LG-2 Might Replace J-45TV .. Need Opinions

[bluezguy]

Hey ... the stinking headstock on my beloved, heartthrob, earpleaser flew right off!  She was parked up against my bed as I went to do bizness. As my butt left the bed, she decided to sllloooowwwly fall over and hit the 1"thick carpet. I'm really pissed at Gibson! I've used nothing but .012  Gibson acoustic strings for 7 years.  My J-45TV was perfect in ALL ways but for some reason, I decided to try .013s.

Due the the expense of everything these days, especially this $2900 beauty (back in 2015), I thought I'd call Gibson Montana to confirm.  The guy I spoke to was very nice and he told me "not a problem ... it'll be OK". So, I happily strung her up to see what difference the 0.13s would make....  NONE ... just made the instrument harder to play.  Good! I got my answer and looked forward to wearing these strings out in a couple weeks and go back to my 12s.

Since the mid 60s, I've had literally a hundred Gibsons and Fenders fall off of stands, chairs and leaning up against walls and beds - NEVER to have a headstock break clean off or even crack.  Now, as I wait for my repair to come back, I'm jonesing to buy an LG-2 (3/4 body).  I have the finest dreadnought called Martin D-35, I have my J-45TV dreadnaught so I thought I'd get a 3/4 size.
I've never had one before but some folks are saying it sounds very much like the J-45TV so why not get a different model?  There are 2 LGs currently.  I'm considering the ridiculously over-priced 1942 Banner reissue.... primarily for the adirondack top.

I'm hoping someone has played both for A?B tonal comparison -J-45TV and LG-2 Banner.  Thanks.

 

Edited March 10, 2022 by bluezguy
spelling

[jedzep]

That's nasty.  Sorry to hear.  Better double check the 3/4 LG, as it might be a ladder-braced guitar, which would be ball-less in the company of a Gibson J or a Martin D.

[Sgt. Pepper]

Hang on, let me get this straight. You left the room to do a poo, or a pee and your guitar fell over, and the headstock, I am assuming snapped off, and its Gibson's and the strings fault it happened. Is that your story, and your sticking to it or, am I interpreting the story wrong?

It sucks if that is what happened, but when I flub a chord or note its my fault, not the guitar or the strings. Maybe next time lay the guitar flat on the bed or get a better stand. 

Yes Gibson headstocks are prone to snapping due to the 17 (I think) degree angle, but if the guitar YOU left unattended never fell. I think the head would still be on.

Edited March 10, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper

[kidblast]

Ah man!  What a drag.   not really Gibson's fault,  but yea, I'd be upset too.  I can't see the added pull of the 13s would have changed the end result.

that 45 degree back angle... it's a beeeatch!

Seek out a good repair guy and they can set her right again

 

Good luck brutha..

 

Edited March 10, 2022 by kidblast

[QuestionMark]

My headstock broke off on my 1972 Gibson SJ, in 2005.  I took it to an authorized Gibson repairman in my local area and three weeks later it was repaired.  Cost was only $100.   Cosmetically, one can tell from the backside it was repaired, but, it plays great with the repair…and is still going strong all of these years later.   
 

What strings are on the guitar doesn’t matter if a headstock will break.  What betters is the angle the guitar happens to fall and hit something at during impact.   Sometimes it can break.   No matter who the manufacturer is.

The repairman at the time told me in most situations headstocks can be reattached, although in some situations of the wood is splintered off so very bad that there is no wood left to attach it and fill it in to reattach it.  But it’s certainly worth a try to take it to a good repair person.  And, not all that expensive of a repair.

I recall the most shocking aspect when my guitar’s headstock broke was how it seemed like it could never play again.  But, that wasn’t so.   That’s why there are repairmen to fix them.

My suggestion is to try to get it fixed.

I like small body guitars a lot, but a J sized guitar for the most part is a lot fuller sounding than a small bodied guitar.   Each has their unique niche.

QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff

 

 

Edited March 10, 2022 by QuestionMark

[rbpicker]

You’ve had literally a hundred guitars fall since the 60s?  
 

Hmmmm…..

rb

[Sgt. Pepper]

19 minutes ago, rbpicker said:

You’ve had literally a hundred guitars fall since the 60s?  
 

Hmmmm…..

rb

Did you have 13's on them? This seems to be the rub.

[Dave F]

Remind me to never loan him one of my guitars

[Sgt. Pepper]

34 minutes ago, Dave F said:

Remind me to never loan him one of my guitars

Right, but it will be your fault if it comes back damaged.

Edited March 10, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper

[Dave F]

5 hours ago, bluezguy said:

...... so I thought I'd get a 3/4 size.

