We aren't kidding when we say that this Francis B. Jr is one of the best electrics we've put in our hands in a long time.

Why We Love This

Released soon after Gibson had acquired Epiphone, the Coronet model - here called the Francis B. Jr. - represented a student-level option comparable to the Les Paul Juniors of the period. Simplistic and minimally appointed, but with a unique and fresh symmetrical double-cut body often referred as a "double-cut Esquire", the Coronet has more recently climbed the ranks in the vintage electric world with growing appeal.

Gibson manufactured these first version solid body guitars in very low numbers, which has factored into their relative rarity and general lack of familiarity among even the most astute vintage electric aficionados. At their core, they represent a unique take on a timeless recipe that made legends out of the Les Paul, SG, and many more mahogany body Gibson electrics.

Thomas Rodriguez brings this early student model design back to the forefront, adding a level of build quality that we think few can rival. Via a combination of lightweight tone woods, excellent pickups and hardware, and precision fit and finish, this Francis B. Jr. model is without question one of the best modern version of the original Coronet design we've come across. Playability and feel shine bright here, capturing great vintage sensibility without some of the clunkiness we sometimes run into with older instruments.

Featuring a lightweight one-piece African mahogany body and neck combined with a MojoAxe wraparound tailpiece and a sweet sounding Fralin P90 pickup, this build yields classic "Junior" tones. When executed as well as this build is, there's no need to worry about what one can do with a single-pickup guitar. Tone is full, chimey, and open, with loads of versatility at your fingertips thanks to effective volume and tone controls. Playability is unquestionably contributing to this Rodriguez being able to navigate a wide range of inspiring sounds, to the point that you almost forget you're without a neck pickup.