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Diuble cut Junior balance on strap

Tragg

Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2005
Messages
67
I have owned a 1960 Junior for many years. It has a great neck shape and sounds very good indeed but I find that it's head-heavy on the strap. It has Schaller tuners that were fitted before I acquired it. Could this be the cause of the problem or are Juniors noted for poor balance on the strap? I have always suspected it has something to do with the location of the strap button just below the heel. Any thoughts or possible solutions?
 

springhead

Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2016
Messages
262
I've got a '60 Special that is neck heavy. I've played a few other '59 and '60 DC Juniors and Specials, but only sitting down - not with a strap. Mine has Grovers which might be partly to blame, although you'd think maybe the slimmer and hence lighter '60 neck would help tip the balance back the other way toward the body.

I bought mine to play - gigs, recording etc. and it's not museum quality so I bit the bullet and moved the strap button to the top horn - like on a Strat. Very comfortable now.
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
They naturally are off balance. Needs the strap button on the upper horn. :)
 

toxpert

Active member
Joined
Jul 2, 2005
Messages
3,068
For my '58 double cut Junior, I use a strap with a suede finish to the surface that contacts my body.
The neck strap button remains in the original position behind the neck joint.

I have no problems with neck dive...
:dude:
 

lp59pete

Active member
Joined
Mar 6, 2003
Messages
1,390
For my '58 double cut Junior, I use a strap with a suede finish to the surface that contacts my body.
The neck strap button remains in the original position behind the neck joint.

I have no problems with neck dive...
:dude:

I do the same with my '59. Works great.
 

renderit

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,951
Dammit guys, threads is worthless wit out da pikchurs! 59. Grovers. Balanced as I am...

36302725782_37cda2cf0e_h.jpg

36302724992_2592980e54_h.jpg
 

latestarter

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 9, 2009
Messages
4,173
Yep, suede backed strap, or as Tom suggests, the strap button moved to the upper horn. And yeah - where are the photos?!
 

Tragg

Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2005
Messages
67
Thanks for the replies. Would fitting an additional strap button impact negatively on the guitar's value?
 

58burst

Active member
Joined
May 11, 2002
Messages
2,176
With my jr.'s, I always moved the strap button. Solves the problem. Guess I'm not a purist... :laugh2:
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
Thanks for the replies. Would fitting an additional strap button impact negatively on the guitar's value?

That has been a question for decades. To some people it will have a negative impact, and yet with others it could be a positive impact.
I would try the other strap ideas first. :)
 

lpcustom69

New member
Joined
Sep 23, 2014
Messages
89
Thanks for the replies. Would fitting an additional strap button impact negatively on the guitar's value?

Just add the other strap button, problem solved and gives a more normal feeling hanging there! I leave the old one on in the factory spot.
 

DEVILBAT

New member
Joined
May 17, 2002
Messages
1,679
This is the first real vintage guitar I ever bought, a 1959 Les Paul Junior that I bought at Guitar Trader in Red Bank, New Jersey in the very early 1980's (1981 or 1982) for $450.00

MPdle86.jpg


One of the reasons I bought it was that it already had Grovers installed and already had a strap pin professionally installed at the bass bout cutaway. Boy, this is probably the best modification ever for any 1950's Les Paul. And, at the time, these quite useful mods saved me about $100 off the price of a "clean, straight" one.
kHCRPSx.jpg

7hmUPCx.jpg

sroLFkE.jpg


And, get this....35 years and a couple of hundred or so gigs later, it's still doing the job
From 1982-opening for the newly formed "Smithereens"
KnsFmuF.jpg


This is a great '59 Junior with great balance, playability and sound.
No excuses for my look, playability and sound back then....We really ued to like to...umm...."indulge."
 

DEVILBAT

New member
Joined
May 17, 2002
Messages
1,679
Dammit guys, threads is worthless wit out da pikchurs! 59. Grovers. Balanced as I am...

36302725782_37cda2cf0e_h.jpg

36302724992_2592980e54_h.jpg

Great axe....check mine out w/the Grovers in the post above....I bought mine with a strap pin already installed on the horn.
 
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