Same goes for a plain traditonal solid state or tube amp. There are many digital amp modelers with tons of good effects nowadays. But i always find myself tweaking with them and not really getting any playing done. Through the years i find that the more gears i have , the less creative i become. Too much options leaves you thinking and trying to get the optimal tone that will never satisfy you. Simplicity has its advantage.
Oh yes...been there also, but with one of those All-In-One multi effects pedals. Spend most of my time just endlessly "experimenting' but really not getting anything useful done...it just had to go. Straight into a decent valve amp sounds so much more vibrant - but acknowledging that we need a little help here and there, I went for individual pedals (analoguewhere possible). However, I found myself gradually drifting back into the badlands of over-complexity, so I recently stripped my pedal board right back to the basic necessities - now I am back to playing and really exploring what my guitars and amp can really do. It's fun.
I've been speaking Spanish daily for 30 years now, since I moved to Mexico. I still have an accent. It's not a question of pronunciation or articulation, it's more a question of rhythm. I still use the same rhythm in my sentences as in French, my native language. You can change instruments, but your hands still "pronounce" the phrases in the same way. I think what's important here is how you feel. Does it feel good ? Oh yeah ! Grab it, period.
@@majwilsonlion Not the same, much cleaner without the signal going through the switch, extra wiring,…….not to mention the extra magnetic pull on the strings from the second pickup. I also use a no load tone pot. Very pure signal compared to a traditional tele setup.
Great opening Jam. I have a ‘64 SG Jr that I’ve had since ‘66. I went looking for an affordable single pickup guitar and bought an Eastman SB55DC with a Lollar pickup. I’m impressed, it was well worth the investment.
one of my favorite LP Jr. tones were on the recordings of Jethro Tull, Martin Barr used LP Jr almost exclusively in the early albums, Aqualung the solo was such great tone, along with Locomotive breath, Teacher etc.
While the opening jam was fantastic, the jam with the '60 Melody Maker was phenomenal! Your touch is amazing and I couldn't get over the sustain. So happy to hear you've opened up to single pick-up guitars.
I agree with you 100%. I started with a Strat with 3 single coil pickups. Over time, I modded in many different ways. It now has one Humbucker in the Bridge location, and that has been liberating. I ride both the Volume and Tone Pots. 😎 The Bridge is the most harmonically rich location for a Pickup, as far as overtones go, and that provides with the widest options in tone/timbre. Some Pickup Switches can bleed the sound of one Pickup into another, causing some degree of "Phasing" between the Pickups. This can be easily tested by setting the Pickup Selector to one Pickup, and tapping on the pole pieces of the other Pickup with a metal paperclip. If you hear the tapping from the pickup, it's bleeding sound. Another thing to consider is if you use a Modeler, having multiple Pickups can be detrimental because you typically dial in the perfect Preset on a particular Pickup, and switching to a different can compromise that tone.
Another great video. Thanks. I've put many hours and years on my '57 Gibson es 225. Single p90, plain and simple. Like many have said, it's not the guitar but the hands and fingers making it sing. Your fingers make mine sound like fingernails on the chalkboard.
Chris apart from the education you give with your Friday fretworks the main thing you give is the urge to play my guitar, your style , your sound your passion makes me me want to play and do nothing else you are an inspiration and a down to earth guy that makes me love playing more and more , Thank you Buddy
The biggest thing that playing a single pickup guitar for a while taught me was that guitars with multiple of the same style of pickup is more for speed and convenience than actually getting more sounds. You can make the bridge pickup sound like the neck pickup by rolling back volume and tone, but it's quicker to just slap the switch. That made me prioritize a humbucker/P90 guitar over two humbuckers or two P90s.
Yaaas. Been playing LP juniors exclusively for the last 4 years, and I view it almost like an acoustic guitar. It is what it is, and it is exactly what you make of it. Love it 💛
A Tele with only the bridge pup is quite a tone machine when you trick out the wiring. I've seen them with 1meg ohm pots for Volume, no-load pots on the Tone and Varitone cap switch on the three way. It's amazing what you can squeeze out of that thing into a tube amp but I really had to ride the tone and volume controls. Wanted one every since I played that guitar.
