1944 Gibson LG2

[cin]

Does anyone know about vintage gibson LG2 1944 banner era.

Mostly they have mahogany side and back but sometime they have maple side&back.

I wonder after do some reseach and curious that maple back is solid or laminated.

Someone in this forum know this?please help!

 

Thanks

[Stubee]

Go to UMGF "Ultimate Martin Guitar Forum" and then to subforum "Vintage" and search. Many owners over there.

 

I've got a '53 but know a bit about banners and will say: nearly all are mahogany back/sides. Nice guitars.

[Mojorule]

Hi Cin. The best thing to do would be to PM John Thomas (jt here). He doesn't post here any more, but he is still on the system. If that fails, come back to me, and I'll PM him. He is the expert on all things banner, and does tend to get back to people one way or another when it comes to questions in his field. It's just a question of whether the PM gets through ti him. If I remember right (still confused over small bodies) John owns an LG2 from the era as well as his beautiful 1943 SJ.

 

For what it's worth, I have read that Russ Barenberg's maple-backed banner J45 has laminate back and sides. If that instrument is anything to go by, I'd guess that the maple-backed LG2s are laminate too. I imagine, though, that the maple-topped banners actually have a solid top, but all of these matters would be best dealt with by John Thomas.

 

RAR Bob might have some information too.

[cin]

Thanks stubee for your info,i try to find there but no more info concrete.

Mojorule,thanks for your help,pls check pm.

[Dafgog]

Just come across a 44 banner LG2 with mahogany back and sides adirondak top and truss rod. Does this sound genuine?

[j45nick]

It certainly could be. Pictures might help.

[jt]

My ears were ringing!

Yes, the maple banners have laminated backs and sides (at least every one I have encountered, but Gibson being Gibson ...). I think it most likely that deep into the War, and given the materials shortages and the rationing orders that the War Production Board issued, Gibson began using for flattops backs and sides originally destined for archtops.

The maple banners can be fantastic. You can hear one in the first tune of "C Medley," Going Down the Road Feeling Bad," on the Kalamazoo Gals companion CD, clips of which you can access here. The guitar is a 1944 J-45, FON 2944-18, with laminated maple backhand sides and Sitka spruce top.

[zombywoof]

Two years back I ran across a 1944 maple body LG-2 at a small local guitar show.   It was the best LG-2 I had played in a very long time and was a bargain at he asking price as it being the last day of the show the dealers were more than willing to haggle.    I  ended up leaving empty handed only because  the dealer was not set up to take plastic and it being Sunday I had no way of getting hold of the cash.   May have worked out for the best though as shortly thereafter I snagged a 1932 12 fret L1.  Still, I have not been able to get that LG totally out of my system.

[jt]

Hmm, Zomby. I resemble your experience. I've passed on far too many Banners.  😞  Especially given that a dramatic adaptation is headed to movie theaters.  I'll provide more info .. when I can.

[62burst]

Y'all know this thread is from 2011, right?

Oh well- the elusive maple backed LG-2 from back in the Banner years. When all ready to find a nice Banner LG-2 at the Bee-3 Vintage show a few years back, I was able to play at least a half dozen old LG-2's, some  wearing the banner, some not. "Jim's Guitars" (EA knows Jim's) had the closest contender, but show host Gary Burnett had the most audaciously woody sounding '49. Happily traded even up for the Jackson Browne Model 1, whose way-too-shallow neck just wasn't working for me. Never looked back. Gary did mention that if I ever had a chance to play a maple b/s LG-2, I'd be in for a treat.