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1949 Gibson SJ Southern Jumbo?


Jimmy Guitar

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Hi,everyone,this SJ on ebay look in pretty bad shape to me,but is it a real thing i wonder? is there any mod done to it? back of the body and neck look horrible with all those checking,is that normal? is it worth that much$$? i'm newbie here try to get some info about the guitar i'm looking for,please feel free to let me know.Thx.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330295049419&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123

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that overspray on the back of the neck is horrible. i'm not so sure about the split in the back really being repaired. there are other issues too...

there is a chance that i would take it for the right price if i had it in hand. this auction has already gone WELL past that price though.

 

 

i actually just realized it was a completed auction.

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It looks okay to me - I don't think it's been oversprayed. I think the old finish is just flaking off, but I could be wrong. The only thing that appears to be unoriginal are the tuners, and that's pretty common. The old ones had plastic buttons that just rotted away most likely. It's got an interesting sunburst with a really thick border.

 

I think it looks like a nice old guitar.

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Jimmy, Keep watching the auctions, look on gbase. There was a nicer 46 SJ just sold on ebay last week I think it was $4600. This guitar does look to be original with the exception of the tuners. The Sunburst finish on this era Gibson were pretty thick and this guitar wasn't taken very good care of. I agree that he did well on this guitar in the current market got top $.

 

There is another SJ on ebay now, infact, I thought this thread would be about that guitar. Check it out it just came on yesterday, won't go as far as this guitar. Real beat! I bid low on it and got drowned out, probably go for $2300. Probably sounds great like the guy says. Well worth it to some people. You have to decide what you can afford and what you can live with.

 

If you get a chance and I know that isn't easy, play some Gibson's from that era. The good ones can really roar! I just strung up a 1947 J 50 and it does rumble.

 

Terry

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Prices are amazingly all over the place right now. This gorgeous 46 SJ just went went for $6600:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=250349491018

 

But this also nice 46 SJ failed to make it's reserve price and only ended up at $3450 - a testament to why it's so important to take really good pictures:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=260345354894

 

Meanwhile, this Banner J-45 also failed to sell, making it only to a startlingly low bid of $1578.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=130279531550

 

Finally, here's the SJ that TM referred to: In the spirit of friendly competition, I'm going to say I think TM's guess of a finish price of $2300 will be low - as it's a 42, I think it will go well above $3k, and maybe even break $4 - 5k despite it's condition.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=200300443014

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Prices are amazingly all over the place right now. This gorgeous 46 SJ just went went for $6600
:

 

Sorry I said $4600 above and I was referring to the one you linked.

 

Finally, here's the SJ that TM referred to: In the spirit of friendly competition, I'm going to say I think TM's guess of a finish price of $2300 will be low - as it's a 42, I think it will go well above $3k, and maybe even break $4 - 5k despite it's condition.

 

 

 

You may be right about that, I guess that is just what I would like to pay!

 

That Banner Head J45 has a mahogany top.

 

Terry

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What is the top material?

 

It doesn't look like spruce....

 

Mahogany. Maybe one of the more experienced vintage guys can comment on that. My recollection from reading elsewhere is that the hog tops are a bit quieter and sweeter tone than the spruce tops, but honestly, I've never played one.

 

Still, I'm quite surprised at the very l;ow bids.

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Mahogany tops produce a mellower, syrupy sound, can be great for fingerstyle or bottleneck, and also produces a nice crunch when strumming. Doesn't have the strident, crisp tone to cut through and hold its own in a jam. Just my experience, anyway.

 

Re: the current '42 Banner SJ, ouch! Those top cracks are gnarly. Multiple cracks like that that have not been properly repaired should lower the value to ~50% of book, assuming no other demerits.

 

Want to see an ugly top crack in an otherwise pretty '53 J-45? Check out this recently-completed auction:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=320331833174

 

That guitar "grenaded."

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I owned a late 20s all Gibson L0, with the large body like today's L00 and have played a friends mahogany topped LG2. Never played a Banner J45 mahogany.

 

I found both the all mahogany guitars to be loud, but not as warm as a spruce top, a harder sound, less refined. Some people will really like the mahogany topped guitars others won't.It is very different than the spruce mahogany guitars. You will notice the difference.

 

Terry

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Re: the current '42 Banner SJ, ouch! Those top cracks are gnarly. Multiple cracks like that that have not been properly repaired should lower the value to ~50% of book, assuming no other demerits.

 

You may be right, although the guy selling it seems to be a luthier of some sort and the pictures of the repair from the inside look pretty good. It does look gnarly from the outside though. But never underestimate the ability of the modern collector to see a couple good cracks as adding character. I know this one had a similar nasty top crack and sold in the $4000-5000 range:

 

BannerSJa.jpg

 

Despite it's looks, the Ebay SJ sounds pretty nice in the video. You got to hand to those old wartime Gibson folks. They knew how to make a nice guitar.

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