I love single pickup guitars! I've had several variations in the past, and currently own an Eastman SB55DC/v and a Gibson Les Paul Junior. Having a good intonated bridge really adds to the guitars sound and playability. I like the Faber bridge on the Eastman, and added a Music City Bridge to the Junior.
I sold my Eastman last week. It was a great guitar, but I found a Collings 290 with wraparound bridge and parallellogram inlays, and I’ve been wanting one since I was stupid and sold the one I owned in 2017. I’m happy that Eastman gets more and more recognitions out there.
I am sure I'm one of many who really like the sounds you are making when your fingers touch the strings! I don't have a valuable vintage guitar but I love my 1979 Yamaha SL500! As for single pick up guitars you proved they can sound awesome!
The playing on this vid was just killer!! And yup. Spent 20 years overlooking the Junior / 1 Pickup thing. Figured it was a novelty. But always wanted one in my collection for Nostalgia. Got an amazing Murphy Lab '58 Junior late last year. Holy smokes! The tones are great. Chords just bloom. But its also inspiring in a really different way. Can't really explain it. It's almost like the guitar is filled with undiscovered riffs. It makes my brain wanna do that thing. Regardless, thanks for always kicking out sick videos 🙌🏻
An anecdote I found on the net regarding the meaning of TV yellow. Not the meaning that we all know, but actually that it was to be a response to Fender Telecaster. That being said there is (for me) something similar between a tele and a Les Paul Junior or Special. They are basic electric guitars as opposed to Strats or 335 or Les Paul Standards. That being said I do enjoy your videos. Beside being an incredible player, you show some passion and know what you are talking about.
I have a Gibson Melody Maker from the 1960s and I love the tone and sustain of the little beast. The lone single coil on the axe gives it a nice no-nonsense tone and eliminates the hassle of dialing in multiple pickups.
Wonderful Friday Fretworks, as expected (as always). You’re not only such a gifted and dynamic player - you are exceptional with your spoken content. Always on point and beautifully lit and filmed/edited. So glad I discovered your channel a few years ago and am excited to see your channel blow up, as it certainly deserves to. Thank you, Chris, for your excellent content. Cheers from Texas, US 🙏
I put together a Steampunk themed Cabronita style 1 pick-up guitar as an experiment. It is great fun on stage but I love teaching wirh it and showing students how the tone control and hand position can make dramatic changes.
it's funny to me how every 'debate' about jr's revolves around versatility. What I know is that since I bought my Gibson Jr, I haven't played anything else since. The whole point is to just play more, speak through your guitar, don't worry so much :)
good question. I don't really know, and I've been giving it some thought because I find it an interesting question. I think maybe... that happens automatically because as a guitarist, you're always trying to get the best, dynamic, most meaningful sound out of your instrument that sits in the mix and suits the song right?
The guitar tech at my local guitar shop says people bring in these crazy 10 or 12 way switches to get the most sounds from their guitars… and they end up with maybe three settings that sound good.
What can you say about the playing that hasn’t already been said!? I’ve been waiting months for Gibson to announce a 70th anniversary Les Paul Junior but so far I’m still waiting… in hope!
I'm here for this, the Friday video! Chris, without a doubt, you are the finest soulful expression of what playing guitar is all about! Your choice of notes is off the charts, and when you 'dig in' the whole thing lights up! Thank you for Fridays, Chris!
i have a 62 double cut melodymaker. it sounds great and very different compared to any of my prs, fender, etc. perfect for rock and can actually do many other styles if you ask it nicely. that model was my borrowed first guitar about 50 years ago when i started. my wife bought it for me for my 60th birthday in 2022. she is always doing what's best for me.
