Sorry to hear that your Steinburger arrived broken, but any guitar that copies a Gibson will have the same weakness, ie the neck/headstock issue. I tried to buy an SG, two of them arrived with broken necks.
I recently purchased a Harley Benton junior from Thomann. £177 including shipping. It was well set up out of the box and I love it. All I might change is the pickup and possibly the tuners, not sure on that one yet. The pickup it comes with is not that loud or full. No I am not emplyed or paid by Thomann!
I bought the Harley Benton and replaced the Roswell with a Seymour Duncan P Rails. Added a 3 way switch to get P90/Humbucker/Single coil and I couldn't be happier. It is a superb player, great sounding, versatile guitar.
Did you have to route the body to fit the pickup? That sounds like a great upgrade to the guitar. I have the same guitar and would like to change the pickup because I use a fair amount of gain.
@@MrSpeed-lt8gr . Yes a little but was easy enough. I also had to cover some rectangular shallow routs where the dog ears were on the Roswell (why they did that I don't know, unnecessary), but all I did was cut two black plectrums in half for that and, even if I say so myself, it looks fine 😊👍. I then drilled a hole in each and screwed them on where the dog ears were. The 3 way mini toggle switch I put in between the Vol and Tone controls , exactly in the middle, so just a small hole carefully drilled in the body through to the control cavity. Seems like a lot of work but the whole job took less than 2 hours and well worth the effort.
A lot of people think single pick up guitars must be restricted and are a one trick pony. Not at all, single pick up teaches you how to use the tone and volume controls properly. You can get a wide range of tones from them. Excellent choices John
I bought a yellow Tokai Love Rock Jr LP '56 DC. It's a fine guitar, takes a beating on the road and sounds great (I changed the stock P90, but the Tokai one is 'ok'.) I can't afford a Gibson.
I would love a Gordon Smith guitar . What is worth bearing in mind though ,is even to begin with before "customising" ,the GS1 isn't that much cheaper than a real Gibson LP Junior.
The Gordon Smith will be of far better quality and set up to play, buying any Gibson is a gamble, it might be good when new, but it may not stay that way.
I bought my '89 GS1 used for £150 in '93. I liked it so much that I have since added a Graduate G60, SG2, Graf and an Explorer to the collection. In 2016 I picked up a new 2015 Gibson Les Paul Junior for only £375 with the gold case, robot tuners etc. I know that the 2015 Gibsons come in for a lot of stick, but I like it. It plays well and sounds great, but the Gordon Smith GS1 still gets much more playing time. I've not tried one of the new "Auden" Gordon Smiths, but the word is that they have really upped their game. Give them a try if you ever get the chance.
Big thumbs up on Gordon Smith. I remember them being advertised in guitar mags when I started playing in the late 90s, but hadn't considered getting one until fairly recently when Gibson released the most recent Billie Joe Armstrong signature - the one with the massive pickguard and a single Classic 57 humbucker. Seemed cool and I, reasonably, thought it would be under a grand. They cost £1200 then and prices are going up on 2nd-hand ones like they always do. You can order a GS1, with so many more options available than that signature or indeed the current "Original Collection" Les Paul Junior, for comfortably under a grand. A guitar hand-made to order for you, at that price, is a steal. As it happens, last year I got a white GS1. It's a Poplar body and single P90 for £559 (would have been £699 but the shop I got it from were potentially closing down so they were having a sale. As it turns out, they're still in business). It does exactly what I want a junior to do, and very well-made. Likely won't be the last Gordon Smith I get. Always fancied an SG junior in white...
Great vid John, just got a Harley Benton dc junior in limited edition Pelham Blue. I got the hard case to go with it at £45 which is magic as well! I'm so impressed, I've ordered the sc550 with a case to go with it. So I've ended up with 2 quality guitars with hard cases for the same price if not less tgan as an epiphone les Paul standard!!
i have had a gordon smith for 20 years, the prices have gone up a lot ! they're good but you've got to change the pickup and especially the pots/capacitor, that really improves the sound.
