OCTOBER #1 (2019 Gibson SG Junior)

[@DELTA1DSV]

Hi again , after watching your introduction on the Gibson SG junior I’ve just got mine today,and it’s plays beautifully,many thanks, excellent introduction, I’ve truly love your guitar playing style, best regards, Respect, Ex-Pro-72 Roy.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Congratulations Roy and thanks again. I wish you long life and good health to enjoy it.

[@upinthesky63]

Best demo of Junior I saw on KZbin. Agree with a previous comment about the clean sound. Thank you

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

I very much appreciate you taking the time to comment. Thanks so much, and if it was any help at all I am glad.

[@projectmoon13]

In my honest opinion, that is one of the greatest pick ups that have ever been made

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

A vast number of folk would heartily agree with you. Thanks for the visit 😊

[@terryjohinke8065]

I had an original 61 when I was young ( 16) am 64 now. Great guitars even the clout. Just made a LP Jr, single cut same colour and SD Vintage P-90. Happy Birthday.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Thanks very much indeed. I'm more than a year older now and still loving the guitar. It isn't as good but it is a fair substitute for the old one I owned a bit more recently than you. Someone else will own this in fifty years time and they will call it "an old one" too.... Hahahahahaha

[@keithtanner4978]

I saw Clapton and he had a buzz... added effect... loved the wee bit of Rory at the start. As always - lovely playing - and great tone.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Hahahahaha...Thanks Keith and for the kind words also Yeah! I set my self the task, from time to time, of trying to remember Taste intros. I'm not sure what it means that I quite often fail..Hahahahaha

[@cgavin1]

@@PaulMcCaffreyfmac Taste were so underrated. I think I've watched the Isle of Wight video on here several thousand times! :)

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Taste were pretty highly rated at the time but split before they got as big as they might have when Rory carried on under his own name. Very exciting live

[@daviemcf]

Loved the Taste stuff Paul,now to listen to the rest. :-).....Love that SG Junior Paul....fantastic tone....like how you brought "Can't buy me love" into the jam track,also like that joke at the end haha.Keep bluesin my friend. :-)

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

For the last three videos I've been meaning to play "Born On The Wrong Side Of Time" for you and have managed to forget every time...Hahahahaha. Better late than never. Thanks for the kind words. Much appreciated as always

[@troylancastermusic6068]

Nice playing. Thanks for the demo. Thanks especially for the clean tones. Very tasteful playing. Very nice guitar indeed.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

My pleasure, and thanks for the "thanks". It is a lovely guitar to play, keeps its tuning well, doesn't 'neck dive' to speak of and does more or less what you would hope for from a guitar of this type. If you are looking at SGs generally and are not absolutely set on the P90 sound then I would strenuously recommend a look at the SG Tribute (which I also bought relatively recently as part of my retirement madness season...hahahaha). It is a bit less expensive than this, also sounds great and is very comfortable to play :-)

[@stratocasterbob]

Very nice guitar Paul. I had an SG in the 70s, but it went missing. Your intro comment sounds like my story. I too will continue....nevermind the Bollocks ( he he...and the critics) ! Cheers from the colonies , Bob

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Too late to stop now s'bob, that's for sure. I guess guitars come and go for everyone. Sometimes it doesn't matter and sometimes you really miss them. I'm glad to have a guitar of this style again, if only because the light weight is kind to my back...Hahahahaha Thanks for dropping by as ever

[@zepp2498]

Hello Paul. This is a very nice little guitar; Enjoy playing and thanks for sharing

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

I love it. Thank you very much indeed

[@TimGuitarcouk]

I had a genuine 63 SG Junior that I bought when I was on tour in Norway in 1998. It was a piece of sh*t! Lol. It sounded beautiful but had a massive neck & no matter what i did it would not stay in tune. In the end I took it to Music Exchange in Birmingham and traded it for a brand new 1999 Fender Tele: an exchange that I never regretted for a minute. I still own the Tele now and gig it every weekend. I still love the LP Jr, it’s a real street fighter of a guitar and I love that rugged tone that you get from yours, Paul. Your playing is always on point and very witty; nice work mate.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Those whippy SG necks could be designed to test a person's patience tuning-wise but sometimes you have to pay the price for the luxury of 6.5 lbs around the neck instead of 8 or more...Hahahahaha Thanks so much for dropping by Tim, and thanks as always for the kind words. May your Tele never fade

[@TimGuitarcouk]

Paul McCaffrey Well worth dropping the hammer on that SG Jr, by the sounds of things. Are you happy with the tuning stability...and how do you rate the neck/body joint area? My 63 got really thick around that zone but still whipped around a fair bit. It had a BadAss bridge fitted when I bought it, a real ‘70s Noddy Holder job!