I've never had one before but some folks are saying it sounds very much like the J-45TV so why not get a different model?  There are 2 LGs currently.  I'm considering the ridiculously over-priced 1942 Banner reissue.... primarily for the adirondack top.

I'm hoping someone has played both for A?B tonal comparison -J-45TV and LG-2 Banner.  Thanks.

 

The LG-2 3/4 is smaller than the LG-2. I don't think they've done a run of them since the Arlo Guthrie model in 2007. The dimensions are: length, 37”; body length, 17 1/8”; scale, 22 ¾”; nut, 1 5/8”; upper bout, 9”; waist, 7”; lower bout, 12 ¾”; and depth, 3 1/8” to 3 7/8” ( the LG-2  has 14 1/8” lower bout, with a 24 ¾” scale). I don't know if they're ladder braced but I would heed Jedzep's advice and check it out. My personal advice is to consider alternate tonewood unless you're hooked on mahogany. Your current guitars are mahogany and rosewood, maybe try a square shouldered or super jumbo maple. I like maple but a couple years ago bought a L1 that was maple and did not care for it in the small body. If I see a deal on a maple Nick Lucas 12-fret I'll grab it.

Edited March 10, 2022 by Dave F

[MorrisrownSal]

LG2s are nice guitars, but they won’t replace the versatility of your guitar.  They will have less bass for example. 
 

Sorry about your guitar. That’s some expensive $hit you are dealing with.

[slimt]

At this point in time. The LG2 will sound better.  👍🏻 

Edited March 11, 2022 by slimt

[jedzep]

14 hours ago, Dave F said:

The LG-2 3/4 is smaller than the LG-2. I don't think they've done a run of them since the Arlo Guthrie model in 2007. The dimensions are: length, 37”; body length, 17 1/8”; scale, 22 ¾”; nut, 1 5/8”; upper bout, 9”; waist, 7”; lower bout, 12 ¾”; and depth, 3 1/8” to 3 7/8” ( the LG-2  has 14 1/8” lower bout, with a 24 ¾” scale). I don't know if they're ladder braced but I would heed Jedzep's advice and check it out. My personal advice is to consider alternate tonewood unless you're hooked on mahogany. Your current guitars are mahogany and rosewood, maybe try a square shouldered or super jumbo maple. I like maple but a couple years ago bought a L1 that was maple and did not care for it in the small body. If I see a deal on a maple Nick Lucas 12-fret I'll grab it.

I'm not sure of 'bluzguy's familiarity with the nomenclature of the 3/4 LG2.  He might just be referring to the size in comparison to the J, where whatever he's shopping still might be an Xbraced LG2.    That's why I suggested he check.  His sense that somehow the tech misled him says a lot.

Edited March 11, 2022 by jedzep

[jricc]

Oh man,  that sucks, sorry...

[Murph]

13 hours ago, Salfromchatham said:

LG2s are nice guitars, but they won’t replace the versatility of your guitar. 

What he said.

[zombywoof]

I always assumed headstock breaks were not a matter of neck angle but more a combination of the routed area for the truss rod which was the neck's most vulnerable spot and the trend towards slimmer necks.  I once bought a guitar with a headstock snapped off.  Not a Gibson but a mid-1960s Harmony-made Silvertone Sovereign.   The break was clean and I repaired it myself.  While the repair was not going to win any beauty contests it held.

But I am still trying to wrap my head about the having hundreds of guitars fall of stands or tumble from the maps or chairs they were leaning on thing.  You would have to have been pretty well heeled or early on have had very doting parents to accumulate guitars in those kinds of numbers.  I sat down and tried to add up what I have owned in the past 55+ years and came up with 11 Gibson acoustics and four Fender electrics.  Still have five of the Gibsons but bid farewell to all of the Fenders.

On the LG2 3/4 you always have to remain mindful that there are guitars which you can be attracted to because you like the idea of them.  I have only really spent time with one which somebody wanted to sell me.  Cute as a button but it was a no-go.  Whatever get up and go it may have had must have got up and went.  But again, this is the only one I had had some time under my belt with so it may have been the runt of the litter and so the only opinion you will get which will have less value would be rendered by somebody who had never played one.

Edited March 11, 2022 by zombywoof

[Murph]

1 hour ago, zombywoof said:

 

But I am still trying to wrap my head about the having hundreds of guitars fall of stands or tumble from the maps or chairs they were leaning on thing.  

I gigged in bars for 35+ years, literally many thousand paying gigs, not to mention being a pretty heavy drinker during those years and played a helluva lot of living rooms. The times one of my guitars took a dive could be counted on ONE HAND over the last 5 decades.

[Sgt. Pepper]

48 minutes ago, Murph said:

I gigged in bars for 35+ years, literally many thousand paying gigs, not to mention being a pretty heavy drinker during those years and played a helluva lot of living rooms. The times one of my guitars took a dive could be counted on ONE HAND over the last 5 decades.

