I’m so glad I bought my ‘59 jr when I was a senior in high school in 82/83. Back then I got it for $500 from a guy who worked with my mom. I was bagging groceries for $3.35 an hour, so he let me make payments until I paid it off. It’s a great guitar.
Also, back then $500 was a LOT of money. My respect to you for still owning it. Back in '78 I bought my '69 Tele for $275 - what a fantastic instrument. God I wish I still had it. Again, my respect to you
Was at a swap meet in Tucson Arizona around 1986 and noticed from far away that a guitar was leaning against a table so I walked over to it thinking it's one of those Hondo knock offs that were out at the time. Nope! It was a single P/U P-90 Gibson Jr. (58) with a crack in the headstock. I noticed a little sticker on the body that said 300. I looked at the seller and asked "You want $300.00 for this guitar?" and the guy replied no, $3.00. Needless to say I didn't argue about the price and went home very happy.
And as if to bring that comment and the subject of this video neatly together, Gibson currently have this listed in their Reverb demo shop...reverb.com/item/40673959-gibson-1957-les-paul-junior-reissue-tv-yellow-custom-shop-demo
I love Gibson's but they are overpriced Custom shop guitar worth 5-7 k or more its wood glue electronics and paint you are buying a quality name I guess too rich for my blood I buy Epiphones !
@@patricknicolucci5073 I buy low end, unadorned Gibsons. Like my Les Paul Tribute. You get the genuine high end guitar building from the company that created it, without the expensive extras (flame maple, custom Shop luthiery etc) that drives the already dear prices out of the stratosphere. But ultimately, your money is safe with Gibson. It really doesn't depreciate...and many appreciate. Can't say that for Epiphone.
Hi Jeff, That sounded incredible. I played a Junior in the 70's when we toured with AC/DC. Can I ask, are you playing through a pedal of any kind, it sounds to me there's something else there. Amazing Sound, Wow.!
When I think of a Les Paul jr. ,what pops right into view is the memory of Leslie West , 5 rows center stage.Buckskins and Sunn stacks ,directly in front of me .With the thunderous chords to Never in My Life still reverberating in my chest.
One of my favorite Les Paul Junior players: Paul Westerberg from the Replacements. He's played both Les Paul and SG juniors, and also used a Les Paul Special pretty prominently.
Sigh. I had him in and totally botched the voice over section for him and...due to my incompetence...he was cut. I'll confess at next week's live stream. Thanks for adding it here.
I found his 56 junior that he played in the I'll Be You video about 4 years ago. It's got a new neck because he smashed the original one, but the new one is a custom copy of it with the fretboard from the original. It's beat up as hell but plays great.
I was surprised there was no mention of Paul … One of the great pop/punk writers of all time, one of the great American songwriters of all time for that matter… and a master guitar player and junior fan..
This video could not have come at a better time. I’m having a bad reaction to my second Covid shot and this took my mind off it for a little while anyway. For me there is one guy who I always think of first when I think of a LPJ, the great Leslie West, thanks Keith.
My first electric was a 59 Jr. I bought it in April of 1976 from an older gentleman selling it at a flea market for his son. It had been a Christmas present. I paid $50 for it, and also got the GA-5 amp as well. Still have both, still my favorite electric.
One of the MANY cool things about your short histories... is the price comparisons from original prices in today’s dollars... wow, axes were expensive back in the day!
Oh yes! Leslie’s incredible combination of hands guitar amplifier attitude attack ... god I don’t know what he all put into it ... especially that 1:50 note in Mississippi Queen, it sure changed my world back in those high school days. RIP Leslie West ❤️
Just watched a live video of him and had to google what guitar he was playing had never even heard of a gibson jr might possibly buy one might get an epiphone for 500 bucks though any advice on these 2 guitars
That's the way a junior should be played. Loud... A friend of mine,who died on the 27th RIP, sold his 57, on that auction show out of Atlanta, for $4600 a few years ago. I grew up with that guitar. Literally...Capt.Bob
When I think of the single-cut junior, I think of Leslie West. When I think of the double-cut junior, I think of Izzy Stradlin. I really like P-90s and seeing this makes me want to try out a Junior now. Thanks for another great video!
Got an Epiphone LP Special last October and have been very happy with it. Broke down a few days ago and ordered a Gibson LP Junior from Zzounds for my 70th birthday this October, couldn't wait till then. Showed up yesterday, I haven't put it down since. Playing thru a Marshall DSL1CR, my favorite practice amp, P-90's rule!
Howdy Kieth. I so appreciate the attention to detail in your short histories. Could have listened to Jeff's intro jam all the way through. This was a great one. Thanks.
I own a 63 LP jr. that I bought back in 1973 after losing my Les Paul Standard in a fire. Then had to get a 'real' job and the guitar was put under the bed for the next 45 years. Now that I'm retired, and I have succumbed to GAS, it's still my favorite guitar.
Mick Jones is definitely my inspiration for all things P90. Those early Clash lead tones led to me building a P90 fitted Squier 51. Part necessity, part desire. I had a 51 that needed building, and I desired those P90 tones. But now I get why it sounds good for Joan Jett numbers now, too! Thanks for an awesome video, as always!
I have a "faded double cut" from 02. So it's a double cut special. Not quite the same thing at all, but my point is, I've never switched away from that bridge......
