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A NEW Gibson LG-2, done right? Be still my beating heart ...


rustystrings

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3 hours ago, CAMELEYE said:

I've noticed that this reissue LG2 has the body shape of the LG2 American Eagle, so not the original LG series body.

The LG-2 and LG-2 American Eagle are a different body shape than the original LG series body? What constitutes the "original" LG series? If Cameleye doesn't circle back, anyone feel free to answer. . .  inquiring minds, and all that.

21 minutes ago, Salfromchatham said:

 

Burst! I will check back this weekend after I receive it...

Very good. Always felt the burst finish helped the guitars of this size umm... blend.

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A visual comparison by bringing both images together is what has led me to suggest that Gibson's new Reissue LG2 has 

the same body shape as the American Eagle, which is not the original shape of Gibson's LG series in the past.

 

 

 

 

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3 hours ago, CAMELEYE said:

A visual comparison by bringing both images together is what has led me to suggest that Gibson's new Reissue LG2 has 

the same body shape as the American Eagle, which is not the original shape of Gibson's LG series in the past.

Very good eye. . . and I thought camels were mostly known for their humps: ( 50's LG-2 at Fuller's, and a 1949 LG-2)

gEtPHi3.png

Edited by 62burst
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7 hours ago, 62burst said:

Very good eye. . . and I thought camels were mostly known for their humps: ( 50's LG-2 at Fuller's, and a 1949 LG-2)

gEtPHi3.png

 

 

 

If those pics were faces, the new one on the left looks like it has had a bit of a nip and tuck - a facelift! Th old one looks a bit 'saggy'!😃

I guess the old measuring stick at Gibson acoustic is getting a bit worn.

Here is my 1959 Gibson LG3 to confuse you:

 

ehLyZvXh.jpg

 

And I like how Gibson got my 2002 J50 details very, very similar to my 59 LG2!

 

gRqBDHjh.jpg

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

Edited by BluesKing777
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I'd like to see the two shapes overlaid to really see the differences. At the least, four key measurements (body length, lower bout width, waist, upper bout width).

 

The BK's J-50 is seriously good-looking. I know it's fairly recent, but it looks like a perfectly-kept 50+ year old guitar. And I mean that as a compliment.

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41 minutes ago, j45nick said:

I'd like to see the two shapes overlaid to really see the differences. At the least, four key measurements (body length, lower bout width, waist, upper bout width).

 

The BK's J-50 is seriously good-looking. I know it's fairly recent, but it looks like a perfectly-kept 50+ year old guitar. And I mean that as a compliment.

 

 

It is good lookin', eh!

It (2002 J50) is at the luthier's getting a few fixes - new bone nut, saddle, tweaks to 'make it play good' and a full Baggs Anthem pickup! I rang him after a week went past and he hadn't done anything yet, so I said to add the pickup! Can't wait!

I was keen on a 1956 J50 years ago, long sold, then bought the 59 LG3 and I can state that I have never, ever, ever seen a J50 that looks like mine in Australia. There have been a couple of 65s, lots of 68s - very different. When mine came up on the shop website, I can tell you I was there before they signed off. (And home with it not much longer after!😎) I can say that my heart actually stopped when I saw the pic - I thought it was a 56!!!! It doesn't seem to have much relationship to the J45s I tried of recent times - couple of Standards, a torrefied top 'Vintage' - all had very slim necks. Just too 'new' sounding for me, whereas the 2002 J50 is 'what it is'.

Now, here is a 1959 J50 at Elderly and mine looks closer to that than any of the 60s ones here! I also can't believe it is still for sale:

 

https://www.elderly.com/collections/flat-top-acoustic-guitars-used/products/gibson-j-50-1959

 

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by BluesKing777
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10 minutes ago, BluesKing777 said:

 

 

 

Now, here is a 1959 J50 at Elderly and mine looks closer to that than any of the 60s ones here! I also can't believe it is still for sale:

https://www.elderly.com/collections/flat-top-acoustic-guitars-used/products/gibson-j-50-1959

BluesKing777.

 

 

 

 

 

That '59 looks really, really clean. I bet yours has scalloped braces, unlike the '59, and that's going to give it a somewhat different voice.

I would need to play yours and the '59 to know which I like better. 1959 was probably the last year of a pretty full neck profile.

You hit the jackpot with yours, any way you look at it.

I'm still mystified why you put pickups on most of your guitars. I thought you didn't play out much these days.

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1 hour ago, j45nick said:

That '59 looks really, really clean. I bet yours has scalloped braces, unlike the '59, and that's going to give it a somewhat different voice.

I would need to play yours and the '59 to know which I like better. 1959 was probably the last year of a pretty full neck profile.

You hit the jackpot with yours, any way you look at it.

I'm still mystified why you put pickups on most of your guitars. I thought you didn't play out much these days.