Jesus Chris, that intro was the best tone I've ever heard from you 😮 I'm definitely in the category of people who "just didn't get it", in regards to the single-pickup guitars. That was until I found a Japanese Tokai DC Jr. in TV Yellow, for an awfully good price used. It's scary how good that guitar is, especially with the electrics swapped for better stuff, a Faber bridge and a Lollar Dogear. All in all, i have under 750£ in that guitar 😍
That intro, all I can say is allemachtig! (It's a Dutch word we use for a myriad of reasons. Just like "Fuhgeddaboudit" from the film "Donnie Brasco"). We recently went to a vintage guitar expo and I think I saw some of the guitars you featured. I also saw a guitar with a label "Chris Buck pickup". That was cool to see 😁
I do own a epiphone 57 RI which is my recommandation for buying a Junior on a budget. I also have an Esquire and only using the bridge humbucker of my strat. The tone and Volume Controls offer so much possibilities.
Hey Chris, I got a melody maker & took it to a dep gig as a string breaker. Never been more embarrassed as it managed to pick up every local taxi firm & broadcast it through the PA. Fitted a Kinman noiseless P90 instead of the half humbucker (radio aerial ) and now its a beast!!!
Of course, some of us just tend to like neck pickups better. Has ANYONE ever made a neck-pickup-only solid body electric? Never seen one. I used to be a Strat guy, and thought Teles to be too limiting. My main guitar is now a very Tele-Thinline-esque St. Blues 61 South, a criminally underrated guitar, one with the greatest sounding P-90s (in the neck position) that I've ever heard. I learned that 2 is better than 3 for my main go-to axe, but without a single-neck-pup guitar, I doubt my main squeeze will change to a single pup axe. Of course, it'd be lovely to have an LP Jr. in my stable...
I just thought the same thing. I have p90 that I need to build a guitar out of. single bridge is p standard but wouldn't single neck be more balanced and flexible? two things. weren't the first jazz archtops neck only? and whats the effective difference between neck vs bridge with tone rolled off? is it midrange? just food for thought
"Liberating or limiting?", watched you play that junior for 5 seconds and was sold on liberating, thought about me having a go and realised, its not the guitars capabilities but your own. Truly amazing playing. Recently really been thinking about a junior and seeing one that beautiful with it looking worn in really makes me want one more and more
Thanks for another great episode, your playing is so inspiring. But what I also love is the backing tracks: I wouldn't mind an episode where you explain how you create those, as they are epic in their own right...
Someone also worth mentioning who is a Les Paul Junior playerChris is Mark Abrahams of Wishbone Ash. Check out what he can do with one pick up on the live version of Phoenix. Outstanding!
First time I saw, heard a ( I think double cut) LP junior live was the guitarist of Johnny Kidd and the Pirates probably around 62-63- incredible tone - like on “Shakin all over”. I thought ‘what is that great guitar’, had never seen one before that , Plenty since!
I find a one pickup p-90 guitar to be very versatile. Beyond the tonal tweaks with volume and tone it forces me to be a better player. To use dynamics more to clean then strike hard to roar. It really helps you learn how much tone comes from your hands.
A interesting mod for those who like to color the tone with the volume control is a reverse treble bleed with a low value cap wired to the opposite lugs as a treble bleed. You get some really interesting tones that way by slightly backing off the volume. Personally I hate treble bleed circuits as they do the opposite of what I want to hear backing the guitar down. Adding a cap that way is similar to the capacitance of a long cable.
I'll have to get my Samick Linda (single pup, sort of inspired by the LPJ) off the wall afer hearing this. Thing is, it has no tone control, so to avoid spoiling its minimalist aesthetic, I've put one on the access plate at the back. Maybe I'll have to rethink this… great video as always, an essential friday night visit!
I must admit I hadn't taken much notice of LP Juniors until I saw Mark Abrahams play his DC '59 Junior, with Wishbone Ash, last year. Fantastic sounding instruments. His is stock apart from a better intonating bridge.
First off, gorgeous playing as usual, and just a great sounding guitar. T'be honest, to me the best sounding rock and blues guitars I've heard by far have been the Les Paul Juniors and the early Fender Esquires with the Broadcaster bridge pickups. However, it does seem to me that people are hesitant to approach the problem of making these guitars something that can be tuned. It would be interesting to see you do a video on an Esquire with a traditional bridge versus having it with a Mastery bridge which allows you to keep it in tune with modern round wound strings (unwound G, of course). And then it might even be even _more_ interesting to see you do a demonstration of a Les Paul Junior with a traditional bridge versus having it with a Hipshot BabyGrand bridge which should keep it in tune no matter what strings you use. Maybe these bridges don't sound as good. Maybe that's why they're not used as much as I would think they'd be. Who knows? If people heard these things next to each other then they could make up their minds for themselves.
