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Help need some info Gibson blues parlor guitar from the 1950s


Irving

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post up guitiar

 

Hey all,

 

I need help getting some info on this guitar. I have had it in my possession for close to 15 years. I dont know much about it. I brought it to a few local stores about 10 years ago and was told (I dont know if its right or wrong) that it is a Gibson blues parlor guitar from the 1950s. And that there was some type of "bridge" work on the inside that compromised the serial number. I have considered sending it in to Gibson and having them look at it and get it in better shape but I'm not sure if its worth it or not. Can you guys give me any info? estimated value? anything would be greatly appreciated

 

 

vcvs6p.jpg

 

30ji8vo.jpg

 

2isy61k.jpg

 

20rsnye.jpg

 

29xveyr.jpg

 

2d18leg.jpg

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LG2 from the early '50s would be my guess. Someone on here could say when the logo changed and depending on that I might even guess late 40s or very early 50s given the tuners if they are original.

 

EDIT--so looks like the block logo came in 1948 & the larger pickguard in 1955. SO it's between 1948 & 1955 but I think those tuners will point to a late 40's

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post up guitiar

 

Hey all,

 

I need help getting some info on this guitar. I have had it in my possession for close to 15 years. I dont know much about it. I brought it to a few local stores about 10 years ago and was told (I dont know if its right or wrong) that it is a Gibson blues parlor guitar from the 1950s. And that there was some type of "bridge" work on the inside that compromised the serial number. I have considered sending it in to Gibson and having them look at it and get it in better shape but I'm not sure if its worth it or not. Can you guys give me any info? estimated value? anything would be greatly appreciated

 

 

vcvs6p.jpg

 

30ji8vo.jpg

 

2isy61k.jpg

 

20rsnye.jpg

 

29xveyr.jpg

 

2d18leg.jpg

 

LG-2 (x-braced) or LG-1 (ladder braced), based on pickguard shape and headstock 1947-1955. The fire stripe pickguard is a bit odd, but not impossible. There are probably numbers on it -- look inside and on the back of the head stock. That can probably give the year.

 

Best,

 

-Tom

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Not really a parlor - way too big a body for that.

 

Center back strip so an LG-2. Based on the logo and tuners I would say 1947 or 1948 as the enclosed Klusons started popping up on the LG-2 around 1949. But because it is a Gibson there will be some overlap with any features. While an FON would date the guitar there is a chance there won't be one of this instrument.

 

The firestripe pickguard is confusing but I swear I have seen pics of a 1950 or 1951 J-45 with one although my recollection is that the tiger stripes were far more subdued.

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A quick assessment...posted earlier but my comment disappeared. If it's xbraced ( LG-2 ) you're in the $2500 and up vintage market range. Should be a 'V' shape just inside and below the soundhole, or as ZW says, the center strip.

Great sounding, sturdy model. Love 'em. If the brace runs straight across below the soundhole, as mentioned before, you have an LG-1.worth considerably less.

 

Your guitar shops should've been a little more on the ball ID'ing it.

 

Congratulations!

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Not really a parlor - way too big a body for that.

 

Center back strip so an LG-2. Based on the logo and tuners I would say 1947 or 1948 as the enclosed Klusons started popping up on the LG-2 around 1949. But because it is a Gibson there will be some overlap with any features. While an FON would date the guitar there is a chance there won't be one of this instrument.

 

The firestripe pickguard is confusing but I swear I have seen pics of a 1950 or 1951 J-45 with one although my recollection is that the tiger stripes were far more subdued.

 

 

I googled FON so I get its like a serial number and I am going to look for that when I get home. what did you mean by "there is a chance there won't be one of this instrument"

 

 

THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOU HELP!!!!!!!

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I googled FON so I get its like a serial number and I am going to look for that when I get home. what did you mean by "there is a chance there won't be one of this instrument"

 

 

THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOU HELP!!!!!!!

 

Gibson was never consistent marking their instruments. Also, they often used an ink stamp that did not fully stamp. It does not mean it is not a Gibson or anything -- just the nature of the brand.

 

They had both serial numbers and/or Factory Order Numbers (FONs) -- both are pretty well documented for this time period, so if you instrument has either, you can get close on the date.

 

Best,

 

-Tom

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The position of the logo suggests pre-'54.

 

Check if the headstock, when viewed from the side, is tapered from its base to the end -- this would suggest early '50s at the latest.

 

That firestripe pickguard is consistent with I think 1950-1, as that has been noted in that timeframe too ("Oh, look at these old pickguards -- where did THEY come from?" "Well, let's go ahead and use them up!").

 

Fred

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I googled FON so I get its like a serial number and I am going to look for that when I get home. what did you mean by "there is a chance there won't be one of this instrument"

 

 

THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOU HELP!!!!!!!

 

The factory order number (FON) should be stamped on the neck block inside the sound hole. I have owned Gibsons from 1942, 1948, 1949, 1951, and 1952 that all had the firestripe pickguard. The tuners, if original, would make me lean to 1947 or 1948. If the peghead is tapered from the side profile, that would also indicate late 40's. The FON, if you can read it, will be a much better indicator of the year.

