• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

very rare 1960 LP Junior TV lefthand

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
Hi Fred :eek:la

I am just home, and have not had time to get my photos yet [felt the need to catch up here, and in the shop].

It was great to meet you and check this beauty out in person. I am sure a few of my pics will be worth posting.
Stay tuned!

:salude
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
Joe, TW,

Is this the only lefty jr you have seen or heard of?

This is not a Junior. It is a TV Model. It is the only left handed TV I can remember ever seeing, especially a double cutaway version.

I have seen left handed Juniors.
 

JJ Jones

Active member
Joined
Sep 28, 2001
Messages
1,260
As it is a 1960 TV, it is an SG TV. Like the Specials Gibson changed the name and therefore - no silk screen logo.
 

kthesheep

Active member
Joined
Aug 5, 2004
Messages
2,218
Technically it should have 'Les Paul TV Model' on the headstock but like MF said, some '60s didn't have the silkscreen.

I assume that it has the correct lefty side dots as well as the righty side dots?
I would agree, That's probable the case.:salude
 

Steve Craw

Formerly Lefty Elmo
Joined
Sep 9, 2004
Messages
5,295
I've been archiving left handed 50s Les Pauls for twenty-three years now, and this is the only double-cut Junior I've ever heard of. I know of four DC Specials, two 59s, and two from 1960, and at least as many single-cut Juniors and Specials, but this baby is the first of it's kind to my knowledge. Thanks for sharing her!
 

MikeSlub

Administrator
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
15,166
As it is a 1960 TV, it is an SG TV. Like the Specials Gibson changed the name and therefore - no silk screen logo.

It is clearly not an SG - shape or designation. During 1960 and even into early 1961 the factory was still calling them LP Juniors and LP Specials - and this occurred even in the early period after they switched to the SG style body! I have the original shipping log from my '61 Special that is clearly an SG body, but designated as a "Les Paul Special" in the shipping log. :hank

Very cool guitar and great story - thanks for sharing! :dude:
 

JJ Jones

Active member
Joined
Sep 28, 2001
Messages
1,260
My only vintage Gibson is a 1960 Special. Therefore I have tried to find as much info about it as possible. It is not an "iconic" guitar like other Gibsons so there is very little written about them.
But when I have found something it has been referred to as an SG Special. Same thing with the TV's. I know it is in "Gibson The Classic Years" and in "American Guitars". I'm not saying you are wrong and I am right, it's just what I've read. I haven't a lof of hands on experience like the rest of you. :) :salude
 

MikeSlub

Administrator
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
15,166
854_p13595.jpg
 

j45

Active member
Joined
Jun 14, 2002
Messages
9,081
It is clearly not an SG - shape or designation. During 1960 and even into early 1961 the factory was still calling them LP Juniors and LP Specials - and this occurred even in the early period after they switched to the SG style body! I have the original shipping log from my '61 Special that is clearly an SG body, but designated as a "Les Paul Special" in the shipping log. :hank

Very cool guitar and great story - thanks for sharing! :dude:



It actually is an SG TV. Not what we call an SG but the Gibson catalog did in 1960 (and price list as early as Nov. 1959):

TVCatalog.jpg


1959 Price List
59pricelist2jpg.jpg
 

MikeSlub

Administrator
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
15,166
It actually is an SG TV. Not what we call an SG but the Gibson catalog did in 1960 (and price list as early as Nov. 1959)

So they obviously didn't tell the folks handling the shipping ledgers to change the model name. The marketing people out of sync with the production people, once again.
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
In actuality, the change of names was overlapped, by part of Gibson using the old terminology, while another part of Gibson used the new terminology [SG].
I would say both are correct. :salude
 

j45

Active member
Joined
Jun 14, 2002
Messages
9,081
I would never call a DC '60 TV model an "SG" myself just out of tradition. The only point I was trying to make is that the name SG was originally given to the big slab body DC's before the "traditional" SG's were in production. The name carried over to the new design and then finally stuck to the thinner "SG's". It did not signify a change in shape or design.
 

sunburst1

Active member
Joined
Sep 3, 2002
Messages
3,989
I would never call a DC '60 TV model an "SG" myself just out of tradition. The only point I was trying to make is that the name SG was originally given to the big slab body DC's before the "traditional" SG's were in production. The name carried over to the new design and then finally stuck to the thinner "SG's". It did not signify a change in shape or design.


& that was due to Les Paul's contract with Gibson thus the name change at or around that time , No?
 

Sean

Goldie's Man in London
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
2,021
Wow, thanks for sharing the great photos and story, you're a lucky guy!

I feel like I'm waiting for a bus, none for ages then three come along :)
 

Mcloudnine

New member
Joined
Jan 31, 2003
Messages
529
And they dropped the LP name at different times for the different models. I think the Special was first and the JR was one of the last to lose the LP designation.
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
& that was due to Les Paul's contract with Gibson thus the name change at or around that time , No?

The contract ran out sometime in 1962, 10 years after it started.
The name changed at different times for different models. :)
 

MapleFlame

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 3, 2005
Messages
14,044
Now this thread is what the forum is about and what I love. Thank you guys for educating us. Bits and pieces make a very nice puzzle in tact.
 

sgtvjr

Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2008
Messages
78
I have a 1960 LP TV Junior a 1960 LP TV Special and a 1961 SG TV Junior (thin body) all with no silkscreen logos. Right handed.
 

VirtualJazzbo

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2005
Messages
326
You know, the little vintage advertisements and booklets don't lie, but I find it screwy that Gibson changed the name from "Les Paul TV model" to "SG TV" in 1960, when clearly the man's contract had not expired and the traditional SG body had not yet been introduced. Assuming those facts and timeline are true, what was Gibson's impetus for changing the name to something like "SG" when Gibson could clearly still use the Les Paul name AND the guitar appears identical to a 59 Les Paul TV model. Am I missing something?

That's akin to introducing the 2009 R9s and instead of calling them Les Paul historics, advertising them as BGs or XMs or something.
 

Electric Lloyd

Active member
Joined
Feb 5, 2005
Messages
3,500
I have a 1960 LP TV Junior a 1960 LP TV Special and a 1961 SG TV Junior (thin body) all with no silkscreen logos. Right handed.

:welcome to The Forum, & it sounds like you have a nce collection of the guitars we love so much around here! I hope you'll start a post & include some pics of your babies!:salude
 
Top