1955 Gibson Les Paul Junior
The 1955 Les Paul Junior is a pure, stripped-down rock machine — single P-90, slab mahogany body, wraparound bridge. The Junior's simplicity is its greatest strength and has made it a perennial favorite.
Current Market Value
* Prices are estimates based on recent market data. Actual value depends on originality, condition, and provenance. Pricing methodology
Thinking About Selling Your 1955 Gibson Les Paul Junior?
We buy directly from owners — no auction fees, no waiting. Get a fair offer based on current market data.
Recent Sales
Showing 10 verified sales for 1955 Gibson Les Paul Junior. Reissues, replicas, and parts listings are filtered out.
Specifications
| Body Wood | Mahogany (slab body, no carved top) |
| Neck Wood | Mahogany |
| Fingerboard | Rosewood |
| Scale Length | 24.750" |
| Frets | 22 |
| Pickup Config | S |
| Bridge | Wraparound combination bridge/tailpiece |
| Tuners | Kluson Deluxe single-ring |
| Finish Options | Sunburst |
Pickups & Electronics
Single P-90 soap-bar pickup in the neck position. Simple, direct wiring — one volume, one tone.
What Changed in 1955
Single-cutaway body style — the double-cutaway version didn't arrive until 1958. 1955 Juniors are the classic single-cut slab body format.
Collector's Notes
Single-cut Juniors are slightly more valuable than double-cuts. The wraparound bridge is frequently replaced — original hardware is important. P-90 replacement is also very common.
How to Authenticate a 1955 Gibson Les Paul Junior
Gibson serial numbers from this era are ink-stamped on the back of the headstock. Cross-reference with known Gibson serial tables — numbering was not strictly sequential. Potentiometer date codes are critical: look for CTS pots (code 137) with two-digit year codes matching 1955 or up to 18 months earlier. This is the most reliable dating method for Gibson guitars of this era. The finish should be nitrocellulose lacquer showing age-appropriate checking (fine crazing). Under blacklight, original nitro fluoresces a distinctive green-yellow — refinished instruments lack this characteristic. Verify the single dog-ear P-90 pickup — check for correct bobbin construction, Alnico magnets, and appropriate DC resistance (7-9k ohms). Flat (slab) mahogany body — not carved. Single-cutaway body. The wraparound bridge/tailpiece should be correct style for 1955. Original Kluson Deluxe single-ring should be present with no evidence of replacement (no oversized bushing holes). Original hardshell case adds provenance value.