Thanks man! That is precisely the info I needed. I'm getting on a bit, and my Les Paul is too heavy these days. Settled on the idea of a Junior, but not a Gibson. Modern ones don't cut it, old ones are ridiculously expensive. I do like the look of the Gordon Smiths too. :)
I recently purchased a Harley Benton SC Junior Vintage Sunburst and am very happy with it. The guitar, hard shell case and shipping to the US from Germany was $329.00. If I tried to buy the Epiphone model it would have cost $60.00 dollars more. It would not have come with a case let alone a hard shell case. The funny thing is they come from the same country Indonesia and probably the same factory where Gibson/Epiphone have their's made.
Within reason, and all of these guitars are, it is all about the player. HB is perfect for any level player or venue, as are the others. I've been a working musician for more than 30 years and I am astonished at the quality of these cheap guitars. I also know, once you get it plugged in with a bit of EQ or gain, sitting in a track or played live on stage with a band, few people will ever be able to tell the difference beyond the name on the neck. Get the shape and the color you like and get playing it. Have a blast, bring some juice to the table and that is all that matters. Check out the guitar "tone" on Keith Richards "Satisfaction" intro or the Kinks "You Really Got Me" to understand that it's all about the juice.
I've got a 97 GS1, love it , tho I think £900 a lot for one in today's market, mine was £200 SH many years ago needing a lot of work - I'd like to try the HB tho,
I've owned a few Gibson models including an ES 335, an SG Junior, SG Special and more in the late 1960's and early 1970's. They didn't cost thousands of dollars then. In the 1950's the Les Paul Junior was marketed as a beginners guitar and was priced accordingly. It was well under $200.00 dollars US. Now they're making the 1954 reissue but they're charging $3,799.00. Their regular Les Paul Junior is $1,499.00 US. The reissue costs more than the Les Paul Standard or the Les Paul Studio with none of the refinements. The Junior doesn't have the 2 Humbucker pickups it has 1 P90. The LP Standard has a maple cap on the body along with binding on the body & fret board and trapezoid block inlays on the fret board. The LP Standard has 2 tone controls and 2 volume controls. The LP Junior has dot inlays on the fret board, 1 tone control and 1 volume control. It's no wonder more guitar players are looking for more alternatives to having a good guitar without going into serious debt.
The 1958 Les Paul Sunburst was listed for $ 247,50. With inflation and all, that would be the equivalent of $ 2188,50 today. People always complain that Gibson's are expensive.. They were always expensive instruments. Thomann has the Gibson Les Paul Junior Tribute (still a great guitar) listed for 725 euro's. I really understand that there are people that can't afford a new Gibson but secondhand there are multiple great options. I know "Gibson Bashing" is very popular but this is ridiculuous..
Again, some lovely guitar choices John :-) like you, I would always go for the Gordon Smith if the finances allowed me but a close second would be the Harley Benton. That particular model looks amazing for the money and gets great reviews.
Hi John, thank you very much for posting this. Very informative. Thank you again for providing insight on Blue Cat Amp simulator. I am having a lot of fun with it. I look forward your next video of the best alternative to the ES-335. Stay safe out there! Cheers!
I personally don't like any single pick up guitars, based on looks only as I haven't played any. What is your take on the story that it sounds different because the second pick up is somehow "stealing" tone when it's in the circuit? On the tonewood thing, I can recommend having a look at the Warmoth video when they tried different strat replacement bodies. The difference was surprising to me.
I believe Chapman do a version exclusive to Thomann, but similar to the Reverend in price. Regarding the Larry Clarke Guitars, their made by Sire, stocked by Andertons. The Sire Basses are rather good, so very interesting. Thanks for the tip off.
Hi there! I just bought an Epi Les Paul Junior (second hand) and paid 60 euros! Why didn´t you include Epis for your shoot out? I´ve heard they´re quite cheap.
My "obvious choice" would be - as always a Tele-based (re)build: - P90 in bridge position - just cut the Tele-bridge in half to make room for the P90 - or maybe shim the neck and get a wrap around style bridge - mahogany body and neck if you please (just get a kit ...) Great selection! Thanks a lot for sharing.
