Les Paul Juniors?? Love em' or hate em'??

Ah, there we go, I confused it. People who "serve the songs" and people who, well, solo and such, and then there's Kanye being Kanye.

sometimes I just "serve the servants"

I heard on South park that Kanye is a gay fish... I mean, he likes fish stick and all.

I prefer SGs to Les Pauls but I do like the les paul juniors

I prefer SGs to Les Pauls but I do like the les paul juniors

I am an SG man after years if resisting.... can I hear a w00t w00t for the SG posy?

you'll understand 1 pickup guitars when you're older... treble is our friend if our technique is up to snuff (your guitar has a tone control, bud)... harsh, you say? get a better amp... even the thinnest, most ear-splitting fender bridge pickup will be an ear-pleasing sound through an ac30, for instance.... or try that harsh pickup through a tweed deluxe, you might just enjoy the extra bite and spank.

So, my general opinion about this topic is that you have to match or "pair" your guitar with pedals and amps that complement it well. Not unlike pairing wine with your meal. You choose the meal first, then pair the wine. You choose your guitar first, then pair it with pedals and amps (or just amps) that complement. Then you pair speakers with your amp (unless you bought a combo). So to tell someone they need to buy a better amp ... not quite. There isn't anything wrong with his/her amps in terms of quality, not necessarily. What you meant to say was "get an amp that better complements your guitar of choice."

Well that's my 2¢

So, my general opinion about this topic is that you have to match or "pair" your guitar with pedals and amps that complement it well. Not unlike pairing wine with your meal. You choose the meal first, then pair the wine. You choose your guitar first, then pair it with pedals and amps (or just amps) that complement. Then you pair speakers with your amp (unless you bought a combo). So to tell someone they need to buy a better amp ... not quite. There isn't anything wrong with his/her amps in terms of quality, not necessarily. What you meant to say was "get an amp that better complements your guitar of choice."

Well that's my 2¢

No, you're right as usual Nick, but I think there are some circuits that just don't compliment anything you put through them. They might sound OKAY, but never outstanding. Not flattering would be my term.

Totally. Most practice amps, in my opinion, fall into that category. Great for practicing and for lessons but not for gigs or recording. Unless you want that sound, or you are making a demo for internal band use. But if you are a beginner or a student and your guitar of choice happens to be a lower-end student model guitar, you don't need to waste your money on a high-end amp. The best amp in the world (if one could possibly exist) will not make that Peavey Detonator (my first electric guitar) sound more flattering.

edit: Les Paul Jr.s are NOT low-end student models ....

Totally. Most practice amps, in my opinion, fall into that category.

Man, they do not make practice amps like they used to. A tweed champ, 5 watt supro or an AC4 is an awesome 'practice' amp. Even the Gibson GA5 'les paul jr' amp they used to package with the 50s jr guitars and melody makers is a real winner (I do not like the later GA5 skylark that came with the SG jr and melody maker guitars).

My bedroom/practice amp is a current production AC4HW (review submitted to the EB blog last week, get ready for history and unprecedented detail). Most people would not consider it to be a practice amp, but its really not too far off from the old practice/student amp models unless you are talking price. I got a deal on mine and it was still an arm and a leg. The fender champion600 'reissues' and epi valve juniors are, however, a tonal trainwreck without copious modding. But they hit the 'practice amp' price point -- cheap. Its like when a company makes a budget tube practice amp they have to go out of their way to make it sound shitty. believe it or not the ebst way to improve a champ600 is by taking parts out. It would cut production costs for Fender to make it sound right, but then how would they excuse the mark-up for the Eric Clapton signature champ?!

I used to work in a music shop in 90's and I pulled an Epiphone Double cutaway Jr off the rack one afternoon and fell in love with it. I went home that night thinking I should buy it, and it was gone the next day. It felt like it belonged and sounded like it wanted to be heard. Everybody needs a white whale...