Not to be overlooked, this 1956 Gibson Les Paul Junior will not disappoint.

I think you’d agree that this guitar is quite something. The colour of two tone sunburst is vibrant, wonderfully contrasting the natural finish of the back. There are a few minor dings but nothing serious, the lustrous sheen of a new instrument preserved. The neck has a few minor knocks but again still retains that glossy finish, the mahogany grain showcased beautifully here. The fretboard and frets show very little signs of wear. The only real evidence of use is some fret wear on the first 5 frets on the treble side. There is still plenty of life left in them.

The plastics, as you’d imagine, are a in great shape and the electronics are untouched. In addition, there is no sign that any work has been carried out on the bridge which can sometimes be the case with juniors.

The guitar comes with a hardshell case 

This is the first year and one of the first of the Juniors with the revised and longer bridge studs that eradicate the problem of leaning bridges - all too common on 1954 and 1955 versions. This one also has the revised pickup position which means the piece of wood between the treble bridge stud and the pickup route will not crack!

There is a certain gravitas to the tone this instrument when comparing it to other juniors of similar vintage. It is not the lightest we have had here but the mass, plus the aforementioned position of the pickup in relation to the bridge also helps with this, reducing the shrillness of the treble strings. The controls are very responsive offering a wide palette of sonic options. This is a great sounding junior.

Everyone should try a Junior and this one should not be passed over. Looks and tone is always a winning combination at ATB Guitars, so grab this one whilst you can.