jt
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Posts posted by jt
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Horrifying work. Bridge plate the size of Rhode Island. Titebond all around. A repairable bridgeplate. Abuse of the top finish (Nick, Mamie does all the work on my guitars).
A fellow who doesn't know whether a 1950s sJ-200 had a radiused top.
In sum, ugh.
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Sorry to be late to this all-mahogany party. I’ve been on the road for the past 2 weeks.
Yes, indeed, the Banner LG-1s were X-braced. Like all first issue Banners - LG-2s, LG-3s, J-45s, J-50s, and, of course, SJs, they had fancy rosettes and multiple purflings top and back. Quite fancy by Gibson standards and, to my eyes, gorgeous.
No LG-1s shipped until a few months into 1943. Mine shipped June 23, 1943. Some researchers designate the guitars as 1942s, because that’s when the designs issued (I now have the original spec sheets to the Banner flattops, all created in fall 1942). I prefer to refer to the year by the shipping date. But, of course, it really doesn’t matter.
Anyway, I love all-mahogany Gibson flattops.
As for the snarkiness of my comments in the video, that was due to the stunning treatment I received from the prior management and the fact that the only way I could sample a copy of my own guitar was to buy a copy. A fascinating time. But, I’m very happy to report that the new management is eager to embrace the tale of the Gals and the great guitars that they built. More to come ... eventually. It’s a busy company right now.
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Thanks, folks!
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Here's my comparison of a broad range of vintage Gibson L-style acoustic flattops:
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Do you by coincidence know if the Pre-war Mart. D-28s were wide as well ?
Martin changed from 1 3/4 to 1 11/16 in late 1939. Those "wide neck" vintage Martins are in great demand.
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The original J-45s, the Banners, all had 1 3/4 in. wide nuts. So did the J-45s immediately post-Banner/post-WWII. My knowledge of Gibson ends there. :) But, relatively shortly thereafter, Gibson narrowed the J-45 (and related "J" guitars) to a 1 11/16 nut width.
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26 inch scale ! $80,000 USD. Wow. I have never run across that caliber guitar before. Most recent vintage Martin I ran into was an old D-45, with a price of $55,000. I didn't even feel comfortable in the same room as that guitar. George Gruhn is THE guy, would love to meet him someday.
Dan,
That must not have been a very old D-45, or the price would have been nearly 10 times the price you've lsited.
I've only played one of the early, rosewood, very long scale SJ-200s. An amazing guitar.
George is a good friend. If we ever visit Nashville together, I'll make the introductions (and get you upstairs to play the good stuff).
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I played the prototype replica a few years back. A wonderful and fascinating guitar.
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there was also a nice article recently in the Fretboard Journal about him...
Thanks for the kind words about my article! Going on the road with Jackson was a special thrill. I'd been impressed with his songwriting, of course, but hanging out and passing guitars back and forth with him gave me an incredible apreciation for his guitar playing. I played through his road collection of guitars, which included his vintage Smecks adn his three signature model prototypes. Oh, and I jammed with David Lindley, too.
Anyway, as to the thread title. That few JB signature models have turned up and that the few that have bring good prices only demonstrates that the folks who've bought the model like the guitar and that there's good demand for them.
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The Spring 2007 issue of Fretboard Journal contains a long, very interesting dissertation on Tony's #68957. It covers virtually every detail about the guitar, including that Gretsch fingerboard.
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A lovely mandolin. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Gibson's pre-1936 shipping ledgers have been lost to the ravages of time. There are rumors of a few years of them hiding in private collections. In any event, it simply wont be possible to get the info you'd like.
John
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A couple of decades ago, when I first saw Les Paul play in NYC, Leon Redbone was in the audience. Les spotted him and asked him to come up on stage. Leon served as vocalist for the entire evening. I got both to sign a CD cover after the show. My Lester and Chester CD is really a Lester and Leon CD.
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Which years did Gibson often fail to ink a serial number inside the guitars? 46 through '51? Or can it be narrowed down more?
Brian' date='
Check my registry (the "No FON" version on the right of the page) for Gibsons sans FONs: Vintage Gibson Registry
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That's a nice looking 1946 LG-2! (an LG-1 had a mahogany top & and LG-3 had a natural spruce top). Thanks for sharing it with us.
SJ200 Gibson Restoration (Luthier Video)
in Gibson Acoustic
Posted
Gibson radiused the tops, from the soundhole down (not the upper bouts). This is very common knowledge in the vintage guitar community.
Something else common in the vintage guitar community is valuing original bridgeplates. Replacing that plate, alone, depreciated this guitar by 10% to 20%
Again, horrific work (that significantly devalued the guitar).