I've been exklusive to juniors for a few years now and no, you can't get a neck pickup type sound, but once you get a hang on the volume/ tone interaction you'll find that you always find something that fits where you would otherwise use the neck pickup... and it makes you focus on the playing and tone you CAN get... just do it...
My friend and I have the gamut of guitars, and the best rig is his Epiphone Les Paul Junior with P90s, through a 50 Watt Peavey and 4x12 Marshall 1960 cab. Goodness, that's a powerful sound!
The Gordon Smith GS1-60 is a faultless single pick-up guitar if you can't find an affordable Gibson. The GS1-60 is so-called because it's based on the 1960 LP Junior.
My God, that opening jam is the definition of TASTY🤤
You should hear the version he did of it on an earlier episode on a 335 - incredible!
@@NoBSMusicReviews I definitely will, thanks! Haven't watched guitar related content in a while now😅
I'm drooling, as usual with Chris! Perfect melodic genius!
I couldn't agree more! Killer playing 🤘🏻⚡️🎸
That opening jam ripped my soul apart in the best way possible...
He played (I think) an even better version of it on this episode: The End of Gibson's 'Golden Era'?
Next Friday: Chris plays a tennis racquet and makes it absolutely sing.
😅😂❤
🎾🎤🎶👍
It's those hands. No matter what he plays it will sound great.
@@mannyruiz1954 For sure. Chris is so gifted.
I'm sitting here listening and watching your numbers rapidly rise. I can't imagine any guitar not sounding great in your hands. You are the beast!
That's the problem it doesn't tell much about the guitar.
I bought a LP/SG Junior in 1967 - it was brilliant, and made me into a musician. Still am, 58 or so years later.
Same goes for a plain traditonal solid state or tube amp. There are many digital amp modelers with tons of good effects nowadays. But i always find myself tweaking with them and not really getting any playing done. Through the years i find that the more gears i have , the less creative i become. Too much options leaves you thinking and trying to get the optimal tone that will never satisfy you.
Simplicity has its advantage.
Oh yes...been there also, but with one of those All-In-One multi effects pedals. Spend most of my time just endlessly "experimenting' but really not getting anything useful done...it just had to go.
Straight into a decent valve amp sounds so much more vibrant - but acknowledging that we need a little help here and there, I went for individual pedals (analoguewhere possible).
However, I found myself gradually drifting back into the badlands of over-complexity, so I recently stripped my pedal board right back to the basic necessities - now I am back to playing and really exploring what my guitars and amp can really do. It's fun.
How true..,.
The thing about a modelling amp… what does it sound like itself, when it's not pretending to be something else?!
ONE OF THE MOST INSPIRING PLAYERS IVE EVER SEEN ABSOLUTE 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
That jam on the Melody Maker was killer.
I've been speaking Spanish daily for 30 years now, since I moved to Mexico. I still have an accent. It's not a question of pronunciation or articulation, it's more a question of rhythm. I still use the same rhythm in my sentences as in French, my native language.
You can change instruments, but your hands still "pronounce" the phrases in the same way. I think what's important here is how you feel. Does it feel good ? Oh yeah ! Grab it, period.
this is a wonderful illustration. . . thanks!
Perfect.
You it's Chris playing straight away by "accent"... Like all great player's
Couldn't be better explained.
What a fantastic analogy, thank you
You playing that 50's junior definitely proves that versatility is there for real...
I've been speaking English since I was a kid and I still have an accent
Recently converted my Tele to an Esquire. Couldn’t be more pleased with the result. So refreshing to have just one pickup to deal with.
Could you not have just positioned the switch to operate only one pickup?
