Excellent condition featuring double cutaway mahogany body, one dog ear P-90 pickup with black plastic pickup cover, one volume control and one tone control with black bonnet knobs, single ply tortoise grain pickguard, wraparound stud tailpiece, set mahogany neck, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dot inlays starting at the third fret, bone nut, Gibson open book peghead shape, black peghead face with gold Gibson logo and gold silk screened Les Paul Junior signature logo, single line Kluson Deluxe tuning machines with white plastic oval shaped tuning buttons, serial number impressed into the back of the peghead, single ply black plastic electronics cavity cover plate, two metal strap buttons, nickel plated metal hardware, Cherry finish and original brown Gibson faux alligator chipboard case.
This 1961 Gibson Les Paul Junior serial number 3496 is in excellent condition. This is the finest cleanest example of the model we have encountered in years. This Junior shows only the slightest signs of play wear throughout and has only a few very small dings (see photos). This instrument is 100% original with no breaks or repairs of any kind. The electronics are untouched and are in perfect operating order. The Centralab potentiometers date to the 43rd week of 1960. This guitar has no bridge lean. The finish shows almost no fade and the original output jack plate is crack free. This guitar is housed in its original Gibson alligator chipboard case that is also in excellent condition with all working latches and an intact handle. This Junior weighs 6lb 12oz and is a straight forward, TIDY, all original, no stories Les Paul Junior that will fit right into any vintage instrument collection.
This guitar has an incredible feeling, slim tapered neck profile with a 1 11/16” nut width, this neck is not quite as slim as some 1961 Gibson SG necks that I have played but isn’t chunky like those found on the examples from 1959. This neck is very typical of the era in which this instrument was manufactured and it is very easy and comfortable to play. The original fret wire shows some signs of play wear but nothing significant (see photos). This Junior has been professionally set up and it plays effortlessly up and down the beautiful Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with low smooth action, great intonation and no buzz. The original potentiometers work perfectly without any crackle or extra noise and the original P-90 sounds phenomenal. This pickup has strong output (8.11k) and absolutely RIPS through every amp that I have played this guitar through. This guitar is articulate and snappy - it will get exceptionally nasty through a cranked black panel Fender amp and absolutely sings and snarls through an old Marshall. I have owned and sold a good number of vintage Les Paul Juniors - from single cutaways to SGs - and I can positively say that this example is going to be hard to beat in almost every way. These 1961 models with this body shape and an impressed four digit serial number are also few and far between. If you are lusting after an incredible Les Paul Junior, here it is.