It is well worth trying a Revelation LP junior which is a double cut in cherry red with an Alan Entwhistle P90 and electrics. I took a chance and bought one on-line and it is everything a Junior should be. The tone pot works properly and you can make perfect adjustments to the sound unlike most tone controls which go from duh to duh and nothin in between.
It is said that if it has just one pick up then the strings are not getting any magnetic 'pull' from any other pick ups and therefore can resonate more freely giving better tone and sustain. I personally love the feel of a single pick up guitar having owned a few. You can work on the tone and volume controls for the variety you might need, and also how and where you pick/strum it makes a difference. It is actually quite nice to play something that you are not tempted to fiddle with too much such as a Strat with a 5 position switch or a coil-tapped 2 humbucker guitar... It's a sort of 'freedom'. Try it. You might like it.
Thanks John. I have a number of guitars and decided to get a Jr to push myself to try getting different tones by picking in different places and (don’t fall over) actually using the tone and volume controls. And it can be done! I went for the HB in its DC version. I already own three other Harleys but this one blew me away. The quality coming out of the Indonesian factory is absolutely superb. Keep up the good work, John!
I’ve owned a Reverend Guitar in the past and I have to say they are exquisite. They’re way under-priced and they’re equal to guitars that are $1000’s more. They have fantastic hardware - Wilkinson Bridge and Locking Tuners. The nuts are usually Graph Tech or Graphite. I had a Jetstream 390, and I hated to sell it - I regret it to this day, but I’ve had health issues and I sold it to pay bills & stay alive.
Problem with Harley Benbton from my experience, isn't the instrument, it's the massive import duty you get hit with after delivery - post Brexit, that is. I was whacked with duty which was darn need 25% the cost of a guitar I bought from them. Never again.
There's no import duty anymore. Hasn't been for ages now. I've bought a few guitars from Thomann in the past few months & the price you see is the price you pay.
@@JRobsonGuitar Didn't apply to me a couple of months ago when I bought an expensive Cordoba electro classical. Just over a week after it arrived, I was sent a bill for nearly £95 for duty. That so soured my appreciation of the instrument that I soon moved it on when I was offered a good fair price for it.
Great video as ever, John. Slightly off-topic, but as someone who's a fan of budget marques have you heard of J&D? Might be worth a review at some point. I have the following and it's a great modding platform IMHO: www.dv247.com/en_GB/GBP/J-D-JM10-SFG-Surf-Green/art-GIT0011806-000
Oooorrrrrrrrrr maybe you don't like companies that think they can tell you what it is or isn't to play authentic and threaten you if you don't meet their standards of "authenticity". Anyway, I don't like any of those LP junior guitars (nor the Gibson either), I just don't get it personally.
I bought a new Steinberger. Didn't realize it was owned my Gibson. Arrived broken. Realized then it was owned by Gibson.
Sorry to hear that your Steinburger arrived broken, but any guitar that copies a Gibson will have the same weakness, ie the neck/headstock issue.
I tried to buy an SG, two of them arrived with broken necks.
😄 😄 😄
I recently purchased a Harley Benton junior from Thomann. £177 including shipping.
It was well set up out of the box and I love it. All I might change is the pickup and possibly the tuners, not sure on that one yet. The pickup it comes with is not that loud or full.
No I am not emplyed or paid by Thomann!
I bought the Harley Benton and replaced the Roswell with a Seymour Duncan P Rails. Added a 3 way switch to get P90/Humbucker/Single coil and I couldn't be happier. It is a superb player, great sounding, versatile guitar.
Did you have to route the body to fit the pickup? That sounds like a great upgrade to the guitar. I have the same guitar and would like to change the pickup because I use a fair amount of gain.
@@MrSpeed-lt8gr . Yes a little but was easy enough. I also had to cover some rectangular shallow routs where the dog ears were on the Roswell (why they did that I don't know, unnecessary), but all I did was cut two black plectrums in half for that and, even if I say so myself, it looks fine 😊👍. I then drilled a hole in each and screwed them on where the dog ears were. The 3 way mini toggle switch I put in between the Vol and Tone controls , exactly in the middle, so just a small hole carefully drilled in the body through to the control cavity. Seems like a lot of work but the whole job took less than 2 hours and well worth the effort.