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Unusually for me I haven't taken the scratchplate off yet but I can't imagine there is a long tenon in there. Having said that the neck is pleasantly hefty and tuning stability seems as good as any other SG I've had my hands on. My top E is the only string that is moving at all and I suspect I might need to lubricate the nut to sort that out. I tend to think of new guitars as 'works in progress' setting-up wise, at least until string set three or four :-)

[@TimGuitarcouk]

Paul McCaffrey It looks & sounds lovely, Paul. I really hope that you & the SG enjoy a long and fruitful relationship. I don’t know about you but i view the SG as a guitar that seems to appeal to non-conformists: Tony Iommi, Angus, Zal Cleminson, Pete Townsend etc...Don’t know if you agree but that’s how I view the SG; it’s a rebellious kind of guitar...

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

I know what you mean. I think I've always hankered for a white Custom because of Ollie Halsall and Sister Rosetta Tharpe and the classic Townshend for me is SG Special and boiler suit. I suppose with the prevailing winds in music currently even Derek Trucks counts as a non-conformist. I think I will listen to some Sensational Alex Harvey Band today. Thanks Tim :-)

[@johnsmith-sm6mh]

Hi Paul beautiful guitar fella , I ordered one but had to return it due to finishing issues 😩 but the Guitar Sweet Shop I bought it from let me take a 61 standard at £200 reduction for my trouble and it sounds and plays amazing 😉 I couldn’t be happier, great guitars the SG pleased you treated yourself and many more to come Cheers John

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Amen to that brother :-) Those "'61 SG Standards" annoy me because from that year it should be called a Les Paul, but they are beautiful guitars and all things considered it sounds like you got yourself a good deal. Enjoy it and thanks for dropping by.

[@Noitpure]

Good to see and hear you playing. I haven’t seen much from you on FB lately. Enjoying this video very much! Best wishes, T

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Good to see you Trina. I am on facebook regularly but it's either pictures trying to cheer me up or me cursing some idiot politician or other who's trying to break the world to fit his own requirements. This is about the only place where I don't swear like a trooper...Hahahahahahahahaha

[@heythere6983]

I got multiple of these once I realized how great p90s were. Within a two year span. And other p90 guitars . So many years with piercing humbuckers or overly dark ones without being able to dial in the right tone . It was the pickups! I am considering getting new pots though and Iv never done that, but I’d like to match one of my juniors which has such a good sound that I want to get another to that spec, just Incase something happens to the first . I wonder if there is a way to buy pots knowing exactly what the rating is , Aside form getting a lot with a 10-20 percent chance of being too dark or bright

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

I think I'd prefer to have two guitars of the same model that sounded slightly different. It would be my excuse for owning them 😊 I hope nothing bad does happen to the one you love best. I'm sure it won't.

[@heythere6983]

Yeah the second one still sounds nice . But the high end of the first allows hammer ons and offs hit more punchy for example, or slamming on a chord. Overall it’s a punchier guitar because when you dig in the high end leaps forward. The second is nice but the darker tone doesn’t let it respond aswell. Also the other thought was to keep the first at home and the second to handle traveling with temperature and humidity changes/ any neck issues/intonation and any risks with traveling , that way I won’t be another guy who’s favorite gear got lost in some way.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Two similar new guitars that sound that different make it sound like a 'wood' thing to me. You might put 'em both on wall hangers and tap them and listen closely to see if they ring at different pitches or one rings and the other doesn't. I have an SG Tribute that is definitely an A when you tap it and the two old Juniors I had ( the '57 and the '62) rang symapthetically, one on A and one on B. Compared to the Tribute this Junior is relatively dead but that's not necessarily a bad thing as it doesn't tend to favour one key over another.

