1936 L-00

[Gman215]

I inherited a 1936 L-00 from my Aunt.  I remember as a boy, long time ago, her having it at her house.  A student at a luthier program at Morrisvile (NY) Community College said he could "fix" it up.  Needless to say he destroyed all of its original splendor and it has sat unfinished for years.  I remember it having the Sunburst finish .  You can see from the photos that it has been completely stripped down and the bridge is not original.  I have had a couple of Luthiers look at it but seem hesitant to touch it.  One said it looked like there was adhesive patterns on the sound board (I do know it had had some masking tape attached to it for quite some time).  I have the Klausen 3:1 tuners.

I do not know why any "student" would remove the original Gibson script logo, change the bridge and do some sort of re-drilling of the headstock (maybe that's why that program is not at that school any longer)?!

Anyway, I am looking for advice on what to do with this instrument.  Aside from cosmetics, it does appear to be have good structural integrity.  Is it worth restoring?  Would restoring it cost more than it is worth?  Is it sellable to anyone in its current condition?  These are the questions I am dealing with.  I would like to have something that is playable and looks original, but I don't know if that is possible.  Any advice, comments, etc. are surely appreciated.

PS The stamped number on the neck block appears to be:  837B with a red pencil #15 underneath it.

PSS Having trouble getting photos into forum.

 

Edited September 12, 2020 by Gman215
Only able to get one photo into topic.

[jedzep]

Amazing sad story, probably dropped on a student w/o knowledge of it's value. It happens.

I wouldn't necessarily attempt to get it looking authentic, but it's well worth getting a good period correct bridge  and set up to play, as they are unique for how they sound more than anything. You'll have to dig a little for estimates regarding stages of restoration. I suggest a guy in Scotia, NY named Steve Kovacik. He may be on this forum, but I can't recall for sure.

http://www.guitar-repair.com/index.htm

Here's my '35 with it's companion '31 L0

Edited September 12, 2020 by jedzep

[Dave F]

In low excellent condition which means shows wear but all original with no modifications I would guess 3000-3500 value

If it doesn’t need any other work like reglue braces, neck reset, ......... which could run up the repair cost and I would guess it does need some of that work, a refinish, new bridge/ saddle, new decal would probably run 500-800 and after you’re all done fixing it up it would probably bring 2000

unless it has a sentimental value do as mentioned above, get it checked out, at the least get a new bridge (if there are no major structural issues) and just enjoy it. Shape it’s in I would guess 1000-1500 depending on what other work is needed. Below a grand and someone here would probably grab it  

On the other hand, put it on EBay and see what it will bring. Some of those buyers go crazy and may surprise you  

 

[jedzep]

I think I would contact SUNY Morrisville, a small upstate NY tech college about an hour from me, and see if there was a photographic record of the project. Nah! That might make you angrier.

Edited September 13, 2020 by jedzep

[Dave F]

Here's one listed on EBay for a reference

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1936-Gibson-L-00-Guitar-Rare-Players-Special-Mojo-Pre-war-Gibson/154073888951?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908131621%26meid%3Df0633d2390084f389d3edddff35712dc%26pid%3D100678%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D5%26mehot%3Dnone%26sd%3D193439930758%26itm%3D154073888951%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057%26brand%3DGibson&_trksid=p2380057.c100678.m3607&_trkparms=pageci%3A9349d0f5-f601-11ea-b1d8-74dbd1801464|parentrq%3A8934033e1740aca47516fad8ffffdf9a|iid%3A1

 

[jedzep]

I think I would black lacquer that puppy and go 'Tuxedo'. Can anyone do as nice a burst copy like this Ebay one?

[Dave F]

4 hours ago, jedzep said:

I think I would black lacquer that puppy and go 'Tuxedo'. Can anyone do as nice a burst copy like this Ebay one?

That is a beauty. If I was in the market, I would be making an offer to see how low he would go. With his description and a 30 day return policy, I would have no concerns going for it.

Do you think those are the original tuners? Bridge? I think the bridge looks too nice, but a good replacement.  I would think the tuners would look like this but these were later '36.

[jedzep]

I can't see any replacement bridge clues, but the tuner plate footprint on my '35 peghead is clipped Klu version, like so...
Those in the listing? Don't see how they could be original, but I'm very unstudied in vintage parts.

Edited September 14, 2020 by jedzep

[Dave F]

Here's a reference I use but I did a search and looked at a lot of '36 L00 (there are a lot of them out there for sale) and the tuners repeated as four different styles . The three shown above plus one other. The one on the EBay showed up a few times so they may be original.

https://umgf.com/chronology-of-kluson-tuners-used-from-late-1936-to-t197854.html

 

Edited September 15, 2020 by Dave F

[jedzep]

How in the hell did I miss that post? Big thanks for sharing, Dave.