@@majwilsonlion Not the same, much cleaner without the signal going through the switch, extra wiring,…….not to mention the extra magnetic pull on the strings from the second pickup. I also use a no load tone pot. Very pure signal compared to a traditional tele setup.
I love the gut wrenching simplicity of a single pick up guitar. Stripped down, no BS, the perfect weapon for raw power.
I didn’t know simplicity could be “gut-wrenching”. 😉 All jokes aside, I agree with you 100%!
czcams.com/play/PL91rY3Q3ldjiGt1qyuFOpdKDMsue-Z2NK.html&si=HmOt2oCiuR5dUvTV
could listen to chris speak and play all day
I said it once I'll say it again: your playing is not on another level, it's from another planet! You can make anything sound good!
Bring that single pickup Revstar with you when you come to Nashville!!! I want to hear that thing live!😊
Great opening Jam. I have a ‘64 SG Jr that I’ve had since ‘66. I went looking for an affordable single pickup guitar and bought an Eastman SB55DC with a Lollar pickup. I’m impressed, it was well worth the investment.
one of my favorite LP Jr. tones were on the recordings of Jethro Tull, Martin Barr used LP Jr almost exclusively in the early albums, Aqualung the solo was such great tone, along with Locomotive breath, Teacher etc.
Oh man, i never knew that 😮Makes so much sense though, with that insane touch sensitivity and the tone is to die for. Thanks for the knowledge man 😀
Add Leslie West on those classic Mountain albums.
And smashes the ball out the park with the Revstar in the closing jam. 👍🇦🇺
Chris is the most melodic guitarist out here
While the opening jam was fantastic, the jam with the '60 Melody Maker was phenomenal! Your touch is amazing and I couldn't get over the sustain. So happy to hear you've opened up to single pick-up guitars.
I agree with you 100%. I started with a Strat with 3 single coil pickups. Over time, I modded in many different ways. It now has one Humbucker in the Bridge location, and that has been liberating. I ride both the Volume and Tone Pots. 😎
The Bridge is the most harmonically rich location for a Pickup, as far as overtones go, and that provides with the widest options in tone/timbre. Some Pickup Switches can bleed the sound of one Pickup into another, causing some degree of "Phasing" between the Pickups. This can be easily tested by setting the Pickup Selector to one Pickup, and tapping on the pole pieces of the other Pickup with a metal paperclip. If you hear the tapping from the pickup, it's bleeding sound.
Another thing to consider is if you use a Modeler, having multiple Pickups can be detrimental because you typically dial in the perfect Preset on a particular Pickup, and switching to a different can compromise that tone.
that intro was feckn great bro🤟😎🎸
Mate you can make anything sound amazing
Another great video. Thanks.
I've put many hours and years on my '57 Gibson es 225. Single p90, plain and simple. Like many have said, it's not the guitar but the hands and fingers making it sing. Your fingers make mine sound like fingernails on the chalkboard.
Chris apart from the education you give with your Friday fretworks the main thing you give is the urge to play my guitar, your style , your sound your passion makes me me want to play and do nothing else you are an inspiration and a down to earth guy that makes me love playing more and more , Thank you Buddy
You never fail to entertain. Cheers from OZ.
The biggest thing that playing a single pickup guitar for a while taught me was that guitars with multiple of the same style of pickup is more for speed and convenience than actually getting more sounds. You can make the bridge pickup sound like the neck pickup by rolling back volume and tone, but it's quicker to just slap the switch. That made me prioritize a humbucker/P90 guitar over two humbuckers or two P90s.
Oh, my! The Esquire solo around 10:00!
Chris’ outstanding playing makes these videos a treat
Damn, Chris; that opening salvo would have done Mick Ronson proud...very impressive.
Haven't tuned in for a while, your playing has really reached an impressive level man.
Lots of people praising the into I’ll praise the outro. This episode was bookended in 🔥
Amazing plying, Chris.
Cool playing
What a great sound! Just ask Charlie Starr of BlackBerry Smoke, he'll confirm….