I love your stuff and music history. I’m not surprised you are friends with Rick Beato and Tim Pierce.. I love all of these stories and information... also techniques. I feel during the pandemic etc. you guys helped me feel less alone and part of a music community again. So this is a quick note of thanks
After Phil X convinced me to get a Junior guitar on one of his Fretted Americana videos (specifically the 59 TV yellow 'Van Halen' one), I found out that the Junior single pickup guitar actually teaches how to be a better guitar player. You quickly learn how to use the knobs, adjust your pick attack, and picking position (near or far from the bridge) to vary all the tones. Now as a type of guitar, the Junior/Esquire single pickup guitars are the most numerous in my 'fleet'. So this was a fun video. Interesting to learn about the precursor to the P90.
I have a Gibson Les Paul Special, but my favorite guitar has always been the Junior. Bought a Collings 290 DC S, and it’s by far my favorite and best guitar I own. It’s my desert island guitar. I inherited a 1959 Fender tweed Deluxe and just plugging the Collings into it, is my favorite sound ever. So simple yet so good. Thanks so much for this show, Keith. I’ve been waiting and looking forward to it. You’re the best.
Never played around with one myself, I've converted a Squier Tele into an Esquire but even with the 3-way switching still in use it's still not as simple as a Jr. Jarod James Nichols' signature Epiphone line seems to be selling really well and as a modern day leader to the trend it's nice to see it alive today. especially with his thumb picking. P90s also seem to have stuck as the pickup of choice in Jr. models instead of fading out after humbuckers were introduced, always were my favorite pickups.
Had a ‘60, sold it about 10 years ago, and regretted it ever since. So bought another one a couple years ago. Keeping this one! Great video as always :-).
Being a huge Green Day fan, I always wanted a Les Paul junior. In 2013, I bought a 2012 Satin Les Paul junior. It was one of the lower end models Gibson had at the time. It's still the main guitar I play today. The main modification I made to it was swapping out the lighting bar wraparound bridge to a Tonepros adjustable wraparound. Still tempted to get a 50s reissue Junior at some point, but for now my 2012 will do just fine. Loved the video, learned a bit more about the junior which is always cool!
I know that I absolutely love my SG junior that I got off the demo shop and I can’t imagine playing anything else RN, it just pushes everything to the absolute limit and is absolutely HEAVENLY
@@patrickanarchy-official5662 I KNOW, they are such magical guitars, especially those older ones with bigsbys, I’m considering getting a Floyd rose FRX put on mine it a Seymour Duncan Custom shop pickup so I can turn it into a tone MACHINE that fits my playing perfectly
The Les Paul Special is especially underappreciated, not punk enough for the Junior enthusiasts, not fancy enough for the Standard-bearers. I just can't do without a neck pickup, and try as I may to prefer a P90 Goldtop (as I do prefer the looks), that simple slab of mahogany always sounds better to my ears for the P90 platform.
Great post - I tend to agree...Bought a 2020 Epi LP Special and swapped out the Epi P90s for Gibsons and it sounds pretty great, and like yourself I do feel the need for a neck pickup... Having said that I have a mid-50s ES-125 that has a single dog-ear P90, one volume, one tone and I get a lot of great sounds out of it...amazing guitar... Interesting observation re: the LP Standard Gold Top with P90s...been eyeballing them for ages but maybe the mahogany slab is the perfect platform for P90s, like you say...maybe I'll sell the Epi and go for the Gibson LP Special - it's a hell of a lot cheaper than the Goldtop, especially used...
I have a LP special DC with 2 P90s. I think it is a very good instrument. It is the unappreciated 2015 and the fretboard is a bit wide and flat, which reminds me of a classical guitar. The pickups are better than the p90s in my Fender and it has a great build quality with nice nitro lacquer. On neck you can play blues well and the bridge really rocks.
@@BizarrePudding I've also got the new Epiphone Les Paul special TV single cut and the new Gibson Les Paul special double cut T cherry model both have a set of 2 P90'S and the Epiphone has the better clear sounding pickups ! I'm thinking if hunting for the a set of the new Epiphone Les Paul special P90'S to put in my old Gibson Les Paul studio 50's to get that clear sound like the new 2020 inspired by Gibson Epiphone Les Paul special has !
@@AuntAlnico4 Thanks Aunt J...I sat with the original Epi P90s for about 3 months when I first got the guitar...I liked them okay but found them a little tepid, didn't have the bite I was looking for...hence the Gibbys... I'll probably keep the Epi's to put back in the guitar should I decide to sell it, but if I do unload the Epi P90s separately, I'll let you know first...(you could also check with Trogly)... Btw, how do you like the Epi now that you've had it for a while?
The Junior doesn't look right with two humbuckers but I have an Epiphone Junior that's going to get a nice unobtrusive Tele neck pickup. I don't need a switch, I always play both.
Kix was a local band here in the 80’s and I would go see them all the time...guitarist Brian Forsythe would play a ‘61 melody maker and it was the greatest sounding and coolest looking guitar I thought I would ever see...that started my love for simple, one pick-up guitars ...great stuff as always KW...rock on!!!!
Brian is a super cool guy! I sent him a message on Facebook a few years ago asking about the sound on the Blow My Fuse album (I NEVER expected a reply). To my surprise he was very open about it and we talked off and on for weeks working on a tone for a record that I was recording at the time.
The double-cut Junior's neck joint is perfectly stable. Breakage can only be a result of serious abuse. The unstable neck joint can be found in the early double-cut Specials where the neck pickup route is right up against the end of the fretboard, removing most of the tenon. They moved the pickup away from the fretboard to alleviate that problem.
11 หลายเดือนก่อน
In my experience its usually a broken headstock . Leaning a guitar against an amp , gets bumped , boom
Amazing guitarist, unrivalled fluidity. Saw him at Stafford Top of the World ballroom in the late 70's. Mars Cowling on bass, Nico McBrain on drums, not Pat Thrall on second guitar, though.