[@heythere6983]

That’s an interesting though , Iv never thought about a guitars vibrational note acoustically . When I tested out my guitars I did notice since I have multiple juniors, that the brightest one had the highest rated pots by almost a hundred on the volume . Also it’s tone knob was a fair bit higher . The darkest had both pots lower rated . And I have one that sounds in between the two, the smoothest one. Not too bright or dark. And it infact has the volume and tone pots rated right in between the other two guitars actually. So it’s fairly consistent it seems . Their caps are exactly the same and the brightest and darkest are only off by pickup output by .05 I think. Super close . I never paid attention to this kind of stuff but once I had enough extra money to buy amps and gear, it allowed me to really see differences and understand what my ideal responsiveness is. It definitely helps make guitars less mysterious and gives one a fair bit of confidence to get why they liked the sound a bit more . I love denser midrange thickness BUT it comes at the cost of some slinky spankyness, in terms of top end punch. Like my darker speakers that are more midrange forward verses the somewhat thinner scooped ones. Too much midrange in a setup ends up stiffening the sound but doesn’t allow as much vocal springiness to come in. Once I learned more a little bit about production and recognizing frequencies a bit more, when I went back to my guitars I was able to understand them a lot better in terms of what their doing and what I’m hearing . Thanks for that tip, that’s something I’ll give a shot to

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

I think in the final analysis the most important thing is to enjoy playing and to play, as close as possible, what you are feeling.

[@elklakeradio8776]

Sounds really great, brother... Just got my 61 standard sg this afternoon. They are lovely gibsons this time around, and you make yours sing!

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Thanks so much. You're very kind. Yes! Gibson have got a lot right this year. As I say in the video theses guitars are hardly perfectly finished but that isn't so much of a problem and they are certainly as 'vibey' as you could want. Enjoy your Standard...I'm sure you will :-)

[@anthonyroach7974]

Sounds beautiful what a clean sound to .lovely playing ..

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Thanks very much indeed

[@cawfeedawg]

as always, a real treat.. Thanks Paul.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Thanks so much, as always, for the very kind words. They are always much appreciated

[@jltrem]

Wow, Paul, at first I thought you'd gotten your old '62 back. I played one of these on a visit to Sweetwater Music a couple months ago. I thought the neck was rather chunky. How does this one compare in that respect to your '62? Awhile back I told you how I was hankering for a single pickup guitar again. Still haven't come across something to fit that bill. And arthritis? Oy! I could tell you. Happy you got this, enjoy. John

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

It was hankering after that '62 that made me pull the trigger on this one. The '62 is better in every way but that is to do with 50 + years of playing as much as anything else. I like the neck on this but I have big hands. The '62 was, if anything, a bit bigger. I hate arthritis, and now the cold and damp are coming.....brrrrr. What can you do? Thanks as ever for dropping by John

[@scotttascarella2951]

I had a 1957 Les Paul Junior as well that I had to let go last April because I was broke. I got it from a local pawnshop that didn’t know what it was Because of all that had been done to it. (Long story) I bought it for $70. It was my miracle guitar and I have been very depressed about it until I watched your video. It really made me Feel better. Thank you very much sir. Great playing by the way

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Thanks so much for the very kind words. Yeah! It's sad when things have to go but if you imagine that maybe there were 2500 Juniors made in 1957 and each one might have had 10 owners then that means that only 25,000 people in the history of the world have owned a '57 Junior and we are two of them....Hahahahaha. The numbers are kinda guesswork but you know what I mean

[@scotttascarella2951]

Paul McCaffrey haha that’s a great thought

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

@@scotttascarella2951 It seems that there were just shy of 3,000 shipped in '57 but I'll bet a lot had fewer than 10 owners so it probably works out the same :-)

[@scotttascarella2951]

Paul McCaffrey I’m going to order either a new SG or Les Paul junior today. I can only get one and I’m having trouble deciding. l like the way the SG looks more, but I have a feeling the paul will be meatier sounding. I’ll be happy with either I’m sure.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

@@scotttascarella2951 To be honest my old '57 LPJ and the '62 LPJ (SG shaped) were extremely close soundwise though the single cut resonated arund B and the SG shape around G, but you can never predict those things. Of the new ones my feeling is that the Les Paul Junior is very marginally brighter than the SG Junior but that might apply to these two specifically and agin, to be honest, I get the feeling that they are all going to be extremely close sound wise. Personally I favour the look of the LPJ but the SG is super light and super comfortable and I probably prefer playing it. I think if the UK is anything to go by the SG should be less money which might help the decision. Take a strap when you go shopping and as long as the SG doesn't neck dive then maybe go for that. As you say, I think you will be happy either way. They're both super guitars

[@LivioC]

Excellent demo and tone.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

You're very kind. Thank you 🙂

[@bluesbaby8]

First time I have seen an SG like that. It has a big, biting sound for as small as it is! Sounds great!

