Les Paul Junior from MF cures P90 GAS

badco33

badco33

New member
I had big-time GAS for a P-90 guitar but I didn't want to shell out big bucks for a Custom Shop model and don't really like the double cut specials. Although I don't normally buy guitars from MF I went ahead and got one of those Les Paul Juniors with the single dog ear P-90 pickup. It came yesterday and man this thing smokes. When I first took it out of the box I looked at it and thought man, there's not much to this thing, but then I plugged it in and wow!!!! I'm amazed at the tone and versatility from a one pickup guitar.

It doesn't have a completely happy ending though. The guitar had a ding and couple of scratches on it. I called MF and they are sending me a return shipping label . I talked to them about taking a few bucks off the one I have and I would keep it as is but they informed that they don't do that, they would issue a shipping label so I could return it and they would send out a new one.

Here's my problem, what if I send it back and then get a dud? This one has some mojo but who wants a new guitar with dings and scratches. With the cost of shipping and handling both ways you would think they would knock off $40 or $50 and call it even. Now it's decision time.
 
Re: Les Paul Junior from MF cures P90 GAS

KEEP IT

I did the same thing with LP Deluxe I ordered from them...had a couple cosmetic issues...absolute killer tone...

still kicking myself for that

dings/scratches are easily forgotten with great tone and playability

poor tone/playability never trumps "pretty"
 
Re: Les Paul Junior from MF cures P90 GAS

That's what I was thinking.

One thing I noticed after I played the guitar for about an hour was the tips of my fingers turned completely black. I don't know if it is because the strings are old on the guitar or if they put something on the fingerboard but I thought that was strange. I've had my fingers get a little discolored before but not completely black. Maybe it was the tone oozing out of it!!!
 
Re: Les Paul Junior from MF cures P90 GAS

That's odd. A buddy of mine has gotten goods from MF before that were scratched up and they knocked money off the price. However, that was a couple of years ago and their policy may have changed now. It's funny what you said about looking at the guitar and thinking their wasn'r much to it and then being blown away. I bought a SG Junior with a single P-90 in it a year and a half or so ago. I looked at it and felt the same way. Then I played it and it blew me away. I liked it so much that I got another one about a week later in a different color. When I first started playing those guitars my fingers got black as well. I think Gibson may blacken those fingerboards a bit with some kind of dye or something. Don't worry though, after you play it for a bit it'll quit doing that to you.
 
Re: Les Paul Junior from MF cures P90 GAS

Keep the guitar if it sounds great. You'll ding it up eventually anyhow, it adds mojo. Oh, by the way....anyone who posts about new gear without showing pictures should be banned......Scott?
 
Re: Les Paul Junior from MF cures P90 GAS

Jeff_H said:
Oh, by the way....anyone who posts about new gear without showing pictures should be banned......Scott?
Click to expand...

That's why I haven't posted about my new Explorer yet. I'm so lazy I haven't even taken any pics of it...lol
 
Re: Les Paul Junior from MF cures P90 GAS

Got one of those there LP Jr. myself and know exactly what you mean, they rock. Mine actually had what looked like some buckle rash on the back when I got it, but I loved it from the moment I touched it and couldn't part with it. Who really looks at the back anyway. I never had the fingers turning black thing though. Hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine.
 
Re: Les Paul Junior from MF cures P90 GAS

Now you have a LP Jr relic! Got a link to the model you got. I was thinking the same thing of getting one.
 
Re: Les Paul Junior from MF cures P90 GAS

Those Juniors are one of the few Gibbys it's ok to beat the heck out of...gives 'em character. You are just one ding closer!
 
Re: Les Paul Junior from MF cures P90 GAS

OK, I spent all weekend with her and I am definitely keeping it! I had some micro-mesh pads from StewMac so I lightly sanded some of the fine scratches and was able to polish most of them out. The ding is still there but that will be just one of many to come most likely.

I sold some guitar items on ebay last week so I bought a SD Antiquity Dog Ear pup. I put that in Saturday and the tone is just amazing. The Gibson pup was good but there is just something about those antiquities. They always add a special character to the tone. This guitar just rocks. It's probably a 3 piece body but who cares, the tone just oozes and it has sustain for days. There is something about that single wrap bridge that is just amazing.

As you can tell I'm really impressed with this thing. They lowered the prices to $649. Again, when you first pick it up it is kind of a let down cause it's light, plain, and has a flat top, but once you plug it in, oh my!!!!!!!.

I don't have a digital camera right now but if I'm able to get my hands on one I will post picks
 
Re: Les Paul Junior from MF cures P90 GAS

I've really, really been interested in getting one of these. The problem is I've NEVER played a junior! Matter of fact I've only played one p-90 guitar and that was a special and it wasn't even plugged in.
I just need to figure out the kind of tone it'll have, because I've been debating over the junior or a tele(I know what that sounds like!) for a while now.
I plan on using my next guitar for a more raw, southern rock, black crowes, humble pie type thing, and using it for slide. I enjoy a nice clean sound though!
 
Re: Les Paul Junior from MF cures P90 GAS

I bought mine without playing one either but I put a Phat Cat in my LP Studio so I knew I liked the P-90 vibe.

I think the Jr. would be right on the money for what you described (southern rock- Black crowes, Humble Pie). I have a tele with a Jerry Donahue Bridge pup, and the Junior kind of sounds like the JD on steroids. It is kind of close to a humbucker but has a very distinct sparkle to the sound. It's not as thick as a HB but has a nice full well rounded sound (not too ice-picky and not too deep or mushy). I haven't gigged or played it with a band yet but it will definitely "cut" through the mix better than a LP.

The first song I played on the jr. was Mississippi Queen since that's a song I know was recorded on a jr. and it is dead on for that sound. But it also has a great tone for Sweet Home Alabama and Jessica (those are songs I have backing tracks for and jammed on this weekend). I can also hear it having excellent tone for Humble Pie "I don't need no Dr." The dog ear is a single so there is some noise from the pup but I don't mind it. I don't play slide but I imagine it would be pretty good for that as well with the tone rolled off a little.
 
Re: Les Paul Junior from MF cures P90 GAS

Me thinks your signature needs an update. :)

I have a Schulte Jr with an unknown Duncan in it. These kinda guitars are such a cool flavor to play with. I found that mine sounds the best with the volume and tone on 7-7.5 rather than 10 with the Marshall JCM 800 2205 set at PA-8, MV-2, Pres-6.5, B-5, Mid-5, T-5. YMMV. :32:
 
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Re: Les Paul Junior from MF cures P90 GAS

Myself, I always liked the look of Nick Valensi's Epiphone signature - a Riviera with p94s (Gibson phat cat equivalents) in instead of buckers. He gets a pretty cool sound out of it, especially along with Albert Hammond's Strat alongside him.
 
Re: Les Paul Junior from MF cures P90 GAS

Sounds like a great guitar, man. Just one thing, though. It may have cured your GAS, but it made ours worse! But I guess that's ok, since I knew it would happen when I clicked on the thread.

I think you made the right decision keeping it, too. You'll learn to accept the ding as part of the guitar's character, but you'd never learn to accept a poor playing guitar.
 
Re: Les Paul Junior from MF cures P90 GAS

There is nothing better than a simple, toneful ,straight ahead guitar. A hunk of wood with a pickup!
Keep it simple, play your butt off!
 
Re: Les Paul Junior from MF cures P90 GAS

Keep it unless it is a structural issue. Good guitars are good guitars, Jr's aren't showboats, they're bang around Rockers.
 
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