can someone school me a little on Juniors?

[Woodsie]

I've seen a few for sale. a couple of "57 reissues". both Vintage Burst. Both gorgeous. is there more than one? i.e custom shop, non custom shop. I see one for sale used through GC for $850
http://www.guitarcenter.com/In-Store-Used-USED-GIBSON-LES-PAUL-JR---57-REISSUE-108768729-i3022601.gc
and another on CL for $900. the flame on the CL Jr is great. he has it listed as a 2004 57 reissue. he eludes to MF having it for sale for $2700. the truss rod plate has "57 Junior" engraved in it.
http://providence.craigslist.org/msg/3653510234.html
GC also has a couple of "Custom Shop" Jr's for $1500, used. Of course then there's Swampblues and his TV Yellow DC.
I'm really just looking now and trying to know as much as i can about them but, if this "57 Junior" is really that great a deal, i might have to consider it.

 

[Bill h]

I can't school you on the details of the junior, I'll let the experts on the forum do that but I have seen them played out. On another thread I posted that I was at a gig and the band before us was playing classic rock. I thought the guitar player was playing a special but when the were done I asked him and he said it was a junior and man it sounded awesome. I have 3 lp's and it would give any one of them a run for its money.

 

[geezberry]

This confuses me as well. I see CS juniors go for $1800 when others go for over $3k , both seemingly the same guitars.

looks like a good deal its a CS
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GIBSON-LPJRSCVOVSNH1-1957-LES-PAUL-JUNIOR-SINGLE-CUTAWAY-VOS-Re-I-ssue-/261180760370?pt=Guitar&hash=item3ccf962132

 

[JMB1984]

If you love the CS version then go for it, but I personally would go for the USA Junior Special because I'd rather have two pickups and the bridge and tail piece that is adjustable for intonation. It's less money and some of them come with binding as well. Just my opinion.

 

[slapshot]

jr.p90.wraparound.rocknroll.go

Of course then there's Swampblues and his TV Yellow DC.

please explain?

 

[Woodsie]

jr.p90.wraparound.rocknroll.go


please explain?

Board brother Swampblues has a TV Yellow Double Cut for sale in the classifieds.

 

[geezberry]

i think JR's look way cooler with wrap around bridges. It's just the way they were. Serious mojo

 

[cmerch]

Firstly, great avatar, GO BRUINS! I'm in NH and have been eyeballing that same Jr... It is a looker! I already own a Jr and love it. The US models can be had used for around $500. Theres another on the bostn cl for just that I think. Just beware some are "faded" or "satin" and they go for a little less generally. If I were you I would offer the guy with the 57 reissue $700 and see if he bites. Otherwise, if you can live w/out the flame, offer the other guy $400. They've both been listed for at least a couple/few weeks and the seller may be motivated by a cash offer. If I didnt already have a Jr that '57 would probably be mine..

 

[cgm]

I've seen a few for sale. a couple of "57 reissues". both Vintage Burst. Both gorgeous. is there more than one? i.e custom shop, non custom shop. I see one for sale used through GC for $850
Used In Store Used USED GIBSON LES PAUL JR. '57 REISSUE | GuitarCenter
and another on CL for $900. the flame on the CL Jr is great. he has it listed as a 2004 57 reissue. he eludes to MF having it for sale for $2700. the truss rod plate has "57 Junior" engraved in it.
2004 Gibson Les Paul jr
GC also has a couple of "Custom Shop" Jr's for $1500, used. Of course then there's Swampblues and his TV Yellow DC.
I'm really just looking now and trying to know as much as i can about them but, if this "57 Junior" is really that great a deal, i might have to consider it.

There are a bunch of LP Jrs for sale in the MA/NH Criag's list right now... I am also pretty confused about the pricing on them. Right now, you can spend less on a Les Paul Studio. I saw a beat up old ebony with emg's for $550, another that looked like a faded for $500. Both included hard cases. Unfortunately, neither of the owners were interested in trading for my guitars.

Why is it that a jr. sells for more than a studio? Is it just that some people are looking for the p90 sound, but more are looking for humbuckers? Does that mean that the jrs are fewer and farther between so they can command a premium?

 

[defcrew]

I have owned two DC Specials--one was a faded USA and the other a CS. Their relative prices were $600 and $1300 used....and I would argue that the money was about right regarding quality. I think having the extra neck pickup really makes the Special way more desirable. It has astop tail which makes intoation a minor problem and it is top heavy, i.e., when you let go of the body it tends to swing down. Other than that I really like it. the neck alone on the CS was worth the doubled price. The faded was pretty crude. Hope that helps. They are rockers.

