Help identify my LG-1 please!

[Myztro]

Hey, I have recently purchased an LG-1, but it doesn’t fit the criteria of most in that model. My best guess is that it’s a 47-51 but there are issues that don’t match up. Here is what I know about it:

- No serial number on headstock

- FON on neck block is only 3 digits- 337 with some red pencil that unreadable (tends to indicate war time?)

- It has X-bracing (only in 1942 or LG- 2 so it must be a conversion?)

- It is stamped “LG-1” on the back center seam (which apparently the seam isn’t supposed to exist unless it is original X-bracing) could it have been stamped incorrectly?  Or restamped after conversion? 

- It has block lettering which wasn’t prevalent until 1947 at which time it should be a ladder brace)

please see photos here for more detail:

https://imgur.com/a/ZsHRTPG
 

Also, here is a link to another similar guitar on the forum but it apparently wasn’t stamped with the model so he assumes it is LG-2:

Any thoughts on value would also be appreciated, but feel free to disregard if that is not allowed on this forum.

 Thanks! 

Ben

Edited August 9, 2022 by Myztro
Added more information

[Dave F]

My guess would be the FON is missing the last digit so FON 377n which would fall into '48 or '50

The tuners shown were used between '47 thru  '52, same era. 

The LG1 stamp? One guess is it's a conversion. From what I've seen, LG1 had single white top binding like yours, LG2 had a fancier WBW binding. (My'42 LG1 has WBW)

Or it could had come from the factory this way where it started off as an LG1 and wound up an LG2. I wouldn't put much stock in the center strip. The no strip LG1 and with strip LG2/3 wasn't real consistent in the early years. 

 

Nice looking

 

• Year    Factory Order Number 
  ----    --------------------
  1941    G (letter code sometimes seen after FON, i.e. 2586G).
  1942    907, 910, 923, 2004, 2005, 7000ish (i.e. 7119) - all 'Banner' logo.
  1942    H (letter code sometimes seen after FON, i.e. 7116H). Range 5xxxH to 8xxxH
  1943    Range generally 9xx to 22xx, depending on the model.
  1944    Range generally 22xx to 29XX, depending on the model, some with no FON.
  1945    1xx to 10xx, but many with no FON.
  1946    n/a ('Banner' logo no longer used, now script logo with no banner).
  1947    700s to 1000s
  1948    1100s to 3700s ('Script' logo no longer used, block logo used.)
  1949    2000s
  1950    3000s to 5000s
  1951    6000s to 9000s
  

•  

• ll the info below applies to all styles of 1947 to 1964 Kluson Deluxe closed-back tuners, as used on Fender and Gibson guitars of the time. All pictures by TWitrock (thanks Tom!) and some of this information was provided by L Gatanas and TWitrock.

  1947 to 1951/1952 Kluson tuners.
  Note the vertical "Kluson Deluxe" stamp down the center of the gear cover. But more importantly, notice the lack of a second tuner post hole on the opposite side of the gear cover (blue arrow). Notice the bottom of the gear cover has an external "PAT. APPLD." stamping. On the bottom side of the tuners stamped into the metal it says "2356766 PAT. APPLD." (can only be seen with the tuner removed). Often these tuners are often mis-identified as late 1950s tuners because of the vetical "Kluson Deluxe" stamping. Gibson used this style of tuner later than Fender. Fender stopped using this style in late 1951. Gibson stopped using this style in early 1952 (perhaps Gibson had a larger stock pile of these tuners).
  http://www.pinrepair.com/vgi/kluson1.jpg
  http://www.pinrepair.com/vgi/kluson2.jpg

Edited August 10, 2022 by Dave F

[Myztro]

Thanks for the response! I’ve seen a lot of FON info but that is the first time I’ve seen any dating related to the tuners!

As far as the LG-1 stamp is concerned, I’m wondering if you’ve ever heard of there being a back seam on an LG-1? I agree that they could cut a corner on an LG-2 and leave that out, but I’m not sure I see them putting it in on accident?

Im also curious if you have any tips on how to spot a bracing conversion? The binding is fading in a couple spots but it doesn’t look like it’s ever been cut or disassembled. Maybe someone does it so we’ll you can’t see the difference? I also thought there might be visible evidence of where the ladder bracing was but I don’t think I see that either. 
 

My curiosity is just regarding the value since the LG-2 seems to be much higher priced when I look around. I’m honestly not planning to sell it but it’s a fun fact to know where it stands. If this is a mis-labeled LG-2, that could be a pretty cool glitch! 
 

Thanks,

 Ben