zkendal Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Hey all, I've been in the market for a vintage LG-2 for a while and I stumbled upon this at a Missouri guitar center today. I'm not very familiar with these guitars. I've played a couple of new TV's but never an actual vintage model. I was wondering if anyone could offer a more expert opinion based on some pictures I was sent. Any input would be very helpful. They're asking $2399 but I'm sure they could budge some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Can't comment on price as I have no idea what LG-2s are going for these days. Only real thought I had is either the tuners are replacements or, if original, the guitar is not a 1947. The earliest those single line Klusons appear would be 1950. They could be repros but the the posts and shafts though do look like they have some age to them. Is it an opitical illusion but does the low E string pin seem closer to the saddle than the others? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Great small bodied guitars, but they have their limits. Big dread strummers can feel dissatisfied, and I felt my 50's LG2's were lacking in bass. But if you play 'small' it's a fine instrument. They're sturdy, too. That one has switched out tuners, but still looks to have the orig bridge. Cosmetic issues are not that important to me, but should effect the vintage value. If it was my end all, be all guitar choice, I might just pay the price and be done, but if I didn't want to feel I was taken advantage of I'd stay closer to $2,000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Hmm..the tuners might be orig, but as you say Zom, he might want to double-check the year. The buttons certainly look to have faded nicely. The pin thing looks like a shadow, to me Z. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zkendal Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 Thanks for the feedback. I gave GC a call and asked them about the tuners and they confirmed that it was simply listed incorrectly on their website which I found somewhat interesting. They have it listed in store as a 1950s. So good call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 At any rate, it is certainly a pre-1955 guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zkendal Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 Also, he claimed that the low E string looks off from the angle that he snapped the pic. Any opinions on an early 50s model vs. a late 40s model or are they virtually the same save for the tuners? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I agree with the above observations. Personally, I like the looks of the guitar. As stated above, the closer>lower that you can get to 2K the better as it does have some serious play wear. It is NOT in exc. condition! It does look "quite the player" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 ZK: Are you contemplating buying this sight unseen / long distance? How well do you know, and how much confidence do you have in your guys at GC? I have one salesperson I have that level of confidence in. One. She has steered my right, and saved me from myself more than once. I too noticed the bit of an odd lineup of those bridge pins, perhaps its an illusion. Did they give you the Serial Number? Any pics of the interior, the bridge plate? Any measurements of the action at the 12th fret? From a couple of those pictures it looks as if the joint between the body and neck hints that the neck may already have been reset - hard to know. Do the guys at GC know the back-story of this guitar? One owner, or multiples thru the years? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 ZK: Are you contemplating buying this sight unseen / long distance? How well do you know, and how much confidence do you have in your guys at GC? I have one salesperson I have that level of confidence in. One. She has steered my right, and saved me from myself more than once. I too noticed the bit of an odd lineup of those bridge pins, perhaps its an illusion. Did they give you the Serial Number? Any pics of the interior, the bridge plate? Any measurements of the action at the 12th fret? From a couple of those pictures it looks as if the joint between the body and neck hints that the neck may already have been reset - hard to know. Do the guys at GC know the back-story of this guitar? One owner, or multiples thru the years? These are all good points, Dan. You always roll the dice when you buy over the ether. I've been lucky with just a little applied knowledge, but you do need to have all the answers in hand regarding vintage details that may effect pricing. The playing qualities of the guitar weigh heavily too. I can only wish luck in these purchases. AND I like the funky look! Incidentally, I paid $1650 for my good cond all orig '56 LG2 three years ago with no top finish fade...if that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Also, he claimed that the low E string looks off from the angle that he snapped the pic. Any opinions on an early 50s model vs. a late 40s model or are they virtually the same save for the tuners? Major change would be in 1950 Gibson moved away from the tapered headstock. Doubt this had any appreciable impact on sound though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 GC does have a return policy and you can have it shipped to a local GC and view it before you accept it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 You can bet that thing probably sounds great, especially if you like picking some country blues. Probably a 1 11/16" nut, but you'll be having too much fun to care. JedZep's point about about not necessarily being a strummer's guitar is to be considered, but as far as small guitars go, these are as about as versatile as it gets. Would be a great companion to a dread: surprisingly loud and can serve up that dry woody sound like nobody's business. Repro tuners are fine; they probably work well. Looks like someone's enjoyed playing that guitar for a long time (long term single owner at one point). Surprisingly little capo rash. Beautiful original bridge. Original neck set looks solid. Yes, some of those bridge pins sit in their places funny, but they were an add on, probably at the same time it received that compensated saddle. In that photo down the neck: does it appear to have some heavy strings on there, or what? Maybe an upped string gauge to dimish some buzzing, but... buy with confidence: it's Guitar Center, and unless you're a habitual returner, you can have them