The Junior was reintroduced in '86 for single cut and '87 for double cut. Many seem to ignore those guitars as they use a tuneomatic rather than wraparound. I've doublecut and it's a great guitar - 35 years old this year!
Yeah, I bought a single cut in 1988. Still have it. They made them that way until 1992, so I guess that makes them comparatively rare. For a while I had a double cut too, but it was really heavy and had too brittle a tone. I reworked the pickup to warm it up but still couldn't get along with it and sold it.
I've always wanted one since Billie Joe dropped his Fernandes Strat for P-90 mahogany bodied guitars during the recording of Warning. You could audibly hear the switch in tone. The guitar got much fatter sounding, less biting. A character very distinct but still completely punk rock in application. I have yamaha pacifica 510v myself and I really dont think a guitarists needs anything more than a single hot P-90 in the bridge. The volume knob can change overall tone quite a bit. Low volume can totally sound very acoustic. Topped out its definetly electric. Slide off just a little from the top and you got room to bust out more but you're in a sweet spot to cook. It's no wonder Billie got stuck on them. He never much used distortion pedals but would just run his amp overdriven and any clean was him rolling off tremendously. The P-90s are some of the most usable and tweakable pickups or at least they seem that. I wonder if they sound as flexible as they do cause they are so awesome or if guitarists literally couldn't do nothing else when configured with just the one pickup.
Epiphone just dropped a New Billy Joe Les Paul Jr. In TV white with cheetah print hard case or you can get the package deal with guitar, amp and tuner with strap for!$399 but the signature hard case alone model is like $549 !
@@legatomodi3522 If you are referring to the run of Jr's that had the sonic blue guitar, then I don't know why you think they are ugly. Also that wasn't his first Gibson signature guitar. He had a signature tv doublecut, a signature series of Juniors with p90s that had slim taper necks, as well as his white Junior with the ebony fretboard that you can see on the live recording of "Jesus of Suburbia" in England, and I believe he had one more signature series but I honestly can't remember what the guitar model was, I know it wasn't a junior like all the others.
So glad you did this one. I’m a definite fan of that P90. So fortunate to hear it live and up close in the hands of a more than capable guitarist. Reiterating LESLIE! GOOD LORD!!!
I just wanted to let you know Keith that your mention of Counting Crows' album, Recovering the Satellites changed my life. When saw the name of the band and album, I was intrigued and decided to give it a listen. The track "Recovering the Satellites" is one of my all time favorite songs as it's perfect in almost every way (production, lyrics, vocals, instrumentals). The fact that this came out in the 90s blows my mind, as it still sounds incredibly fresh. Daylight Fading, Angels of the Silences, and A Long December are also top tier songs lyrically. Adam Duritz is a top 5 songwriter for me. No wonder Rick Beato called this a perfect "front to back" album. This album even tops their legendary "August and Everything After" personally. Once again, thank you Keith for introducing me to this amazing band. Now, for some reason, I have this strange urge to go out and buy a les paul junior. :^)
This was very well done. Keith Urban and Lucas Nelson are my LP Jr inspirations. I’m a sucker for LP Jrs and Teles, I like it simple and gritty. Being that I’m annoyingly wanting the whys OF the whys, this is right in my wheel house, so thank you for that.
I love that all this holy grail stuff that we seek out was just cost cutting measure in the 50s and 60s, or variations due to availability or consistency in manufacturing. We’re trying to get that magic tone now, but back then they were just trying to satisfy demand. I love Pete Townsends tone with the SG special. I watched an interview where he said he started playing that guitar because it was easier to smash than the telecaster, and they could afford to smash more equipment and throw it away back then; whereas the telecaster was easier to put back together when they didn’t have as much money lol. Then it was easier to smash and/or fix, and now it’s unobtainium
Great Short History Keith - for those of us who grew up in the late 60's and 70's it's easy to forget just how many great guitarists got their sound from a single P-90 and a slab of mahogany. Loved Jeff's demo of the exceptional clean-up properties of both volume AND tone controls! And it's always a treat to hear Jeff do his thing on any guitar.
Leslie West is definitely why I like jrs im a doom fan for sure and heavy obscure 70s heavy rock or as my freind calls it oh no you went down the rabbit hole again when he hears my stereo lol this is another great history video again thank you
I'm a bass player by trade. Got myself a guitar, a single pickup les paul Jr. Having so much fun playing punk tunes on it. The p90 is such a magical pickup. Simplicity really is the key.
Some extra thanks for getting Jeff to play even those few, short minutes. Man, you just don’t get to hear new examples of that kind of god-like tone every day!
Hey Keith! I would love it if you contacted Mark at Missing Link Audio to talk about Duane Allman. Mark is an authority on the Allman Bros. and has really done the home work on Duane and the gear he used over his short and amazing career. A Five Watt short history on Duane would be great to see. You could talk to Mark about JBL120s for hours.
Late comment... TV stands for transparent varnish. You can see the grain through it. The television glare idea was a misunderstanding that started in the 1960s when some items on television shows WERE coloured yellow to limit glare...police cars, for instance. As stated, few, if any, Juniors were ever on TV....and notice that the Les Pauls and Stratocasters which artists would have used weren't offered in that finish.
A big part of the Black Sabbath sound is the P90. Obviously Iommi used an SG, not a Junior. But I'd wager you could get closer to his tone with a Junior than with a humbucker-loaded SG. Also, I believe Keith Richards sometimes plays a Junior (I don't recall your mentioning him). And lastly, there are weird old Eddie Van Halen photos circa Van Halen's first album in which Eddie is playing a Junior. They look like they were part of the photo shoot for the first album.
