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Is it a true Gibson?


Ralph S.

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Hi all This is my "First Time" here so to speak and I can't seem to find anything myself on the net about my guitar. I have what I think is a vintage Gibson SG of some sort But there are no serial numbers that I can see and I pulled off the truss rod cover to discover that there is no truss rod. Was this possibly something of old to gibson? and also the control cavity is routed in the front rather than the back. so I am tripping out. This guitar was given to me a while back but has been sitting due to the fact that since there is o truss rod the neck bends easily giving it almost a vibrato sound "unintentionally" while "rocking out." The finish seems to have been sanded off as well with some left around the sides. and it looks like it had a trapeze tailpiece which was modified into a tune-o-matic by the person who gave it to me. I know this was a bit lengthy but I figured what the hey. I just wanted to give any helpful info that I could to solve this puzzle. I could e mail pics if anyone wants to have a look. Thanks in advance for any help.

Ralph

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Hmmmm.....

No truss rod?

 

Maybe it broke and the end was left out of the cavity?

 

Actually removing the entire truss rod is impossible without "ungluing" the fretboard from the neck.

 

Baxter's right, doesn't sound too good, and pictures are a big help.

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<a href="http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c50/bethanymontez134/?action=view&current=Photo167.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c50/bethanymontez134/Photo167.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

<a href="http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c50/bethanymontez134/?action=view&current=Photo166.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c50/bethanymontez134/Photo166.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

<a href="http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c50/bethanymontez134/?action=view&current=Photo165.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c50/bethanymontez134/Photo165.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

<a href="http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c50/bethanymontez134/?action=view&current=Photo164.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c50/bethanymontez134/Photo164.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

<a href="http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c50/bethanymontez134/?action=view&current=Photo163.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c50/bethanymontez134/Photo163.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

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Photo167.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"

 

<a href="http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c50/bethanymontez134/?action=view&current=Photo166.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c50/bethanymontez134/Photo166.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

<a href="http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c50/bethanymontez134/?action=view&current=Photo165.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c50/bethanymontez134/Photo165.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

<a href="http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c50/bethanymontez134/?action=view&current=Photo164.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c50/bethanymontez134/Photo164.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

<a href="http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c50/bethanymontez134/?action=view&current=Photo163.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c50/bethanymontez134/Photo163.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

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If you select edit image(in photobucket) there is an option to flip image, you can unreverse it that way.

 

Found this, has the front routing hole where the pots go, but the serial number is clearly stamped, but the no truss rod issue seems suspect. Also the engraving of the SG on the truss rod cover looks a bit different...

 

http://www.oldenburger-music-station.de/Gibson-SG-Custom-1971.htm

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Well I wont be selling mine, I don't care that there is no truss rod, doesn't seem to be a problem. It is a old beat up great sounding guitar that has been in the family longer than I have. It is the very same guitar I learned to play on, as well as my older brother and sister. If my house was burning, and I could only grab one, all my Gibbys would be left behind as they do not have the same sentimental value of the 00-18.

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- No truss rod

- No serial

- No "Made in USA" stamp on neck

- Strange dot on the "I" of Gibson (different from the 71 model), different binding on head

 

It would be really surprising if it was a Gibson. Probably a good copy.

 

Truss rods are not mandatory. I talked about it with my luthier and he said that you actually can make steel stringed guitars without a truss rod : the neck won't move at all (a lot of 30's-40's Django era jazz guitars, Selmer and all, were made this way). Pblem, once it's done, you cannot change anything about it.

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Gibson never put those up and down little things(that kinda look like arrows) on the beginning and ending of the "S" in the Gibson Logo and then their is the "dot" touching the "G" that I have never seen and it has metric posts on the T-O-M and may have them on the stop bar, and you can tell by the pot's usually if it's USA Gibson or not. I'd say it also has a bad finish in a real bad attempt to make it look old.

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No truss rod?

Maybe it broke and the end was left out of the cavity?

Well, the pictures are a big help.

I can see now that "no truss rod" means there NEVER WAS ONE!

 

Mind you, I'm not a pro. But now that I see what we're talking about, my $.02 is that it's a fake.

Too many things are way too wrong.

I have a thing or two to add to the other's input.

 

Just looking at it, proportionally, it's laid out wrong.

The gap between the bridge and pickup for instance, too wide.

Also, EVERY Gibson electric I've ever seen has the bridge mounted on a slight angle to aid intonation.

The bridge post for the low strings is slightly further back.

 

The control cavity looks WAY too rough.

In my experience, Gibson machines them. That looks like it was done by hand - not very uniform.

 

 

 

My wife (the Church Lady) walked by and saw the pics, asked "What's the deal with that guitar?" just out of curiosity.

I went to the trouble to point out some obvious stuff.

She listened patiently and then said "I guess he plays it in church?"

 

Huh?

 

"Yeah, look at the room he's in."

 

Hey, I guess she's right....

 

"Shame. If he's a good man, he won't go kick the guy's *** - and he deserves it."

 

Wow.

Women see all the details I always miss.

 

Ralph, I hope you have a one-off factory prototype oddball worth lotsa money despite its manufacturing and playability issues. I'm afraid it ain't looking this way.

 

I wonder if Gibson Customer Service would be interested in such a thing?

 

Good luck Buddy!

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Ralph, on behalf of guitar owners everywhere - and every brand - I urge you to pursue this matter.

 

Maybe contact Gibson Customer Service at 800-444-2766 and see if they are interested in your story.

 

I feel terribly for you, please ask for any help you may need.

 

Neo

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