1960 Gibson Les Paul Junior
The final standard year of the double-cutaway Les Paul Junior. Cherry Red replaces TV Yellow as the primary finish. Still outstanding instruments with the same essential P-90-driven character.
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 (slab body) |
| Neck Wood | Mahogany |
| Fingerboard | Rosewood |
| Scale Length | 24.750" |
| Frets | 22 |
| Pickup Config | S |
| Bridge | Wraparound bridge/tailpiece |
| Tuners | Kluson Deluxe |
| Finish Options | Cherry Red (TV Yellow phased out) |
| Est. Production | 3,829 |
Pickups & Electronics
Single P-90 dog-ear. Final full year before renaming to SG Junior.
What Changed in 1960
TV Yellow finish was phased out in favor of Cherry Red. Final full year of the Les Paul Junior name — the model was renamed SG Junior in 1961.
Collector's Notes
TV Yellow examples from early 1960 exist but are rare — extremely valuable. Cherry Red 1960 Juniors are the standard offering. Final year of this configuration before the SG transition.
How to Authenticate a 1960 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 1960 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. Double-cutaway from late 1958. The wraparound bridge/tailpiece should be correct style for 1960. Original Kluson Deluxe should be present with no evidence of replacement (no oversized bushing holes). Original hardshell case adds provenance value.