send it out, and if you have half of an excuse, you can bring it back to a local GC, very few questions asked. Be advised- the 30 day return period may not apply to vintage guitars. It wouldn't hurt to have GC measure string action height at 12th fret, for the high and low e strings. And why not; ask 'em to stick a cell phone inside & get a photo of the bridgeplate, for kicks. Should be do-able a little closer to $2K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 From GC website Exceptions to 30-day return period: Return within 14 days of purchase - recording devices, DJ equipment, workstation keyboards, rack signal processors and lighting/fog machines. Return within 3 days of purchase – vintage instruments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 The return policy is a big plus, I still don't like the excuse for mislabeling the build date. It's the first detail vintage traders need to know. Nevermind...3 days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Thanks for the feedback. I gave GC a call and asked them about the tuners and they confirmed that it was simply listed incorrectly on their website which I found somewhat interesting. They have it listed in store as a 1950s. So good call. The FON (factory order number) stamped on the neck block will pin down the year pretty definitively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Is it an opitical illusion but does the low E string pin seem closer to the saddle than the others? The pin is just sitting higher in the bridge, I believe. In any case, the problem with a guitar like this is that it needs a professional inspection to identify potential issues, particularly since they are asking top dollar, which the guitar's condition does not seem to justify. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nid2007 Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 I broke out my '44 LG-2 last night for the first time in about a year. I was actually thinking about starting a thread about how I can't believe I let that guitar go unplayed for so long--it is an AMAZING guitar. Comfortable, woody, and big sounding for such a small guitar. Anyway: a "good" sounding/playing 1947 LG-2 is an amazing guitar and definitely worth the price IMHO. One thing about buying from the GC is that you have time to take it to a good luthier to see what it needs to make it great (or to see if it can be made great). I like purchasing used from the GC because they will not only give me 30 days to return, but also let me return it to my local GC rather than the GC that shipped it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Nid: DaveF did some fact checking on GC's return policy on Vintage; it's 3 days, so plan accordingly. Nick's mention of the "top dollar" phrase caused a little poking around on Reverb, and a sold listing on eBay, proving once again the temptation, variability, and risk of eBay: 1947: sold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-1854Me Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 It's difficult to tell from the end-on photo of the headstock, but is the headstock tapered when viewed in profile? The logo does have that typical early '50s angle, with the stock on the letter 'b' pointing at the divide of the headstock. As others have noted, the FON if there is one will help tie down the year. Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Nid: DaveF did some fact checking on GC's return policy on Vintage; it's 3 days, so plan accordingly. Nick's mention of the "top dollar" phrase caused a little poking around on Reverb, and a sold listing on eBay, proving once again the temptation, variability, and risk of eBay: 1947: sold There's your baseline! Keep shopping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Only real thought I had is either the tuners are replacements or, if original, the guitar is not a 1947. The earliest those single line Klusons appear would be 1950. They could be repros but the the posts and shafts though do look like they have some age to them. Woof usually know his stuff, but in this case I think the tuners are original. Our 46 LG-2 has them, and if you google pictures of 1946 LG-2, the majority have them. The ones that don't seem to have three-on-a-plate open backs. Best, -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Woof usually know his stuff, but in this case I think the tuners are original. Our 46 LG-2 has them, and if you google pictures of 1946 LG-2, the majority have them. The ones that don't seem to have three-on-a-plate open backs. Best, -Tom I appreciate the compliment but I figure you know more about this stuff that I could ever hope to. While I have seen folks date these tuners as early as 1947, I have never seen the single line Kluson Deluxe tuners on a Gibson that early. As far as I know they do not appear until late 1949 which jibes with the date the patent was applied for which was June 1949. My 1946 LG-2 has the open gear tuners with the worm attached by a rivet with the little washer while my 1947 LG-2 had the open gear tuners with waffle peen rivets. I did google LG-2 pictures and could not find any made before 1950 with the enclosed tuners. I want to say Kluson supplied Gibson with open gear tuners until sometime in 1951 when their stock ran out. I know that the lower end lap steels came with open gear tuners until that year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 google "1946 Gibson LG-2" The reason for using 1946 is because the script non-banner logo makes that year unique. Here is ours: Best, -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 google "1946 Gibson LG-2" The reason for using 1946 is because the script non-banner logo makes that year unique. This is all interesting. But I am starting to feel like a guitar nerd here. I did google both 1946 and 1947 LG-2 and also looked at the pics in the Banner Registry "Transitional" Guitars section. I could not find any guitars with anything other than the open gear tuners. The question I guess is would Kluson have put the tuners into production and sent them out three years before filing the patent. Kluson applied for the patent for the tuners with the worm gear attached with rivets in 1943 which is the year they became standard on Gibsons. I do not have any photos of the open gear tuners on my script logo 1946 LG-2 handy but here are those on the 1947. Here is the Patent. Again, this was issued only for the gear case cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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