Researching a guitar with possible celebrity connection?

[JohnR1971]

Hi,

 

I am new to this forum and have inherited a family heirloom in the form of a 1952 Gibson CF-100e. I am in the process of having it lightly restored and due to pick it up tomorrow. It is near complete original state (volume and tone knobs replaced with later model Gibson, but as close to original as possible & new strings) and has hung as decoration on my parents wall for as long as I can remember... so 40+ years. My mother inherited it from my Grandfather. Now for the possible celebrity connection...

 

The family story that has been passed down through the generations is... Johnny Cash, did in fact, spend a time working on my Great Grandfather's shrimp boat in the mid- to late-60's in Tampa, FL. He did in fact write a song (not one of his particularly better or well known ones) called 'Put the sugar to bed', which is about being on a shrimp boat. Supposedly, and where the story gets vague on details, is that my Great Grandfather never played or owned a guitar prior to this period; however, THIS particular guitar came in to his possession. It has been passed down ever since.

 

Can anyone steer me in a direction that would help in determining the origins of this particular Gibson guitar? As stated, it is a 1952 Gibson CF-100e with a working P90 pickup, very close to original... like I said, volume and tone knobs and new strings. Serial number 9613 30 indicates it was manufactured in Jan '52 and is one of 250 made (total of 1257 made from 1951 - 1959). The music store owner restoring it says, the strum action and "wear" on the fret board would indicate someone playing 'a lot' of country music, although I have no way of knowing if this is accurate???

 

If anyone can help, I will gladly post pictures after I pick up the guitar tomorrow.

[jdgm]

Hello

 

Welcome to the forum.

The best thing to do is copy your message and re-post it in one of the forums lower down the main page - Instrument i.d.

If you can include some reasonably good pics (most use photobucket and insert a link) you will get a better response I should think.

Sounds very interesting!

 

Good luck.

[L5Larry]

It's a nice story and family "legend", and I'm sure the guitar was very sentimental to your grandfather, but..... that's most likely where the story ends.

 

About the only way to prove any provenance of this guitar is through a published photograph or video. IF.... you can find a photo (or video) of Johnny Cash playing a guitar that can be clearly and positively identified as the guitar in your possession, then you might have some "proof" to the story. Even then, the only celebrity owned instruments that have any real "added" value, or historical importance, are the ones they were known to play regularly. I don't remember ever seeing anything with Johnny playing a guitar with a P-90.

 

Similarly with the song, unless there is a "special thanks" or something published in the liner notes of the album of which the songs appears, or some biographical text, well.... same thing, good story to tell in a bar.

 

Without some sort of official documentation, I'm afraid your family story will be staying in the family.

 

But.... we would love to see photos of the guitar!