[jedzep]

Thanks for a good deal, Gary! A pleasure meeting you. Once I found out that you got the thumbs up on the bones of this from Mr. Kovacik and bought the correct tuners from his remarkable stash, we cut a deal. I've always wanted a blonde L00 to go with my '35. I spent a few hours removing the POS bridge and cleaned up the glue. Not done, but after some sanding I got to treat myself to a dry fit of the '31 BRW L0 bridge I've been stashing for years. It's gonna' be a fine player! I even found the correct peghead logo stencil and a temp correct waterslide decal of same on Ebay.

I finally put my foot down and stopped buying guitars... 3 guitars ago. Dang!

A good day. Dave

Edited November 1, 2020 by jedzep

[jedzep]

Got a temp logo on, which will be good for using it til the correct frisket (stencil) gets here. The mahogany looks sweet with just a sealer sprayed on. I'm going to build multiple coats of Mohawk flat lacquer, then buff to a soft glow. Speaking of which, it's cocktail hour.

Edited November 7, 2020 by jedzep

[jedzep]

TaDa! Not bad for a beater. 5 coats of Mohawk flat lacquer. A trip to the luthier to glue down the bridge and I'll hear whether I have something special.

[j45nick]

Nice, David!

What ya gonna do for a pickguard?

[jedzep]

.
Thanks, Nick! Naked, I think. I don't like any modern copies of the firestripe style that goes on the L00. The one in the pic that's in position came off my '31 L0 that I sold to Retrofret. It's a little too red for me. The darker one is the orig off my J50 which I'm going to put back on as soon as I get the sound-hole ring resolved. That's looking sketchier as my caliper says 2mm of top remains, but a local fine furniture builder known for his inlay and marquetry work is going to take a look. Between the bracing and those angled spruce strips that are behind much of the ring someone may be able to skim a mm off without damaging it. I might need a car detailer to just fake it.

I stretched a string in the B and A slot, and even though the action looks a little high, they travel fairly flat across the whole fingerboard and don't rise higher up the neck, so I may move the needle a touch with a T-rod adjustment, until I pony up for a reset.  If it sounds like I think it will, I'll go further with the structural restoration, even though I wasn't really looking for another guitar or guitar project when this came to me. I felt it worthwhile because of the bridge I already had, the correct tuners that came with it, and the assessment by Steve K. I might just have ended up with a cool couch player to leave to my stepson, who can really play.

[Dave F]

Looking good! What kept you from going tuxedo?

[jedzep]

That was drunk talk. I would have to pay this guy too much money to have it done right.   https://www.lieberguitars.com/

[j45nick]

On 11/8/2020 at 8:33 PM, jedzep said:

.
Thanks, Nick! Naked, I think. I don't like any modern copies of the firestripe style that goes on the L00. The one in the pic that's in position came off my '31 L0 that I sold to Retrofret. It's a little too red for me. The darker one is the orig off my J50 which I'm going to put back on as soon as I get the sound-hole ring resolved. That's looking sketchier as my caliper says 2mm of top remains, but a local fine furniture builder known for his inlay and marquetry work is going to take a look. Between the bracing and those angled spruce strips that are behind much of the ring someone may be able to skim a mm off without damaging it. I might need a car detailer to just fake it.

I stretched a string in the B and A slot, and even though the action looks a little high, they travel fairly flat across the whole fingerboard and don't rise higher up the neck, so I may move the needle a touch with a T-rod adjustment, until I pony up for a reset.  If it sounds like I think it will, I'll go further with the structural restoration, even though I wasn't really looking for another guitar or guitar project when this came to me. I felt it worthwhile because of the bridge I already had, the correct tuners that came with it, and the assessment by Steve K. I might just have ended up with a cool couch player to leave to my stepson, who can really play.

Those aren't really the L-OO shape, though. A teardrop isn't right for an L-series.

[jedzep]

Yep. You need the orig shape guard to not crowd the narrow waist, but I think it'd be too much plastic for the top anyway. This guitar won't ever see a guard while in my hands. If I live long enough, it might end up with a 'Willie hole'.

[Dave F]

this don't look bad on a natural top

Maybe you would like a custom one like I made Buck 😉

 

[jedzep]

That's pretty, Dave.  Good fretboard and bridge color blend. As blasphemous as it would be, if I were to put a guard on it would be a smallish teardrop, almost like a Martin OM.

[Dave F]

I have a couple natural tops that I have the clear pick guard. 

[j45nick]

18 hours ago, Dave F said:

this don't look bad on a natural top

Maybe you would like a custom one like I made Buck 😉

 

Dave,

Where did that firestripe material come from, and what is it? It's really nice-looking compared to the Gibson ones I have, which are just wrong.

[Dave F]

Not mine. Reverb picture.