bobouz

The term “lawsuit copy” gets used all the time, but there was actually only one lawsuit in the ‘70s. Gibson sued Ibanez (their guitars were still clearly labeled as an Ibanez) for copying characteristics of Gibsons. It was settled out of court if I recall correctly. That said, some of the best Japanese acoustic copies in the ‘70s were made by Takamine - in particular, copies of Martins & Guilds. And the well-established Japanese companies never put another maker’s name on the headstock (edit: although they did stylistically copy logos).

Ha! Sorry I somehow missed the post where you explained that in full. My wife has come to terms with the fact that I am not Mr. Observant! As for buying new or used, I’ve done both many times, but never without a favorable return option. I’m just not willing to take a total leap of faith. Best of luck in your search for the right one!

I like narrower neck profiles, and I’ve learned that I do not want to be fighting the neck in order to enjoy a guitar’s tone. I’ve found that I’m simply not very adaptable beyond a certain range of neck profiles, so this is where playability overrides tone in my book. My favorite profile is what was frequently seen on Gibson’s early ‘60s acoustics (that Nick touches on above), with a 1-11/16” nut width & slim ‘C’ profile that stays fairly narrow up the neck. Over the years, I’ve found this neck on a number of Montana-made models, but the one thing every almost every Montana model misses is the fat frets used in the ‘60s, which for me is the cherry on top of the perfect profile. Those I’ve found on only one model thus far: a 2006 LG-1 with X-bracing (20 made for the USA). So I say it’s okay to go with what works best for you - You don’t have to fight it. My advice would be to return this guitar asap. There are tons of guitars out there to choose from, and you will find the right one if you remain patient (& always have a good return policy!).

Really like your playing style - Thanks for sharing!

Hope this one works out for you as a birth year guitar. Mine would be a ‘51, and the idea of it is always fun to ponder. The bridge has definitely been replaced & the bridgeplate holes appear to indicate it once had the adjustable saddle hardware. But that option first appeared in 1956 according to Gruhn, so I wonder what exactly is going on with that.

Well, more often than not, the issues that get brought up on this board with Gibson acoustics revolve around set-up issues, or finish concerns - as opposed to structural matters requiring major warranty work. I’m not on here every day, but I don’t ever recall reading about a Gibson acoustic that needed a neck reset after only a few years of ownership. Martin has had systemic problems with both that and the binding issue, and we’re talking about their high end instruments - not the entry level stuff. So when it seems to fit into a conversation about comparative quality, I’ll be pointing this out once again.

Thought I should point this out when the fellow mentioned a “sweeping generality.” Martin does indeed suffer from some serious build quality issues from time to time, and it seems like they often get a pass while people nit pick every finish wrinkle on a Gibson. And hey, I actually was going easy on Martin! Didn’t even mention the bridge lift one of your own relatively new ones had, which was repaired under warranty. So once again, I’ll repeat my primary point & last sentence from above: No one is immune from unforeseen issues, and that’s the benefit of buying new with a warranty. Imho, the OP would be wise to return the instrument & try another. This is the brave new world of online purchasing we live in, where you can be sent anything from a gem to a dud - and hopefully the next one will reside on the stellar end of the scale.

Martin recently went through a well-documented phase where many instruments were needing neck resets only a year or two out of the gate. Martin has also had recurring problems with binding breaking loose at the waist. No one is immune from unforeseen issues, and that’s the benefit of buying new with a warranty.

Sold all my albums a few years back - good riddance! I even hated records as a kid. Crackling, popping, skips, warped upon opening, trying to lay the needle just at the start of your favorite songs, trying to keep records clean, cleaning the needle, etc. Love CDs & not changing formats again!

There are quite a few Elvis songs I still enjoy listening to, but if forced to pick a favorite, it would be Jailhouse Rock. The piano, the guitar, the walkin' boogie beat...…. Yup, that's the one.

My wife pays virtually no attention to my guitars & never asks questions about them. It works out extremely well.

Yes, buffing out the rusty looking spots might give it a more even look overall. My 330-VOS has the dulled hardware, but no rust - And I think it sets up a very clean look that nails the "closet queen" idea behind the VOS finish. As for the stock knobs on your guitar, I really like the way they look on there - but it's something that can be changed & returned to stock if desired, so experimenting carries no risk!

