Dating 50's Southern Jumbo

[acousticworship]

I've inherited my grandfather's Gibson Southern Jumbo. He bought it new, we think in 1954. It has had some work done on it, (crack repairs, new bridge, new tuners), and needs some more done. I'd like to know how to decipher the serial number. It appears to be ink stamped on the neck block inside the soundhole. It's either Z1932 or possibly 71932. It has 19 frets, I've read that they went to 20 frets in 1955 but I'm not 100% sure on that. 

 

Edited June 20, 2022 by acousticworship

[zombywoof]

Has to be a "Z" prefix because a five digit FON does not work.  That would place the date at 1952.

Edited June 20, 2022 by zombywoof

[fortyearspickn]

For a minute I thought this was going to be about taking a 300 lb  60 year old lady from the South out dancing and dining. 

[Dave F]

41 minutes ago, fortyearspickn said:

For a minute I thought this was going to be about taking a 300 lb  60 year old lady from the South out dancing and dining. 

 

[62burst]

47 minutes ago, fortyearspickn said:

For a minute I thought this was going to be about taking a 300 lb  60 year old lady from the South out dancing and dining. 

One track mind.

😄

[Dave F]

6 minutes ago, 62burst said:

One track mind.

😄

Doesn't take much to get us off track. 

Love to have that Southern Jumbo, my birth year.

[acousticworship]

1 hour ago, fortyearspickn said:

For a minute I thought this was going to be about taking a 300 lb  60 year old lady from the South out dancing and dining. 

I figured that was coming. I'm from Louisiana, so we got plenty "southern jumbo's" round here. 😄

I found this info if anyone is interested.  Vintage Guitars Info - Gibson collecting vintage gibson guitars (guitarhq.com)

Indeed it looks like a '52. Now to get her worked on and back in proper condition.

Edited June 21, 2022 by acousticworship

[jt]

A beautiful guitar with, obviously, custom bridge-wing inlays.

I'd so hoped that we could avoid the obvious old-guy jokes. Alas ...

[62burst]

6 hours ago, jt said:

A beautiful guitar with, obviously, custom bridge-wing inlays.

I'd so hoped that we could avoid the obvious old-guy jokes. Alas ...

Aw, c'mon. . . in light of all that's going on, the levity was appreciated, and prompted my first post in over a month. And we knew the scholars would soon check in.

Also- good call noting the Maltese crosses on the bridge- as 1951 was the first year for the J-185, which sported those inlays, the OP's guitar might've been built with a J-185 bridge, making it a very rare and unique old Southern Jumbo.

[jt]

2 hours ago, 62burst said:

Aw, c'mon. . . in light of all that's going on, the levity was appreciated, and prompted my first post in over a month. And we knew the scholars would soon check in.

Also- good call noting the Maltese crosses on the bridge- as 1951 was the first year for the J-185, which sported those inlays, the OP's guitar might've been built with a J-185 bridge, making it a very rare and unique old Southern Jumbo.

Oops. I meant to type a smiley fact after my reference to the jokes. Sorry.

I hadn't thought about the guitar also being produced during the first year of J=185 production. Thanks!

[Murph]

12 hours ago, fortyearspickn said:

For a minute I thought this was going to be about taking a 300 lb  60 year old lady from the South out dancing and dining. 

 

Don't knock it, till you've tried it.

[zombywoof]

12 hours ago, acousticworship said:

I figured that was coming. I'm from Louisiana, so we got plenty "southern jumbo's" round here. 😄

I found this info if anyone is interested.  Vintage Guitars Info - Gibson collecting vintage gibson guitars (guitarhq.com)

Indeed it looks like a '52. Now to get her worked on and back in proper condition.

I lived in Mississippi for many years but the difference was at least our  Southern Jumbo Belle's also tended to have blue hair.  

That site though is very well known.  There is, however, no original research involved which means it is accurate only in so far as the published sources he uses are.   Personally I have found the best place to go to get Gibson mysteries solved remains the UMGF.  Over the years, folks there have managed to unravel the backstory on two quirky Gibsons I have owned.

Edited June 21, 2022 by zombywoof

[Johnny V.]

14 hours ago, Dave F said:

Love to have that Southern Jumbo, my birth year.

I looked for a birth year guitar for a while (I'd love to have a '52 Telecaster), but a '48 Southern Jumbo kind of fell in my lap, so that fulfills my vintage Gibson lust.

 

I do have a '52 Chris Craft, so I've got something from my birth year though.

[acousticworship]

7 hours ago, 62burst said:

Aw, c'mon. . . in light of all that's going on, the levity was appreciated, and prompted my first post in over a month. And we knew the scholars would soon check in.

Also- good call noting the Maltese crosses on the bridge- as 1951 was the first year for the J-185, which sported those inlays, the OP's guitar might've been built with a J-185 bridge, making it a very rare and unique old Southern Jumbo.

Agreed, I don't mind humor at all, and figured it was coming.

I never thought about the possibility that it could be a J-185 bridge. I just assumed (you know what that does) that it was a replacement. I know my grandfather had some work done on the guitar in the late 90's/early 2000's.

2 hours ago, zombywoof said:

I lived in Mississippi for many years but the difference was at least our  Southern Jumbo Belle's also tended to have blue hair.  

That site though is very well known.  There is, however, no original research involved which means it is accurate only in so far as the published sources he uses are.   Personally I have found the best place to go to get Gibson mysteries solved remains the UMGF.  Over the years, folks there have managed to unravel the backstory on two quirky Gibsons I have owned.

Zombywoof, I think you replied to my post on The Gear Page about this guitar. I'm Deadduck over there, I think that name was already taken when I signed up here. I'll look at the UMGF. I think I'm already a member there too, but haven't posted in a long time. Thanks for the info.

[zombywoof]

1 hour ago, acousticworship said:

Zombywoof, I think you replied to my post on The Gear Page about this guitar. I'm Deadduck over there, I think that name was already taken when I signed up here. I'll look at the UMGF. I think I'm already a member there too, but haven't posted in a long time. Thanks for the info.

That would explain why I kept thinking I had recently seen a post about an SJ with the bridge with the Maltese crosses on it.   Good to know it was not a fig newton of my imagination.

[Dave F]

4 hours ago, Johnny V. said:

I looked for a birth year guitar for a while (I'd love to have a '52 Telecaster), but a '48 Southern Jumbo kind of fell in my lap, so that fulfills my vintage Gibson lust.

 

I do have a '52 Chris Craft, so I've got something from my birth year though.

I have a ‘52 J45 that needs a little attention. I’m always looking. I’ve had a couple ‘52 Gibsons but they did not cure the itch.  Maybe if I get the J45 up to snuff it will cure me 😄

[J-1854Me]

The FON and the pickguard both confirm a 1952 date for this SJ.

At the time, the '52 would originally have been spec'd with a long saddle bridge.  The current, cracked bridge has the shorter, drop-in style saddle, and with the Maltese crosses, used only on the J-185 in this shape, might be a replacement bridge that was supplied for use on a J-185.  The longer-saddle bridges were used on the J-45, J-50, SJ and J-185 thru till at least 1952 with 1953 being a transitional year.

Fred