N Jr D

[BGood]

Just came in last night ... finally.

​

First pictures (colors aren't great here). It' got a nicely figured top, plain but dirty and couldn't be more unsetupped. Intonation off the wall, high action, stiff pots, and ¼" of DNA all over. Seller didn't play it for sure, or sold it because it sounded off all the time.

There's work to do.

​

 

[BGood]

Ewww ... it's got a stacked P100 !

 

[Paruwi]

Seems like a lot of work....

 

[BGood]

Seems like a lot of work....

Not really, basically the same thing I do to all used guitars I buy, except maybe trying to find a great & cheap Soapbar.

 

[DigitalDreams]

Just came in last night ... finally.

View attachment 11349​

First pictures (colors aren't great here). It' got a nicely figured top, plain but dirty and couldn't be more unsetupped. Intonation off the wall, high action, stiff pots, and ¼" of DNA all over. Seller didn't play it for sure, or sold it because it sounded off all the time.

There's work to do.

View attachment 11350​

HNJrD BGood. I removed the stacked P-100 for a GFS dogear P90 in my Jr and even being a cheap ass PU was a huge improvement.

 

[BGood]

Thanks.
I have the GFS in my sight, but I'm also considering this one. They say: Comparable in sound to Seymour Duncan's Antiquity P90 Dog Ear.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/P90-DOG-EA...a=0&pg=2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

 

[Davis Sharp]

I'll wait to click "Like" until you've cleaned it up.

 

[BGood]

Forgot to specify that this is a set neck '57 Reissue, serial DW06.

 

[El cheapo]

That looks like money well spent! By the way, that GFS dogear P90 is excellent. Not just good for the money, good period.

 

[SirMilo]

Not really, basically the same thing I do to all used guitars I buy, except maybe trying to find a great & cheap Soapbar.

Congrats on the Junior.

IMO, half the fun is cleaning them up and making them play well although others may not agree. I will admit that receiving a clean guitar that needs nothing also has its moments.

 

[BGood]

First hurdle ...

As I started rubbing the back of the neck with Scotch Brite, paint was coming off. So very likely, it was repainted. There's a slight crack on the finish both sides of the truss rod channel. So neck might have had a crack or break repaired, but the job seem to be well done. Hard to get rid of overspray on headstock front and back though.

This is the risk you take buying used unseen. Maybe why it was only $275 CAD, but no fuss, it'll very likely be a keeper.

 

[SirMilo]

This is the risk you take buying used unseen.

Very true.
I found a few little surprises on my recent Special purchase that was more than acceptable for what I paid for the guitar.

As far as the repair goes, I once purchased an SG with a headstock repair. The repair never created any problems the entire time that I owned it. The sloppy overspray on yours is a bummer though.

On the pickup front, I've heard some pretty good things about the reasonably priced BYO pickups although I have no personal experience with them. Here's a vid link with the BYO Hurricane (P90) compared to a 50's LPJ. The actual comparison starts around 3:45.

http://www.guitargument.com/qa-bumble-bee-w-byo-hurricane-vs-1956-les-paul-jr_a4fb4351f.html

 

[BGood]

All cleaned up, two high frets down the neck had to be glued down. Have yet to intonate. I'll try shimming the P100, but I'm pretty sure a P90 will take its place.

First glamour photo.

​

 

[SirMilo]

It's looking really good now that you've spiffed it up a bit.

 

[driver8]

Cheap soapbars:

https://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and...c_Guitar_Pickups/Golden_Age_P-90_Pickups.html

A+

Stewmac >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> GFS

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Congrats and good luck. I had the same guitar, but the prior owner upgraded the wrap bridge and replaced the P-100 with a Seymour Duncan Antiquity P-90.

 

[BGood]

Congrats and good luck. I had the same guitar, but the prior owner upgraded the wrap bridge and replaced the P-100 with a Seymour Duncan Antiquity P-90.

I'm surprised that bridge works. Saddles are usually too high to get a decent action on an Epiphone.

 

[Sonny Wolf]

I bought one of those Epiphones back when they were released in the mid 2000s as a limited edition.It was a well built guitar and played nicely but I couldn't get the pickup high enough to the strings to get sufficient output.It sounded too thin because the strings were too far from the pole pieces even when I raised them and my Strat bridge pickup was ballsier which shouldn't be the case with a Junior!!Out of curiosity are you able to get a good ballsy tone out of it like a Junior should give you?I sold mine out of frustration.I did end up buying a Gibson limited edition in Junior 2018 and was able to get the pickup high enough closer to the strings to get that thick 'Tele on steroids' tone that a good Junior should deliver.Here is my 2018 Gibson:

 

[BGood]

Out of curiosity are you able to get a good ballsy tone out of it like a Junior should give you?

Nope, even with the pickup closer to the strings, it only sound shriller, not better. To raise it, I added a shim in the cavity, it reduced the space below the strings by half, so the cover now floats that same distance from the surface. I'll make or buy a shim for the incoming P90.

 

[BGood]

OK now ...

I know about the honeymoon thing with a new guitar, and all. But this thing is ... a monster or a mistress, depending.
Gnarly, sustain 'till tomorrow, fat full hand grab neck, incredible tuning stability, spot on intonation with minimalist wraparound, etc, etc. And I can't believe how that $21.99 Chinese Dog Ear sounds.

I keep shifting to my other guitars that sound great, but this one ...

​