Les Paul Junior Reissues..

scalino65

Like many on here, I'm a big les paul junior nut, but I've just realised that for some reason, I dont know much about the more recent USA (ie not custom shop) gibsons. I think I overlooked the 2015 reissues because of the robot tuners. I've also heard that the fretboards are wider and necks less chunky on the 2015s. I remember back in about 1998 looking at the juniors in Peter Cook's  and liking them alot.
So, can anyone school me on the Gibson Junior re-issues from 90s onwards please? I like singles more than doubles if that matters. Anyone own one and care to comment? Is a 2015 a nice guitar if you throw the robots away (or maybe go nuts and actually keep them!) Is the original ethos of the junior alive in the USA re-issues?i.e. a nice basic guitar at a lower cost? Anyone bought a beaten up one and done their own tv finish on it?
Any and all thoughts, advice and nonsense gratefully received.
cheers. 

tony99

I've got a 2012 LP junior special in TV yellow, it's an absolute belter to be fair. Although will unfortunately have to be moved on as I've just got my first full fat lezza. Will be sad to see it go like.

sawyer

Check out the new Gordon Smith GS1 they quite cool and very much in the Junior camp. Love the thick body single cut,dogear P90 wrapround version in white.Trust me. I love Juniors too. They are the mutts! If Gibson do a vintage correct single and dc junior for £600/700 they would make a f3ck1ng fortune!

scalino65

Also, i dont think gibbo are doing a USA junior at all this year, only the CS version. Why is that? Not sufficient profit margin I assume. For some reason I thought that the junior would be a constant in the range but its obviously not the case.

sawyer

Custom Shop at 3K? Taking the pi55. Simple guitar should not be more than 600/700. Absolute top a £1000. Absolute top!

agibbo

I have a 2015 Junior and it's great!

I left the robot tuners on it and they don't cause any issues for me. It's well built, lightweight, resonant, and the set-up was great from the factory (and Amazon's warehouse!), and I've not had to do anything to it since owning it.

The neck is the most divisive aspect though, and I can see why people wouldn't like it. However, I'm 6'2" with hands like shovels so I soon got used to the neck width.  Or if you're used to a classical guitar neck I find it very similar.

I bought mine when Amazon were blowing them out for £280, or whatever it was, and it's one of my most played guitars!

CountryDave

I owned a 2015 junior.
Didn't have a problem with the robot.tuners, but as stated above, the neck was wider than normal and not to my taste.
The rest if the guitar was amazingly well built and it sounded fantastic.

Henrytwang

The 2015 Gibson Les Pauls were very well made but had some rather radical changes to the designs that upset many players. Things like the robot tuners, metal nut and the P90 pickups with slug magnets can be easily changed but you have to live with the wider necks . I don’t have a problem with them but there are players for who they are a real deal breaker.

Jez6345789

I have girls hands and really the neck width is minimal to me, I still have and use the 2015 bargain bin amazon guitar fit and finish we’re good.

the slug p90 have a bit different tone but easy to dial in for most stuff. I like my p90 a little darker but frankly it’s not an issue.

there are a few 2016 specials around at the moment from the Japanese run that someone was raving about looked a nice idea

Gerz6558

scalino65 said:

Also, i dont think gibbo are doing a USA junior at all this year, only the CS version. Why is that? Not sufficient profit margin I assume. For some reason I thought that the junior would be a constant in the range but its obviously not the case.

They are doing a junior. They are going to be in the new core range which a lot are waiting for. About 24 minutes in:

pearlwhite67

Around 2009 gibson usa did a satin 58 reissue single cut. You can see some review on youtube. Ive had a few they are nice.   The current one i have was a hard rock cafe limited edition black with stars and no pick guard.  So it was stripped back to the wood and now has a home brew tv yellow nitro finish and vintage tuners and tortie guard etc.  

57Deluxe

the most consistent sounding/playing guitar models regardless of year/make/price

1. LPJ Jr
2. Tele