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Questions Regarding ‘59 Junior With Stock Vibrato

BIG Dave

BIG Dave

Active member
Joined
Aug 18, 2001
Messages
2,421
I am looking at purchasing a ‘59 Junior with the stock Vibrato. I have not had the opportunity to examine the guitar first hand as of yet, so I’m currently working off pictures. The Vibrato unit appears to be attached to the body by three inline screws at the base of the Vibrato. The strings do not currently pass through the Vibrato, they originate at the Stop Bar Bridge and “top wrap”.

My questions are:
Can the Vibrato be easily removed by removing the three inline screws, or is it a more involved process than it appears?

Aside from the three screw holes left in the body, are there other telltale signs that the guitar had a Vibrato? Will there most likely be darker red paint where the Vibrato was originally?

Finally, are Vibrato-equipped Juniors normally valued less than comparable non-Vibrato equipped Juniors?

Thank you!
 
Tom Wittrock

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
BIG Dave said:
I am looking at purchasing a ‘59 Junior with the stock Vibrato. I have not had the opportunity to examine the guitar first hand as of yet, so I’m currently working off pictures. The Vibrato unit appears to be attached to the body by three inline screws at the base of the Vibrato. The strings do not currently pass through the Vibrato, they originate at the Stop Bar Bridge and “top wrap”.

My questions are:
Can the Vibrato be easily removed by removing the three inline screws, or is it a more involved process than it appears?

Aside from the three screw holes left in the body, are there other telltale signs that the guitar had a Vibrato? Will there most likely be darker red paint where the Vibrato was originally?

Finally, are Vibrato-equipped Juniors normally valued less than comparable non-Vibrato equipped Juniors?

Thank you!
Click to expand...

Was that vibrato available in 1959? Seems like it should have been the early Maestro Vibrola. :hmm

e3b8a24e72f348f5b15c2bf6beb2ef9a.jpg
 
Kris Ford

Kris Ford

New member
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Messages
4,003
3 inline screw mount sure sounds like post '62..(wanna say it came in with the lightning bar?), and then, first there is the spring mount:
(first in nickel then chrome from very very late '64/early '65)
vibrolashortspringmountnickelaged.jpg

And then the flange mount style, which came in '66 some time, always in chrome:
short-flangemount-nickel-new_1038.jpg
 
BIG Dave

BIG Dave

Active member
Joined
Aug 18, 2001
Messages
2,421
Tom Wittrock said:
Was that vibrato available in 1959? Seems like it should have been the early Maestro Vibrola. :hmm
Click to expand...

I believe I misread the serial number. I thought it was 9 9259. Looking closer at the pictures, I now believe it is 0 9259, making it 1960.
 
BIG Dave

BIG Dave

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Joined
Aug 18, 2001
Messages
2,421
Update - No real update. I emailed the owner on Friday, letting him know the Vibrato is not original to the guitar. I was going to travel to Florida where the guitar is located in March however work got in the way and I won’t be able to visit Florida until May. Not sure if the guitar will still be available in May. In the meantime, I’ll be looking locally (New England) for a ‘58 - ‘60 Junior.
 
BIG Dave

BIG Dave

Active member
Joined
Aug 18, 2001
Messages
2,421
Update. I received pics of the guitar with the Vibrato removed. I believe the appearance can be improved by inserting three short dowels that have been red-stained and lacquered into the three holes. Anyone know of a way to selectively fade the square area where the Vibrato was?

Also, I can acquire the guitar at a price I normally associate with a '59/'60 Junior that has a repaired neck break so I feel it's a good value. Opinions?

29496941_10215617363497438_4781180530519977425_n.jpg


29495816_10215617352217156_5763418583449179052_n.jpg
 
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