1961 Gibson Les Paul SG Junior Vintage Guitar Cherry w/ Maestro, Case

Up for sale, a 1961 Gibson Les Paul SG Junior in excellent condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original chipboard case. A first year example of the SG Junior model (still retaining the "Les Paul" text on the headstock), this body has the Honduran mahogany construction of its predecessor and a medium depth C-shaped neck carve that has more meat and shoulder than the "blade" necks often seen in 1960-61.

Featherweight at 6lbs 10oz, the natural acoustic tone is smooth and rich, with the clear high treble zing of the lightweight aluminum bridge. The dogear P-90 pickup is wound plenty hot at 8.9k ohms, sensitive to picking dynamics with thick midrange bark, focused low end and great treble detail. Professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar and currently strung with 10-46 strings, this Les Paul SG features low action and easy playability.

Neck Specs:

-Wood: Honduran mahogany
-Shape: Medium C, measuring .830” 1st fret, .890” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Brazilian rosewood, lightly rolled edges, dot inlay
-Frets: Medium jumbo, full factory height, faint wear beneath the plain strings on frets 1-3
-Scale Length: 24 3/4”
-Nut: 1 11/16”, nylon
-Tuners: Kluson Deluxe single-line strip, white buttons
-Serialization: Five-digit stamp

Body Specs:

-Wood: Honduran mahogany
-Pickups: P-90
-Controls: Volume, Tone
-Harness: Untouched solder, CentraLab pots date to 40th week of ‘61
-Hardware: Wraparound bridge/tailpiece, Maestro Vibrola (later '60s chrome-plated "spoon" arm)

The dogear P-90 pickup features a clean bobbin and original windings (metering at 8.9k ohms), and the solder joints are untouched on the harness, with the ceramic disc tone capacitor bridging the CentraLab pots which date to the 40th week of '61. The lightweight aluminum tailpiece is present, and the Maestro Vibrola can be bypassed if desired, with the bridge doubling as a wraparound tailpiece. The Vibrola is very clean with a smooth response and its Maestro foil sticker on the nickel-plated base. The chrome-plated Vibrola "spoon" arm, while also a vintage component, is the only non-original piece on the instrument. Stock plastic parts include the pickguard and pair of black bonnet knobs.

The gloss nitro lacquer finish is 100% original with no touch-up or overspray, and the Cherry color is strong and saturated, completely unfaded with zero "tan line" under the pickguard. The top is extremely clean, with one scuff that telegraphs across the guard and extends to the treble-side cutaway, one small ding by the knobs, and a small spot of wear below the fulcrum for the Vibrola. Central to the back there is very faint texturing from contact with a strap in the clear coat, with some scattered small dings across the back as well and a sliver of wear through the color coat on the back body edge just south of the control cavity cover. The gloss on the neck profile is clean and smooth, free of palm wear.

The original "alligator" chipboard case is included. The case features the original molded handle, functional latches and clean trim on the lid.