
Nice! You got the black one. I couldn't find one so got a vintage sunburst instead. Definitely an inspiring guitar. It really sings even before you plug it in.
I bought a Jared James Nichols signature Epiphone ‘Old Glory’ for the same reasons you got your LP Jr. Other than a bit of fret edge cleaning up, it’s been kicking ass! Sick low action and a absurdly great neck profile… just a smidgeon thinner than my R8.
Congrats Mike! I can see you are going to have a blast with your Junior…. Keep you awesome attitude and I see big things for you in the future.. Keep having fun and you’ll be a star (already a star, but even bigger things coming)
Try it through the AC15 Mike. Talk about a challenge! The aggressiveness goes to a whole new level. I am always amazed at how versatile the LPJ is but you rarely see anyone use them anymore. I think it IS the intimidation of not having anywhere to hide with it.
I have a Gibson LP Junior Double Cut. Compared to my Tele the fat neck is a bit of a work around. I like the P90 and experimenting with it is fun. All and all It is a pleasure to play.
You should get a Kernom ridge Overdrive or get a kemper. Would absolutely love to see that
I turned my sg special into an sg junior by just removing the neck pickup. For some reason. 2 pickup guitars are like 2 guitars in 1 for me. I mostly use bridge pickup anyway 90% of the time. Even if the neck pickup is installed. I use the volume and tone knob more than I use the toggle switch.
My 1st guitar was the Epiphone LP Special P90. So it was a Junior with a neck pickup. I didn't know what I was grabbing off the wall at Guitar Center that day, but I was buying to a budget. Mine was a 2017 worn cherry that I bought late May 2019. So it either hung there for 2+ years or it finally rotated to the wall to be demo'ed & bought. The price was $ 149.99 and that was reduced by $ 10. Eventually it would be a price match within 90 days and final cost was $ 129.99.
Anyway, there were 5 guitars I considered for price point. The LP Special P90 I preferred to the LP Special HH. Just for feel alone, the sound & tones were a bonus that I preferred the P90's. I then compared a Squier Mini Strat, a Squier Bullet Strat & Squier Affinity Tele. The LP P90 was better than them too. Ended up leaving the store without anything, I wanted to make sure I was ready to buy anything because I was with 2 frineds that had been playing a living room session & decided they wanted to go to Guitar Center. I wanted to make sure I wasn't buying this instrument as an impulse purchase. Even at $ 160+ after taxes, that's not a candy bar purchase at the checkout register at Walmart or Target. And then there are the other things you're going to need with a open box guitar purchase, the strap, an amp, an instrument cord and now we're looking at closer to $ 300 to find myself with essentially an Epiphone P90 a la carte starter pack. To this day, the Epiphone LP P90 is the most versatile guitar I've owned.
If you're still reading this at this point, here's my secret tip for any LP. The secret string recommendation is to get the Gibson Les Paul 10-46 Premium strings. Why ? Well they are silk wound ball ends and the bridge on a Junior or Special is a wrapover tailpiece & intonated saddle as an All in One bridge solution. Also they are Gibson & Les Paul's Studio grade strings. They can be pricey, but you can also find them on sale periodically. I ended up with 3 packs for $ 6.99 each, that's about what D'Addario's go for as Gibson was changing the packaging of their premium strings. I also wanted to test the theory that a Epiphone could become a Gibson with Gibson strings. I won't say that happened, but I will say the Gibson premium grade strings were that & away better than the strings that were on the guitar I walked out of the store with as OEM strings. Epiphone indicated he Guitar Center Special P90 has D'Addario 10's on it. But they aren't silk wound ball ends. Not sure that D'Addario has silk wound 10's that are similar to the Gibson strings. Another brand of strings that work quite well on the Epiphone Special P90 are the Musician's Gear 10-46's.
With a 50's wiring, which a proper Jr. should have, rolling off the tone knob slightly actually reduces the volume and gives you a cleaner sound.
