'58-'60 LP Junior or Special..?

Bridgehouse

So I've got some cash burning a hole in my finest pair of jeans.

For a long while I've been considering investing in a '58, '59 or '60 LP Junior or Special. Double Cut I guess, but I quite like the single cuts too..

Question is, is it worth it, or should I be considering something else?

I don't have a LP of any type at the moment. I do have 2x Rics, 1x '72 Jaguar, 1x '65 Olympic, and a Strat Partscaster..

marantz1300

Humbuckers missing there.
Late 60's Les Paul would do it.

IvisonGuitars

In my experience a good 50's P90 will do everything a humbucker will do and more.

If you're looking for a nice, all original, no excuses '59 DC Junior, my old one is in the classifieds currently and @monoamine is a great guy to deal with.

Full disclosure - I only moved it along as it was too nice for me to take out and gig.

Bridgehouse

Thanks Chaps. 

My reservation about the Junior was the single pup - don't mind it being P90 - I like a good P90 - I think they have a bit more than a humbucker TBH, but I was more concerned about bridge only.. the Epi Olympic is bridge only and I don't want too many of them!

musicman100

Regarding is it worth it, only you can answer that question.
Imo prices of vintage gear is all over the place n it's so hard to actually know what is a good realistic price.
Vintage n expensive dose not always mean a guitar is good or any better than a newer/reissue.
Just my opinion but I wouldn't be in a rush to be spending that sort of money just because it's vintage.
For the best part all ur buying is mojo n then you have to ask yourself is it worth it. 

RandallFlagg

The single pickup single cut Juniors, sound meatier that the double pick up Specials when compared on some videos I have watched. I think Doug & Pat did some comparisons.

A single cut Junior is a guitar I wish I owned

 

Limehouse_Blues

miserneil said:

In my experience a good 50's P90 will do everything a humbucker will do and more.

Except buck the hum?

i love P90s but some can be noisy. Given the OPs existing stable I'd be after humbuckers in my first les Paul.

Bridgehouse

Limehouse_Blues said:

miserneil said:

In my experience a good 50's P90 will do everything a humbucker will do and more.

Except buck the hum?

i love P90s but some can be noisy. Given the OPs existing stable I'd be after humbuckers in my first les Paul.

It's not my first - I've had a few *blush*

Trotter

I regularly gig a 59 junior and really don't understand the concerns re: noise. Only a minor issue if you're standing for prolonged periods not playing in my experience and only the same as any other single coil guitar. 

Bridgehouse

@Trotter - I use the Epi Olympic a lot and it's a noisy single coil as well.. I can only imagine the P90 would if anything be better to be honest

Lebarque

One pup looks cooler, two is more useful. You pay yer money, you takes yer choices!

IvisonGuitars

Trotter said:

I regularly gig a 59 junior and really don't understand the concerns re: noise. Only a minor issue if you're standing for prolonged periods not playing in my experience and only the same as any other single coil guitar. 

Wisdom awarded. I have 3 50's Gibsons with P90's currently and play loud. I have no problems with hum or noise whatsoever.  

If you do decide to go for a double cut Special, go for a late '59 onwards after they moved the neck pickup out of the neck pocket, the early ones are notorious for having a very unstable neck join, its said you can bend them a up a whole tone by bending the neck....then it ends up in two pieces. 

peteri

I played a 59jr recently.

I don't have the £4000+ needed, but it's got me thinking.

The versatility using the tone and volume was unbelievable, and it felt great.

Get one!

Iamnobody

peteri said:

I played a 59jr recently.

I don't have the £4000+ 

I posted this elsewhere last week - I reckon it would be a great guitar going on his MLP reviews.

http://www.rosserguitars.com/available-1/2016-rosser-vintage-style-dc

I'm considering getting one of his single cuts...

There are of course UK builders who can do the same. I'm just working out the finances then going to order one from someone!

guitars4you

In terms of the prices paid for many other guitars from that period then LP Juniors and Specials represent outstanding value and certainly a good way to get into vintage models from a golden era without spending the prices of deluxe German motors - I was born 59 and looking at a DC LP Special soon - so I'm on your wavelength

Bridgehouse

I'm thinking seriously about this now. A 59 junior or later special would certainly tick the boxes... Ooof, time to look at what the budget is..

SteveRobinson

guitars4you said:

I was born 59 and looking at a DC LP Special soon - so I'm on your wavelength

I'm a '59er too and a 59 Special had always been my dream guitar. Could never afford a decent one though.

guitars4you

SteveRobinson said:

guitars4you said:

I was born 59 and looking at a DC LP Special soon - so I'm on your wavelength

I'm a '59er too and a 59 Special had always been my dream guitar. Could never afford a decent one though.

I saw a corker a few months ago - refin + head stock repair but by some margin the best I've played and I declined to buy it even though the price was spot on - The problem is I've not seen one since that makes me want to buy, even though clean and original etc as they don't play as well  I don't need to buy one but maybe one day cash will be lost from my account to buy the right one

Sassafras

The double cut is also one of the coolest looking guitars ever made.
They also sound great with P90s. A nice aggressive, raw sound.

IvisonGuitars

There was a member here @luscombe? who had a '59 TV Yellow double cut for sale. All the money but it does have the original Lifton case which is a bonus.

One thing I would say, is try as many as you can. I played LOTS of DC's before I settled on the '59 available here. I played a '60 which was the same money and to all intents and purposes the same guitar but it was an absolute dog.

Guitar Avenue have a couple listed currently but, and I have said it before here and in PM, (and i'm not on commission!) @monoamine Junior is one of the best sounding double cuts I've ever had the pleasure to play. Simple as.

In fact, f*ck it, i'm off to check my bank ;-)

guitars4you

Sassafras said:

The double cut is also one of the coolest looking guitars ever made.
They also sound great with P90s. A nice aggressive, raw sound.

your right but that neck pick up can be so luxurious and smooth - If Lindt chocolate made pick-ups they would make a P90 for the neck position