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Thanks Alicia. The P90 pickup gives it power and bite. They tend to be a bit louder than humbuckers and this guitar is particularly light and brght. I'm enjoying it very much.

[@grahamaldridge]

Now that’s a welcome addition - that Jr sounds great (it’s all in the fingers!) and it appears it has scratched an itch you’ve had for a while. Always good to see a new clip, buzz or not. :-)

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Thanks Gra. The other half of this particular itch scratching will appear on or around my birthday, breaking my 'one a month' rule for this year

[@grahamaldridge]

Paul McCaffrey Ooh, a touch of intrigue! :-D I’ll look forward to it.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Let's say I've spent less than the price of one guitar I don't particularly want (a McCarty for example) on two guitars that I really did and do want :-)

[@grahamaldridge]

Paul McCaffrey Baited breath here. You’re a man of impeccable taste. :-)

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Hahahahaha....You should see some of the rubbish I eat :-)

[@cgavin1]

These sound SO much better than the LP version w/ P90's. I mean this tone is pure PAF imho. Something about slab bodies and single coils. Love it. :)

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Interestingly the Les Paul Junior is a proper 'slab' and this is a two piece body but I hear ya

[@GQJ]

Yes Very nice guitar with beautiful color Wood. 👍👋😊

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

It is pretty isn't it 😊

[@deanallen927]

One reason they aren't neck heavy - just got one - are the Grover Kluson copies instead of Rotomatics. I'm replacing mine in a couple days with real Klusons and conversion bushings.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

I'm not feeling the lack of three on a strip tuners if I'm honest. These have been working well for me :-)

[@deanallen927]

@@PaulMcCaffreyfmac Well you know what they say; "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". As for me, I'd hoped to leave them, but the ones on my guitar don't work so well, not precise and feel inconsistent and kind of mushy. I'm not a fan of the three on a strip anyway, I just found the actual new Klusons (Keystone knobs, press in bushings) work better than the Grover copies I've seen on many Les Paul Studios after driving people nuts at guitar center for hours trying many Les Pauls with all manner of tuners.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

@@deanallen927 Interesting. I wonder if Gibson have changed things up. I have very good experiences with three on a strip Klusons previously but the tuners on this are individual and not three on a strip. Whatever you go for I hope you enjoy them and they work well for you.

[@deanallen927]

@@PaulMcCaffreyfmac Yes mine are the same, I guess I just got a lemon set. Oh and guess what? The Klusons don't even fit their own conversion bushings (Grrrr!). I have Gotohs on the way now.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

@@deanallen927 Hopefully the Gotohs will sort you out :-)

[@2009framat]

only one pick up? I only played once in my life on a SG and it was only about 3 minutes 39 years ago - winter 1980 when the shop owner more or less threw me out of his shop after I still did not bought a guitar after 30 minutes - real german/Berlin hospitality back in those days LOL . I thought (summer is even gone calendar-wise in October :-) I like the Beatles Can't buy me love a lot.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Sometimes it's good not to have too much choice...Hahahahaha I wonder if that shop still exists. Probably not. Godd to see you, as always... and thanks

[@2009framat]

@@PaulMcCaffreyfmac I am not sure about the shop but they shop owner died about 20 years ago and his daughter opened the shop in another place which existed some years - not sure if she moved again or closed the shop for good. The original shop existed some decades. I think in the 1980s every Berlin guitar-player could have told you HIS (or hers) personal story about that infamous shop.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

I hope he wasn't killed by an unhappy customer

[@2009framat]

The shop owner had quite some regulars. If they past the test they often stayed for years (seemed I did not past the test). Maybe one out of twenty but even West-Berlin's population was back then over 2 millions and it was said that he had good prices and a fine repair shop. Strangely he could not play a single instrument.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

I've known guitar shop owners that don't play and bookshop managers that don't read. Maybe it's the right way to do it....

[@TheMicAmused]

Very nice presentation, I love how this SG looks and sounds... What is the pedal you used in the video? is it direct in the Lazy J20?