I grew up on a steady diet of Green Day, Bad Religion, Blink 182, and The Clash. And I've always wanted a jr, but never managed to get one. Well, Late 2019 I played one of the new ones Gibson is making through an AC30. It was THE sound that has been in my head since I picked up the guitar in '02. I wish I could have snagged that Junior :(
Thanks so much for the show! I repaired a 59-60? jr. head stock that had been broken three times in it's long history. The owner love this guitar but thought it was lost and was overjoyed to get it back in his loving arms.
Would have loved to have seen Minor Threat/Bad Religion/Dag Nasty/Junkyard etc guitarist Brian Baker on the list. Great guitarist and he’s the one who got me into Juniors back in the day. Great stuff otherwise and as usual.
Anyone that's been playing for any length of time is probably had a Junior go through their hands. Cheap but workable, It stayed in tune great 4 gigging after you learned its secrets here I am 60 years on and I'm still looking for that great P90 sound again
One of the best guitar sounds I've ever heard was a bandmates 60s LPJ and an early ac30. To play bass alongside that glorious tone was truly fabulous. Great show as always Keith. Thanks man.
GREAT VIDEO! Question: The exact position of the p90 - did it change over the 50-ies? Charlie Starr's '56 seem to have it's p90 a wee bit forward towards the neck. And there's nothing wrong with his tone! :-)
Ahhh yeah...fresh cup of coffee, sunshine peaking through the window and a new Short History video. Best way to start enjoying a vacation day. Thank you Keith!
One of my favorite guitars of all time. Really interesting Hypes. As usual, I learned a lot!
🖕🏼
I used to have the same guitar as Rick. Sold it to buy a PA system for my band. :(
@@AuntAlnico4 why’d you do that?
@@zachvandiver153 She works for one of the labels that put a copyright strike against Rick 🤣
Through a Fender Amp no less...
I’m so glad I bought my ‘59 jr when I was a senior in high school in 82/83. Back then I got it for $500 from a guy who worked with my mom. I was bagging groceries for $3.35 an hour, so he let me make payments until I paid it off. It’s a great guitar.
Man that's awesome 👌
@Jeffry Thiele lol
That's incredible! I bet it's an awesome guitar!
Holy Hell... I remember $3.35/hr...thats what I got for pumping gas at a Hess station...my first job...thanks for the memories my man!!!
Also, back then $500 was a LOT of money. My respect to you for still owning it. Back in '78 I bought my '69 Tele for $275 - what a fantastic instrument. God I wish I still had it. Again, my respect to you
Was at a swap meet in Tucson Arizona around 1986 and noticed from far away that a guitar was leaning against a table so I walked over to it thinking it's one of those Hondo knock offs that were out at the time. Nope! It was a single P/U P-90 Gibson Jr. (58) with a crack in the headstock. I noticed a little sticker on the body that said 300. I looked at the seller and asked "You want $300.00 for this guitar?" and the guy replied no, $3.00. Needless to say I didn't argue about the price and went home very happy.
RIP Leslie West, he is why I love Jr's.
Yes brother! Monster tone
and not in the RRHOF!!!!!
@@jamesdemestihas9904 fucking shame !!!
“There’s nothing like Custom Shop prices to help me on my quest for .. the least gear” 🤣
And as if to bring that comment and the subject of this video neatly together, Gibson currently have this listed in their Reverb demo shop...reverb.com/item/40673959-gibson-1957-les-paul-junior-reissue-tv-yellow-custom-shop-demo
I love Gibson's but they are overpriced Custom shop guitar worth 5-7 k or more its wood glue electronics and paint you are buying a quality name I guess too rich for my blood I buy Epiphones !
@@patricknicolucci5073 I buy low end, unadorned Gibsons. Like my Les Paul Tribute.
You get the genuine high end guitar building from the company that created it, without the expensive extras (flame maple, custom Shop luthiery etc) that drives the already dear prices out of the stratosphere.
But ultimately, your money is safe with Gibson. It really doesn't depreciate...and many appreciate. Can't say that for Epiphone.
@@lueysixty-six7300 I may be in the market for a studio I would truly love R9 cherry sunburst
@@patricknicolucci5073 look for used classic under $1000 it's possible.
An Esquire or a Junior, a good amp, a coily cable AND a place to play loud enough to get the tones you're looking for.
As an owner of all three of those things, you nailed it
Exactly 🤟
@@Ps3GamerVideos And me for the simple reason ot took me about 6 years to find the right left handed one.
I had a Harvard amp and a Melody Maker.
exactly, great little guitar behind a Fender Twin Reverb.
This was fun. I want that guitar back… great work as always Keith and thanks for having me!!
Great job Jeff, thank you for holding on to Robben's Junior for this - so worth it!
@@MuseMagnet you are quite welcome!
Hi Jeff, That sounded incredible. I played a Junior in the 70's when we toured with AC/DC. Can I ask, are you playing through a pedal of any kind, it sounds to me there's something else there. Amazing Sound, Wow.!
If Keith was a big league pro he would be knocking it out of the park every time he showed up to swing a bat. These short history‘s are fabulous. 👍🏻
When I think of a Les Paul jr. ,what pops right into view is the memory of Leslie West , 5 rows center stage.Buckskins and Sunn stacks ,directly in front of me .With the thunderous chords to Never in My Life still reverberating in my chest.
I could listen to Keith talk about anything. I WILL roll up to the Short History of Pocket Lint with an attentive attitude and a cup of coffee
Hilarious!