A lot of people think single pick up guitars must be restricted and are a one trick pony. Not at all, single pick up teaches you how to use the tone and volume controls properly. You can get a wide range of tones from them. Excellent choices John
I bought a yellow Tokai Love Rock Jr LP '56 DC. It's a fine guitar, takes a beating on the road and sounds great (I changed the stock P90, but the Tokai one is 'ok'.) I can't afford a Gibson.
I would love a Gordon Smith guitar . What is worth bearing in mind though ,is even to begin with before "customising" ,the GS1 isn't that much cheaper than a real Gibson LP Junior.
The Gordon Smith will be of far better quality and set up to play, buying any Gibson is a gamble, it might be good when new, but it may not stay that way.
I bought my '89 GS1 used for £150 in '93. I liked it so much that I have since added a Graduate G60, SG2, Graf and an Explorer to the collection. In 2016 I picked up a new 2015 Gibson Les Paul Junior for only £375 with the gold case, robot tuners etc. I know that the 2015 Gibsons come in for a lot of stick, but I like it. It plays well and sounds great, but the Gordon Smith GS1 still gets much more playing time. I've not tried one of the new "Auden" Gordon Smiths, but the word is that they have really upped their game. Give them a try if you ever get the chance.
Big thumbs up on Gordon Smith.
I remember them being advertised in guitar mags when I started playing in the late 90s, but hadn't considered getting one until fairly recently when Gibson released the most recent Billie Joe Armstrong signature - the one with the massive pickguard and a single Classic 57 humbucker. Seemed cool and I, reasonably, thought it would be under a grand. They cost £1200 then and prices are going up on 2nd-hand ones like they always do.
You can order a GS1, with so many more options available than that signature or indeed the current "Original Collection" Les Paul Junior, for comfortably under a grand. A guitar hand-made to order for you, at that price, is a steal.
As it happens, last year I got a white GS1. It's a Poplar body and single P90 for £559 (would have been £699 but the shop I got it from were potentially closing down so they were having a sale. As it turns out, they're still in business). It does exactly what I want a junior to do, and very well-made.
Likely won't be the last Gordon Smith I get. Always fancied an SG junior in white...
Great vid John, just got a Harley Benton dc junior in limited edition Pelham Blue. I got the hard case to go with it at £45 which is magic as well! I'm so impressed, I've ordered the sc550 with a case to go with it. So I've ended up with 2 quality guitars with hard cases for the same price if not less tgan as an epiphone les Paul standard!!
Great decision Nick x
@@PeteAxeShields thanks Peter, I've already got a epi gold top from 5 years ago so it'll be interesting how the sc550 compares! 😊
@@nickmilner8911 Hi dude, which one do you prefer the epiphone or the HB SC550?
@@ignaciobustamante6477 hey man, I prefer the harley benton, just feels that bit better and sounds better IMO.
@@nickmilner8911 thanks man. and about the DC junior would You recommend it? I'm Also looking for a p90 experience But at low price.
i have had a gordon smith for 20 years, the prices have gone up a lot ! they're good but you've got to change the pickup and especially the pots/capacitor, that really improves the sound.
Thanks man! That is precisely the info I needed. I'm getting on a bit, and my Les Paul is too heavy these days. Settled on the idea of a Junior, but not a Gibson. Modern ones don't cut it, old ones are ridiculously expensive. I do like the look of the Gordon Smiths too. :)
I recently purchased a Harley Benton SC Junior Vintage Sunburst and am very happy with it. The guitar, hard shell case and shipping to the US from Germany was $329.00. If I tried to buy the Epiphone model it would have cost $60.00 dollars more. It would not have come with a case let alone a hard shell case. The funny thing is they come from the same country Indonesia and probably the same factory where Gibson/Epiphone have their's made.
I've had major problems with HB guitars - arrived broke, whacked for import duty to name just two. I've yet to find a UK outlet for HG instruments.