 

[jeffy]

I've seen a few for sale. a couple of "57 reissues". both Vintage Burst. Both gorgeous. is there more than one? i.e custom shop, non custom shop. I see one for sale used through GC for $850
Used In Store Used USED GIBSON LES PAUL JR. '57 REISSUE | GuitarCenter
and another on CL for $900. the flame on the CL Jr is great. he has it listed as a 2004 57 reissue. he eludes to MF having it for sale for $2700. the truss rod plate has "57 Junior" engraved in it.
2004 Gibson Les Paul jr
GC also has a couple of "Custom Shop" Jr's for $1500, used. Of course then there's Swampblues and his TV Yellow DC.
I'm really just looking now and trying to know as much as i can about them but, if this "57 Junior" is really that great a deal, i might have to consider it.

The second one looks like a USA, not a CS. The neck joint, tailpiece and 3 piece body make me question it's authenticity. The serial number looks to be a USA as well. The tuner heads are wrong. For a CS they would need to be button head strip-tuners, not 3x3's keystones. I don't think Tabasco burst was ever a CS color on the Junior either but I could be wrong.

If I was buying a Junior, I'd get a BJA or a CS.

 

[Woodsie]

Yeah. I'd like to pickup a quality Junior. I was just at a local Gibby retailer. They had a couple of CS 57's for $2k and $2300. They also had a BJA Burst SC for $1200 with case. Nice guitar.

 

[coldsteal2]

Nothing wrong with the last batch of Les Paul Jr's they
were selling in December, top quality

 

[Woodsie]

Nothing wrong with the last batch of Les Paul Jr's they
were selling in December, top quality

I played one recently. I really liked it. No new production on those though, huh?

 

[boney bones lee]

Get one. Any one... exept those "Junior Special" things; Stay away from those.

Mine is a regular production 2010 (pre-flood and with rosewood board). Love it.

P-90's will set you straight, bro!

 

[TheWelder]

I've got a '57 Jr VOS Custom Shop - it is my number one and it isn't really close. Honestly I don't even miss having a second PUP - I get a plethora of tones using just the guitar's volume and tone knobs. It is seriously a killer guitar, and it looks and feels just like the original 50s Jrs. I would say the CS versions are certainly worth the extra cash, but that is just my opinion - YMMV.

FWIW, I'm pretty sure the craigslist you posted is a Gibson USA rather than a CS. If it were me, I would spring for the CS, but either way you can't go wrong with a good Jr.

 

[Woodsie]

Is that what this would be?
Used In Store Used USED GIBSON CUSTOM SHOP LES PAUL JR TV YELLOW WC 011413 | GuitarCenter

 

[TheWelder]

Is that what this would be?
Used In Store Used USED GIBSON CUSTOM SHOP LES PAUL JR TV YELLOW WC 011413 | GuitarCenter

Yes, I'm pretty sure that is the Custom Shop '57 Jr., although it would be nice to see some better pictures. They came in three different finishes: TV Yellow, Cherry, and Vintage Burst. My dealer told me that this model was discontinued after 2011 - you can still find a few new in the stores but what is left is what is left for now anyway. That is a pretty fair price as well, IMO, and it is pretty consistent with what they tend to go for used on eBay. If you find one new they will usually be listed at around $2499 but I'm sure you could get one much cheaper since it is a discontinued model. I bought my 2011 Jr in December of 2012 and since it was new old-stock through a Gibson dealer so I was able to get the warranty from Gibson - I paid $1800 out the door and honestly it is worth every penny. Here is a photo of my Vintage Burst:

 

[Woodsie]

I saw one brand new today at a store in RI. VOS white 57 reissue. $1999. GC also had a used white CS for the same $1499.

 

[TheWelder]

I saw one brand new today at a store in RI. VOS white 57 reissue. $1999. GC also had a used white CS for the same $1499.

That's right - they did come in white as well. The white and the cherry seem to be least common finishes, but still really cool. Like I stated in my previous post, if you are interested in that white Jr you may be able to get it cheaper than the sticker price since they have likely had it in their store for a while.

Now that I've had a chance to see that CL ad on my mac rather than my phone I can say with near certainty that it is NOT a CS version and it isn't worth nearly the price of the VOS version that he is trying to compare it to. It is still a cool guitar, but the finish, headstock, tuners, serial stamp, bridge, and multi-piece body all point to it being a Gibson USA, and probably not worth even what he is asking.