Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

Southern Jumbo


reiann01

Recommended Posts

I have this old guitar that used to belong to my grandfather. I'm trying to find out some information on it. I know it was made around WW2 sometime but I cant figure out the exact year. My grandfather loved this guitar and best I can tell he took good care of it. I'm going to try to add a picture of it to this post. Can anyone give me any information or suggestions to research this guitar? Thanks for any help.

 

20140808_111355_zps3c3f1f3a.jpg

20140808_111403_zps240944cf.jpg

20140808_111415_zps040633fd.jpg

20140808_111427_zpscbbae05a.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, your pics didn't make it through, at least on my connection, but if your description is accurate you have a valuable geetar. How valuable? Above 10 thousand bucks? It'll be interesting to get more info and photos.

 

Many here are experts with some honest vintage collectors and buyers, but if you want a good measure of market value and expert info contact George Gruhn, send photos and blow 50 bucks on an appraisal. Should you decide to sell it that piece of paper will make your life easier. Here's a link. Lucky you!

http://guitars.com/

 

If it's been sitting idle in less than ideal conditions under the stress of steel strings kept in tune over many years, there may be neck or bridge issues that you'll have to have looked after. A guitar tech at a reputable shop could assess.

 

 

You can ID the year it was built here.

http://home.provide....son.html#serial

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If the guitar has the "Only a Gibson is Good Enough" Banner on the headstock go over the the Gibson Banner Registry. The site contains the greatest amount of accurate information about wartime Gibsons on the interweb. There should also be an FON on the neck block inside the guitar. That and the features will make the instrument pretty easy to get a line on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a 1949-1953 Gibson Southern Jumbo. There will be some numbers on the neck block that's visible through the sound hole towards the neck.

 

I can see that the tuners have been updated but the rest looks correct. A very nice guitar indeed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a 1949-1953 Gibson Southern Jumbo. There will be some numbers on the neck block that's visible through the sound hole towards the neck.

 

I can see that the tuners have been updated but the rest looks correct. A very nice guitar indeed.

 

 

Thank you for the information, it really helps to have a year range to look at now. My grandfather loved this guitar. I found the number on the inside. The numbers are a four digit number then a space followed by two more numbers (XXXX XX) Hopefully that will help me in my search for information. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

save your $50 to Gruhn. it's worth 4.5-5k in that kind of condition. you won't find another for free so it may be worth keeping. just take care of it.

 

Who Is paying that kind of money these days...?

 

I have a '48-'49 in better condition. NOT that I want to sell....Jes Curious? Do you know of a "buyer pool" with cash in hand? In that price range? Have not seen it on Ebay lately.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This SJ with a four digit FON, belly up bridge with through saddle is probably a 1948-50. Most 51s have a very distinctive pick guard color, a 52 would have a different set of number/letters. Prior to 48 they used a rectangle or belly down bridge. There are date ranges published for the numbers on the neck block. I'm not a firm believer in those numbers, they make sense in some cases and in others they do not. Too complicated to explain.

 

That is also the correct/original case from that era. By 51 they were using a different case, although these changes did not occur that cleanly.

 

Terry

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

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

×
×
  • Create New...