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Old acoustic


rfiori9

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My friend just bought an old guitar. It has a classical headstock with the Gibson mustache but no logo. There is a serial number stamped on the back of the headstock which dates it to 1914/1915.

There is also a Gibson label inside with the serial number and made in Kalamazoo. It has a small parlor type body.

Does anyone have info/value or model number of this guitar

FF76DF64-8DE6-4D7D-80E5-1A721F0969D9.jpeg

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It's a Gibson classical, possibly 1960's vintage, modified by the tail piece for some reason, replacing the usual classical-style bridge. Can't pinpoint the exact model from the photos. Value is basically whatever you can get someone to pay, but I wouldn't expect much. If you like it, play it and enjoy it☺

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It's a Gibson classical, possibly 1960's vintage, modified by the tail piece for some reason, replacing the usual classical-style bridge. Can't pinpoint the exact model from the photos. Value is basically whatever you can get someone to pay, but I wouldn't expect much. If you like it, play it and enjoy it☺

 

 

What he says: a rough, much-modified C-series, with added tailpiece. By the serial number, mid-1960's. Value in excellent condition about $400 or so. Value in this condition virtually nil, maybe $50 at a yard sale. Play it and enjoy.

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Ok thanks

Were the logos stickers at this time period?

 

Decal or silkscreen, gold block logo, same as many other Gibson acoustics. Face of headstock would normally be clear finished, but some were black.

 

These guitars were not braced for steel strings, and would have had a classical-style bridge and nylon strings. That tailpiece might have been put on to accommodate steel strings, but the tension of those could damage the guitar. You might get away with extra-light steel or silk and steel, but this guitar was never meant for strings of that type.

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I don’t know if this means anything but all the Gibsons I’ve been looking at on line, the inside label is up and down (perpendicular) with the strings. On mine the label is parallel. Is it possible someone took the label from a Gibson and put it in a copy the wrong way?

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I dont know if this means anything but all the Gibsons Ive been looking at on line, the inside label is up and down (perpendicular) with the strings. On mine the label is parallel. Is it possible someone took the label from a Gibson and put it in a copy the wrong way?

 

 

It's pretty clear what your guitar is, from looking at the guitar in the video. If you look at the rosette on your guitar, the binding, and the zero fret, it is pretty much identical to the one in the video except for the added trap tailpiece. And of course, yours has had other modifications, such as the changed tuners and what appears to be a painted-out headstock.

 

The serial number on the label matches the serial number on the headstock. The serial number on the headstock is consistent with the early 1960's, when they embossed them on the back of the headstock with no "Made in USA" imprint. The label format is the one used on C-series classicals in this period.

 

 

What more evidence do you need?

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Here's one that's even more similar to yours, down to the black headstock with no logo, and the label placement inside. Gibson made a remarkable number of variations on classicals within about a decade. Other than the Richard Pick C-6 models, which have Brazilian rosewood back and sides, none has a lot of value.

 

They used the same body plan (shape) as the LG series of steel-string flat tops, which in itself was styled around the classical Spanish guitar body plan.

 

Not sure why Gibson started building classicals, but it was about the dawn of the folksinger group period. Peter Yarrow and Paul Stookey (Peter, Paul, and Mary) played Martin nylon-strung guitars, and maybe Gibson wanted to be in on the same game. They aren't like any other Gibson in any case, and are pretty average as far as classical-style guitars go.

 

 

Gibson C-2

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Gibson made a series called GS in the 40s and 50s I think. I saw one that was called a GS-1 for sure. I don't know anything about them really, other than the two or three I've seen had solid headstocks with large rollers.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-amp-Rare-1953-Gibson-GS-1-Classical-Guitar-Excellent-Tone-034-Y-034-FON-/122480205055?nav=SEARCH&nma=true&si=N6hkkpiElV0zx%252BZG37TRqeyzJn8%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

They also had a series.....I think they were called the Master Series? around 1971. They actually looked more like modern classicals with pumpkin shaded tops, etc. Never tried one.

 

https://reverb.com/au/item/1304187-gibson-master-model-c-100-classic-guitar-1971-mahogany

 

I do have a 1958 Richard Pick classical that lived a horrible life at the hands of Gibson R&D. It was never meant to leave the factory but it did....

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