Whoa, a channel like five watt world mentioning Carcass!!! Love Keith's in depth research, references and solid information
Love the 38 Special mention!!!
One of my favorite Les Paul Junior players: Paul Westerberg from the Replacements. He's played both Les Paul and SG juniors, and also used a Les Paul Special pretty prominently.
Sigh. I had him in and totally botched the voice over section for him and...due to my incompetence...he was cut. I'll confess at next week's live stream. Thanks for adding it here.
Paul played some great guitars, too bad he probably destroyed them all.....😥
I found his 56 junior that he played in the I'll Be You video about 4 years ago. It's got a new neck because he smashed the original one, but the new one is a custom copy of it with the fretboard from the original. It's beat up as hell but plays great.
I was just about to say something about Paul Westerberg. He and Johnny Thunders are why I have a Junior.
I was surprised there was no mention of Paul … One of the great pop/punk writers of all time, one of the great American songwriters of all time for that matter… and a master guitar player and junior fan..
Lonesome Dave crafted so many great songs in Foghat! Blues rock at it's finest!!
Got my first Junior in ’81 a 58 TV. Still got it. The best guitar ever. Never lets me down
This video could not have come at a better time. I’m having a bad reaction to my second Covid shot and this took my mind off it for a little while anyway. For me there is one guy who I always think of first when I think of a LPJ, the great Leslie West, thanks Keith.
Hang in there, Dave. The vaccine knocked me out for a couple days, but it gets better!
Thanks
Same here. I had a very "fun" 24 hours, but that's all it lasted for me.
Yeah, my second shot put me on the couch for two days. I was so weak I could barely move
Legend has it Les Paul himself owned that phone on Keith's wall.
My first electric was a 59 Jr. I bought it in April of 1976 from an older gentleman selling it at a flea market for his son. It had been a Christmas present. I paid $50 for it, and also got the GA-5 amp as well. Still have both, still my favorite electric.
One of the MANY cool things about your short histories... is the price comparisons from original prices in today’s dollars... wow, axes were expensive back in the day!
This guitar is an icon, I would say the one that most identifies with the essence of this channel! What a great video Keith! Thank you very much!
Leslie West was my first introduction to the junior he made it scream ! RIP
Oh yes! Leslie’s incredible combination of hands guitar amplifier attitude attack ... god I don’t know what he all put into it ... especially that 1:50 note in Mississippi Queen, it sure changed my world back in those high school days.
RIP Leslie West ❤️
Just watched a live video of him and had to google what guitar he was playing had never even heard of a gibson jr might possibly buy one might get an epiphone for 500 bucks though any advice on these 2 guitars
That's the way a junior should be played. Loud... A friend of mine,who died on the 27th RIP, sold his 57, on that auction show out of Atlanta, for $4600 a few years ago. I grew up with that guitar. Literally...Capt.Bob
When I think of the single-cut junior, I think of Leslie West. When I think of the double-cut junior, I think of Izzy Stradlin. I really like P-90s and seeing this makes me want to try out a Junior now. Thanks for another great video!
Got an Epiphone LP Special last October and have been very happy with it. Broke down a few days ago and ordered a Gibson LP Junior from Zzounds for my 70th birthday this October, couldn't wait till then. Showed up yesterday, I haven't put it down since. Playing thru a Marshall DSL1CR, my favorite practice amp, P-90's rule!
Howdy Kieth. I so appreciate the attention to detail in your short histories. Could have listened to Jeff's intro jam all the way through. This was a great one. Thanks.
As always highly informative brilliantly delivered, as a 59 year old budding guitarist just love the trip down memory lane, thank you
The tv yellow double cut jr really is one of the coolest looking guitars ever made
I own a 63 LP jr. that I bought back in 1973 after losing my Les Paul Standard in a fire. Then had to get a 'real' job and the guitar was put under the bed for the next 45 years. Now that I'm retired, and I have succumbed to GAS, it's still my favorite guitar.
Mick Jones is definitely my inspiration for all things P90. Those early Clash lead tones led to me building a P90 fitted Squier 51. Part necessity, part desire. I had a 51 that needed building, and I desired those P90 tones. But now I get why it sounds good for Joan Jett numbers now, too!
Thanks for an awesome video, as always!
Another great LP Junior artist I would add is Lukas Nelson. He's got his own Gibson signature model. Great Video as always!
Every time I see a Junior I think "I need a neck pickup!" but every time I hear one I think "I need to get me one!"
Yep, lol! Everytime!😆😅
I have a "faded double cut" from 02. So it's a double cut special. Not quite the same thing at all, but my point is, I've never switched away from that bridge......
Just bought one!
Once again, the Teacher schools us about Gibsons Jr LP. and SG Inners. The little things we never knew. GREAT JOB KEITH. Thanks man!
Thanks John
I love your stuff and music history. I’m not surprised you are friends with Rick Beato and Tim Pierce.. I love all of these stories and information... also techniques. I feel during the pandemic etc. you guys helped me feel less alone and part of a music community again. So this is a quick note of thanks
Glad to be there with you Brian
After Phil X convinced me to get a Junior guitar on one of his Fretted Americana videos (specifically the 59 TV yellow 'Van Halen' one), I found out that the Junior single pickup guitar actually teaches how to be a better guitar player. You quickly learn how to use the knobs, adjust your pick attack, and picking position (near or far from the bridge) to vary all the tones. Now as a type of guitar, the Junior/Esquire single pickup guitars are the most numerous in my 'fleet'. So this was a fun video. Interesting to learn about the precursor to the P90.
