jt Posted October 1, 2021 Share Posted October 1, 2021 Today I received one of the rarest Gibsons know: a Banner LG-3. Gibson only shipped 130 of these guitars, 69 in 1942 ad 61 in 1943. This one shipped on September 25, 1942. We only have half an LG-3 in the Banner Registry. Really: http://bannergibsons.com/7113H-2LG-3JamesBurkett.html A young solider bought this guitar shortly before going to the WWII. He obviously left it in the homeland (I have 2 other Banners that soldiers took to WWII, and it shows, in astonishingly beautiful ways). This guitar is as mint as mint gets. Absolutely no fret wear. The vintage Klusons look brand new (though the buttons apparently disintegrated and were replaced). A stunning thing that completes my Banner LG collection. My LG-2, (of the very first batch of Banners, and number 2 in that batch, so the earliest Banner known) is with a friend. When it returns home, I'll record a comparison video. Anyway, some pics: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jalex Posted October 1, 2021 Share Posted October 1, 2021 Beautiful guitar. The condition is incredible it looks new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 Amazing looking! Congratulations ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 How did you come by this one? Rare beast indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J185cat Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 JT I am sure you have thought about this but these guitars which are apart of “Americana” need to survive and be around long past all of us for future generations. At 69 years I have already thought about that. Don’t want so sound so fatalistic but hope you have a plan for preservation. In the mean time keep publishing this incredible history that you are in touch with, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 Ah, man what a beautiful guitar, JT. Things like that are not to be found here in Sweden. Do you know the back story so you can share it with us? What happened to the original owner, and why wasn't the guitar played more? Do you know? Also, I have never played an LG Gibson. In a couple of sentences, if you don't mind, how would you compare it to a Banner J-45? Strengths? Weaknesses? Lars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted October 2, 2021 Author Share Posted October 2, 2021 12 minutes ago, Lars68 said: Ah, man what a beautiful guitar, JT. Things like that are not to be found here in Sweden. Do you know the back story so you can share it with us? What happened to the original owner, and why wasn't the guitar played more? Do you know? Also, I have never played an LG Gibson. In a couple of sentences, if you don't mind, how would you compare it to a Banner J-45? Strengths? Weaknesses? Lars Lars, Thanks! The original owner bought the guitar in 1942 just before leaving for the war. He obviously didn't take the guitar with him. That's his name on the case: Thomas S. Culley. I was able to track him via Google. After the war, he attended the University of Mississippi. I found this photo of him in the school's 1948 yearbook. I don't know why he didn't play the guitar! I love LGs! A little more focused than a J-45, a little less bassy. But not very different. I also love the body shape and size, which is based on Gibson's classical guitar body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted October 2, 2021 Author Share Posted October 2, 2021 7 hours ago, J185cat said: JT I am sure you have thought about this but these guitars which are apart of “Americana” need to survive and be around long past all of us for future generations. At 69 years I have already thought about that. Don’t want so sound so fatalistic but hope you have a plan for preservation. In the mean time keep publishing this incredible history that you are in touch with, Thanks! I agree. My Banners will end up in a museum with the proviso that visitors get to play them. My went-to-WWII SJ spent a year in the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, where the administration honored my request that they take it out of its glass case for anyone to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted October 2, 2021 Author Share Posted October 2, 2021 9 hours ago, duluthdan said: How did you come by this one? Rare beast indeed. These guitars find me! Someone reached out and offered it to me. As always, I asked them to find its value from a prominent dealer. I then pay that price. Because I know more about these guitars than many do, I take great care not to take advantage of anyone offering me a guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 About all I can say which sums this one up is Lawdy Have Mercy. That guitar could not have found its way to a better pair of hands than yours. OK, so unless you are waiting on the answer to whom made the call to place the logo from the strings on the headstock, how much more do you need to come out with Kal Gals Mach II. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 Oh my JT. I don’t know what to even say. Did you think it was stored without tension? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 I'm surprised there's no back center strip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 It looks like there is one on my computer. (?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 4 minutes ago, Hall said: It looks like there is one on my computer. (?) I see the skunk strip but not the bracing strip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 Dang! That's simply beautiful! Congratz on a great find! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted October 2, 2021 Author Share Posted October 2, 2021 2 hours ago, Salfromchatham said: Oh my JT. I don’t know what to even say. Did you think it was stored without tension? Pretty sure. No belly and perfect neck set. Crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted October 2, 2021 Author Share Posted October 2, 2021 1 hour ago, Dave F said: I'm surprised there's no back center strip I was also surprised to see that. I've now seen another, FON 7112 as opposed to 7111 for mine, without the internal reinforcement strip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 1 hour ago, Dave F said: I see the skunk strip but not the bracing strip. Yes, you're right. My bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philfish Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 I wonder how long it will take for this 78 year old guitar to open up. The case is cool as can be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J185cat Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 Think I could just stare at that guitar all day. Wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted October 3, 2021 Author Share Posted October 3, 2021 Here's a quick take of Windy and Warm: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jricc Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 What a cool piece of American guitar history! Congrats and enjoy it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, jt said: Here's a quick take of Windy and Warm: 79 years old....can you BELIEVE it! Wonderful sounding axe! Edited October 3, 2021 by DanvillRob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted October 3, 2021 Author Share Posted October 3, 2021 Thanks, folks! Yesterday, when I recorded the guitar on a Saturday evening, I had to use some noise reduction to minimize traffic noise, which resulted in a muted guitar tone in the recording, imvho. Here's the guitar on a Sunday evening with no noise reduction, no EQ, no nothing except a Shure iPhone mic and an iPhone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 The Kalamazoo Gals are smiling tonight. One of their contributions has made it through to another century. "Riding With Private Malone" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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