Beautiful guitar. I have a 2012 330-VOS in a natural finish. I'm very impressed with the VOS finish in natural, and I like the effect on yours as well. Where it doesn't work for me is on a sunburst finish. As for the string alignment, that would suit me to a tee, as I prefer having some extra room on the Ist string side & actually set my guitars up that way whenever possible - Nothing worse than having the string slip off the edge of the fingerboard because of a lack of real estate. But each of us owns our own unique OCD. Hopefully, you can also employ your own unique rationalization tools in order to neutralize the OCD! Congrats & Enjoy.

Lee - On Ebay, search for "Epiphone truss rod cover" and one should pop up that's sold by Philadelphia Luthiers. It's black with white trim, and it's pretty inexpensive, so if it doesn't fit, you're not out much money. As for your guitar, it's too bad someone swapped out the original Gibson P-94 pickups, but it's still a very nicely made instrument!

Hello Barton & Welcome. I've been playing Gibsons since the '70s that are related to the LG-2 small body family. Both the body size and shorter scale (24.75") contribute to the excellent playability of these models. Within my fingerpicking style, I'm after a guitar that provides an even balance between the bass & treble. I've played many LG bodies that have provided this, but some have not had enough strength on the bass side to keep pace with the treble. I think within any model family, it's very important to play as many examples as possible in order to accurately develop a frame of reference for the potential range of tones that model has to offer. Best of luck in your search, and enjoy the hunt!

So cool JT. The work you have done & continue to do in bringing the Gibson story forward is very much appreciated.

Nice! L-48 specs changed considerably over the years. I had a 1948 L-48 with a solid pressed mahogany top, solid mahogany sides, and a flat (and braced) solid mahogany back. Wish I’d kept that one. A quick note which you probably already know: The pickguard bracket should be attached to the underside of the pickguard. Congrats & Enjoy!

Wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing this inside peak. How historically cool that the equipment dates back to Orville’s time. Sometimes I look at my 1922 “A” mandolin (very early truss rod), and think about Lloyd Loar strolling through the plant - just like your own journey!

There may be some other factors at play besides the neck & fingerboard that are impacting how you physically approach the guitar. The most obvious would be the difference in body depth, where the fingerboard meets the body, and overall fingerboard clearance. I get a similar feeling from my ES-330L (long neck, similar to a 335) - it's as if everything is exactly where it should be & it all feels rather effortless. My guess is that similarly, your 335 just happens to have a particular combination that fits you to a tee & that's a wonderful thing to find!

The Every Brothers original cover of Lucille is an all-time favorite of mine. Thank you Little Richard.

That truly is some gorgeous maple!

A great tone that seems to perfectly match the song. Will It Grow?...…. I Think So!

Very nice looking instrument. Fat necks don’t work for me, but glad it’s comfy for you. Have a lot of fun with that one!

Nice catch, Zomby. Assuming the tuners are original, that would make it a ‘66, since no LG-1’s were shipped after 1968. Mystery solved!

Steve, the pictures on the auction site pretty much tell the rest of the story. The guitar is not an LG-2. It’s a LG-1. The defining characteristics that clarify this are the lack of a center back brace, and the single-ply binding on the top. All additional characteristics of the body & finish conform to an LG-1, which remained in production into the late ‘60s - although a right-handed ‘66 model would have had a plastic belly-up bridge. So either it’s a ‘66 LG-1 fitted with a lefty rectangular bridge, or it may possibly be an early ‘60s LG-1, which did indeed come with a rectangular bridge & batwing pickguard for a number of years prior to 1962. Again, the nut width would clarify this. One additional oddity is that the saddle is not at all resting properly in the bridge, and there’s a hint of an outline that suggests the bridge may have had a right-hand oriented saddle slot. Essentially, something rather wonky is going on there. As to value, an LG-1 is worth significantly less than the LG-2, as it’s ladder-bracing is not as desirabe as the X-bracing on an LG-2. Hope you continue to enjoy the forum!