1952 SJ-200. Is this a prototype?

[Soloshifter]

If an old guitar has been well used over the years then although it still is probably a great sounding guitar, it has probably lost most of its originality, then of course since it's not a collectors, but  players guitar then it's fine to change things.  But if a guitar had never been touched for 70 years, then to save it's historical and collectors value,  I would want to preserve it exactly the way it was when it left the factory.  If this turned out to be a prototype guitar, then I'd want to preserve the guitar exactly as the luthiers had last handled it.

Now regarding the design of the pickgaurd.  You say that the pickguards were all hand painted.  I wasn't aware or that.  Is there documentation about this?  But even if that were the case there is still evidence to suggest that my pickgaurd is an early design.

If all the 50's -60's pickguard are a dark red and my pickguard is a much lighter red; if all 50's - 60's pickguards have designs that are white with bright yellow dots in the middle of the flowers, while my pickguard is completely yellow gold, then that's a pretty good indication that my pickguard was an early design that the Gibson factory decided not to use for it's production.

You might think that this is not important.  But it is important, if I'm trying  to establish whether or not this is a prototype guitar.

[slimt]

4 hours ago, Soloshifter said:

If an old guitar has been well used over the years then although it still is probably a great sounding guitar, it has probably lost most of its originality, then of course since it's not a collectors, but  players guitar then it's fine to change things.  But if a guitar had never been touched for 70 years, then to save it's historical and collectors value,  I would want to preserve it exactly the way it was when it left the factory.  If this turned out to be a prototype guitar, then I'd want to preserve the guitar exactly as the luthiers had last handled it.

Now regarding the design of the pickgaurd.  You say that the pickguards were all hand painted.  I wasn't aware or that.  Is there documentation about this?  But even if that were the case there is still evidence to suggest that my pickgaurd is an early design.

If all the 50's -60's pickguard are a dark red and my pickguard is a much lighter red; if all 50's - 60's pickguards have designs that are white with bright yellow dots in the middle of the flowers, while my pickguard is completely yellow gold, then that's a pretty good indication that my pickguard was an early design that the Gibson factory decided not to use for it's production.

You might think that this is not important.  But it is important, if I'm trying  to establish whether or not this is a prototype guitar.

 

Thats where you have to get Gruhns or Stan at Elderly to evaluate the guitar..  

Edited August 27, 2019 by slimt

[Soloshifter]

I took your advise and sent an email to Gruhns but they haven't got back to me yet.

I'm also trying to examine the bracing on the guitar.  1952 was the year that the bracing was changed to double X.  From what I can see, my guitar's bracing may be at a  wider angle then normal.

[E-minor7]

1 hour ago, Soloshifter said:

1952 was the year that the bracing was changed to double X.  

That comes as a big surprise to me - are you sure. .

[Dave F]

2 hours ago, Soloshifter said:

I took your advise and sent an email to Gruhns but they haven't got back to me yet.

I'm also trying to examine the bracing on the guitar.  1952 was the year that the bracing was changed to double X.  From what I can see, my guitar's bracing may be at a  wider angle then normal.

I thought the double X was a ‘70’s thing?

[slimt]

3 minutes ago, Dave F said:

I thought the double X was a ‘70’s thing?

 

No.. in 52 they had the double X. they also came with a striped bordered pick guard.

[Dave F]

4 hours ago, slimt said:

 

No.. in 52 they had the double X. they also came with a striped bordered pick guard.

Thanks! Good to know. That's my birth year. May come in handy if I get an itch to have one. Did they do it for tone such as the earlier Gibsons with the extra tone bar or was it for structural reasons? 

[slimt]

30 minutes ago, Dave F said:

Thanks! Good to know. That's my birth year. May come in handy if I get an itch to have one. Did they do it for tone such as the earlier Gibsons with the extra tone bar or was it for structural reasons? 

 

It was a structural thing .  Not sure when they stopped doing it though   I had a 55 and 59 that did not have the double  x but they had a beefier bridge plate   .  The 48 I have has a single x , small bridge plate  and a belly on the top.  My guess is thats why.  It could of had to do with neck angle as well. 

Edited August 28, 2019 by slimt

[62burst]

22 hours ago, Soloshifter said:

Now regarding the design of the pickgaurd.  You say that the pickguards were all hand painted.  I wasn't aware or that.  Is there documentation about this?  But even if that were the case there is still evidence to suggest that my pickgaurd is an early design.

 

Edited August 28, 2019 by 62burst

[Soloshifter]

I appreciate everyone's contribution to this discussion.  I've concluded that the guitar is probably not a prototype.  I will need to have it examined by Gibson experts.