 

Yes, mine has scalloped bracing and the neck is 2000 era 'modern' 1.72" nut but with a bit more wood than other J45s I have tried. (My 59 LG3 has non - scalloped bracing and I imagine, the same neck as that J50 at Elderly. I don't have anything much to compare it to, but the LG2 is a lot more 'astringent' sounding than something like my Blues King L-00 scalloped braced 'moderne' - Hey, I just invented a new name for Gibson to use on the next J45s they come out with - "The Moderne" . )

I put pickups in some guitars, nothing precious usually - I will put in a soundhole pickup and have the lead dangling, if it fits. I enjoy mucking around with pickups as I had nothing but failure when I played everywhere! Still on the mission! And the people around me here are all so very, very loud! Screamers! Plug in to the mixer with gadgets! The Dove came with an Anthem and the J50 came with a broken everything pickup, a battery rusted to the connectors and a rattly end pin jack plug! The damage was long done. I have snuck in to the blues jam night, watched a lot of dobro and sliders and the ones that mic up are LOST! I will sneak in again and plug in the J50 with Anthem pickup! And leave after as quickly as Elvis - before the questions! I have DONE my time talking to (sloshed) audience members after gigs! Gone! And...”Bouncer, do some bouncing!”

 

BluesKing777.

 

Edit: And right on cue, the drummer over the back fence starts banging his drum. And he is truly useless, drumming as calisthenics? Boom boom dah, boom boom dah, boom boom dah  - the "We will rock you" beat. Everyday, no new beat, no improvement I can tell, playing in his garage and he doesn't like the windows or the door shut! Oh please, oh please, can't he learn some Charlie Watts snazz? (I could listen to Charlie all day playing his suitcases.....)

Plug in for lunch practice today - what shall I play? "Moving to the  country, gonna paint my mailbox blue"?

 

Edited by BluesKing777
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1 hour ago, j45nick said:

I'd like to see the two shapes overlaid to really see the differences. At the least, four key measurements (body length, lower bout width, waist, upper bout width).

 

 

Here's the best I could do with the photos. The darker outline is the newer LG2.

lg2overlay

 

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9 hours ago, Dave F said:

Here's the best I could do with the photos. The darker outline is the newer LG2.

lg2overlay

 

That was pretty much what I was seeing as well: subtle difference in the upper bout. It's certainly not dramatic.

In some ways, it takes it a bit towards the old L-series shape, which is really pleasing to the eye.

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Never a great fan of Gibson's original LG body shape anyway, I too find the new reissue LG2 shape quite attractive.

Unfortunately I saw that the necks on this model are narrower than standard, which is too bad for me.

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Hmmm...

Looking at the photos of my 1959 LG3 posted above....deceptive maybe because of the natural finish, but does anyone think it is narrower than the old LG2 photo? So Gibson experts, were they a different shape by 1959?

Plus - the same post above, I have my 2002 J50 - I said I have never seen one like it here and just looked at everything I could find and it is confirmed - mine is the only 2000 era Gibson J50 for sale...today - anywhere!!! Maybe the necks fall off?😠 ...... anyway, it is Friday morning here in Aust and I haven't heard from my luthier (about my J50 being fixed). Because of the virus, he is only going to workshop for deliveries and stuff on Wed, Thurs, so the chances of getting it back this week are....zero. Probably months. I might ring him later and mention that my guitars like a blanket and the tv on, and someone to talk to....😂  Waiting, waiting, waiting.....

 

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

 

Edited by BluesKing777
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2 hours ago, BluesKing777 said:

Looking at the photos of my 1959 LG3 posted above....deceptive maybe because of the natural finish, but does anyone think it is narrower than the old LG2 photo?

Nahh. But what do I know? Two days ago, I hadn't put the new 50s LG-2 next to an old LG-2 & noticed, as CamelEye said, that they varied in their shapes.

At first look at DaveF's overlay of the two body shapes, due to the string of posts (after Nick's), I thought he'd made that composite of your J-50 and your LG-1, but no. If anything, such an overlay would only prove that the LG-2 is not just a shrunken J-45/50.

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No?

Well, I was trying to find a photo of my 1952 LG1 that is a straight-on shot, but no I must have decided to get arty and sideways! Must be one somewhere, but....

Anyway, while I was in Imgur, I copied a shot of my big bum Blues King L-00 for the younger viewers and everyone to compare the shape to the LG2/3s above. We all know that Gibson changed the original L-00 shape to the LG shape in the 1940s (1942? approx?), but nobody ever says - WHY?

 

wFqyiJ9h.jpg

 

1937 Gibson L-0 - seems like the bouts are different size than the BK!:

 

do0YZtNh.jpg

 

And ironically, Martin may not have the Gibson L-00 sound, but it has the shape and 1 3/4" nut, V neck, wide bridge spacing of the older L-0 (of mine)...:

cKTKjoAh.jpg

 

X5ucZ6Dh.jpg

 

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

Edited by BluesKing777
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So why was the "G" put into the LG designation? Could it have been a way to transition out of the L series and make the at-the-time Gibson GS classical guitar body shape into a steel stringer to replace the L-00, etc. guitars? Looking at the link rustystrings provided in post #4 of "Case for my LG-1" thread, the GS-1 and GS-2 (in maple) looked to have the familiar  LG-2 shape, so a side by side photo would show the GS next to the '49 LG-2:

Ydc0L1V.png

. . . notice the Maltese crosses on the GS, predating their use on the J-185. 

As these classicals look to be on the same platform as the LG's, and were available in maple as well as Brazilian rosewood, it does get the mind thinking about losing the fan bracing, making a pin bridge, and ending up with a 12-fret LG with some interesting specs:

b30lfsC.png

5AD4uAL.png

 

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