One of my favorite Junior fun facts is that Martin Barre recorded Aqualung with one after Leslie West recommended them to him!
As always Keith a wonderfully done history lesson on a guitar everyone wants!
I have a Gibson Les Paul Special, but my favorite guitar has always been the Junior. Bought a Collings 290 DC S, and it’s by far my favorite and best guitar I own. It’s my desert island guitar. I inherited a 1959 Fender tweed Deluxe and just plugging the Collings into it, is my favorite sound ever. So simple yet so good. Thanks so much for this show, Keith. I’ve been waiting and looking forward to it. You’re the best.
Never played around with one myself, I've converted a Squier Tele into an Esquire but even with the 3-way switching still in use it's still not as simple as a Jr. Jarod James Nichols' signature Epiphone line seems to be selling really well and as a modern day leader to the trend it's nice to see it alive today. especially with his thumb picking. P90s also seem to have stuck as the pickup of choice in Jr. models instead of fading out after humbuckers were introduced, always were my favorite pickups.
thank you for continuously making interesting content, i have watched all the short histories at least 10 times each. youre a great person, thank you
I just got the body of a Maestro by Gibson Les Paul Junior, I plan on fixing it up soon for playing. Love the series, Keith!
The Bill Steer mention made my entire day.
Had a ‘60, sold it about 10 years ago, and regretted it ever since. So bought another one a couple years ago. Keeping this one! Great video as always :-).
Being a huge Green Day fan, I always wanted a Les Paul junior. In 2013, I bought a 2012 Satin Les Paul junior. It was one of the lower end models Gibson had at the time. It's still the main guitar I play today. The main modification I made to it was swapping out the lighting bar wraparound bridge to a Tonepros adjustable wraparound. Still tempted to get a 50s reissue Junior at some point, but for now my 2012 will do just fine. Loved the video, learned a bit more about the junior which is always cool!
Les Paul Jr is my all time favourite guitar ever. Can’t explain it. Just love them so much
The only Gibson guitar I'd like to own. Thanks for this great video!
Kudos for including Carcass' Bill Steer!
I need to know more about the Gibson Melody Maker series, please!
I know that I absolutely love my SG junior that I got off the demo shop and I can’t imagine playing anything else RN, it just pushes everything to the absolute limit and is absolutely HEAVENLY
Got a SG junior too. And it really is an amazing tone. Its my number one. Such an underrated guitar.
@@patrickanarchy-official5662 I KNOW, they are such magical guitars, especially those older ones with bigsbys, I’m considering getting a Floyd rose FRX put on mine it a Seymour Duncan Custom shop pickup so I can turn it into a tone MACHINE that fits my playing perfectly
The Les Paul Special is especially underappreciated, not punk enough for the Junior enthusiasts, not fancy enough for the Standard-bearers. I just can't do without a neck pickup, and try as I may to prefer a P90 Goldtop (as I do prefer the looks), that simple slab of mahogany always sounds better to my ears for the P90 platform.
Great post - I tend to agree...Bought a 2020 Epi LP Special and swapped out the Epi P90s for Gibsons and it sounds pretty great, and like yourself I do feel the need for a neck pickup...
Having said that I have a mid-50s ES-125 that has a single dog-ear P90, one volume, one tone and I get a lot of great sounds out of it...amazing guitar...
Interesting observation re: the LP Standard Gold Top with P90s...been eyeballing them for ages but maybe the mahogany slab is the perfect platform for P90s, like you say...maybe I'll sell the Epi and go for the Gibson LP Special - it's a hell of a lot cheaper than the Goldtop, especially used...
I have a LP special DC with 2 P90s. I think it is a very good instrument. It is the unappreciated 2015 and the fretboard is a bit wide and flat, which reminds me of a classical guitar. The pickups are better than the p90s in my Fender and it has a great build quality with nice nitro lacquer. On neck you can play blues well and the bridge really rocks.
@@BizarrePudding I've also got the new Epiphone Les Paul special TV single cut and the new Gibson Les Paul special double cut T cherry model both have a set of 2 P90'S and the Epiphone has the better clear sounding pickups !
I'm thinking if hunting for the a set of the new Epiphone Les Paul special P90'S to put in my old Gibson Les Paul studio 50's to get that clear sound like the new 2020 inspired by Gibson Epiphone Les Paul special has !
@@AuntAlnico4 Thanks Aunt J...I sat with the original Epi P90s for about 3 months when I first got the guitar...I liked them okay but found them a little tepid, didn't have the bite I was looking for...hence the Gibbys... I'll probably keep the Epi's to put back in the guitar should I decide to sell it, but if I do unload the Epi P90s separately, I'll let you know first...(you could also check with Trogly)...
Btw, how do you like the Epi now that you've had it for a while?
The Junior doesn't look right with two humbuckers but I have an Epiphone Junior that's going to get a nice unobtrusive Tele neck pickup. I don't need a switch, I always play both.
Kix was a local band here in the 80’s and I would go see them all the time...guitarist Brian Forsythe would play a ‘61 melody maker and it was the greatest sounding and coolest looking guitar I thought I would ever see...that started my love for simple, one pick-up guitars ...great stuff as always KW...rock on!!!!
Brian is a super cool guy! I sent him a message on Facebook a few years ago asking about the sound on the Blow My Fuse album (I NEVER expected a reply). To my surprise he was very open about it and we talked off and on for weeks working on a tone for a record that I was recording at the time.
The double-cut Junior's neck joint is perfectly stable. Breakage can only be a result of serious abuse. The unstable neck joint can be found in the early double-cut Specials where the neck pickup route is right up against the end of the fretboard, removing most of the tenon. They moved the pickup away from the fretboard to alleviate that problem.
