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NGD 4-digit '58 Junior

montesada

Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Messages
713
Just picked up this very clean '58.
All original except for the Badass bridge.
The only real flaw is some fade on the front...
2zdogo4.jpg

29vj8rq.jpg


a couple of hanger marks on the head, but no checking at all on the head or body...
2zhgj5y.jpg

nfoe4n.jpg


as expected, a soapbar under a sanded-down dogear cover. Almost certainly the first time the covers had come off...
2nvtedd.jpg


and nothing under the pickup
2cohs9g.jpg


original bumble-bee and pots...
do6kci.jpg


...feels like a piano when you strum it, so solid and mega sustain.
plus the hang-tag!
207nt01.jpg
 
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buyusfear

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 3, 2006
Messages
2,951
Awesome!

I love seeing these soapbar in disguise juniors.
Congrats!
 

buyusfear

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 3, 2006
Messages
2,951
Are these "soapbar in disguise juniors" common or unusual?

Uncommon enough that theres a thread here from a while back where a bunch of folks were unsure of their existence at first, and then realized that they did exist.
I'd love to see a few more pics more from the side profile showing the thickness of the dogear cover's ears.
 

montesada

Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Messages
713
It's sanded down basically to the bottom of the the tab reliefs...
2r43p5e.jpg


2nixrat.jpg
 
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montesada

Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Messages
713
They seem to be very common in the particular batch of 1958 Juniors that had [only] the 4 digit serial numbers.

This one fits into the known (6000-7000) range of numbers very nicely. It's in the 68xx range.
Sharper body edge, jumbo frets...
 

psigh4

Member
Joined
May 13, 2006
Messages
193
Buyusfear and TW: Thanks for the responses.

Montesada: Wonderful Junior. Congrats!! :salude
 

toxpert

Active member
Joined
Jul 2, 2005
Messages
3,068
My 4-digit 58 Junior with sharp edges has the narrow fret wire.
I received mine as a husk that had been stored away after stripped of hardware and finish (except serial number) back in the 60s. Mine has the vampire bite marks of soap bar screws in the pickup cavity.

image1_zpsfb7a88f6.jpeg
 

montesada

Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Messages
713
My 4-digit 58 Junior with sharp edges has the narrow fret wire.
I received mine as a husk that had been stored away after stripped of hardware and finish (except serial number) back in the 60s. Mine has the vampire bite marks of soap bar screws in the pickup cavity.

View attachment 5812

What range is the number in? Maybe we can narrow down the introduction of jumbo frets...
 

27sauce

Active member
Joined
Jul 9, 2007
Messages
4,415
What's the deal with the DC 58's with large frets? I thought they big frets first appeared in '59. Are there any DC's with small frets? I don't think I've ever seen any.

Awesome guitar, btw!
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
What range is the number in? Maybe we can narrow down the introduction of jumbo frets...

What's the deal with the DC 58's with large frets? I thought they big frets first appeared in '59. Are there any DC's with small frets? I don't think I've ever seen any.

Awesome guitar, btw!

There is definitely an overlap on when the fret size changed. Most double cut Juniors and Specials seem to have large wire [even 58s] and most single cut Juniors and Specials seem to have narrow frets [even 59s].
There are quite a few 59 Bursts with narrow frets. I know of at least one 58 Burst with the larger frets.
 

TM1

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
Lovely Junior!! I have a`59 Special and it had narrow frets on it when I bought it 25 years ago. They were pretty wore down too. I ended up refretting it right away as it was barely playable with those worn out small, narrow frets.
 

montesada

Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Messages
713
Curiosity got the better of me today, so I opened up the Junior to get the dates off the pots...

In the earlier thread about these '58s, TW mentioned his had pots dated the 41st and 44th weeks of '58....

mine does too! Exactly the same.

The tone pot is 41 and the volume is 44...
no8xlc.jpg

110jcd4.jpg
 
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