Special LP p90/p100's comparison

[Aware]

Hi again,

has anyone on here got a les paul junior special, the one with what i think now has p100's at the neck and bridge as apposed to p90's.I was wondering what kinda sound they kick out.Reason being, i've been told by my local dealer that if i want a clean sounding punchy lester, a junior special is what i'm looking for....not having had the chance to play one or see one i'm curious.He compared it to a strat crossed with a les paul but still keeping the gibson tone.Is this a fair comparison?
I've heard lennon played one, does anyone know what tracks he used it for.

thanks again

 

[r-senior]

Lennon played a Les Paul Junior Special? I thought the Junior Special was a relatively recent invention - an amalgamation of the 1950s Juniors and Specials?

John Lennon was more famous for a stripped Epiphone Casino with P90s. You can get the John Lennon Casinos from Epiphone USA or the bog-standard far-east version. If Gibson is your thing, the ES330 is the same animal.

I don't really have an opinion on P100s (I'm sure you'll find someone who does) but an upgrade to P90s should be straightforward I would have thought.

There was a review of the LPJS in the UK magazine guitarist a while back http://www.guitarist.co.uk/gear/gear_page.asp?ID=1649

 

[Ronny]

 

[TruelasDougblood]

Lennon's guitar was a Junior that somebody added another pickup too.

Back in the day, there was a single pickup "Jr" and a double pickup "Special". This was as it ever was, at least until some knuckle dragging lowlife in Gibson's marketing coined the name "Junior Special" for a two pickup guitar. I guess the concept was to "honor" the company history by trashing it. I'm really surprised that they didn't name the Melody Maker something like the "Melody Junior Special Deluxe"....

 

[garywright]

Lennon's guitar was a Junior that somebody added another pickup too.

Back in the day, there was a single pickup "Jr" and a double pickup "Special". This was as it ever was, at least until some knuckle dragging lowlife in Gibson's marketing coined the name "Junior Special" for a two pickup guitar. I guess the concept was to "honor" the company history by trashing it. I'm really surprised that they didn't name the Melody Maker something like the "Melody Junior Special Deluxe"....

..hold the mayo..add the Charlie Christian pickup..

 

[Aware]

thanks for the info, but my main question was related to the sound and not the history of the junior special, i don't really care if it's a new concept or not or an almalgamation of 2 guitars, i'm not a purist , i'm only interested in the kinda sound it has.

thanks again

 

[Brudr]

If you want "punchy", then a P90 equped Special will get you there. Stay away from the P100's! No life, no punch, no good..............

 

[Rickmon]

Yup, the P100s sound flat and lacking compared to the P90s.

Buy a Junior, or if you need 2 pups buy the Special and swap-out the 100s.

 

[Aware]

Where would i find 2 p90's would they be a straight swap over, ie no modding/holes to drill etc...

 

[Aware]

The P-100 is the equivalent of a good silent fart... lots of stink but sonically nothing.

nice analogy!

 

[1959burst]

hey aware i guess you were unaware that you posted this in the sunburst pub that is for gibson les pauls only. try posting it in the proper spot such as The Tone Zone
Topic area for dicussions about pick-ups, fx, speakers, cables, strings, pots, mods, etc. If it alters your tone, put it in the ZONE

 

[92118]

I have had two JR/Specials and worked on another. i am also not a purist, the end results are what matter. Having said that, you'll wanna change out the p-100s to p-90s. The 100s are kinda lifeless, not horrible, but the 90s are like - ahhhhh :dude They do have a bit of hum, whereas the 100s are quiet, but we're talkin tone here! Go to a music store and check out the 2 p'ups side by side and decide for yourself. It is an easy change-out to do yourself,.
I think the jr/specials are really nice axes, just solid mahogony slabs, all single piece, and a great deal, too!

 

[Slow Lane]

thanks for the info, but my main question was related to the sound and not the history of the junior special, i don't really care if it's a new concept or not or an amalgamation of 2 guitars, i'm not a purist , i'm only interested in the kinda sound it has.

thanks again

I've got a '95 Les Paul Special with P100s. I bought it new not knowing anything about P90s and P100s. I liked the sound of the guitar and it has no noise which has been great for some local venues that are plagued with RF. The P100s have a bit mellower/smoother sound than the P90s which I have on another guitar. But they're crispier than regular humbuckers. So....I'd say that the sound of the P100s are somewhere in between that of a P90 and a humbucker. I love 'em. But then, I love all my electrics!