Some questions about the LG1

[PHJimY]

I own a 1950 LG1 and 4 friends own LG1s as well. A few have appeared in the music store where I teach as well.

My guitar has a teardrop pick guard and a small rectangular rosewood bridge. I have played some with the larger pick guards (like the one on the 1958 J50 in my profile picture) about the same thickness as mine. At least one of these guitars has a much thicker large pick-guard. One of the LG1 guitars that came into the store had a plastic bridge. A friend told me about an LG1 with a reverse belly bridge.

I am curious about these questions:

1. When did the pick guard change from tear drop to the larger style?

2. When were the thicker pick guards used?

3. What years were the plastic bridges used?

4. What year were reverse belly bridges used? (or might this have been a replacement for a plastic bridge?)

 

This guitar is my 1950 LG1.

[duluthdan]

Here's my son's '52. Looks pretty much the same.

[Dave F]

Here's my '51

[PHJimY]

How do you guys post those nice big photos? OK, I see.

[zombywoof]

First, changes were not made on the stroke of midnight of a specific day and year so there will always be some overlapping in specs.

 

Sometime around 1949-1950 enclosed Kluson tuners replace open gear tuners.

 

I want to say that in 1951 either the bridge plates or bridges got thicker on the LG guitars.

 

Gibson went to the large pointy pickguard and 20 frets in 1955.

 

In 1960 Gibson adopted what they called the low action, fast playing neck of something like that meaning the necks got pencil thin (except the 12 strings and Folk Singer).

 

The upper belly plastic bridge shows up in 1962 and is replaced with the rosewood upper belly ADJ bridge in 1966.

 

Gibson pickguards in general start getting thicker in 1963 (around 1967 Gibson started screwing them down on certain models like the Hummingbird and LG-0).

 

In 1965 the nut width was narrowed to 1 9/16". It got wide again though sometime later in the decade. Also in 1965 the headstock angle was reduced from the traditional 17 degrees to 14 degrees. These kinds of changes coincided with the installation of new neck making machines that year.

[PHJimY]

Thanks Zombywoof, exactly what I needed.