Les Paul SG Jr. 1963
A Brief History of the Gibson SG
In 1954 Gibson Guitars introduced a new version of its venerable electric solid body Les Paul guitar. Dubbed the Les Paul Junior it was offered as a lower cost student guitar. The Les Paul Junior was a pretty basic slab body design with a standard sunburst finish and featuring one P-90 pickup with a simple wrap around stop tail piece. The Les Paul Jr also featured Kluson 3x3 strip tuners and a simple dot inlayed finger board.
With the growing popularity of TV, Gibson introduced an alternative finish called "TV Yellow" which essentially appeared as a soft white without washing out as complete glare on early black and white television.
In 1958 Gibson introduced a new Les Paul Jr model with a double cut away body style. It retained the slab body style and the single P-90 pickup.
In 1961, Gibson redesigned the Les Paul Junior again, this time with a thinner, lighter weight body featuring 2 sharp (but sculpted) cutaway horns that make the upper frets more accessible. This body style featured a total body sculpting that gave the guitar very fluid lines and a bit more sex appeal!
This new guitar design proved to be quite popular and Gibson gained a whole new group of advocates, especially in the ranks of the Rock guitarists. The guitars namesake however, (the renowned guitarist Les Paul) didn't like the new design and asked to have his name removed from the guitar.
Gibson renamed the model the "SG" which designated "solid guitar."
Although Les Paul's name was officially removed from the SG model in 1961, the plastic Les Paul nameplates (positioned between the rhythm pickup and fingerboard) were in abundance in the Gibson factory and SG models having these nameplates were built and sold by Gibson up to end of 1963.
Since its initial market release in 1961, the Gibson SG has gained huge popularity among guitarists of all levels and professional, world-class artists around the world. The likes of Pete Townsend (who likely has smashed more SGs then anyone in the known universe) Frank Zappa, Eric Clapton, Tony Iommi, Angus Young, and many others.
1963 Gibson Les Paul SG Jr.
A vintage piece of Rock and Roll History!
Extremely rare only 377 made in 1963 in white nitrocellulose finish
Absolutely pristine, 100% original condition, in white.
Guitar Collector Market Values:
- 100% original pristine condition
$10,000 to $15,000
- 100% original excellent condition
$ 5,500 to $ 8,500
- 100% original very good
$ 2,500 to $3,500
Les Paul SG Jr. 1964
My First Rig in 1964
It was 1964 right on the heels of my 16th Birthday when my dad walked in with this sweet, sweet 1964 Gibson SG Jr. and a lightly used 15 watt Fender Princeton amp.
Initially I was completely 'stoked' beyond belief, what a cool dad he was!
Well, after a few lessons and hours upon hours spent with my 45 RPM record player (yes there was life before CDs and MP3) I decided I played well enough to form a band.
I think we called that first band; The Nomads, or was it The Henchmen, or maybe The Dogs, or was it really Mike and the Mustangs? Well, whatever it was I know we had all of those names within the course of just 18 months.
Now, because I was 16 I believed that we all played really well . . . especially me! And because I was now a 17 year old, I really did know EVERYTHING! So of course I knew my "pristine Gibson SG Jr" was lame! After all . . . it only had one pickup and no vibrola. And my cherry Fender Princeton was a shrimp!
How could my dad be so un-cool to buy this stuff? So . . . in my infinite brilliance (that we all have at 17) I traded my "pristine (all ready a collectible) Gibson SG Jr" away for a piece of garbage 1970's something, Japanese slab of wood that they cleverly marketed as a guitar!
1964 Gibson SG Jr.
1964 SG Jr in white nitrocellulose finish.
Absolutely pristine, beautiful player.
100% original condition, in white.
Guitar Collector Market Values:
- 100% original pristine condition
$10,000 to $12,000
- 100% original excellent condition
$ 5,500 to $ 8,500
- 100% original very good
$ 2,500 to $3,500
Les Paul Jr. 1956 & 1961
1956 Gibson Les Paul Jr.
Sunburst
The basic slab body Les Paul Jr. introduced in 1954 as a lower cost student guitar.
Body : Slab Mahogany
Neck : Mahogany
Fingerboard : 22 Fret Rosewood
Scale : 24 3/4"
Inlays: Pearloid Dot
Tuner : Kluson
Pickups : P-90
Pickguard : Black plastic
Controls : 1-Volume 1-Tone
Bridge : Hard Tail
Finish Color: Sunburst
Guitar Collector Market Values:
- 100% original pristine condition
$8,500 to $10,000
- 100% original excellent condition
$ 6,800 to $ 8,200
- 100% original very good
$ 3,000 to $5,600
1961 Les Paul Jr in Transparent Cherry nitrocellulose finish
Considerably good condition for it's age. A very nice, vintage Gibson with only moderate dings, scrapes, and scratches. This guitar is also a great light weight player with sweet tones. 100% original condition.
Body : Mahogany
Neck : Mahogany
Fingerboard : 22 Fret Rosewood
Scale : 24 1/2"
Inlays: Pearloid Dot
Tuner : Kluson 3x3
Pickups : P-90
Pickguard : red tortes style
Controls : 1-Volume 1-Tone
Bridge : Hard tail
Finish Color: Transparent Red
Guitar Collector Market Values:
- 100% original pristine condition
$7,500 to $9,000
- 100% original excellent condition
$ 6,500 to $ 7,500
- 100% original very good
$ 4,500 to $6,500
Les Paul SG Jr. 1965 & 1967
1965 Gibson SG Jr.
1965 Gibson SG Jr.
Body : Mahogany
Neck : Mahogany
Fingerboard : 22 Fret Rosewood
Scale : 24 3/4"
Inlays: Pearloid Dot
Tuner : Kluson Deluxe
Pickups : P-90
Pickguard : Black Revealed Edge
Controls : 1-Volume 1-Tone
Bridge : TPBR-8513 Viblora
Finish Color: Transparent RedGuitar
Collector Market Values:
- 100% original pristine condition
$3,500 to $4,500
- 100% original excellent condition
$ 2,200 to $ 3,000
- 100% original very good
$ 1,200 to $1,800
1967 Gibson SG Jr.
1967 Gibson SG Jr.
Body : Mahogany
Neck : Mahogany
Fingerboard : 22 Fret Rosewood
Scale : 24 3/4"
Inlays: Pearloid Dot
Tuner : Kluson Deluxe
Pickups : P-90
Pickguard :"Bat Wing" Revealed Edge
Controls : 1-Volume 1-Tone
Bridge : TPBR-8513 Viblora
Finish Color: Transparent Cherry
Guitar Collector Market Values:
- 100% original pristine condition
$2,500 to $3,000
- 100% original excellent condition
$ 1,800 to $ 2,200
- 100% original very good
$ 1,000 to $1,600