Gibson Les Paul Junior 3/4, Cherry (1959)

A Junior...Junior?!

Mark it down, folks. It's the first 3/4 Les Paul Junior we've had in the shop, and if you didn't know about our penchant for vintage student model electrics, you do now! We're absolutely in love with this guitar!

Gibson produced these 3/4 Juniors in much smaller volume compared to their bigger brothers - nearly 800 across a 6-year span compared to almost 20,000 in a similar timeline. Needless to say, one doesn't really stumble across this model frequently. Beyond their rarity, however, they do share almost all of the specs of a "standard" Junior. Same slab Mahogany body, Mahogany neck, pickup, and electronics. It's the 15-fret neck joint, short scale, and narrow nut that changes things. Not for better or worse, but a change nonetheless. The more compact design and shorter scale made for a much more forgiving instrument to those young up-and-comers; yet some 65 years later, they've earned respect in the vintage community as a great alternative to the Fullerton-made equivalents.

No surprise here, but the original P90 in this guitar absolutely rips! It's got great output and combination of chime and grunt that have made many a Junior-style guitar a go-to option for rock tones, slide work, and beyond. The original small fretwire remains in great shape and feels great in hand, and the narrow nut combined with the full C profile makes for a super fun playing experience. The volume pot was replaced prior to our acquisition, and it received a new nut, but remains otherwise original.

If you're a fan of vintage student model electrics like we are, you'll absolutely love this one. It might be 3/4 of a Junior on paper, but it's got 100% of the tone, look, and feel.