just the important parts——
I have examined the attached photos of the instrument described below, but have not seen the instrument itself. Below is my estimate, based on these photos, of the instrument’s value; however, it is not possible to judge from photos alone the exact state of originality and need of repair, so my appraisal is only accurate insofar as the photos are representative of the actual condition of the instrument.
We certify the instrument described below is, in our opinion, a Gibson TG-1 model tenor guitar, made in the year 1931.
Description: We have been provided the following information: “My grandpa purchased it as a teenager.” Factory order number (FON): 145 – ink-stamped on interior at neck block. Upon examination, we note that this tenor guitar appears cosmetically and structurally to be in excellent condition. This instrument conforms to the typical specifications of the model for the period in which it was made with 12 ½” wide flat-top body, Adirondack spruce top with sunburst finish and X-bracing, mahogany back and sides with dark brown finish, triple-ply white/black/white soundhole rosette, rectangular Brazilian rosewood bridge, white bridge pins, elevated celluloid tortoiseshell grain pickguard, mahogany neck with adjustable truss-rod, classic “open-book” peghead shape, Grover “pancake” tuners with grained ivoroid buttons, mother-of-pearl script “Gibson” logo and style 3 Banjo peghead inlays, 19-fret Brazilian rosewood fingerboard (12 frets clear of the body) with mother-of-pearl dot inlays, and single-ply white edge binding on fingerboard and body top and bottom. We were unable to make an in-hand assessment of the bridge plate, internal bracing and kerfing, but for the purposes of this appraisal we assume them to be correct (no diagnostically relevant photos of these interior components were provided to Gruhn Guitars). No information concerning a case was provided to Gruhn Guitars.
Current market value: $2,500 (two thousand five hundred dollars)
This appraisal assumes that there are no problems with neck-set angle, frets, loose bracing or bridge (issues which are not always readily visible in photographs). On acoustic flat-top guitars over 30 years of age we urge careful inspection since these are common issues on older instruments and repairs can be expensive.
About Us
George Gruhn
Gruhn moved to Nashville in 1969 after getting his bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago and doing graduate work at Duke University and the University of Tennessee. In 1970, he established Gruhn Guitars, which is today one of the largest dealers of vintage and used instruments in the world. The "guitar guru" has been a featured columnist for Vintage Guitar, Guitar Player, Pickin', Frets, and Bluegrass Unlimited. He is the former executive vice president of research and development for Guild Guitars and designed several models for Tacoma guitars. When Gruhn took up an interest in guitars at college, he began to apply a systematic scientific approach to musical instruments. This was a new way to approach vintage guitars, banjos, and mandolins, making Gruhn an acknowledged leader in his field. He is the co-author of Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars, which is the comprehensive field guide to vintage fretted instruments, and the companion volumes Acoustic Guitars and Other Fretted Instruments and Electric Guitars and Basses. His articles have been published in numerous magazines.
Joe Spann
Gruhn Guitars appraiser Joe Spann is a life-long student of the guitar and five-string banjo. He is a 1981 graduate of Florida Southern College and a 2005 diplomate of the National Institute on Genealogical Research at the National Archives, Washington D.C. Between 1981 and 1990 he was a professional touring musician, and also worked in central Florida theme parks and recording studios. For over 20 years he was the director of the Polk County Historical & Genealogical Library, and played a significant role in helping it achieve a reputation as a leading US research center. His lifelong study of the Gibson guitar company resulted in the 2011 publication of Spann’s Guide to Gibson 1902-1941, a book which is now recognized world-wide as one of the most respected standard references on the topic. Working at Gruhn Guitars since 2015, he has collaborated with George Gruhn to produce appraisals for many well-known performers and together they have co-authored over three dozen published articles.
