Introduced in 1954, the Gibson Les Paul Junior was designed as a stripped back student model, but its direct construction and powerful single P90 pickup would go on to make it one of Gibson’s most influential solid body guitars. Early single cut examples from the mid 1950s are especially sought after, prized for their lightweight mahogany construction and raw, resonant character.
This 1955 Gibson Les Paul Junior is an honest and well used example that has undergone a number of repairs and restoration works over the course of its life. The original finish has been stripped, leaving the guitar with a more utilitarian appearance while retaining the core features of an early single cut Junior. The original P90 pickup remains present, although the bobbin had previously been subjected to heat damage and required repair. Our workshop carried out a professional graft repair to the damaged section of the bobbin using a replacement piece of plastic to stabilise and preserve the original pickup.
As is common with some early wraparound bridge Juniors, the bridge had previously begun to lean forward due to the original shallow stud placement. To correct this, the bridge area was routed and fitted with a new mahogany insert section before being redrilled to accommodate longer 1" bridge inserts for improved structural stability. The guitar has also been refretted by our workshop, while the original pickguard was carefully flattened and stabilised following previous heat warping.
Additional changes include replacement knobs and a non original case. One visible potentiometer code dates to 1954, consistent with the guitar’s production period.
This guitar has been given a full service by our luthiers at the Vintage Instrument Workshop, and includes a 2 year warranty.