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Thanks very much. It's a sweet guitar - I like it very much already. The pedal (and you can hear when I turn it on) is a Way Huge Conspiracy Theory. Not my favourite but pretty good

[@TheMicAmused]

@@PaulMcCaffreyfmac Yes I heard afterword, but thanks anyway, i thought it sounded pretty decent. WHat is your favorite OD pedal then?

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

You're very welcome. I have been a big fan of the Barber Gain Changer for a long time so it would probably be that or the Way Huge 'Geisha' Drive

[@Jam-m7m]

Funny I’ve got a 57 Les Paul Junior too...I live in the USA but I’m British Scottish and Swedish lol....you’ve talk me into getting one of those SG Juniors now lol but I’ll paint a flower and a peace Sign on the black pick guard and possibly get a Fralin p-90

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Hahaha...excellent plan. The new LPJ is to replace a '57 I had to let go and the SGJ is to replace a '62 Les Paul Junior that I was lucky enough to own at the same time that also had to go. The new ones aren't the old ones but they are bloomin' good fun and less stressful on the nerves to have around. Enjoy it when it comes :-)

[@Jam-m7m]

Paul McCaffrey btw I’m 66 and I do have a 94 Musicman Albert Lee which is quite nice Pink Burst but it reminds me of a Candy Apple Red

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

@@Jam-m7m Very nice guitars....and 'snap' agewise

[@MrWilly2204]

Good for you, man. Go for it while the gettin's good!

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Yeah man! Hahahahahaha... Thanks very much

[@Rholding1963]

Sounds awesome. You did a great job

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

You're very kind. Thank you :-)

[@TheParisthething]

Born on the wrong side of time!!! Great Video! Are you from England?

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Hahaha! Well spotted and thank you very much. What's Going On as well :-) Yes! England.

[@Freedaaa]

I agree. Enjoy! :-)xx

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

:-) Thank you so much

[@zach7j]

Hope you’re around to bang on that sweet wood for many years to come. Love mine.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

It is certainly too late for me to give up now 🙂 so I guess I'll be playing to the end. Thanks for dropping by and for the kind words. Much appreciated I assure you.

[@MrMojoRiiisin]

Would you recommend this or the LP Jr?

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

If you play above the 15th fret a lot and weight is an issue then the SG is the one. For me personally I prefer the Les Paul Junior, maybe because I loved my old '57 so much. They are both cool guitars. I think you need to try them both if you can and make sure you try the SG on a strap to make sure the balance is good for you

[@MrMojoRiiisin]

Paul McCaffrey notice much difference in tone? SG is brighter I imagine

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

If anything the Les Paul is brighter but there's not much in it. They both benefit from having the tone rolled back to about 8

[@aperezdeal]

Hello there! My SG Jr. just arrived and I wanted to thank you for aiding my informed decision. Thank you! P.S. How are you finding the intonation on your Jr? Would you swap bridges or is the standard one meeting your needs?

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Congratulations to you and I wish you a long life and good health to enjoy it. I use 10-46 strngs and for me the intonation is perfectly acceptable. I had to adjust it a little when I put the strings on because I think it came with 9s but now, once it's in tune, I can play chords up the neck with no worries.

[@aperezdeal]

Thank you for the speedy reply! Stay safe!

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

@@aperezdeal No problem. Stay in and play that geetar and forget about the terrible world for a while (if you are lucky enough to be in a position to do such a thing)

[@DSilvergun]

So worth buying??

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

I can't answer for you. For me ,definitely yes. I really like it.

[@deanallen927]

I have one; Very nice guitar on all points.

[@doctorcatsburger]

Nice little guitar.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Thanks doc. Gotta do what you can when you get old and your back feels the weight..Hahahahaha

[@doctorcatsburger]

@@PaulMcCaffreyfmac I hear ya, I'm on the heating pad right now.

[@saldanation]

Nice one!

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Thanks very much

[@wrigleyx]

10:08 so relax !!!

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

I can't play fast so I have to relax...Hahahahahahaha

[@terephthalate]

좋네요~

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

:-)

[@frankzappa951]

Lovely work sir.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

You're very kind. Thanks so much 😊

[@frankzappa951]

@@PaulMcCaffreyfmac Not cool really, I’m gassing for a junior now !!! :) all the best mate.