 

Whether it is a 1947 or 1952, there won't be a great deal of difference in the value. LG-2's from all those years are very good guitars.

 

James

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I still have a '46 LG-2 and had a '47 I was thinking about buying hanging around for a bit last year. Both had tort pickguards and neither an FON. Only way to date them was the nut width and tuners. The '47 was a cinch to date as it had the waffle rivet tuners which I can't find used after 1947. Since there is always going to be some overlap in features the year they change the rule of thumb is to assign a 1946-1947 date to a script logo guitar and 1947-1948 to a block logo guitar.

 

Interesting thing about these guitars though it would be hard to find two of them so close in age that sounded so different. It became a game to have folks play them both and pick which one they liked better. Everybody loved both and nobody could assign the label of "better sounding" to one or the other. The only thing that came out is for whatever reason the flatpickers gave an slight edge to the '47 while the fingerpickers the '46.

 

Value - I did not jump on the '47 (a move which I am still second guessing myself on) but it was sold for $2K. It did have some scarring on the back of the neck from a capo but other than that was in nice shape but all in all might have snagged a bit more if the neck had not shown that wear.

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The '47 was a cinch to date as it had the waffle rivet tuners which I can't find used after 1947. Since there is always going to be some overlap in features the year they change the rule of thumb is to assign a 1946-1947 date to a script logo guitar and 1947-1948 to a block logo guitar.

 

while the photo attached here is not the clearest, i'm pretty sure this guitar has the waffle rivets.

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while the photo attached here is not the clearest, i'm pretty sure this guitar has the waffle rivets.

 

 

You might be right - I cannot make out much other than that they are rivet cog tuners. But then again, every time I think I get something locked down with Gibsons an exception turns up. These tuners, by the way were common on Gibson lap steel guitars.

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Ive had those tuners on LG3s of that era.. Rivit backs.

 

 

There are three styles of peening over the tuning post (instead of screws) on 1940s Gibsons: the rounded large rivets, the smaller peening with a little washer (looks like a double rivet), and the waffle peened tuners. This is one of the reasons tuners are often a help when trying to date a guitar.

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Good eyes Gov.

 

Based on those tuners I cast my vote for 1947. Again, it appears that the protocol with these early post-War guitars with no FON is to label it a 1947/1948. There are folks who do say that these mid- to late 1940s Gibsons are the best of the "new" models introduced in 1942. Has to do with freedom from wartime restrictions on materials and some much needed cash being pumped into the company by CMI. Love the last pic showing the bracing with short taper ends and the scallop.

 

Personally though I would not send it off to Gibson. Check first to see if you have a good repair guy around to check it out. The guitar looks real good cosmetically though so I would say it would be worth your while to throw some money at it if needed. It probably would not hurt to at the least have a good setup done.

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Yup, based on those tuners I cast my vote for 1947. Again, it appears that the protocol with these early post-War guitars with no FON is to label it a 1947/1948. There are folks who do say that these mid- to late 1940s Gibsons are the best of the "new" models introduced in 1942. Has to do with freedom from wartime restrictions on materials and cash being pumped into the company by CMI which allowed them to retool. Love the last pic showing the bracfing with short taper ends and the scallop.

 

 

Plus fabric side stays. All evidence says 1947 or 1948. I would lean towards 1947 based on the pickguard material style. In either case, it's a neat guitar. 1948 might have been more likely to have wood side stays.

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My '46 LG-2 has the fabric side supports.

 

Hey J45nick or anybody - is that a stacked two piece neck block showing in the pic or just light reflection or something.

 

Hard to tell for sure, but I think it could be the shadow of the transverse top brace just forward of the soundhole, projected onto the neckblock.. A picture from a slightly different angle might be definitive, or a picture taken using a light inside the guitar.

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I have owned Gibsons from 1942, 1948, 1949, 1951, and 1952 that all had the firestripe pickguard

 

Wow, that is interesting! We have nine Gibson acoustics from that period, and only the '42 has a fire stripe pickguard.

 

Seems like I have seen some however, but certainly not many.

 

Best,

 

-Tom

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Wow, that is interesting! We have nine Gibson acoustics from that period, and only the '42 has a fire stripe pickguard.

 

Seems like I have seen some however, but certainly not many.

 

Best,

 

-Tom

 

I do not think in the 50+ years I have been playing Gibsons I have ever seen a post-Banner LG-2 with a firestripe pickguard. So if they are out there they must be rare as hen's teeth.

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Need to get a little closer to the head block with a light off, indirect, instead of direct, and you might be able to make out the FON. It looks like there is a faint ink stamp FON to me.....By the way, Y would be 1953....But as others have said, if it is x braced it's an LG-2. 1946 was the last year for the banner logo, and in 1948 Gibson went to the block logo. In 1949 a 3/4 scale (23") LG-2 was introduced, with ladder bracing.

Of course as many here know all this information can be found here:

 

http://home.provide.net/~cfh/gibson6.html

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