I love my LPJ.. it’s an 05 and I ordered a backup for it and it had a way chunkier neck (normal) than mine. I sent it back and went on a mission to find another LPJ with the super thin neck my 05 tobacco burst has and I can’t find one?? If u have a guitar you love cherish it
Man o man, never seen your channel before …. Where you been? 👍 I recently put together a kit guitar, which looks something like a LP junior crossed with a melody maker and a Flying V but nevertheless, I am now a convert to the single P90 config. It is the one I now pick up the most with great amounts of dust accumulating on the rest of the herd. I look forward to seeing more of your content, 😎🤟🏻
This is one trick that works really well on a Les Paul. There are quite a few famous guys out there when you watch them you can subtly see them use the side of their hand to adjust the volume as needed. I'm going to have to expiriment with it on a strat though.
You are up to the challenge, great video, now I need a black LP jr. Thanks for the video.
You should do a vid on the Les Paul SP. I've kinda been thinking about getting one for a while. One of my favorite guitar players use one.
Billy Jo Armstrong!
Right now my main guitar is an Esquire GT. :)
Great episode Mike!👍The LesPaul Jr is one of my very favorite guitars! I was lucky enough to own a 1957 Tobacco burst JR had it for about 7years then was injured at work and had to sell it! I bought it in a small shop In SanFrancisco that was in an alley around 1986. The place was called Real Guitars and I bought it in excellent condition for $750.00! With what they sell for now I doubt I’ll be able to afford another😢But I do have a lot of excellent memories of playing and enjoying it beyond my wildest dreams! Oh well maybe I can afford a current or slightly used Epiphone version? I’ll have to start the hunt soon as you’ve managed to rekindle my memories of that mighty 1957 Gibson LesPaul Junior!👍🙏🤗❤️💕🎸✌️👋
Juniors are friggin awesome guitars. So many tones, one pup and a regular USA is cheap compared to a lot. Just bought one to go with all my high end shit and love it. Great video. Thx.
This is where the tone and volume knobs become your best friends. I have one and I love it
Listen to 'Mississippi Queen' by Mountain (Leslie West)
Love the Les Paul junior.. gibson and epiphone... the epiphone les Paul junior cost me 99 dollars at the time... one of my favorites.. guitar had an attitude..
Sweet looking and sounding guitar! And what are those guits on the wall?
The Les Paul Junior is my favorite guitar! I got a tv yellow from 57. I will never let it go!!! And dude yours sounds so good!
my main guitar is a single humbucker and lone volume knob strat and i swear by it,
It's so fun watching you learning from your gear! You're like a young wizard with a new crystal lol. I admire the minimalism of the Jr.. the opposite would be a triple pickup Gretsch(2627gt). That would be a fun review. FOUR volumes on one axe!
My SG jr forces me to do the same. I will say that a p90 cleans up on a volume knob in a much more usable way than any guitar I have ever used
Nice guitar Mike! You dive into that Junior and go deep!
Just have a fun experience!
Great channel!
Enjoyed the overview.
I dig single pickup guitars. Simple and elegant. I have 4 at the moment have been finding myself gravitating to my Les Paul Double Cut Junior a lot lately. It does that thing that makes me smile. No choice but to love it. Great video!
So, one year later. How do you like it? Do you still own it? Does it get any use? Maybe an idea for a new video?
Great video Mike . For a treat, get your hands on an original '50s LP Junior someday. They're a blast.
I love a lot of stuff, like Gordan Lightfoot, or Ray Lamontagne, or even like Sturgil Simpson. Or even like Tim Buckley who's son was Jeff Buckley that made an appearance in the 90's or even like John Denver, and James Taylor .. They are becoming my favorite pass times..
Lately.
P90 pickups, they just sound amazing and raw. Very dynamic and sensitive to picking styles and placement.
Juniors are awesome guitars. And now I'm going to buy one.
Wait... The tone knobs aren't just decoration to be at max? Mind blown. 😉
In all seriousness. I always have way more satisfaction with my tone when I reel those knobs back a bit and boost them for certain parts. Gives you way more to work with.
Honestly. I get the appeal and what everyone says. But you don't need to solely buy a Junior to learn dynamic control. Put your guitar on the bridge pickup only, and learn volume and tone control on that, and learn the different picking spots for dynamics, you will get the same experience.
Leslie West created Mississippi Queen and all of the other Mountain songs using a Les Paul Jr. with light gauge strings. In fact he played Jrs. with P90's mostly for his entire career up until Dean did his signature model that had a single gun bucket. P90's are my favorite pickup and a Jr is on my wish list.
