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
  • Christine McVie's masterpiece
  • Macca vs Phil Collins
  • Music theory tricks
  • Kiss From a Rose
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Yes
  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
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”
 
 
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
 
 
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
 
 
Jared James Nichols takes a solo on his 1952 Gibson Les Paul, aka Dorothy.
Artists “A lot of people lost the plot”: Jared James Nichols on what's wrong with vintage guitar culture
 
 
MusicRadar Guitar Gear Round-up July 2026
Guitars MusicRadar’s July 2026 guitar gear roundup: featuring Orange Amps, Harley Benton, Epiphone and more
 
 
Latest in Electric Guitars
Harley Benton ST-62LA MN BK
Electric Guitars “Makes you realise just how good budget guitars have become”: Harley Benton ST-62LA review
 
 
Fender American Vintage II 2026 refresh
Guitars Fender refreshes the American Vintage II lineup with classic finishes from the paint room
 
 
Fender 75th Anniversary Telecaster Road Worn '51
Guitars Fender CEO clarifies his controversial comments comparing cover songs to AI
 
 
MusicRadar Guitar Gear Round-up July 2026
Guitars MusicRadar’s July 2026 guitar gear roundup: featuring Orange Amps, Harley Benton, Epiphone and more
 
 
Harley Benton Aged Series
Guitars Harley Benton is making hand-aged relic'd guitars for under 250 bucks
 
 
Gretsch Streamliner CVT
Guitars Gretsch puts high-gain sounds on the menu as it adds the $249 CVT to entry-level Streamliner series
 
 
Latest in News
rave
Samples SampleRadar: 505 free rave synths samples
 
 
suno
Tech Suno’s Studio 2.0 adds an AI chatbot that can control your project, transform sounds and generate custom plugins
 
 
mike d
Artists "Thank you, Sir Paul": Mike D on how the Beastie Boys got away with sampling five Beatles songs
 
 
Contra Ice logo
Singles And Albums “Passionately fighting against fascism”: Tom Morello, Kathleen Hanna and others team up for Anti-ICE benefit album
 
 
MusicRadar App
Tech The MusicRadar app is live, and free on iOS and Android - grab it today
 
 
Ritchie Blackmore performs with Deep Purple for the first time in more than 30 years
Guitarists Watch Ritchie Blackmore perform onstage with Deep Purple for the first time in more than 30 years
 
 

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...