Single-pickup guitar review round-up: modern electrics vs 1957 Gibson Les Paul Junior

Modern single pickup electrics up against a genuine classic

If you're the sort of guitar player that likes multi-channel, multi-switching amps and MIDI-switching pedalboards that take up more space than a drum kit, you might wonder why on earth any player would latch on to an electric guitar with just one pickup? We'd wager the appeal lies in direct contrast to that: less is more.

Here, we take four, affordable modern single pickup electric guitars - the Fender Classic Series '50s Esquire (£754), Eastwood Airline '59 1P (£699), Fret-King Eclat DBC (£599) & Gordon-Smith GS-1 (£454) - and see how they compare to our benchmark tone monster: an original 1957 Gibson Les Paul Junior. The amp throughout is our house Vox AC15C1.

[karcsi-sp]

This is my favourite video showcasing a Les Paul Junior. The guy said he's not saying his hands are the right hands, but I think they are.

[SHEMAMAN]

The older I become, the more necessary simplicity and good quality materials and build become.

[evanparker]

maybe this whole video goes a little more in-depth than most would need, but the comparisons you make and the production quality of this video are both super awesome. nice work.

[daltonmoree]

This makes me want a vintage Jr even more. That tone is absolutely unmatched.

[KERPUNKification]

What a tone with the '57 Junior! I'm dreaming night and day about that guitar! The Vox amp makes that junior sound so amazing! Thanks a lot! Really nice videos by the way! Love from France!

[TheFredster-dkbi]

Ok, that’s the first time I’ve heard an electric sound acoustic with no fancy pedals, it is very versatile

[Chames_Chaikowski]

Duane allman’s first axe was a double cut single p90 Les Paul JR . He’s got it sitting in his bedroom closet at his house in Macon along with a funky ass pair of shoes from the 60s.

[Yannplaysguitar]

to this day still one of the best sounding guitar I have ever heard

[MrNitrocat]

P 90 pick ups just sound so great!  As well I agree whole heartedly about the difference in tones you can get with just your fingers or the volume and tone knobs.  I love seeing posts about how, say a Les Paul is so one dimensional, yet Joe Bonamassa has a great video on all the different tones you can get out of one just by adjusting tone and volume controls. In any case enjoyable video here.

[SensitiveShellCollector]

The two dudes in this look like the same guy at different stages of life.

[umami]

Specifically the P90 single pick up would better describe this piece. As far as I'm concerned it is and was the best pick up made. As far as blues and country go and it can hold its own in rock. So really an all around great guitar. And I just didn't mention jazz but it'll work in that field as well. My next favorite is the telecaster.

[KyleCarrington]

That was a truly original guitar mini documentary / round up. I enjoyed that, thanks.

[kwihan]

Great video review. In the past I used to like complicated guitars, 3 or 4 pickups, whammy bar, switches, etc... But today I'm leaning towards more simple guitars, and explore the  different posibilites they have. As you show in this video, less is more. Thanks for sharing.

[erickleefeld]

Great tip in here, about bringing the volume and tone knobs down, to sound like an acoustic guitar. You can apply this idea to any multi-pickup guitar, as well! (Note: I am just a hobbyist, a bedroom rock star who enjoys playing for my own self-enrichment. I've played acoustics on park benches, haven't gone electric in front of people for quite a while.)

Go to whatever your own sort of home base pickup setting is. (For me, it would be the middle pickup on a Strat.) Then bring the volume and tone controls down to that 3 or 4 setting. Then, you set the AMP to respond to the guitar so that it will sound like an acoustic. From there, you can then use the pickup selection and the volume and tone knobs, to get just about anything you want.

[bishlap]

Leo Fender had the right idea from the start, he felt simplicity/the Tele was the way to go. Of course much has changed concerning amplification/pedals, etc., but, The Tele has changed little (w/out getting too pedantic) and is still a must have for any picker.

[b.rodclark]

I have Maestro Les Paul & SG Juniors that i wanna put P90's in em although their humbuckers cut hard! As for the Esquire, i built one w/a second-hand DIY Tele kit that I put more work in filling the pickguard than rewiring which came easy after replacing the import 3-way switch for a CRL that made a big difference that now I'm thinking of putting a bigger capacitor in the 3rd position; the Bridge pickup has a ceramic bar magnet that was very shrill but now not at all after rewiring! Single pickup guitars definitely make you work harder but then again not as hard as you get used to less items because after all, less IS more!

[iangoldtop]

I have a 25 year old 1960 re issue Les Paul standard I've had from new and it's been my main guitar all that time, also use a Tele for twangy stuff, chillis etc but until recently I had an SG Special as back up for the Les Paul but sold it and bought the new 2015 Les Paul Junior, forget all the logo, neck width etc rants, it's a revelation. The P 90 is a fabulous pickup and its rapidly becoming my go to guitar, I love using the tone and volume which I kind of ignored on twin pickup guitars, and it's a tremendously versatile instrument, I would recommend any serious guitarist to try one, never judge a book by its cover as they say, great vid by the way, professional as always.

[BoyAditya]

i love gibson lespaul junior, either with double cutwat or the single one ... Esquire always has place in my heart

[barriedempsey]

A few years ago my wife bought for me a Les Paul TV Model reissue single cutaway with a P90 dog ear and yellow jacket caps. It's amazing how many tones you can get when just volume and tone pots are adjusted and playing between pick and fingers and moving around the picking area. Luv it. Nice video.

[wozzerwozzer]

Who's here following the passing of Leslie West. RIP