jt Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brians356 Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 If you try to sell it, call it a 1946 LG-2, no one can possibly dispute it from the evidence, and a '46 will fetch the highest "post-war" price. In fact, I'll give you $2,000 for it right now. Ok, I'll give you a little more than that. TM, you seem to know these guitars, I have an LG-3 that has no numbers inside. Also, the headstock logo has been replaced with a crude substitute, so I don't know what the original looked like. It has the rectangular bridge and tapered headstock. Which years did Gibson often fail to ink a serial number inside the guitars? 46 through '51? Or can it be narrowed down more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brians356 Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 John, Ok, did that. Anything in particular you wanted me to check? Since the original silkscreening on headstock is gone, I don't know if it was a Banner guitar or not. My LG-3 has tapered headstock, tortois guard, bridge is non-belly, I think "rounded" wings if I understand the pics, but not through-saddle! Tuners are Kluson "3 pl 3*" with the waffle-pattern brass rivet heads. Mahogany body and neck (w/ adj. truss), spruce top. And of course, no FON. There is a very faint three-digit number pressed lightly into the back of the headstock: 777 I owned the guitar 25 years before noticing that 777. ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 The "1946" Gibsons with the Script only logo do not seem to have numbers. I have a J45 with the old Script under the new block logo. Something to look for on the early post war guitars. My J45 does not have a number it has the rectangle bridge. Even after the J guitars went to the belly bridge the LGs retained the rectangle. I'm just not that up on the LGs, seems they had the rectangle bridge up to the 60s but the thru saddle I think was on the early ones, so that may help you identify a year. The numbers can fade or be impossible to see. I don't know what the numbers 777 mean on the back of the headstock. I don't remember what year the natural topped LG3 was introduced, 1947? You don't see many late 40s LG3, infact you see much fewer LG3 than LG2. The first car I owned in 1971 was a 1959 Porsche 356 convertible. Like to have that one back. Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BustedLimb Posted January 15, 2009 Author Share Posted January 15, 2009 Well, I am going to take my "1946 LG-2" to the Gibson factory an hour away in Bozeman. A guy buy the name of Ren Ferguson is who they told me to talk to. We'll see what he says. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorbon Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Would you ask Ren to write a autograph for me ;P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brians356 Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 It would be great for Ren to explain how to tell when a post-war LG without FON was made. Maybe you could take notes and get back to this forum? You might get to him to write the year of mfgr. and autograph it inside. It would be to ask him to anyway, to make him laugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 When you say Gibsons of that era were a bit sloppy on the inside.... The bracing that looks more like minimally milled lattice work was standard Gibson issue? I hope nobody minds I re-posted the pics here so you don't have to keep paging back and forth: This pic shows the splice cleat, also looks like minimally milled lattice, not centered on the neck block. More Gibson sloppiness? or repair? BTW. The glue is hide glue. It's supposed to look like petrified molasses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BustedLimb Posted January 16, 2009 Author Share Posted January 16, 2009 Yea I was wondering that too. The "splice cleat" (i guess its called?) is centered with the guitar, but the strange part is the neck block seams to be slightly L shaped and has more mass on the top side as you hold the guitar to play it. Thats why is looks off center. Why is this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 That's a new one on me... "cleat" not sure this is the right word, but my rememberer isn't what it used to be. It acts like a long cleat, but... anyways. Is the back bookmatched? This would require the factory to 'cleat' this way. Again, current Gibson construction has a more finished appearance than this one. I'm just trying to get an understanding what 'vintage' Gibsons should look like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brians356 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Chaps, you must consider this was 1946, a very odd transition period in the US labor force. Although WW-II was over, millions of men were still in uniform, and many jobs normally filled by men were still filled by women. This of course reverted back to "normal" as servicemen returned to the civilan workforce in large numbers, and women were "repatriated" to their then customary roles as "homemakers." This is not to say that women couldn't or didn't perform at least as well as men at skilled labor, it's just that there were disruptions and discontinuities that could affect quality control. This period in the Gibson workshop could probably be charitably described as "chaotic." And remember that the country had not recovered from severe materiel conscriptions which included steel and spruce. Believe it or not, spruce was still a strategic material even though combat aircraft had evolved to largely metal construction. Some boats and patrol aircraft were still made from spruce and canvas. Finally, the LG series of guitars were the lowest grade of Gibson guitars, and we can rightly assume that the lowest grade of workers were assigned to build them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 In deed PT boats (remember the PT109?) were largely made of wood and sheathed in plywood. We might also have to admit that at one time Gibson made guitars that were every good as a Harmony. At the time it was state of the art. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BustedLimb Posted January 16, 2009 Author Share Posted January 16, 2009 That's a new one on me... "cleat" not sure this is the right word' date=' but my rememberer isn't what it used to be. It acts like a long cleat, but... anyways. Is the back bookmatched? This would require the factory to 'cleat' this way. Again, current Gibson construction has a more finished appearance than this one. I'm just trying to get an understanding what 'vintage' Gibsons should look like. [/quote'] What do you mean by bookmatched? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 I made the comment about Gibson inside work being "sloppy". This comes from comparison with vintage Martin interiors which are quite clean and tidy. Don't know what difference it makes. When Gibson reissued the Banner Head J45 and the 37 L00 they left the braces rough, at least that is what they said, I don't have one to look at. Vintage Gibsons hold up pretty well. They occasionally need to have braces glued, they didn't tuck in the brace ends like a Martin. I had a great 63 J50 with the pin holes on the very edge of the bridgeplate, sounded great. I've got pitures of some of my vintage Gibson braces, but none on my webpage to post. I don't pay much attention to it except people now want to see pictures of interiors mostly bridgeplates. Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BustedLimb Posted January 17, 2009 Author Share Posted January 17, 2009 What gauge strings should I use for this guitar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 What do you mean by bookmatched? It's a technique used to make guit tar tops and backs (why don't we call them fronts and backs, or tops and bottoms?) from narrower pieces of wood. This is done by taking a slab of spruce or back material, slicing it in two, like taking a thick slice of bread and making two thinner slices, then opening them up like a book, laying them side by side, then gluing them together. This is the standard for making solid topped guit tars, violins and the like. What you have is two sides to the back, left and right that are mirror images of each other. Same for the tops. Some seams are more evident than others. The 'book matched' seams are then reinforced with a narrow strip of wood glued to the inside along the seam, as the above example appears to have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BustedLimb Posted January 27, 2009 Author Share Posted January 27, 2009 Hey guys. Im really curious as to why this neck block is off-center. Anyone know if thats unusual? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Hey guys. Im really curious as to why this neck block is off-center. Anyone know if thats unusual? That one has me befuddled. You say the neck block is 'L' shaped. Can you provide a pic that shows that? I don't see it in your current posted pics. I suppose a neck block could be installed off center due to sloppiness, as long as the dove tail slot is milled after installation. Or maybe this allows the treble side of the sound board to be more lively. Too.. if the neck block is milled before it is glued in place, it could be glued in off center to accomodate a sloppy milling operation. From a production stand point, though, trying to work around set fixtures would make the extra work and time i.e. labor, not worth the effort and a non-compliant neck block would probably tossed in the wood stove. Check the side (rib) on the base side of the neck. Is there a hump or unusual 'break' corresponding to the corner of the block where it is glued to the rib which is not seen on the treble side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eplans Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I also have an old acustic gibson I'm trying to date. Mine is stamped 3529G then in red pencil -38 I'll post a photo if I can. Any help would be greatly appreicated. epmdl@yahoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete slatter Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 (edited) We have a 1955 3/4 acoustic Gibson that we are looking to see what is worth. It’s original burgundy color. Trying to upload photo. had this ....T5871-82 Edited October 14, 2019 by Pete slatter Add photo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete slatter Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 We have a 1955 3/4 acoustic Gibson that we are looking to see what is worth. It’s original burgundy color. Trying to upload photo. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted October 16, 2019 Share Posted October 16, 2019 1946 LG-2. The head stock decal is the determining factor, although a few would be 1947. Here is mine. Best, -Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted October 16, 2019 Share Posted October 16, 2019 Note that this is a zombie thread, brought back to life by the fellow who recently created a new thread regarding his 1950's LG-0. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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