stunrocks Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 Doing some research for my dad on his dad's Gibson. I've narrowed it down to the 40s based on logo, but I can't really figure out much more information from there. Attached are pictures of the guitar and the interior serial number. There is nothing stamped on the back of the headstock. Any help would be appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 More photos.... headstock... tuners.....back...... there certainly are folk on here who can help you ID this guitar. By the way.... I LIKE it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 Thats a Nice one. L 00 maybe? White Bound top and back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunrocks Posted December 27, 2021 Author Share Posted December 27, 2021 @DanvillRob - more pictures coming right up! @slimt - I think it is a L-00 and white binding only on the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunrocks Posted December 27, 2021 Author Share Posted December 27, 2021 Pictures continued... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 Just now, stunrocks said: @DanvillRob - more pictures coming right up! @slimt - I think it is a L-00 and white binding only on the top. I'd guess someone messed with the finish....and the tuners are not original....but it's still beautiful! (I'd change the tuner back to whatever was original on the guitar.... or put Grovers on it if you're not concerned with keeping it original). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 Based on the factory order number, unbound back, logo, and size of sunburst, I would say 1934-35 L-OO It's a shame someone has slathered some kind of clearcoat over everything. I've seen that done before, and it greatly diminishes the value of the guitar. This should have plain three-on-a-square-end-plate open back tuners. Those are easy to find. If it were mine, I would try to figure out what that overcoating was to see if there is any way to remove it without destroying the original finish below. In any case, it is a nice guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 (edited) While I cannot find my copy of Spann's Guide and am antsy about trusting to memory I tend to agree with J45nick as I would date the guitar to 1934. Edited December 27, 2021 by zombywoof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 I'm guessing the FON is 13?5. I looked in Spann's book for L00 with that combo and came up with 1325 from 1934 and 1395 from 1935 You see a lot of different tuners on these models. Here's what I see on most listed 1935 L00 These type Waverly's with the tabs being integral to the stamping and bent up were used in the earlier 30's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted December 28, 2021 Share Posted December 28, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, Dave F said: I'm guessing the FON is 13?5. I looked in Spann's book for L00 with that combo and came up with 1325 from 1934 and 1395 from 1935 You see a lot of different tuners on these models. Here's what I see on most listed 1935 L00 These type Waverly's with the tabs being integral to the stamping and bent up were used in the earlier 30's. The Waverlys in the second picture are what is on my 1932 L1. I also owned a 1935 Gibson-made Capital though which had the same tuners. The finishes used in the early-1930s were also in transition. Around 1930 the L series guitars had a French polish finish. The year mine was built they were still applying a hand rubbed finish but with a sprayed lacquer overcoat so presaging the guitars which would follow. By the time the OPs guitar was built they had gone to a fully sprayed nitro lacquer finish. Edited December 28, 2021 by zombywoof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted December 28, 2021 Share Posted December 28, 2021 1 hour ago, zombywoof said: The Waverlys in the second picture are what is on my 1932 L1. I also owned a 1935 Gibson-made Capital though which had the same tuners. The finishes used in the early-1930s were also in transition. Around 1930 the L series guitars had a French polish finish. The year mine was built they were still applying a hand rubbed finish but with a sprayed lacquer overcoat so presaging the guitars which would follow. By the time the OPs guitar was built they had gone to a fully sprayed nitro lacquer finish. Through my on line shopping, seems like there was an era in the mid 30's in-between the early 30's Waverly's (as shown) and the late 30's Klusons as documented by Willi ( https://umgf.com/chronology-of-kluson-tuners-used-from-late-1936-to-t197854.html ) where it looked like Gibson used whatever they could find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted December 28, 2021 Share Posted December 28, 2021 That decal is not mid 30s -- early 40s or 46/47. That guitar is not 46/47 -- my guess is that is not the original headstock decal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunrocks Posted December 28, 2021 Author Share Posted December 28, 2021 @Dave F - the FON is 1395. Much easier to see in person, so I can help you there. My dad had already informed me that the tuners were changed, so I'll definitely look at replacing back to the 3 on a plate. @zombywoof - are you suggesting that the overcoat that is on it may have been done originally? @tpbiii - I thought the same thing about the logo, but every picture I see online of a 1935 Gibson L-00 has the logo in the same style. Even the L-1 from 1935 looks like this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 28, 2021 Share Posted December 28, 2021 (edited) 10 hours ago, tpbiii said: That decal is not mid 30s -- early 40s or 46/47. That guitar is not 46/47 -- my guess is that is not the original headstock decal. That was my first reaction, but I suspect what we are looking at is not a decal, but a white painted stenciled logo that has been overcoated with some type of clearcoat that makes the logo look yellow/gold rather than white. The script style is very similar to the slightly later Gibson banner and immediate post-banner logos, but it is not exactly the same. For the original poster, there is no way that clearcoat is original. It is crudely brushed on. Edited December 28, 2021 by j45nick clarification Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted December 28, 2021 Share Posted December 28, 2021 (edited) I have never bothered comparing the logo on my '32 with that on my '42 J50. I will leave that kind of detail to those who know more about these guitars than I ever will. The goldish tint of the logo though was confusing. I pretty much racked it up though to lighting, camera flash or something. But I do assume a clearcoat over the headstock would, if nothing else, make the logo reflect light differently. If the guitar still had its original tuners they would have been a big help in dating it. The one thing you cannot get around though is the presence or lack of back binding. If I had bought this guitar at a shop or something I would be changing out the tuners and dropping it off with a repair guy who knows finishes to see if there was anything they could do about the brushed on clear coat. But this is a family-owned guitar. And every change is part of the guitar's history with that family. So it is a very different ballgame. Edited December 28, 2021 by zombywoof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted December 28, 2021 Share Posted December 28, 2021 I have owned a few where wood floor clear was used. It was very yellow on the guitars. See every brush stroke. Really hard to remove. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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