1957 Gibson Les Paul Junior
The 1957 Les Paul Junior — single cutaway mahogany slab with a single P-90. Simple, raw, and increasingly collected.
Current Market Value
* Prices are estimates based on recent market data. Actual value depends on originality, condition, and provenance. Pricing methodology
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Specifications
| Body Wood | Mahogany (flat top, no maple cap) |
| Neck Wood | Mahogany |
| Fingerboard | Brazilian Rosewood |
| Scale Length | 24.750" |
| Frets | 22 |
| Pickup Config | S |
| Bridge | Wrap-over combination bridge/tailpiece |
| Tuners | Kluson Deluxe single-ring |
| Finish Options | Sunburst |
| Est. Production | 3,500 |
Pickups & Electronics
Single P-90 dog-ear pickup at bridge position. Simple volume and tone controls. The raw, unfiltered Gibson sound.
What Changed in 1957
Last year of the single-cutaway Junior before body reshape.
Collector's Notes
Single-cutaway Juniors (1954-1957) are more valuable than double-cutaway. Verify original P-90, wrap-over bridge, and tuners.
How to Authenticate a 1957 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 1957 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 1957. Original Kluson Deluxe single-ring should be present with no evidence of replacement (no oversized bushing holes). Original hardshell case adds provenance value.