Yaaas. Been playing LP juniors exclusively for the last 4 years, and I view it almost like an acoustic guitar. It is what it is, and it is exactly what you make of it. Love it 💛
A Tele with only the bridge pup is quite a tone machine when you trick out the wiring. I've seen them with 1meg ohm pots for Volume, no-load pots on the Tone and Varitone cap switch on the three way. It's amazing what you can squeeze out of that thing into a tube amp but I really had to ride the tone and volume controls. Wanted one every since I played that guitar.
I love single pickup guitars! I've had several variations in the past, and currently own an Eastman SB55DC/v and a Gibson Les Paul Junior. Having a good intonated bridge really adds to the guitars sound and playability. I like the Faber bridge on the Eastman, and added a Music City Bridge to the Junior.
I sold my Eastman last week. It was a great guitar, but I found a Collings 290 with wraparound bridge and parallellogram inlays, and I’ve been wanting one since I was stupid and sold the one I owned in 2017. I’m happy that Eastman gets more and more recognitions out there.
Super melodic playing on the Esquire! Seriously impressed!
I am sure I'm one of many who really like the sounds you are making when your fingers touch the strings! I don't have a valuable vintage guitar but I love my 1979 Yamaha SL500! As for single pick up guitars you proved they can sound awesome!
Amazing: you have now recorded at least three versions of one of my favorite guitar solos of all time by anybody. Thank you.
Gibson has made neck only melody makers & jrs.
The playing on this vid was just killer!! And yup. Spent 20 years overlooking the Junior / 1 Pickup thing. Figured it was a novelty. But always wanted one in my collection for Nostalgia. Got an amazing Murphy Lab '58 Junior late last year. Holy smokes! The tones are great. Chords just bloom. But its also inspiring in a really different way. Can't really explain it. It's almost like the guitar is filled with undiscovered riffs. It makes my brain wanna do that thing. Regardless, thanks for always kicking out sick videos 🙌🏻
You are great even at volume "0". I simply love watching your hands playing
WOW that was just amazing playing yet again Chris
An anecdote I found on the net regarding the meaning of TV yellow. Not the meaning that we all know, but actually that it was to be a response to Fender Telecaster. That being said there is (for me) something similar between a tele and a Les Paul Junior or Special. They are basic electric guitars as opposed to Strats or 335 or Les Paul Standards.
That being said I do enjoy your videos. Beside being an incredible player, you show some passion and know what you are talking about.
The master of epic solos of epic solos of epic solos of epic sol..... (sorry, forgot to turn off my delay pedal).
@chris buck definitely one of your best jams and tones ever this les paul totally suits you
I have a Gibson Melody Maker from the 1960s and I love the tone and sustain of the little beast. The lone single coil on the axe gives it a nice no-nonsense tone and eliminates the hassle of dialing in multiple pickups.
That opening jam was absolutely amazing!
Wonderful Friday Fretworks, as expected (as always). You’re not only such a gifted and dynamic player - you are exceptional with your spoken content. Always on point and beautifully lit and filmed/edited. So glad I discovered your channel a few years ago and am excited to see your channel blow up, as it certainly deserves to. Thank you, Chris, for your excellent content. Cheers from Texas, US 🙏
I put together a Steampunk themed Cabronita style 1 pick-up guitar as an experiment. It is great fun on stage but I love teaching wirh it and showing students how the tone control and hand position can make dramatic changes.
12:34 that note…Lordy.
Kudos from me for that Black Revstar and the savage playing, of course!
it's funny to me how every 'debate' about jr's revolves around versatility. What I know is that since I bought my Gibson Jr, I haven't played anything else since. The whole point is to just play more, speak through your guitar, don't worry so much :)
I would go as far as to say I don't quite understand what the point is of having several pickups in a guitar
do you find that rather than switching to another pickup, you adjust your technique to obtain different sounds?
good question. I don't really know, and I've been giving it some thought because I find it an interesting question. I think maybe... that happens automatically because as a guitarist, you're always trying to get the best, dynamic, most meaningful sound out of your instrument that sits in the mix and suits the song right?
The guitar tech at my local guitar shop says people bring in these crazy 10 or 12 way switches to get the most sounds from their guitars… and they end up with maybe three settings that sound good.
