JR#97
New member
A friend of mine has a 1955 gibson les paul tv and a les paul amp(????) Does anybody know the value or history of this items?
B
Bighand
New member
I've been hanging out at the Gibson forum site once in awhile.
Give it a shot if you have no success here.
http://webserver.gibson.com:2327/mb/index.html
You will need to register.
Give it a shot if you have no success here.
http://webserver.gibson.com:2327/mb/index.html
You will need to register.
philboyd studge
New member
As I recall, it was Gibson's attempt to compeate with the Telecaster. Is it a Jr. (one pickup) or a special (2 pickups)? Either way, they're pretty cool guitars.
L
lazyboy
New member
Let me start by saying I don't know what sets the TV apart from other juniors. I do know that the junior was created with budget in mind, hence no binding, single pickups, etc. In most cases, it came with a P-90 and was found to be a real players guitar in its own right.
Any of this I know only from browsing Les Paul forums. I'm seriously thinking about jumping on a new Les Paul Jr Lite double cutaway. Perhaps as early as tomorrow.
Any of this I know only from browsing Les Paul forums. I'm seriously thinking about jumping on a new Les Paul Jr Lite double cutaway. Perhaps as early as tomorrow.
matty_boy
New member
The T.V. was called a T.V. because of the colour. That yellow colour supposedly showed up really nice on a black and white T.V. I believe that not as many were made with this finish, so if it is in good shape it might be worth a lot. BTW, in the new Guitar World there is a picture of a T.V. SG from 1961, and it is worth $5000.
Matty
Matty
gibs
New member
matty_boy is correct....Gibson is also making repro tv yellow ones , as well....the old ones are cool.......gibs
JR#97
New member
$5000? damn... the guy who owns it inherited from his grand father whom I imagine was the original owner. It is yellow and it came with a tube les paul amp. I'm trying to trade my pearl export series drum set including b8 pro cymbals.... is that evil or what???? 
foo
Active member
Les Paul TV.
First introduced in 1954. Slab mahogany body (not arched like a regular LP), single cutaway.
The TV model was actually a Junior (i.e. One P-90 pickup screwed onto the top, not sunk like humbuckers or the two p-90's on a Special) - although over the years people sometimes (incorrectly) refer to TV as the finsih on several different models.They are taliking about a limed mahogany - which is kind of a straw looking color.
Changed to double cutaway in 1958 (not SG shape tho. That shape came in 1961).
The reason the SG from 1961 is worth $5,000 is because it has PAF humbuckers on it (unless it is a truly mint two pickup double-cut non SG shape Special). It is almost certainly white (most were red), not the limed mahogany 'TV' color. If it was a '61 and the straw color with PAFs it would be worth more than $5,000 as it would be extremely rare.
Your 1955 TV Junior is a great little guitar - run it through a Tweed Bassman or a Blackface Deluxe Reverb and you will significantly improve your very existence!
Enjoy!
foo
First introduced in 1954. Slab mahogany body (not arched like a regular LP), single cutaway.
The TV model was actually a Junior (i.e. One P-90 pickup screwed onto the top, not sunk like humbuckers or the two p-90's on a Special) - although over the years people sometimes (incorrectly) refer to TV as the finsih on several different models.They are taliking about a limed mahogany - which is kind of a straw looking color.
Changed to double cutaway in 1958 (not SG shape tho. That shape came in 1961).
The reason the SG from 1961 is worth $5,000 is because it has PAF humbuckers on it (unless it is a truly mint two pickup double-cut non SG shape Special). It is almost certainly white (most were red), not the limed mahogany 'TV' color. If it was a '61 and the straw color with PAFs it would be worth more than $5,000 as it would be extremely rare.
Your 1955 TV Junior is a great little guitar - run it through a Tweed Bassman or a Blackface Deluxe Reverb and you will significantly improve your very existence!
Enjoy!
foo