'59 Les Paul Special 3/4, '59 Les Paul Junior 3/4, and '59 Melody Maker 3/4

'59 was the first year of the double cutaway Les Pauls and only twelve 3/4 scale Specials were shipped that year, and, not all of those bore the "Les Paul" silkscreen on the headstock like this one. This was because they began to refer to double cutaways as "SG" models at varying dates for different models. The shape had changed completely by '61, to the two-horned "SG" shape that continues to this day (see the two early 60's models in a later post). The LP Junior was shipped in late '61 by it's serial number, but was likely manufactured in '59, as it has '59 appointments and the LP silkscreen on the headstock, which had been discontinued long before it's shipping date. I've seen SG shaped LP Juniors with lower serial numbers than this one and, as mentioned above, all new production by '61 was of the SG shape. This was likely one of the last LP's of this configuration to leave the factory. The '59 Melody Maker 3/4 is not technically a Les Paul, but used a thiner version of the single cut LP Junior body that had been discontinued the previous year. It also has the "banana" yellow sunburst found only on 50's single cut Juniors. This instrument also shipped later (in '60), but was made in '59, with original '59 pots, a wider, overwound '59 pickup, and its original "alligator" case.