What can you say about the playing that hasn’t already been said!? I’ve been waiting months for Gibson to announce a 70th anniversary Les Paul Junior but so far I’m still waiting… in hope!
I'm here for this, the Friday video! Chris, without a doubt, you are the finest soulful expression of what playing guitar is all about! Your choice of notes is off the charts, and when you 'dig in' the whole thing lights up! Thank you for Fridays, Chris!
man that opening jam sounds like a killer version of you know youre right
Lots of love for the intro solo here, and rightfully so, but that heavy riff on the outro just got me.
i have a 62 double cut melodymaker. it sounds great and very different compared to any of my prs, fender, etc. perfect for rock and can actually do many other styles if you ask it nicely. that model was my borrowed first guitar about 50 years ago when i started. my wife bought it for me for my 60th birthday in 2022. she is always doing what's best for me.
Jesus Chris, that intro was the best tone I've ever heard from you 😮 I'm definitely in the category of people who "just didn't get it", in regards to the single-pickup guitars. That was until I found a Japanese Tokai DC Jr. in TV Yellow, for an awfully good price used. It's scary how good that guitar is, especially with the electrics swapped for better stuff, a Faber bridge and a Lollar Dogear. All in all, i have under 750£ in that guitar 😍
Chris how can I learn to play the guitar like you? You are such a good player.
I have a Gibson Joan Jett melody maker. Changed my life.
You are the BEST 🙌
Saw Leslie West and he was a huge guy and he rocked one those and got a massive tone…it looked like a uke in his hands.
That intro, all I can say is allemachtig! (It's a Dutch word we use for a myriad of reasons. Just like "Fuhgeddaboudit" from the film "Donnie Brasco").
We recently went to a vintage guitar expo and I think I saw some of the guitars you featured. I also saw a guitar with a label "Chris Buck pickup". That was cool to see 😁
I do own a epiphone 57 RI which is my recommandation for buying a Junior on a budget. I also have an Esquire and only using the bridge humbucker of my strat. The tone and Volume Controls offer so much possibilities.
damn Chris that intro solo melted my face - fantastic!
Thoroughly enjoy FFWs; looking forward to you Andertons vid
Hey Chris, I got a melody maker & took it to a dep gig as a string breaker. Never been more embarrassed as it managed to pick up every local taxi firm & broadcast it through the PA. Fitted a Kinman noiseless P90 instead of the half humbucker (radio aerial ) and now its a beast!!!
Outstanding..
⚓️ Thanks Chris 🏴
LOVE your opening number. Well played sir 😮😊
Of course, some of us just tend to like neck pickups better. Has ANYONE ever made a neck-pickup-only solid body electric? Never seen one. I used to be a Strat guy, and thought Teles to be too limiting. My main guitar is now a very Tele-Thinline-esque St. Blues 61 South, a criminally underrated guitar, one with the greatest sounding P-90s (in the neck position) that I've ever heard. I learned that 2 is better than 3 for my main go-to axe, but without a single-neck-pup guitar, I doubt my main squeeze will change to a single pup axe. Of course, it'd be lovely to have an LP Jr. in my stable...
I just thought the same thing. I have p90 that I need to build a guitar out of. single bridge is p standard but wouldn't single neck be more balanced and flexible?
two things. weren't the first jazz archtops neck only?
and whats the effective difference between neck vs bridge with tone rolled off? is it midrange?
just food for thought
Look for the Gibson Les Paul Junior Rhythm, there are some vids on CZcams about is. It has the p90 in the neck.
Super awesome playing, mad skills
I didn’t know Revstars came in a single pickup version.🔥
THAT PLAYING 10/10
My single pickup guitar is an Epiphone Studio Dot that somewhere in it's history had the neck pickup removed as well a the tone knob. Love it!
"Liberating or limiting?", watched you play that junior for 5 seconds and was sold on liberating, thought about me having a go and realised, its not the guitars capabilities but your own. Truly amazing playing. Recently really been thinking about a junior and seeing one that beautiful with it looking worn in really makes me want one more and more
Definitely liberating!
