jkoch Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 I have a 1951 Gibson J-185, and I am having extreme difficulty trying to restore to original. The original Kluson tuners were swapped out, and therefore are not original. Also, somewhere along the line the original bridge was replaced. Can anybody help me locate an original bridge (w/ maltese cross), and the single line gold Kluson tuners (of appropriate vintage)? Any help would be very very much appreciated. I just want to restore this beautiful guitar to its original glory. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Very nice! I just brought home a 1951 J 185 last Saturday. I would like to see pics of your guitar. I will post some on my webpage and give you a link. Probably the best source for original tuners would be ebay. I haven't looked for those tuner, but I would guess they will be expensive although not as expensive as the late 50s edition. I think they are making a reproduction of those tuners although I don't know how close they are. I would guess an original bridge would be near impossible to find especially one that would be in good enough condition to put on your guitar. Depending on the size of the replacement bridge you may need something a little oversized. The original bridge was the first edition of the belly up with a thru saddle. You may be able to find an original bellly up bridge that you could have the inlays put in. Again these bridges don't come around often. It may be that you will have to have a bridge made for it. I will look around. Get some pics of your guitar. Is your guitar blonde or sunburst? Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkoch Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 Terry, Congratulations on your new guitar!! You must be pretty excited. I am on a business trip, and therefore do not have the ability to post a picture right now. I will be back in the states in about two weeks, and will do so then. My is Sunburst. Yours? I have been scouring ebay, but have not had the luck to find the exact tuners for that year. I will keep looking...they will pop up. As for the bridge, I figure that is like looking for a needle in a haystack. I figure I will have to have on fabricated, but if I put the word out to enough people?? You never know? Would love to see pics of yours. Again, congrats! Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Here is my 1951 J-185 which I bought at Dave's guitar in you home state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkoch Posted February 8, 2009 Author Share Posted February 8, 2009 Awesome! I hope you are loving it! Could you do me a favor? Could you take a couple close up pictures of the bride and the backside of the head stock, so I can get a really good idea of the tuners (detail) I need to be looking for? My e-mail address is jkoch0509@yahoo.com I will get some pictures of mine on here soon. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkoch Posted February 8, 2009 Author Share Posted February 8, 2009 Terry, Beautiful guitar...you must be very proud. Hope I am not asking too much, but could you send me a couple close up pictures of the bridge, and the back of the head stock (so I can see tuner detail)? I would like to get all the detail I can of an original, as I am searching for the parts. And potentially having the bridge fabricated. If you could e-mail them to me at: jkoch0509@yahoo.com it would be great! I will get pics of mine on soon. Thanks for posting. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 Jason, I will get any pictures you want and email them to you. Glad to help. I will post a link to a webpage I found that details Klusons from this era. This webpage has details of the 51 tuners. http://www.doctorvintage.com/tuners/50s_klusons.html Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Bridge on ebay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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