“Returns to the classic design that made it relevant, played, and loved”: Gibson has brought back the Les Paul Junior and Special Double Cut – reviving the adored student models that became rock ’n’ roll staples

Gibson is thrusting two old favorites back into the spotlight with the return of the Les Paul Junior Double Cut and Les Paul Special Double Cut electric guitars.

Offering “stripped-down simplicity” and “surprising versatility” in tandem, the LP evolutions were first released in the 1950s. The Junior, with its single P-90 pickup, was a game-changer, and became favorites of Leslie West, Mick Ralphs and more on the way to becoming a rock 'n' roll staple.

The Special, meanwhile, offered greater tonal tinkering with a twin pickup design, while adding binding to its fretboard and a more luxurious mother-of-pearl headstock inlay. Both these guitars reflect that history, and their recipe sees them “return to the classic design that made it relevant, played, and loved.”

They offer double cutaway mahogany bodies for improved upper fret access, and glued-in set necks with 22 medium jumbo frets for their rosewood fingerboards. Keeping to tradition, the Special also gets a bound ‘board.

Their mahogany necks are crafted with SlimTaper profiles for speedy playing. Vintage touches come via a wraparound bridge, Gibson vintage deluxe tuners with white buttons, and, of course, Dogear P-90 pickups.

Here, the Special doubles up with two P-90s and, naturally, twice as many Tone and Volume controls and a three-way pickup toggle. Both guitars have 24.75" scale lengths and acrylic dot inlays, and are offered up in some classic colorways: Ebony, Cardinal Red, and TV Yellow.

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The Gibson Les Paul Junior Double Cut comes in at $1,699, with the Gibson Les Paul Special Double Cut rising to $1,999.

Head to Gibson for more.

Elsewhere, Gibson has announced its plans to open a third Gibson Garage location.