In my experience its usually a broken headstock . Leaning a guitar against an amp , gets bumped , boom
love to see a Univox video....... especially the limited edition- a two p90's Jr in Cherry! Used to have one....
Not many either remember or talk about another Jr. player, from Toronto Pat Travers, some great guitar work from his early days.
Amazing guitarist, unrivalled fluidity. Saw him at Stafford Top of the World ballroom in the late 70's. Mars Cowling on bass, Nico McBrain on drums, not Pat Thrall on second guitar, though.
Pat Travers also played a John Birch guitar, much like a twin-cut Junior or Melody Maker. It's the one on the cover of "Putting It Straight".
I have a 1957 LP Junior, and it really does its job in many styles an genres. Love it.
What did ya pay for it if you don’t mind me asking ?
@@benallmark9671 I'd like to keep that between me and the previous owner. Juniors from the 50s are not cheap nowadays, but still priceworthy.
Waited for this one a long time. This series is excellent, we really do appreciate all your hard work!
Junior's teles simple is the beast no glitz n glam just perfection and both sound amazing and out of this world 👌
How do you get the most guitar information out of the least amount of TH-cam sites? 5 watt world!
Thanks Paul
The Junior was reintroduced in '86 for single cut and '87 for double cut. Many seem to ignore those guitars as they use a tuneomatic rather than wraparound. I've doublecut and it's a great guitar - 35 years old this year!
Thought they were first reissued then. Thanks for reminding us.
Yeah, I bought a single cut in 1988. Still have it. They made them that way until 1992, so I guess that makes them comparatively rare. For a while I had a double cut too, but it was really heavy and had too brittle a tone. I reworked the pickup to warm it up but still couldn't get along with it and sold it.
I've always wanted one since Billie Joe dropped his Fernandes Strat for P-90 mahogany bodied guitars during the recording of Warning. You could audibly hear the switch in tone. The guitar got much fatter sounding, less biting. A character very distinct but still completely punk rock in application. I have yamaha pacifica 510v myself and I really dont think a guitarists needs anything more than a single hot P-90 in the bridge. The volume knob can change overall tone quite a bit. Low volume can totally sound very acoustic. Topped out its definetly electric. Slide off just a little from the top and you got room to bust out more but you're in a sweet spot to cook. It's no wonder Billie got stuck on them. He never much used distortion pedals but would just run his amp overdriven and any clean was him rolling off tremendously. The P-90s are some of the most usable and tweakable pickups or at least they seem that. I wonder if they sound as flexible as they do cause they are so awesome or if guitarists literally couldn't do nothing else when configured with just the one pickup.
Epiphone just dropped a New Billy Joe Les Paul Jr. In TV white with cheetah print hard case or you can get the package deal with guitar, amp and tuner with strap for!$399 but the signature hard case alone model is like $549 !
@@AuntAlnico4 I saw that. It looks alot better than that ugly one that was his first signature guitar that came out a year or two ago
@@legatomodi3522 If you are referring to the run of Jr's that had the sonic blue guitar, then I don't know why you think they are ugly. Also that wasn't his first Gibson signature guitar. He had a signature tv doublecut, a signature series of Juniors with p90s that had slim taper necks, as well as his white Junior with the ebony fretboard that you can see on the live recording of "Jesus of Suburbia" in England, and I believe he had one more signature series but I honestly can't remember what the guitar model was, I know it wasn't a junior like all the others.
So glad you did this one.
I’m a definite fan of that P90. So fortunate to hear it live and up close in the hands of a more than capable guitarist.
Reiterating LESLIE! GOOD LORD!!!
I'm a simple man. I see a short history, I watch.
Always have to wait until the evening to sit down and enjoy another “A Short History.” Excellent work, Keith!
I just wanted to let you know Keith that your mention of Counting Crows' album, Recovering the Satellites changed my life. When saw the name of the band and album, I was intrigued and decided to give it a listen. The track "Recovering the Satellites" is one of my all time favorite songs as it's perfect in almost every way (production, lyrics, vocals, instrumentals). The fact that this came out in the 90s blows my mind, as it still sounds incredibly fresh. Daylight Fading, Angels of the Silences, and A Long December are also top tier songs lyrically. Adam Duritz is a top 5 songwriter for me. No wonder Rick Beato called this a perfect "front to back" album. This album even tops their legendary "August and Everything After" personally. Once again, thank you Keith for introducing me to this amazing band. Now, for some reason, I have this strange urge to go out and buy a les paul junior. :^)
I know the feeling Javier. I know it well man.
Not much better in the world than a new short history episode!
I joined Truefire because of your ads and am loving it so far, thanks Keith!
Johnny Thunders all the way!
AMEN to that!!!
Didn’t Keith Richards own a junior before his telecaster? I’m guessing he saw Keith with his
This was very well done. Keith Urban and Lucas Nelson are my LP Jr inspirations. I’m a sucker for LP Jrs and Teles, I like it simple and gritty. Being that I’m annoyingly wanting the whys OF the whys, this is right in my wheel house, so thank you for that.
I love that all this holy grail stuff that we seek out was just cost cutting measure in the 50s and 60s, or variations due to availability or consistency in manufacturing. We’re trying to get that magic tone now, but back then they were just trying to satisfy demand.