Check out Emmylou Harris’ live video version of “Luxury Liner” with Frank Reckard on Lead. He’s playing a TV Yellow Les Paul Jr. Perfect example that a Special or a Junior are perfect for country music.
Looks and sounds amazing
My dream guitar! That first lick you played sounded exactly like Page! 👍
@Mike Cole Just for fun, i want to see you play some metal! The REASON is because players from other genres trying to play metal bring a different and unique sound, tone & style. Just a little challenge for ya just for grins.
My Gibson Custom Shop 57' Reissue LPJ is by far my favorite Les Paul I own. I was drawn to it from Billie Joe Armstrong's constant usage of the instrument along with Leslie West. It inspires me to play in a way my other guitars don't. Also, having only one pickup substantially improves the tone to my ear, although I adore the tone of my Fender Custom Shop 1950 Broadcaster reissue. Time to sell my 2014 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Custom (Black Beauty).
I play my LP special 90% more than my Standard. Those P90's are like aaaahhhhhhh !!! Through my silver face champ. Heaven
I just wish Epiphone would make a Les Paul Jr in a finish other than sunburst besides the Green Day model in white...why not black with a tortoise pickguard (like featured in the video) or TV Yellow, and why not a slim tapered neck !?
Good to see our boy Andy in the video!
I love your videos. Im a 68 yo hacker and learn alot from you, thanks
Versatility is something that’s commonly talked about within these GuitarTube videos. I think we all believe we *want* an incredibly versatile instrument/rig, when really the limits of your sound are ultimately in your hands.
You can have a guitar rig that can do “anything”, but that doesn’t make the player anymore skilled.
This isn’t to say a single pickup guitar is all you need. But that single pickup guitar will force you to play differently, and that’s where I think versatility lies.
Great video!
I love Juniors!!I own one and it is a fun guitar.I'm mainly a Strat and Tele guy but I like to dabble with Gibsons too...I own Les Paul standards and SGs with Humbuckers.The P90 has the twang of a single coil but the output of a vintage style humbucker.That tone to me is like a Tele on steroids...like a Tele bridge pickup tone with a bit more output and that extra low midrange you get from a Gibson guitar.Of course a Junior witll never give you a Strat neck pickup tone but you can still adapt it to suit many styles of playing depending where you pick and if you use the tone knob to slightly roll off some treble.But for my uses,I like to use a Junior for a nice meaty bridge pickup sound with bite and snarl....think of George Thorogood for example with his nasty Blues/Rock n Roll tone.
P90 guy here. I built guitars for a number of years. There’s a little known secret pickup that gets categorized as “not a rock pickup”. It bridges that gap between a p90 & a standard humbucker. While I’ll always be a P90 guy, the Super’tron has become my pickup of choice, due to its humbucking nature & it’s crystally smooth sound. Run it into that Princeton of yours or pickup an early 80’s MXR Distortion+(not the new version) & you will find something that is wildly versatile, in any type of guitar. I’ve used mine in punk bands through a 5e3 clone. At home through my Tone Master Twin. It’s simply the best all around pickup I’ve ever used. It can kick & it can clean up amazingly. It’s like a smoothed over Filtertron. Both my Super’tron guitars have pickups from TV Jones. A good P90 is tough to beat but, they can be noisy in the wrong situations. Super’trons can go anywhere/do anything
I know Jim Moginie from the Oils got some great and varied tones with a Supertron equipped roc jet.
Watched this video, then went looking for Stupid Boy....had no idea Keith was so good !
This video was very informational.. Thankyou❤
When I saw “This is NOT a les Paul”, I automatically thought “You’re not a les Paul.” I’m still a school child in my mind, goddamn!
A Les Paul Jr. is my main guitar tuned to open G. No pedals, wham whams or zuzus needed. Just two hands, 6 strings electrificated, and a cranked tweed champ. It’s the sound of rock and roll.
I have an Esquire, which has a similar appeal. I did put a T-style p90 in it and removed the switch so it would be even more LP jr.-ish, but later I put in a DiMarzio Chopper T and added the switch back in, but wired it for series/split/parallel wiring. Because why go with a one pickup guitar when you can go with a one pickup guitar with three bridge pickup options?