Within reason, and all of these guitars are, it is all about the player. HB is perfect for any level player or venue, as are the others. I've been a working musician for more than 30 years and I am astonished at the quality of these cheap guitars. I also know, once you get it plugged in with a bit of EQ or gain, sitting in a track or played live on stage with a band, few people will ever be able to tell the difference beyond the name on the neck. Get the shape and the color you like and get playing it. Have a blast, bring some juice to the table and that is all that matters. Check out the guitar "tone" on Keith Richards "Satisfaction" intro or the Kinks "You Really Got Me" to understand that it's all about the juice.
I've got a 97 GS1, love it , tho I think £900 a lot for one in today's market, mine was £200 SH many years ago needing a lot of work - I'd like to try the HB tho,
I've owned a few Gibson models including an ES 335, an SG Junior, SG Special and more in the late 1960's and early 1970's. They didn't cost thousands of dollars then. In the 1950's the Les Paul Junior was marketed as a beginners guitar and was priced accordingly. It was well under $200.00 dollars US. Now they're making the 1954 reissue but they're charging $3,799.00. Their regular Les Paul Junior is $1,499.00 US. The reissue costs more than the Les Paul Standard or the Les Paul Studio with none of the refinements. The Junior doesn't have the 2 Humbucker pickups it has 1 P90. The LP Standard has a maple cap on the body along with binding on the body & fret board and trapezoid block inlays on the fret board. The LP Standard has 2 tone controls and 2 volume controls. The LP Junior has dot inlays on the fret board, 1 tone control and 1 volume control. It's no wonder more guitar players are looking for more alternatives to having a good guitar without going into serious debt.
The 1958 Les Paul Sunburst was listed for $ 247,50. With inflation and all, that would be the equivalent of $ 2188,50 today. People always complain that Gibson's are expensive.. They were always expensive instruments. Thomann has the Gibson Les Paul Junior Tribute (still a great guitar) listed for 725 euro's. I really understand that there are people that can't afford a new Gibson but secondhand there are multiple great options. I know "Gibson Bashing" is very popular but this is ridiculuous..
Again, some lovely guitar choices John :-) like you, I would always go for the Gordon Smith if the finances allowed me but a close second would be the Harley Benton. That particular model looks amazing for the money and gets great reviews.
HB junior is great - once you've upgraded the pickup. Mine now has a Bareknuckles Nantucket.
I really fancy the Harley Benton DC Junior Fat Faded, with a nice chunky neck. I would love Thomann to start offering different thicknesses of neck.
Hi John, thank you very much for posting this. Very informative. Thank you again for providing insight on Blue Cat Amp simulator. I am having a lot of fun with it. I look forward your next video of the best alternative to the ES-335. Stay safe out there! Cheers!
I personally don't like any single pick up guitars, based on looks only as I haven't played any. What is your take on the story that it sounds different because the second pick up is somehow "stealing" tone when it's in the circuit? On the tonewood thing, I can recommend having a look at the Warmoth video when they tried different strat replacement bodies. The difference was surprising to me.
johan sedgeborn did a video on that, i think it is true.
I am trying to imitate that beautiful accent you have JR. Me and my MIM cherry Tele hooked up in my ear. Lets go for it!
What about the epiphone steve Marriott played think coronet is any company making copy of this as epiphone stopped in 90s?
Isn't that first Harley Benton a Special? Just a silly quibble. I bought the really cheap Epiphone, and I love it.
I believe Chapman do a version exclusive to Thomann, but similar to the Reverend in price. Regarding the Larry Clarke Guitars, their made by Sire, stocked by Andertons. The Sire Basses are rather good, so very interesting. Thanks for the tip off.
The best LP Junior if you don't want a Gibson is the Eastman SB55 DCv.
Amaranth or purpleheart wood is very similar to rosewood, but a little tighter grain
Cheers 👍
Hi there! I just bought an Epi Les Paul Junior (second hand) and paid 60 euros! Why didn´t you include Epis for your shoot out? I´ve heard they´re quite cheap.
As I said in the video... I wanted to explore the less than obvious choices.
