reiann01 Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 I have this old guitar that used to belong to my grandfather. I'm trying to find out some information on it. I know it was made around WW2 sometime but I cant figure out the exact year. My grandfather loved this guitar and best I can tell he took good care of it. I'm going to try to add a picture of it to this post. Can anyone give me any information or suggestions to research this guitar? Thanks for any help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Well, your pics didn't make it through, at least on my connection, but if your description is accurate you have a valuable geetar. How valuable? Above 10 thousand bucks? It'll be interesting to get more info and photos. Many here are experts with some honest vintage collectors and buyers, but if you want a good measure of market value and expert info contact George Gruhn, send photos and blow 50 bucks on an appraisal. Should you decide to sell it that piece of paper will make your life easier. Here's a link. Lucky you! http://guitars.com/ If it's been sitting idle in less than ideal conditions under the stress of steel strings kept in tune over many years, there may be neck or bridge issues that you'll have to have looked after. A guitar tech at a reputable shop could assess. You can ID the year it was built here. http://home.provide....son.html#serial Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 If the guitar has the "Only a Gibson is Good Enough" Banner on the headstock go over the the Gibson Banner Registry. The site contains the greatest amount of accurate information about wartime Gibsons on the interweb. There should also be an FON on the neck block inside the guitar. That and the features will make the instrument pretty easy to get a line on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reiann01 Posted August 13, 2014 Author Share Posted August 13, 2014 Sorry about the pictures. Maybe it will work this time...Thanks for the information. I will check out the Gibson Banner Registry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvguit Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 This is a 1949-1953 Gibson Southern Jumbo. There will be some numbers on the neck block that's visible through the sound hole towards the neck. I can see that the tuners have been updated but the rest looks correct. A very nice guitar indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reiann01 Posted August 13, 2014 Author Share Posted August 13, 2014 This is a 1949-1953 Gibson Southern Jumbo. There will be some numbers on the neck block that's visible through the sound hole towards the neck. I can see that the tuners have been updated but the rest looks correct. A very nice guitar indeed. Thank you for the information, it really helps to have a year range to look at now. My grandfather loved this guitar. I found the number on the inside. The numbers are a four digit number then a space followed by two more numbers (XXXX XX) Hopefully that will help me in my search for information. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 There are a bunch of sites on the interweb that will help you date the guitar using the FON. Back when I started playing Gibsons there was virtually no way to figure out when the thing was made unless you had access to somebody like George Gruhn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin 1940D28 Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 Just noticed this post. Nice! I'll bet it sounds like "heaven". I have one almost identical to it. Enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcf Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 save your $50 to Gruhn. it's worth 4.5-5k in that kind of condition. you won't find another for free so it may be worth keeping. just take care of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 save your $50 to Gruhn. it's worth 4.5-5k in that kind of condition. you won't find another for free so it may be worth keeping. just take care of it. Who Is paying that kind of money these days...? I have a '48-'49 in better condition. NOT that I want to sell....Jes Curious? Do you know of a "buyer pool" with cash in hand? In that price range? Have not seen it on Ebay lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 This SJ with a four digit FON, belly up bridge with through saddle is probably a 1948-50. Most 51s have a very distinctive pick guard color, a 52 would have a different set of number/letters. Prior to 48 they used a rectangle or belly down bridge. There are date ranges published for the numbers on the neck block. I'm not a firm believer in those numbers, they make sense in some cases and in others they do not. Too complicated to explain. That is also the correct/original case from that era. By 51 they were using a different case, although these changes did not occur that cleanly. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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