Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
More
  • "She knew what she'd created": Back to Black
  • Trower's '80s supergroup
  • Music theory tricks
  • Stage Tour game
  • 95k+ free music samples
  1. Guitars
  2. Electric Guitars

10 Gibson Les Paul Junior players

News
By Rob Power
Published 14 June 2013

Rock royalty love the stripped-back attack of the Junior

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Billie Joe Armstrong

Billie Joe Armstrong

The Green Day frontman has had a long-term love affair with the Junior, preferring his low-slung and loud. He's even had a couple of signature models, including one based on his '56 'Floyd' Junior, and a TV yellow Double Cut.

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
Keith Urban

Keith Urban

Kiwi born, Aussie bred but Nashville famous, Keith Urban's country-pop has made him a superstar, and he's made quite a lot of it with his trusty Les Paul Junior. Far from the most obvious country guitar, but it takes all sorts...

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
Mick Ralphs

Mick Ralphs

Bowie-endorsed '70s heroes Mott The Hoople were electrifying live in their heyday, with raw power and chops to burn. Guitarist Mick Ralphs' fancy fretwork demonstrated that the Les Paul Junior was more than capable as a rock machine. Check out the solo in the video below...

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
Bob Marley

Bob Marley

Bob was a guitar hero unlike anyone before or since, defining reggae for a generation and generally making us all feel a little bit better about ourselves. Endorsements don't come much higher, and his weapon of choice? An iconic, heavily modified Les Paul Junior.

YouTube YouTube
Watch On
Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
Paul Westerberg

Paul Westerberg

Paul Westerberg led The Replacements wielding his Les Paul Junior like a weapon. The music was the perfect match for the guitar - raw yet refined.

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
Chris Carrabba

Chris Carrabba

Chris Carrabba might be best known for his singalong acoustic emo-punk, but of occasion he's been known to make a slightly more raucous racket. Naturally, the only guitar worthy of baring your fragile soul with is the humble, kick-ass Les Paul Junior (apologies for the shaky-cam footage).

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
Peter Frampton

Peter Frampton

He came alive, he stayed alive, and he did at least some of that living with a Les Paul Junior (as well as a Talk Box and, frankly, a lot of other guitars). Unfortunately, YouTube didn't want to play ball so we don't have a video of Frampton playing said Junior, so you'll have to trust us on this one...

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
Mick Jones

Mick Jones

The Clash were young, gifted and angry, arguably the greatest band to emerge from the punk wars, and definitely one of the greatest groups London ever produced. Mick Jones' early championing of the Les Paul Junior was probably the result of his youthful obsession with Mott The Hoople, but he turned his into a weapon of mass destruction. The perfect counterpoint to Joe Strummer's machinegun Tele.

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
John Lennon

John Lennon

After spending the '60s exclusive to pretty much two guitars - first a Rickenbacker 325 and then an Epiphone Casino - he switched to a modded Les Paul Junior at the beginning of his solo career. Here he is making it sing live in New York City.

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
Leslie West

Leslie West

A big man with a bigger tone and probably the finest exponent of pure, fuzz-heavy Les Paul Junior lovin', Mountain main man Leslie West made his Junior do the business like no one before - and many would argue since.

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
Rob Power
Read more
Slash
Artists Slash on his enduring devotion to the Gibson Les Paul
 
 
Joe Bonamassa wears a blue suit and plays his signature Epiphone Les Paul [left]; the late great Albert Collins with his Telecaster.
Artists Joe Bonamassa on how Albert Collins taught him to wield his guitar as “a weapon”
 
 
Pete Townshend with a freshly smashed Rickenbacker in 1966
Artists Pete Townshend on how Stevie Wonder's producer inspired him to smash guitars
 
 
Chris Payton shows Planet Guitar his Collings I-35, a gift from Bruno Mars
Artists Chris Payton reveals his rig for Bruno Mars stadium shows
 
 
Kirk Hammett plays his Mummy ESP signature guitar [left]; Neal Schon plays a Les Paul on a stage lit up in purple.
Artists Kirk Hammett felt so guilty after buying Neal Schon's Les Paul on the cheap he offered to return it
 
 
Gretsch Electromatic Limited Edition Black Limba Jet and CVT
Guitars Gretsch’s play for hard-riffing rock players continues with the “exotic” black limba Jet and CVT
 
 
Latest in Electric Guitars
Gretsch Electromatic Limited Edition Black Limba Jet and CVT
Guitars Gretsch’s play for hard-riffing rock players continues with the “exotic” black limba Jet and CVT
 
 
Troy Van Leeuwen with his new Squier Paranormal Telecaster XII in a still from the demo video.
Artists Troy Van Leeuwen on his Squier Tele XII’s origins, and when he learned it was (literally) roadworthy
 
 
Ibanez Axe Design Lab Iceman ICMS721
Guitars Ibanez just weaponised the Iceman for metal and refreshed a bunch of its flagship signature models
 
 
MusicRadar monthly guitar gear roundup, ft. Lzzy Hale's signature Epiphone Explorer Custom, plus new gear from Hotone, Gibson, JHS Pedals, Death By Audio and more
Guitars “His effects are bonkers in the best way possible”: The MusicRadar guitar gear roundup Aug 2026 edit
 
 
Guitar Center 2026 Exclusive Crossroads Guitar Collection
Artists The Blind Faith Tele returns as Guitar Center unveils Eric Clapton Crossroads charity collab
 
 
Donner Hush X Pro on wood floor
Electric Guitars “When you're away from your main rig, it more than fills a void.”: Donner Hush X Pro review
 
 
Latest in News
Beck during Liz Phair and Beck Perform at McCabe's Guitar Store, 1993 at McCabe's Guitar Store in Santa Monica, CA, United States. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)
Artists “I had no idea what I was doing": Beck admits that he was as surprised as anyone by his ‘90s breakthrough
 
 
Lil Wayne in Fortnite
Singers & Songwriters Lil Wayne steps into Fortnite tomorrow with new bundle of accessories
 
 
Acon Digital Acoustica 8 audio editor
Software & Apps Acon Digital’s Acoustica 8 audio editor is the company’s “most ambitious release to date”
 
 
Tony Iommi
Artists “I said to Ozzy, ‘I don’t think we should do it’”: Tony Iommi says that Black Sabbath’s final show almost didn’t happen
 
 
Arturia Audiofuse Studio rev2 audio interface
Audio Interfaces Arturia’s Audiofuse Studio Rev 2 aims to be a desktop interface for all occasions
 
 
Cameron Winter of GEESE performs at the Gobi stage during the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Bands “That seemed like a reasonable explanation”: Geese say they had doubts about how ‘real’ their fans actually were
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...