New Epi '57 Les Paul Juniors?

[JohnnyCrash]

OK,

I've had my miserable experiment with Epiphones several times over now...

But I'm dying for a crappy P90 equiped "junker" for tuning to Open E for slide, as I've already got an Open G (a "Keef"ed out Tele naturally).

Why?
1. It's set neck.
2. The poor fretwork/neck means less since I will be playing MOSTLY slide and a few fretted notes in "hybrid" slide fashion.
3. A Gibson P90 will be put in, with some decent pots.

Anybody try these guitars yet? Your thoughts?

A crappy "Hound Dog Taylor" blues type tone is fine with me :)

[getbent]

Why new? Why not grab something off CL cheap! that is even a better guitar like....

epi sg!

[JohnnyCrash]

Because I'm a HUGE Les Paul Junior freak.

I love both the single and double cutaways.

I am a huge Johnny Thunders fan as well, so a TV Yellow color would suit me fine - even though I''ll be using it solely for blues slide.

Currently one of my main guitars in studio is a 2000 Gibson Les Paul Junior. I love P90's like a crackhead.

[getbent]

I can dig that! I still think you can find a less expensive jr used.... but, its your AMP money! HA HA

[JohnnyCrash]

HAHAHAHA

True, I need to horde my cash for amps!

I had an Epi Junior before... problem is, it was a bolt on deal and it sucked HARD.

I hoping since these are some sort of new model, perhaps it's quality will be slightly better (at least enough to play crusty half intonated slide blues on!).

Plus, it's got a set neck - which actually may not hold up under Open E tuning. Open G, yeah - Open E is a gamble in my Epi experience.

[getbent]

dig it, just tell me what guitar store to go into and I'll dent one.... then you can work your negotiating magic!

[crawdad]

Seems like a no brainer for the price--set neck, all mahogany. Easy to take out the P-100 and put in some quality pots and a P-90.

I have an Epi Jr. from the bolt on days--TV yellow double cut, and that little guitar wails. The fretwork on mine was actually excellent. I think every Tele fan ought to have one. Its like the missing link between a Tele and a Les Paul--still plenty of single coil magic, just beefier.

[RockinCarl]

Originally Posted by crawdad

I have an Epi Jr. from the bolt on days--TV yellow double cut, and that little guitar wails. The fretwork on mine was actually excellent. I think every Tele fan ought to have one. Its like the missing link between a Tele and a Les Paul--still plenty of single coil magic, just beefier.

Oh my gosh! You have one of those?! I do too, it was actually my first guitar. Mines black with a (missing) black pickguard... it is a great little guitar. I still play it from time to time kind of "as a joke" for playing my first guitar, and then I play it and its well... like this >

I say go for the Junior........ can we see a promo pic or something? ( )

[crawdad]

Originally Posted by RockinCarl

Oh my gosh! You have one of those?! I do too, it was actually my first guitar. Mines black with a (missing) black pickguard... it is a great little guitar. I still play it from time to time kind of "as a joke" for playing my first guitar, and then I play it and its well... like this >

I say go for the Junior........ can we see a promo pic or something? ( )

Carl--yeah, I picked mine up a few years ago. I don't play it out very often cause its such a one trick pony, but I love mine for overdriven sounds. Plus, one night I took it to a gig and this guy (must have been very buzzed) called me the best guitarist he'd ever heard. I felt like saying "you don't get out much, do ya?" but his comments did endear me to the little yellow Epi, so I've kept it.

I think it would make a great dedicated slide guitar too!

[David Barnett]

They also have a Gibson-branded SG Jr. that is surprisingly inexpensive. Like $600-$700 MF price.

Is there a budget-priced Gibson LP Jr. too? Or are the only Gibbo Jrs. the Historic Collection ones?

[Twin Reiver]

I want to check out one of these. I don't think they are in stores yet.

http://gibson.com/

[roadkillbill]

I've got a bolt-on neck sunburst model I picked up at a yard sale for $50, with gig bag, owned by a kid who'd lost interest..

I use it for open g slide, and it's perfect, and looks great too, and the p90 is not bad at all..

I haven't seen the new 57 set neck model..what do they cost?

[red57strat]

I was looking forward to these but I think they're too expensive.

I paid $400 a few years ago for my 2001 Gibson Les Paul Junior with a Gibson hardshell case.

I sold it recently for $550 but I still think it's a better deal than the Epi.

[fungusyoung]

Originally Posted by David Barnett

Is there a budget-priced Gibson LP Jr. too? Or are the only Gibbo Jrs. the Historic Collection ones?

Yeah, they still have those now $750 Gibby LP Jr's. (sunburst only) at MF. I'm not sure how much longer they will last. In addition to those and the standard Historics they've had around for a few years, there's also this (new?) high end up option that I'd never seen before..... looks very nice, but for $3K, I'll keep my standard 2001 Gibby LP Jr. & remain happy:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...Cut?sku=517653


MF seems to be in bed with Gibson a little bit because I never see any of these guitars elsewhere, including on Gibson's site.

[refin]

A Junior with a great P-90 and good pots/cap is a tone monster,no more a one trick pony than an Esquire.I've been eyeballin' those Epis,too at $299 street.

[Mik]

Jr fan here.

