1999 Gibson SG Junior

Gibson SG Junior, 1999, SN: 92039564

This SG Junior, a large guard example with a Maestro tremolo, a compensated wrapover bridge, a single P-90 pickup in the bridge position and volume and tone knobs, is a reissue of the iconic SG Juniors of the mid 1960s. The short version of the Maestro tremolo is a design dating to the mid 1960’s. Three screws hold a semi-circular piece of spring steel to which the string block and whammy bar are anchored. It is a simple but effective method of achieving tremolo effects. 

The body is finished in black nitrocellulose lacquer. The large guard is four ply and the mahogany neck is a fixed join to the mahogany body with the tenon under the pickguard. The fingerboard is rosewood with acrylic dots at the third, fifth, seventh, ninth, twelfth, fifteenth, seventeenth, nineteenth and twenty first frets with a total of twenty two frets. The nut is 1 11/16” wide and the bridge spacing is 2 inches. The headstock has the silkscreened Gibson logo, the bell flower truss rod cover, and Gibson Vintage Deluxe tuners with white buttons. 

The guitar does show some wear from extensive careful play. There is a scratch in the headplate next to the “n” of the gibson logo, press marks and scuffs from arm wear on the top of the body, an area of belt buckle wear on the back and one spot through the finish in the center of the back. It has been lightly touched up, buffed out and then worn through again, so the undercoat can be seen in that small spot. The original frets show wear with slight pitting on the lower frets. The pickguard shows some strum wear as well. 

This is a plain and simple well made guitar that has everything you need for having fun and nothing you don’t need. The single P-90 sounds great. The unusual addition of the Maestro allows for a very functional Trem function and, if you don’t want to use it, the string block can be removed and the strings can be mounted to the wrapover bridge.