Old Gibson, need help figuring out what this is!

[Carlton335]

I need help with info about this guitar.

 

1. What model is it?

2. About when was it crafted?

3. What's it worth? It is in pretty good condition (the body and neck are intact; tuners work; needs fret dressing or re-fretting).

4. In what type of market would one be able to sell it?

 

There are no labels or visible serial numbers on this as far as I know.

 

Thank you, much obliged!

 

[Buc McMaster]

Looks like an L48. Entry level plywood archtop, if memory serves. Don't think those white racing stripes are original, though, nor the f-hole binding.

[TommyK]

Are those 'racing stripes' painted on or... they look like dowel rods? Top collapsing?

[zombywoof]

Does not look like an L-47 or L-48. Everything on that guitar seems to say mid-1930s. But for the life of me I cannot think of one f-hole archtop that had bound soundholes and dot markers.

[Carlton335]

Hey guys! Thanks for the replies. The stripes are dowel rods, yes, and the bridge has been modified to accommodate them. Don't think the top is collapsing, looks pretty arched. I did a search a while back and found out that the logo probably is a mid-30's Gibson logo. The sound holes can actually have been fitted with binding later on, they seem to have a bit brighter white than the ones around the body - which are more yellowish... Really don't know though. What do you guys think of the chances of this guitar being an L-30 or L-37?

[zombywoof]

Not an L-37. While I ain't no expert, assuming that the f-hole and headstock binding were added later it could be an L-30 although all of the original ones I have seen with that style peghead were painted black so this one might have been refinished somewhere along the way.