I love Pete Townsends tone with the SG special. I watched an interview where he said he started playing that guitar because it was easier to smash than the telecaster, and they could afford to smash more equipment and throw it away back then; whereas the telecaster was easier to put back together when they didn’t have as much money lol. Then it was easier to smash and/or fix, and now it’s unobtainium
Great Short History Keith - for those of us who grew up in the late 60's and 70's it's easy to forget just how many great guitarists got their sound from a single P-90 and a slab of mahogany. Loved Jeff's demo of the exceptional clean-up properties of both volume AND tone controls! And it's always a treat to hear Jeff do his thing on any guitar.
Leslie West is definitely why I like jrs im a doom fan for sure and heavy obscure 70s heavy rock or as my freind calls it oh no you went down the rabbit hole again when he hears my stereo lol this is another great history video again thank you
These short history videos are amazing. Thank you for sharing your research and passion. It is truly appreciated.
Been waiting for this one! Love this series, keep it up!
Fantastic. Going to get me a T-Shirt. It's the least I can do. Thanks from all of us watching this from France.
Merçi Teleman!
I'm a bass player by trade. Got myself a guitar, a single pickup les paul Jr. Having so much fun playing punk tunes on it. The p90 is such a magical pickup. Simplicity really is the key.
Some extra thanks for getting Jeff to play even those few, short minutes. Man, you just don’t get to hear new examples of that kind of god-like tone every day!
Hey Keith! I would love it if you contacted Mark at Missing Link Audio to talk about Duane Allman. Mark is an authority on the Allman Bros. and has really done the home work on Duane and the gear he used over his short and amazing career. A Five Watt short history on Duane would be great to see. You could talk to Mark about JBL120s for hours.
Wow! Bill Steer mentioned. Respect
Gary Moore at times played a Junior on his solo outings and with Thin Lizzy.
He reportedly bought it from Steve Jones when they were both in the Greedies. 1979 ish
Late comment...
TV stands for transparent varnish. You can see the grain through it.
The television glare idea was a misunderstanding that started in the 1960s when some items on television shows WERE coloured yellow to limit glare...police cars, for instance.
As stated, few, if any, Juniors were ever on TV....and notice that the Les Pauls and Stratocasters which artists would have used weren't offered in that finish.
I'm patiently waiting for a Yamaha SG and Peavey T-60 episode. 😂
Both historically relevant in their own right!
Artist series
I learned to play on my dad's T-60 through a '79 Fender Princeton Reverb. Looking back, I was spoiled. 😅
I really look forward to these Keith. Thanks for putting in the hard work. Opened a few windows for me here.
And just like that, LP Jr's were sold out all over the world!
let 'em. this gives smaller builders/brands a chance to back fill the market with prices that match quality and not the headstock
Just did my part and bought one!
Just picked up an Eastman SB55 and I gotta say one pickup and 2 knobs there's so many variations with such a simple setup.
A big part of the Black Sabbath sound is the P90. Obviously Iommi used an SG, not a Junior. But I'd wager you could get closer to his tone with a Junior than with a humbucker-loaded SG. Also, I believe Keith Richards sometimes plays a Junior (I don't recall your mentioning him). And lastly, there are weird old Eddie Van Halen photos circa Van Halen's first album in which Eddie is playing a Junior. They look like they were part of the photo shoot for the first album.
EVH played a junior with a humbucker in the bridge.
My Les Paul '60's tribute has P-90s. I will definitely be sitting down and working with tones on them. Thanks for another great video!
As much as I love Rock music, I've always had a soft spot for Keith Urban.
Lol
Oh, he's got the chops. Anyone that will step on stage and go with Paisley has my respect.
Well done once again Keith. And there’s nothing like hearing Jeff McErlain play a Les Paul!
If you want to see a Melody Maker being given the treatment by Gary Moore, watch Thin Lizzy live in Sydney.
I grew up on a steady diet of Green Day, Bad Religion, Blink 182, and The Clash. And I've always wanted a jr, but never managed to get one. Well, Late 2019 I played one of the new ones Gibson is making through an AC30. It was THE sound that has been in my head since I picked up the guitar in '02. I wish I could have snagged that Junior :(
I started playing in 2009 but I'll always think of Leslie West when I think of a single pickup guitar
Thanks so much for the show! I repaired a 59-60? jr. head stock that had been broken three times in it's long history.
The owner love this guitar but thought it was lost and was overjoyed to get it back in his loving arms.
Would have loved to have seen Minor Threat/Bad Religion/Dag Nasty/Junkyard etc guitarist Brian Baker on the list. Great guitarist and he’s the one who got me into Juniors back in the day. Great stuff otherwise and as usual.
Anyone that's been playing for any length of time is probably had a Junior go through their hands. Cheap but workable, It stayed in tune great 4 gigging after you learned its secrets here I am 60 years on and I'm still looking for that great P90 sound again
Lol, the picture of Billie Joe Armstrong with the yellow Les Paul Junior was taken right before he smashed it.
One of the best guitar sounds I've ever heard was a bandmates 60s LPJ and an early ac30. To play bass alongside that glorious tone was truly fabulous. Great show as always Keith. Thanks man.
Custom shop prices force me to build in my own "Custom Shop" at home.
Bill Steer was a surprised...didn't know that. Thanks 5watt World for the excellent video
GREAT VIDEO! Question: The exact position of the p90 - did it change over the 50-ies? Charlie Starr's '56 seem to have it's p90 a wee bit forward towards the neck. And there's nothing wrong with his tone! :-)
Every time I feel like I have every guitar I ever wanted I run across another "Short History" video.
The demonstration of the tone and volume knobs reminded me of those old demo videos with Phil X :') What a guy
Ahhh yeah...fresh cup of coffee, sunshine peaking through the window and a new Short History video. Best way to start enjoying a vacation day. Thank you Keith!
Ya durnnnn right, my friend ✌