fernieite
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2010
- Messages
- 613
Well, I finally did it. I've been wanting one of these for quite sometime, since playing a few in vintage stores over the years. So, yesterday I bought a very cool 1963 Les Paul Junior! (SG) I was able to sell a bit of gear this past week...
Anyway, this one has Centralab pots dated the 21st week of 1963, (1346321) and a serial number of 1207XX. It's also a birth year guitar for me. The neck shape is very nice. I just measured the following - 1st fret .80" / 3rd .84 / 5th .88 / 7th .92 / 9th .96 / 12th 1.01 / 15th 1.04 / 17th 1.06. I like the feel - it's just right. And yes, it sounds killer! :yah
The cherry finish has faded quite a bit on the top, and has tons of finish checking all over. I've just cleaned it with Virtuoso cleaner and will do it again to get the final grunge off. The board looks quite nice and dark, but needs a cleaning too.
I've just emailed Dan (Danelectro) at Mojoaxe to get a replacement pickguard and bridge. The original bridge was in the non-original generic case, and some sort of butt ugly compensated bridge was installed. (I have a generation 1 Protector case, so I'll sell off the generic case) The original pickguard has shrunken at the holes and cracked. The nut maybe original, but it has been shimmed a bit higher for the slightly higher replacement bridge, I suspect.
The original tuners are gone, and it has a set of Gibson deluxe (made in Germany) white tipped pegs. They look like Klusons on the back and Grovers (with the nut and washer) on the front. I may want to get a set of original tuners or repros, if it's possible to put it back to stock. Conversion bushings maybe?
Is the Gibson logo under the finish on these? If so, I'd like to clean the headstock. I'm pretty sure the silk screened "les Paul junior" in on top of the finish, right? - So I'll avoid that area...
Sorry, I don't have any pictures yet. But, they'll come later...
Anyway, this one has Centralab pots dated the 21st week of 1963, (1346321) and a serial number of 1207XX. It's also a birth year guitar for me. The neck shape is very nice. I just measured the following - 1st fret .80" / 3rd .84 / 5th .88 / 7th .92 / 9th .96 / 12th 1.01 / 15th 1.04 / 17th 1.06. I like the feel - it's just right. And yes, it sounds killer! :yah
The cherry finish has faded quite a bit on the top, and has tons of finish checking all over. I've just cleaned it with Virtuoso cleaner and will do it again to get the final grunge off. The board looks quite nice and dark, but needs a cleaning too.
I've just emailed Dan (Danelectro) at Mojoaxe to get a replacement pickguard and bridge. The original bridge was in the non-original generic case, and some sort of butt ugly compensated bridge was installed. (I have a generation 1 Protector case, so I'll sell off the generic case) The original pickguard has shrunken at the holes and cracked. The nut maybe original, but it has been shimmed a bit higher for the slightly higher replacement bridge, I suspect.
The original tuners are gone, and it has a set of Gibson deluxe (made in Germany) white tipped pegs. They look like Klusons on the back and Grovers (with the nut and washer) on the front. I may want to get a set of original tuners or repros, if it's possible to put it back to stock. Conversion bushings maybe?
Is the Gibson logo under the finish on these? If so, I'd like to clean the headstock. I'm pretty sure the silk screened "les Paul junior" in on top of the finish, right? - So I'll avoid that area...
Sorry, I don't have any pictures yet. But, they'll come later...
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