Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

16" archtop


powerwagonjohn

Recommended Posts

I originally posted this in the Vintage forum but got no responses so I thought you guys here may be able to help me clear up a mystery. I was at a friends the other day and he pulled out an older Gibson 16" non-cut acoustic archtop guitar. It has a rosewood fingerboard and dots with no binding, open back strip turners and a silkscreen modern logo. It has a spruce top and a arched mahogany back and sides but it has ladder bracing on the back. What the heck is this thing? It has FON 1514 19 as best as I can tell. Thanks John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It sounds like you're describing an L-48 or L-50. L-48s typically had mahogany tops but some were spruce. L-50s had the older logos right after WW2 and at some point in the late 40s or so they went to trapzoid inlays and a bound neck.

 

I don't have any FON information, sorry. I also don't know anything about the back bracing. There are some very rough things you can look at to narrow it down some, like if it has 19 frets or 20. They went to 20 frets in 1955 sometime. Also if you look inside and see black cloth strips here and there on the rims, that would mean 1952 or before. The headstocks went from tapered to straight (as viewed from the side) but I'm not positive when... around '52 maybe...?

 

Not a lot of help but it may give you a little info.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ksdaddy covers it quite nicely, and then some. Sounds like it's probably a '48 48. :) (1948 L-48).

 

FON info taken from here: http://home.provide.net/~cfh/gibson.html#serial

 

Gibson Factory Order Numbers, 1942 to 1951.

 

Serial numbers are seldon found on instruments made during WW2. But most (not all) have Factory Order Numbers (FON). These contain a four digit batch number stamped in ink, followed by a two digit sequence number written in red pencil (during WW2 only). After the war, the red pencil wasn't used (and on instruments made during the war, sometimes it's really hard to see the red penciled sequence number). Usually there is no more than 46 instruments (sequence numbers) per batch. Also no batch number with a "1" as the first digit was used during WW2. The FON is usually located on the neck block. The war-time list that follows is not definative but includes FONs that I have seen. Unfortunately I don't have every range of FON's during this period.

Year Factory Order Number

---- --------------------

1941 G (letter code sometimes seen after FON, i.e. 2586G).

1942 907, 910, 923, 2004, 2005, 7000ish (i.e. 7119) - all 'Banner' logo.

1942 H (letter code sometimes seen after FON, i.e. 7116H). Range 5xxxH to 8xxxH

1943 Range generally 9xx to 22xx, depending on the model.

1944 Range generally 22xx to 29XX, depending on the model, some with no FON.

1945 1xx to 10xx, but many with no FON.

1946 n/a ('Banner' logo no longer used, now script logo with no banner).

1947 700s to 1000s

1948 1100s to 3700s ('Script' logo no longer used, block logo used.)

1949 2000s

1950 3000s to 5000s

1951 6000s to 9000s

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the information guys. I am not positive about the numbers as they are very hard to read. I have never seen or noticed a back with ladder bracing but I have to assume it has a solid wood back. It has been sitting in the old chipboard case with old rusty string and out of tune. I need to do some research as to price and try and save the nice old Gibson. I don't really need another guitar but some one should be playing it. It could be my travel guitar, I really hate to take the 1952 L-4 any where it could be dented or scratched. I will keep you all updated.

thanks again John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used to own a 1948 L-48.

Specs were as follows:

 

>Solid pressed mahogany top

>Solid FLAT WITH BRACING mahogany back

>Solid mahogany sides with fabric strips

>Modern silkscreen logo

>Rosewood fingerboard, no binding

>Single bound top & back

 

The L-48's specs changed frequently.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

The L-48 my friend owns has the newer style, silkscreened logo spruce top and mahogany back with ladder bracing. I thought it was arched but now I am not sure thanks to babouz's post. After doing some more research I am inclined to agree with ksdaddy too as the specks are all over the place on the L-48s as are the prices. I am going to see if he will let me bring it home with me so I can clean, restring and tune it up and give it a try.

Thanks John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...