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1943 Gibson L-50


Joshua Caole

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Could anyone give me a quick valuation on a 1943 L-50?

 

It has the scratchplate missing and as such has a few scrapes as well as a fair few dings round the body. It doesn't have the original bridge or tuners (one of which is missing a button), also the top is coming away from the sides slightly in a couple of places.

 

Everything else is ok as far as I know. It doesn't have a banner headstock.

 

Any help with what a reasonable price would be and or wether I would be wise to leave it would be appreciated. Thanks.

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this one is at Gruhns and is priced at $1000, ready to play

 

the one you're talking about, maybe a couple hundred bucks, maybe

 

if you are handy and can fix it yourself, maybe..if not, then definitely NO

 

AR4232.jpg

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If it's really a 1943, it should either have a banner headstock, or at least the "Gibson" script logo as shown in the Gruhn picture, less the banner. If it has the "block" Gibson logo, it should also have block fretboard inlays, rather than dots, and it is later than 1947.

 

The L-50 is an entry level archtop, and even in very good condition, they don't bring much money. A replacement bridge and finger rest will set you back a couple of hundred bucks.

 

Dchristo is not far off on his estimates. If you have to pay someone to repair this, any repairs will quickly exceed the value of the guitar. You see these in good condition all the time for $1000 or less. It's hard to know what it needs without pictures.

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Don't think that's an L-50. Might be an L-37 or L-47. 14.75" lower bout and what appears to be a flat back. Logo is fairly early, so guitar is someime between late 1930's and early 1940's. It sold for more than it's worth in the US, but prices in the UK are always higher.

 

Looks like a re-fret to me, as I don't believe Gibson uses that fret style at that time, but others here know better than I.

 

Edit:

Doing a bit more research, I can't really pin down that combination of features, but it is definitely an entry-level archtop, and certainly not worth more than was paid at this auction.

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