Looking at a 2013 LPJ...

[Tdurden032]

I’m not crazy about the color or finish, but the price seems right - any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

 

[metalmike222]

I have a 2014 in Cherry finish. It plays really well, though I don't particularly care for how the pickups sound, but I'll be swapping those soon. I got mine from a pawn shop on Christmas Eve last year for around $300-350 (can't remember the exact price). My opinion on mine 10 months later is that for the price I paid, being an American made Gibson, it's a really tough guitar to pass up. I guess it all depends on the price you're getting.

 

[Wuuthrad]

Didn’t these have maple necks? Stronger wood that, and a nice light finish. Not much to worry about, a really nice player guitar usually at a great price from what I’ve seen.

 

[metalmike222]

Didn’t these have maple necks?

Correct. That’s actually one of the things that I like about it. My 79 Standard, which is my all-time favorite guitar also has a maple neck, so that immediately drew me to the LPJ. Really just a great guitar for the price.
The only downside is the finish is really thin and soft. Mine had a spot that was worn through right next to the bridge pickup when I bought it. Still go back and forth on if I want to refinish it or not.

 

[Tdurden032]

Thanks for the input everyone - the guy was asking $500 originally but seems like he’s come down - haven’t played one before So I was curious to see what the group thought - I’ll keep you all posted, thanks again!

 

[metalmike222]

If I ever come across another one in Vintage Sunburst, I might end up with 2 LPJs for that price...

 

[Tdurden032]

Honestly my main hesitation is the color - not a huge fan of chocolate brown but it seems like a pretty good deal and the color isn’t the only decision maker for me. If it were anything else (like vintage sunburst), I’d grab it fast!

 

[dmac in SC]

Aren't Juniors supposed to have a single PU...either HB or P90 ?

Please edumacate me on this without insulting me on this topic

 

[metalmike222]

Aren't Juniors supposed to have a single PU...either HB or P90 ?

Please edumacate me on this without insulting me on this topic

The LPJ isn’t actually a Les Paul Junior. It’s really just a very poor naming choice that causes a lot of confusion. The model itself is called “LPJ“ and I believe it was only available in 2013-2014.

 

[endial]

The LPJ isn’t actually a Lea Paul Junior. It’s really just a very poor naming choice that causes a lot of confusion. The model itself is called “LPJ“ and I believe it was only available in 2013-2014.

I have one, and I love it. This (the absurd name of this guitar) is also why I jump all over people on this forum for calling Juniors "LPJ's" It puts me in a tough position because people called Juniors "LPJ's" for eons before these came out.
Great friggin' guitar for the money, especially at used prices these days.

You shouldn't need that silly string butler gizmo. Moot.

Those pickups must be from an early run, because the later ones came with black plastic covers that were hot-melt glued on, and were slug (no screws) 490/498's. (Edit: Which is to suggest they may be better pups than the later stock ones.)

I like the finish just fine on mine, it seems to make the guitar more resonant. Play it!

 

[Rocco Crocco]

I have one and its a beast. I hated how the finish got beat-up so easily, though, so I had it painted.

Started like this... I had already replaced the knobs.

Now it looks like this... with new pickups (Duncan Antiquities).

 

[LPCM&BFG]

I have an SGJ from 2013. Maple neck, mahogany body... Love it, especially the maple neck, but:

The nitro finish really is only about a micron or two thick, so it gets easily / quickly worn through.

Pickups / PCB have a 3 pin connector, not the same as on (most of?) Gibson's other PCBs, so a pickup swap is just that much more annoying.

My SGJ has no PAF stickers on the pups. It's running a pair of 490s...


Yours came originally with a 490/498T if memory serves correctly, with black covers, so those in the photo might not be original.

 

[musicmaniac]

Looks good and hopefully sounds good!

 

[metalmike222]

My 2014 has the 1961 Zebra coil pickups in it. My understanding is that they're in the burstbucker family. The sound just isn't for me. It's not a bad sound, but it's a little more brittle and high endy than I like on a Les Paul. It basically sounds like my SG. It does also have the 5-pin pickup connectors, so when I swap at least the bridge pickup, I may or may not swap out the PCB for a Mojotone wiring kit. I'm really tempted to throw another DiMario X2N into it as that is my go-to pickup for huge, fat guitar tones, but I might try something else to get a slightly different tone.

 

[Roxy13]

They are probably the best buy in a MIA LP. I don't think the color is bad at all, but it wears really easily.

 

[Wuuthrad]

Thanks for the input everyone - the guy was asking $500 originally but seems like he’s come down - haven’t played one before So I was curious to see what the group thought - I’ll keep you all posted, thanks again!

That’s a really great price! I missed one locally for 5 and change, and would have been more than happy to pay that much.

I ended up buying a LP Junior tribute for a few bucks more. Great guitar with a similar color and light finish which I quite like- it’s nothing “Special” lol... but the finish really lends itself to how it sounds- RAW AF!

You really can’t go wrong at that price! I don’t think they did any bursts-worn brown, worn ebony and worn cherry maybe? Might have also been a worn blue denim color?

 

[gibsonofabitch]

these are an instant buy under $500

 

[metalmike222]

I don’t think they did any bursts

Not sure about the 2013 model, but the 2014 definitely had 2 burst options.

Vintage Sunburst Perimeter (Which is the best finish on the LPJ, in my opnion).

Fireburst

As has been said before, these are GREAT guitars for the money.

 

[Wuuthrad]

Not sure about the 2013 model, but the 2014 definitely had 2 burst options.

Vintage Sunburst Perimeter (Which is the best finish on the LPJ, in my opnion).

Fireburst

As has been said before, these are GREAT guitars for the money.

Nice! I really like that “edge” burst or whatever it’s called.

 

[metalmike222]

Yeah, I'm DEFINITELY going to pick one up if I can ever come across one at a good price. I just looked on reverb.com and it looks like these things are now going for more than the originally retailed for. I guess maybe they have become "collectible" now since they were only made for 2 years. @Tdurden032 if nothing else man, buy it and double your money on reverb!