Total Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 Hi...I just bought this guitar and have strung it up lefty for me. Can anyone tell me if this is an LG 2 because there are no letters or numbers on the FON neck block (just the LG ? stamp which is blurry). From what I have read so far, this guitar dates from 1947-51. The guitar has ladder bracing and a tapered peghead/headstock. Any info would be great. Take a look at the tuners and see if that helps date the guitar. Thanks...Total Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvguit Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 This is an LG-1 since it is ladder braced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 Block logo & no-belly bridge would make it a 48-49, assuming all parts are original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvguit Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 The LG-1 still had the rectangular bridge until 1962. The tapered headstock disappeared in 1951. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fullmental Alpinist Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 Congratulations on your new guitar. Welcome to the forum. Â FMA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 The tapered headstock disappeared in 1951. Â Â Don't you mean after 1954, like other Gibson acoustics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 From what I have read so far, this guitar dates from 1947-51. The guitar has ladder bracing and a tapered peghead/headstock. Any info would be great. Thanks...Total   When you say "ladder bracing", are you referring to the back bracing, or the top bracing?  The stamp looks like it says LG-2. The LG-2 would have ladder bracing for the back, but X-bracing for the top. Stick a mirror and flashlight inside the soundhole to check the top bracing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 The pictures are vague with the inside back.. I dont see a center strip... also.. could you see if there a X brace inside the top? Nice looking guitar.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 The reason folks are saying it is an LG-1 is the lack of a strip of wood running down the center seam on the inside back. LG-2s had this and LG-1s did not. Â You really don't need a mirror to tell if it is ladder or X braced - just check out the bracing right beneath the soundhole. Â Also a dumb question but did you take a gander at the neck block to see if there is an FON. Also photos of the tuners are often helpful in narrowing down a year built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Block logo & no-belly bridge would make it a 48-49, assuming all parts are original. Â The block letter logo shows up on at least LG-2s in 1947. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 A question - when did Gibson start stamping model numbers inside the guitars? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 The block letter logo shows up on at least LG-2s in 1947. Â Â I've seen it on other models in late 1947 as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvguit Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Don't you mean after 1954, like other Gibson acoustics? Â No, I mean 1951. I've had one 1 from 1951, 1 from 1952, 3 from 1953 and 3 from 1954 and all of them had the straight, non-tapered headstock. Do you have a '54 Gibson with a tapered headstock? I've never seen one, and that would be quite rare. Likely a leftover floor sweep neck I would think. Stranger things have happened. Â The block logo was most likely introduced sometime in 1947 although there really is no hard evidence for that date. If you have a flat-top Gibson that you say is from 1947 then that is just a guess, not based on a date in the shipping ledgers corresponding with an FON. Â Since the guitar pictured doesn't have the interior back strip, I'm going to guess that the top is ladder braced, making it an LG-1. I've been wrong before though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 If you have a flat-top Gibson that you say is from 1947 then that is just a guess, not based on a date in the shipping ledgers corresponding with an FON. Â Â I agree that as a rule of thumb it is safer to use the 1947/48 dating. The LG-2 I had hanging around last year though was dated by the tuners. It had those waffle rivet tuners. As far as is known those tuners do not appear on any guitar made after 1947. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckie Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 One thing to note is that this quitar looks like it has 20 frets which would make it 1955 or newer. Could this be an early LG-1 with 20 frets and smaller pickguard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 While I go have geezer eyes, I count 19 frets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckie Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 While I go have geezer eyes, I count 19 frets. Â Â Unless my eyes or the picture is deceiving me then I count 6 frets after the dot inlay. That to me counts out to 20 frets total. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 While I go have geezer eyes, I count 19 frets. Â Â Your geezer eyes are failing you today, ZW. I count 20 frets. This makes for an unusual combination of features: small pickguard, but 20-fret board. I've seen mix-and-match features like this in 1955 guitars (unambiguous W-prefix FON), and even though this guitar make not have an FON, it may well be a 1955. Â I don't know enough about the changes to LG-series guitars in this period to say anything definitive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Your geezer eyes are failing you today, ZW. I count 20 frets. This makes for an unusual combination of features: small pickguard, but 20-fret board. I've seen mix-and-match features like this in 1955 guitars (unambiguous W-prefix FON), and even though this guitar make not have an FON, it may well be a 1955. Â Â Yeah, my eyes are not what they used to be. But no doubt, it is not like at the stroke of midnight on Jan. 1 Gibson changed its specs. I have run into 1955 J-45/50s which still had the scallop bracing and those with non-scallop bracing but which still retained the smaller pickguard. I recently had a 1955 J-160E in the house which still had the 19 frets and solid top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Total Posted May 3, 2014 Author Share Posted May 3, 2014 I agree that as a rule of thumb it is safer to use the 1947/48 dating. The LG-2 I had hanging around last year though was dated by the tuners. It had those waffle rivet tuners. As far as is known those tuners do not appear on any guitar made after 1947. I've added a picture of the tuners...the guitar is an LG-1 because it has ladder bracing and no center strip but it is strange that there is no FON stamp on the neck block and the LG stamp in my picture looks more like a 2 than a smudged 1. Thanks for everyones comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Total Posted May 4, 2014 Author Share Posted May 4, 2014 I've added a picture of the tuners...the guitar is an LG-1 because it has ladder bracing and no center strip but it is strange that there is no FON stamp on the neck block and the LG stamp in my picture looks more like a 2 than a smudged 1. Thanks for everyones comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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