The HB bridge won't allow you to lower the string height, you will need to change it
what about epiphone ?
maybach lester junior dc special, great guitar
The Harley Benton, like a lot of their other guitars, punches way above its price.
My "obvious choice" would be - as always a Tele-based (re)build:
- P90 in bridge position
- just cut the Tele-bridge in half to make room for the P90
- or maybe shim the neck and get a wrap around style bridge
- mahogany body and neck if you please (just get a kit ...)
Great selection! Thanks a lot for sharing.
It is well worth trying a Revelation LP junior which is a double cut in cherry red with an Alan Entwhistle
P90 and electrics. I took a chance and bought one on-line and it is everything a Junior should be.
The tone pot works properly and you can make perfect adjustments to the sound unlike most tone controls which go from duh to duh and nothin in between.
Don't forget the Novo Solus M1.
I did I got Jackson Monarkha $199
Great vid Thankyou
I've never gone wrong with an Epiphone.
Nice one John..
Why have a guitar with only 1 pick up? I've never understood that
When you can't afford two pickups
It is said that if it has just one pick up then the strings are not getting any magnetic 'pull' from any other pick ups and therefore can resonate more freely giving better tone and sustain.
I personally love the feel of a single pick up guitar having owned a few.
You can work on the tone and volume controls for the variety you might need, and also how and where you pick/strum it makes a difference. It is actually quite nice to play something that you are not tempted to fiddle with too much such as a Strat with a 5 position switch or a coil-tapped 2 humbucker guitar... It's a sort of 'freedom'. Try it. You might like it.
Vintage V6132
Godin?
Godin makes great instruments.
What if I don't want a Gibson or an LP?
Nice question. L0L!
This is like the 4th video on the series of different guitar, maybe that will help you find what you are looking for
Thanks John. I have a number of guitars and decided to get a Jr to push myself to try getting different tones by picking in different places and (don’t fall over) actually using the tone and volume controls. And it can be done! I went for the HB in its DC version. I already own three other Harleys but this one blew me away. The quality coming out of the Indonesian factory is absolutely superb. Keep up the good work, John!
I’ve owned a Reverend Guitar in the past and I have to say they are exquisite. They’re way under-priced and they’re equal to guitars that are $1000’s more. They have fantastic hardware - Wilkinson Bridge and Locking Tuners. The nuts are usually Graph Tech or Graphite. I had a Jetstream 390, and I hated to sell it - I regret it to this day, but I’ve had health issues and I sold it to pay bills & stay alive.
Collings 290, problem solved
Problem with Harley Benbton from my experience, isn't the instrument, it's the massive import duty you get hit with after delivery - post Brexit, that is. I was whacked with duty which was darn need 25% the cost of a guitar I bought from them. Never again.
There's no import duty anymore. Hasn't been for ages now. I've bought a few guitars from Thomann in the past few months & the price you see is the price you pay.
@@JRobsonGuitar Didn't apply to me a couple of months ago when I bought an expensive Cordoba electro classical. Just over a week after it arrived, I was sent a bill for nearly £95 for duty. That so soured my appreciation of the instrument that I soon moved it on when I was offered a good fair price for it.
Great video as ever, John. Slightly off-topic, but as someone who's a fan of budget marques have you heard of J&D? Might be worth a review at some point. I have the following and it's a great modding platform IMHO: www.dv247.com/en_GB/GBP/J-D-JM10-SFG-Surf-Green/art-GIT0011806-000
Kinda undercut the clever claim there, didn't you?
Oooorrrrrrrrrr maybe you don't like companies that think they can tell you what it is or isn't to play authentic and threaten you if you don't meet their standards of "authenticity". Anyway, I don't like any of those LP junior guitars (nor the Gibson either), I just don't get it personally.
Don't want a Gibson. More like can't afford a Gibson ☹
Did you actually watch the video?
@@JRobsonGuitar aye I did John I was talking about myself. Sorry if it came across wrong. Didn't mean anything bad mate.
No worries mate... When I looked again and saw it was you I should have realised it wasn't a snarky comment. Apologies for being bitchy 😄