Thanks for another great episode, your playing is so inspiring. But what I also love is the backing tracks: I wouldn't mind an episode where you explain how you create those, as they are epic in their own right...
Chris, check out the Hamer Special from the 80's or 90's. They are choice guitars!
Wish I could find one at a reasonable price.
Exquisite player!!!! I heard touches and tastes of Jimi's Hey Joe in that opening jam.
Someone also worth mentioning who is a Les Paul Junior playerChris is Mark Abrahams of Wishbone Ash. Check out what he can do with one pick up on the live version of Phoenix. Outstanding!
Do you have lessons, books or something how to solo :)? Such soulful playing. So not fast picking and staccato playing. So organic.
I literally just googled “Les Paul jr players” out of curiosity. 10 mins later I check my subscriptions and see this vid. Crazy
First time I saw, heard a ( I think double cut) LP junior live was the guitarist of Johnny Kidd and the Pirates probably around 62-63- incredible tone - like on “Shakin all over”. I thought ‘what is that great guitar’, had never seen one before that , Plenty since!
Amazing playing Chris!🎸🔥
I find a one pickup p-90 guitar to be very versatile. Beyond the tonal tweaks with volume and tone it forces me to be a better player. To use dynamics more to clean then strike hard to roar. It really helps you learn how much tone comes from your hands.
So brilliant tone and play ❤ fantastic
A interesting mod for those who like to color the tone with the volume control is a reverse treble bleed with a low value cap wired to the opposite lugs as a treble bleed. You get some really interesting tones that way by slightly backing off the volume. Personally I hate treble bleed circuits as they do the opposite of what I want to hear backing the guitar down. Adding a cap that way is similar to the capacitance of a long cable.
insane opening, once again 🤘🏻
I'll have to get my Samick Linda (single pup, sort of inspired by the LPJ) off the wall afer hearing this. Thing is, it has no tone control, so to avoid spoiling its minimalist aesthetic, I've put one on the access plate at the back. Maybe I'll have to rethink this… great video as always, an essential friday night visit!
Could you do a tutorial video one day on how you record your jams? ❤
I must admit I hadn't taken much notice of LP Juniors until I saw Mark Abrahams play his DC '59 Junior, with Wishbone Ash, last year. Fantastic sounding instruments. His is stock apart from a better intonating bridge.
First off, gorgeous playing as usual, and just a great sounding guitar.
T'be honest, to me the best sounding rock and blues guitars I've heard by far have been the Les Paul Juniors and the early Fender Esquires with the Broadcaster bridge pickups. However, it does seem to me that people are hesitant to approach the problem of making these guitars something that can be tuned. It would be interesting to see you do a video on an Esquire with a traditional bridge versus having it with a Mastery bridge which allows you to keep it in tune with modern round wound strings (unwound G, of course). And then it might even be even _more_ interesting to see you do a demonstration of a Les Paul Junior with a traditional bridge versus having it with a Hipshot BabyGrand bridge which should keep it in tune no matter what strings you use. Maybe these bridges don't sound as good. Maybe that's why they're not used as much as I would think they'd be. Who knows? If people heard these things next to each other then they could make up their minds for themselves.
I've been exklusive to juniors for a few years now and no, you can't get a neck pickup type sound, but once you get a hang on the volume/ tone interaction you'll find that you always find something that fits where you would otherwise use the neck pickup... and it makes you focus on the playing and tone you CAN get... just do it...
My friend and I have the gamut of guitars, and the best rig is his Epiphone Les Paul Junior with P90s, through a 50 Watt Peavey and 4x12 Marshall 1960 cab. Goodness, that's a powerful sound!
This guy just smokes my brain
A 2010 Gibson single cut Jr is easily my favorite guitar that I own and one of the best I've ever played.
The Gordon Smith GS1-60 is a faultless single pick-up guitar if you can't find an affordable Gibson. The GS1-60 is so-called because it's based on the 1960 LP Junior.
Esquire custom is one of my favorite guitars to play. It can do anything.
Yeah , what he said..😮 love your style