And your point is? 

[rustystrings]

A simple headstock break is No Big Deal - IF you don't monkey with it.  Since it's in pro's hands, you're halfway home.  If repaired properly with hot hide glue, who cares?  It will be stronger than before.

The 3/4 designation is not quite accurate.  For decades we have been subjected to this whole "The LG guitars were student instruments" blah blah blah.  The truth is, the LG guitars are GRAND CONCERT guitars, the G in LG comes from the GS series guitars before WWII, which were Gibson's attempt to build a classical guitar.   Forty years ago I bought a cheap used hardshell classical guitar case from my very poor best friend so that he could carry his early '50s LG-1 in safety, and it was a perfect fit.  And FWIW, one of the Martin patriarchs used to contend that for him, the PERFECT guitar size for comfort and tone was the 00, which is a grand concert.

Somehow we've wound up with a general culture that has taken on this idea that if it's not a dreadnaught (or a TRUE Gibson Jumbo) or a Super Jumbo (which people tend to shorten to jumbo) it is less than a full-sized guitar.  Kinda like people calling a J-185 or the comparable 16-in wide Guilds "Mini-Jumbos" - they're not, they're Grand Auditoriums.  But hey, I'm a nomenclature freak, so what I say is meaningless anyway.

LG-2 3/4 was a distinct model as mentioned before.  Shorter scale, smaller body, and above all ladder braced.

I disagree with the assessment that the LG-2 is less versatile.  I played LOTS of solo gigs with one and truly regret parting with that one.  My great mistake was that I only ever heard that guitar while I was playing it.  I never really had someone ELSE play it while I listened to it.  When you get out in front of it, you realize it produces a similar sound to the J-45, but with the emphasis shifting to higher in the midrange than the classical Jumbo roundshouldered sound.  The J-45/50/Southern Jumbo have a sound with lots of presence that feels like it envelopes and enfolds, and that most definitely includes you, the player.  The LG guitars have greater projection and penetration, or so it seems to me.  It's more focused - and that focus is AWAY from you while you play it.  

 

[zombywoof]

3 hours ago, Murph said:

I gigged in bars for 35+ years, literally many thousand paying gigs, not to mention being a pretty heavy drinker during those years and played a helluva lot of living rooms. The times one of my guitars took a dive could be counted on ONE HAND over the last 5 decades.

You got paid like on a regular basis?  I remember doing gigs for free food.  The acoustic gigs in particular were always good for coffee and a bagel.  

Edited March 11, 2022 by zombywoof

[Rosinante]

once i had a heritage 535 fall off a stand because i left the cord connected and it fell over.  Obviously you can see that this was all Heritage's fault.

[Murph]

2 minutes ago, zombywoof said:

You got paid like on a regular basis?  I remember doing gigs for free food.  The acoustic gigs in particular were always good for coffee and a bagel.  

 

Well paid. Paid taxes on every dime. Did an all original cd project in 98/99, toured a chunk of the Heartland supporting it. This was full band days, lights/sound, etc.

The acoustic years that followed were slimmer, but I've been all acoustic for a long time. 

[Kwlsky]

1 hour ago, rustystrings said:

The LG guitars have greater projection and penetration, or so it seems to me.  It's more focused - and that focus is AWAY from you while you play it.  

This is exactly how I feel about maple b/s Gibsons. 

[zombywoof]

9 hours ago, Murph said:

I gigged in bars for 35+ years, literally many thousand paying gigs, not to mention being a pretty heavy drinker during those years and played a helluva lot of living rooms. The times one of my guitars took a dive could be counted on ONE HAND over the last 5 decades.

Oddly, through the 1970s I was not toting around a guitar to take a crash dive on stage.  Do not have a clue how it happened but somewhere along the way I had acquired a reputation as a pretty good  fiddler with not only traditional music but blues.   And that was what folks wanted me to do.  I got hired to teach at the Garrison's Landing Art Center (it is where the opening scene at the train station in "Hello Dolly" was filmed) and was sitting in with an electric  band while playing with an acoustic blues band on the side.  I went over to live in Scotland for a bit at mid-decade and there it was the opposite.  Every time I showed up at Sandy Bells somebody was throwing a guitar in my hands wanting me to play some Rev. Gary Davis and such.  It was all somewhat confusing.

[Sgt. Pepper]

23 hours ago, Rosinante said:

once i had a heritage 535 fall off a stand because i left the cord connected and it fell over.  Obviously you can see that this was all Heritage's fault.

When I get nail in my tire, and get a flat, it's the tire and the car manufacturers fault. It's just that simple.

As Bugs Bunny said "What a maroon". The strings and the guitars fault. Best thing I've heard all year, well stupidest thing.