What Makes the Gibson Brian Ray '62 SG Junior More Than a Junior?

A Les Paul or SG Junior is about the simplest serious electric Gibson ever built: a slab of mahogany, one P-90, a volume, a tone, and a wraparound tailpiece. So when Gibson's Custom Shop put Brian Ray's name on a '62 SG Junior in 2019, the obvious question was what a signature model could possibly add to a guitar whose entire appeal is that nothing's been added. The short answer is more than you'd expect, and most of it is useful rather than cosmetic. We have one on the bench right now, so here's what the model is, what's different about it, and what I'd check before buying one used.

What the Brian Ray '62 SG Junior is, and why it exists

Brian Ray has been Paul McCartney's second guitarist (and bassist, depending on the song) for more than two decades, which means playing everything from Beatles-era jangle to "Helter Skelter" in stadiums, often in the same set. Gibson Custom had already built him a signature '63 SG Standard, the Silver Fox model from around 2015. The '62 SG Junior followed. Gibson showed it in 2019, and the launch coverage that summer put the list price around $4,199.

The brief, as Ray and Gibson both described it, was a Junior that keeps the raw single-pickup character but doesn't fall apart under the demands of a big touring show. Nearly everything that sets the guitar apart comes from that brief: a way to deal with P-90 hum, a bridge you can reconfigure, and a slightly beefier body so one pickup doesn't sound thin.

What makes this spec different from a regular SG Junior

The P-90 has a hidden noise circuit

The pickup is a custom dog-ear P-90 in the bridge position, which is what you'd expect. What's unusual is a passive induction-coil circuit under the pickguard. You switch it in with a push-push on the tone knob. Gibson says it cuts RF interference and high-gain noise while leaving the P-90's character alone. It isn't a humbucker in disguise, and Gibson hasn't published much about how the circuit is built, so I won't pretend to know the details. In use, it's a noise tool you reach for when the gain or the room gets ugly. It isn't a second voice.

If you've fought a single P-90 through a cranked amp under stage lighting, you know why someone would want this. If you mostly play clean at home, you may never touch it. The honest benefit is that it's there when you need it and invisible when you don't.

The bridge is convertible

Vintage Juniors mostly came with a wraparound bar tailpiece, and the Maestro Vibrola was an option. The Brian Ray uses a convertible system built around an ABR-1. Gibson and its dealers describe it slightly differently from one another, but the idea is that you can run the ABR-1 with a short Vibrola, or switch to a wrap-tail or stopbar setup. Per Ray, the change takes about as long as a string change.

The Vibrola on this model has an ebony block with a pearl inlay on the tailpiece. That's a nod to the ornamental "ebony block" Vibrolas Gibson put on some SGs, mostly around 1962. On the SG Standard and Custom models of that era it's a detail collectors pay attention to, so seeing it on a Junior is a nice touch.

A thicker body, a bound board, and bigger frets

The mahogany body is about an eighth of an inch thicker than a normal SG. Ray's own take is that it adds low and midrange punch across the neck. I'd describe it more modestly: you can feel it in your hands, and a single-pickup guitar needs all the body it can get. Whether you'd pick it out in a blind test is a fair question, and I wouldn't bet on it either way.

The neck is a '60s SlimTaper in mahogany with a long tenon set in hide glue. The fingerboard is Indian rosewood with cream binding, custom trapezoid inlays, a 12" radius, and Dunlop 6100 jumbo frets. That last spec matters more than it sounds. Tall, wide 6100s on a 12" board feel nothing like the small frets on a vintage Junior. Bends are easy, and the guitar plays more like a modern player's instrument than the "'62" in the name suggests.

White Fox

The finish is a pearlescent white in gloss nitro that Gibson calls White Fox. It's the sibling of the Silver Fox on Ray's '63 SG. It isn't a flat cream. There's a shimmer to it, and on our example the grain shows faintly through, which keeps it from looking like a painted appliance.

What to check when buying a used Brian Ray '62 SG Junior

• Which bridge parts come with it. Because the system is convertible, ask exactly which hardware is included and how it's currently set up. Don't assume every alternate part is in the case. Listings rarely spell it out.
• The serial and the COA should match. These carry a "BR" prefix serial on the back of the headstock, and the Custom Shop Certificate of Authenticity lists the same number. If the paperwork is missing, the guitar isn't automatically a problem, but you should know that before you agree on a price.
• Test the push-push circuit. Plug in with some gain, engage the induction coil, and make sure it clicks cleanly and does something. Push-push switches are mechanical parts, and a flaky one is easy to miss on a quick clean test.
• Vibrola tuning behavior. A short Vibrola is a gentle vibrato, not a Floyd. A well-cut nut and properly wound strings make most of the difference. If it goes out of tune, check those before blaming the design.
• The usual SG checks. Look at the headstock and neck joint closely, the way you would on any SG. Expect some neck dive. A thicker body helps a little, and a wide strap helps more.
• Finish color. Light, pale finishes show hanger marks and uneven aging more than dark ones. Check the headstock and anywhere the guitar might have rested against something.

How this particular guitar measures up

Our example is a 2020, serial BR 1101. The same number appears on the back of the headstock and on the Custom Shop COA, which is signed by Brian Ray and the Custom Shop's general manager. It came in with its original Custom Shop hard case and complete case candy.

On the bench it's close to new. The frets are excellent, the setup is recent with low action, intonation is spot on, and the original P-90 and electronics passed a full electronics test. It's currently set up with the ABR-1 and short Vibrola. The one thing worth calling out is some very light age-related coloration near the headstock from being hung. It doesn't break the finish and it's easy to overlook in person, but on a white guitar I'd rather tell you than have you spot it in a photo. The full notes and every photo are on the Brian Ray '62 SG Junior listing.

Is it worth it over a regular SG Junior?

If you want the purest version of the Junior idea, a standard '60s SG Junior or a Les Paul Junior does that job for much less money. I made that case in why a one-P-90 Junior beats a lot of fancier guitars. The Brian Ray makes sense if you like that sound but want the practical fixes: a noise option for loud stages, a real vibrato, big frets, and Custom Shop build quality. It's one of the few signature models I've handled where the artist-specific changes make the guitar more capable instead of just changing the paint. If you'd rather browse whatever else is on the bench, the in-stock collection is updated as guitars come in.

FAQ

Is the Brian Ray '62 SG Junior a limited edition?

Some dealers sold it as a Limited Edition, and Gibson now lists it as discontinued. I haven't found an official production total, so treat any specific number you see quoted with some caution.

Does the induction coil make it a humbucker?

No. It's a passive noise-reduction circuit you switch in with the tone knob. The pickup is still a single dog-ear P-90, and it still sounds like one.

Can you put a wraparound bridge on it?

Yes. The convertible system was designed for that, with wrap-tail and Vibrola configurations. Check which parts come with any used example.

Do signature models hold their value?

It depends heavily on the artist and whether the spec is useful on its own merits. This one has a practical spec, which helps. If you're thinking about moving one on, our Cash Offer page is the quickest way to get a number.