Description
THIS GUITAR WAS RECENTLY SOLD AND IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
What makes this guitar special: A killer player's grade guitar & true road warrior! The '59 Junior is one of the best playing, best sounding vintage guitars on the market & this one is a real gem. It's got the tone, look & feel that vintage aficionados are after - upgraded tuners & bridge for better intonation; professionally refretted with bigger frets for a more dynamic playing experience; and the natural wear & tear that comes from over 50 years of being on the road! Companies like Fender charge a premium to 'relic' their Custom Shop guitars, but this one is all natural my friends - a true vintage, naturally aged American beauty with an ultra cool vibe! Professionally set up by us with fresh strings & low action, this is a definite must have for anyone who knows guitars. Do not let this one pass you by!
Cosmetic Condition: She's whipped! But in a good way. The way we like it - various nicks, chips, dents & dings; scratches, heavy checking & lots of finish wear. The original cherry finish has faded into more of a brown with some nice color variegation throughout. No cracks, breaks or repairs aside from a small crack in the tone knob, but the body & neck are true blue. A real beastly looking guitar, but what a cool look!
Neck: 1959 is THE magic year for Gibson necks - they were perfectly shaped! And this one is of course no exception. One-piece mahogany that fits like a glove & is super comfortable anywhere on the fretboard. Beautiful, dark Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with mother of pearl dot inlays. The 5th fret inlay is a replacement. There is some very light pitting in the fingerboard of the first few frets, but nothing that's noticeable while playing. As previously mentioned the guitar was refretted with bigger frets which feel like medium jumbos. There is some fret wear, but still plenty of life in them. The original tuners were replaced with vintage Grover Rotomatics. These offer a much better gear ratio & are a common upgrade. The good news is the original tuners are included with the guitar. The nut was of course replaced when the guitar was refretted & is 1 11/16" wide. Neck is straight with a 24 3/4" scale length & the truss rod is in good working condition.
Body: One-piece, double-cutaway, solid mahogany body. Ever wonder why these guitars are so resonant? It's that one-piece body. They just don't make 'em like this anymore. Upgraded, wrap-around bridge for better intonation, but like the tuners the original bridge is also included. Original, single-ply tortoise pickguard is in great shape with no cracks. The neck strap button was moved from its original spot just below the neck heel to the bass-side horn instead. Guitar weighs 7 lbs 14.3 oz.
Pickup: Original "dog ear" P-90 single coil with dynamite output - over 10K ohms! When guys in the industry refer to killer tone this is exactly what they're talking about! Master volume & tone controls with original black "top hat" knobs. The original jackplate was replaced with a metal one, but the pots, cap, solder & wiring are all original. All electronics are in perfect working condition.
Case: This model would have originally come with a faux alligator skin chipboard case. Over time those cases typically deteriorated from years of abuse. This guitar comes with a later period ('70s) Gibson hardshell case. The case is in about the same condition as the guitar - road worn, but serves its purpose well.