Can't see going wrong with a TV Yellow Jr set neck for under 300 bucks shipped and no tax. (Can't the P100 be "neutered" (actually the reverse!! ) by clipping a wire thus converting it to a P90?).

450 bucks less than the MF Gibson Jr and maybe the fretwork is OK. MF has a friendly return policy.

TV Yellow is way

Mik

[David Barnett]

Originally Posted by fungusyoung

Yeah, they still have those now $750 Gibby LP Jr's. (sunburst only) at MF. I'm not sure how much longer they will last. In addition to those and the standard Historics they've had around for a few years, there's also this (new?) high end up option that I'd never seen before..... looks very nice, but for $3K, I'll keep my standard 2001 Gibby LP Jr. & remain happy:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...Cut?sku=517653


MF seems to be in bed with Gibson a little bit because I never see any of these guitars elsewhere, including on Gibson's site.

I know a guy who got a limited edition Korina LP Jr. a few years ago. Dunno how much $$$$ it was, but it couldn't have been cheap. May be the best-sounding Gibbo I've ever heard.

[PraiseCaster]

Ya mean this one:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/pro...u=519380%2e015

Yeah, me likey! Me want one too! Been jonesin for that slab of wood for a couple of months now. I want to "Esquire" it, by adding caps, and a 3 way switch. Yeah I know, I'm looney...........

[Tdot]

Originally Posted by David Barnett

Is there a budget-priced Gibson LP Jr. too? Or are the only Gibbo Jrs. the Historic Collection ones?

If you can do without the pickguard and pretty finish, about $530 gets you a brand new Gibson Melody Maker in red, black, or yellow.



This one is a blast, and I think it would also be a great candidate for slide, no upgrades necessary.

[JohnnyCrash]

I had a TV Yellow bolt-on as well... man that was THE WORST guitar I've EVER owned, by a long shot. Just downright awfull.

Gibson has a standard USA Les Paul Junior in sunburst ($750), or you can buy the reissue one for lots more ($1k+)... it's sad, they have the same pickup, no flame or anything crazy on the CShop one either (I don't even think it has those bumblebee caps or anything) - same exact guitar, drastically different price.

I like SG's, but I am a LPJr junkie... I really hated every single Epi I've ever owned, so I doubt I'll pickup the '57 RI unless I have the extra cash lying around... even though it is only for nasty '50s blues in Open E for slide :)

I've got 3 Telecasters, but only one LPJr. I've got to rectify that situation :)

[getbent]

Originally Posted by JohnnyCrash

I had a TV Yellow bolt-on as well... man that was THE WORST guitar I've EVER owned, by a long shot. Just downright awfull.

Gibson has a standard USA Les Paul Junior in sunburst ($750), or you can buy the reissue one for lots more ($1k+)... it's sad, they have the same pickup, no flame or anything crazy on the CShop one either (I don't even think it has those bumblebee caps or anything) - same exact guitar, drastically different price.

I like SG's, but I am a LPJr junkie... I really hated every single Epi I've ever owned, so I doubt I'll pickup the '57 RI unless I have the extra cash lying around... even though it is only for nasty '50s blues in Open E for slide :)

I've got 3 Telecasters, but only one LPJr. I've got to rectify that situation :)

Good on you JC! I don't mind making new mistakes but I hate making the same one.... my new hobby is huntin' for an LP Jr!

[Blazer]

Originally Posted by Twin Reiver

I want to check out one of these. I don't think they are in stores yet.

http://gibson.com/

Cool, didn't know that Gibson has put out a Billy Joe Armstrong model.

BUT Billy Joe also has another Signature model, albeit not an official one.
The Fernandes Billy Joe Armstong "Dookie" model.

Which celebrates a far more famous guitar of Billy Joe, his long suffering Fernandes strat

[David Barnett]

Originally Posted by JohnnyCrash

I like SG's, but I am a LPJr junkie... I really hated every single Epi I've ever owned, so I doubt I'll pickup the '57 RI unless I have the extra cash lying around... even though it is only for nasty '50s blues in Open E for slide :)

Epi has a way with hollow body guitars, but I agree with you that I've never picked up a good solid body one. The LP Standards and Customs that I've tried were dead stiff planks (but then so are a lot of proper Gibson ones...). I've never tried one of their set neck Jrs though. Some of the full-depth archtops are amazing. You'd THINK that a LP Jr. would be pretty hard to mess up -- slap a neck on a mahogany slab, screw some pickups and hardware on it, and go.

In the '50s, I think Gibson put a little extra Love in their cheap guitars, especially Jrs and 125s.

[JohnnyCrash]

Originally Posted by Tdot

If you can do without the pickguard and pretty finish, about $530 gets you a brand new Gibson Melody Maker in red, black, or yellow.



This one is a blast, and I think it would also be a great candidate for slide, no upgrades necessary.

I almost picked up one of those MM's, but then I played one. Yuck.

Man it sounded AWFUL. I think that wood was the culprit, as I've used them Gibson P90's a million times in several guitars and they sounded fine.

[Tdot]

Wow, I wonder if you tried a lemon. Mine's great, as I've heard from others.

I walked past these many times because I thought they looked way over priced (even for Gibson). But a local shop blew them out when he dropped the Gibson line. So I tried one and was stunned at how cool this little guy is. I think I would have bought it months earlier if I had bother to take one off the rack. My Hwy1 and my Melody Maker are the two guitars that are always out on my stand.