Camaro55 Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Hey guys! Ive just recently bought my first gibson acoustic a year or so ago. I bought one of the new hummingbird pros, and love it but have been looking for a vintage guitar ever since. The other day i came across a gibson lg-2 that is said to be a 1940s guitar. It has the gibson logo in a kinda cursive look with a little banner below that says Only A Gibson Is Good Enough. Its an x braced guitar, and nothing sounds loose in it, everything looks and sounds alright with it, the only thing on it that is said to have been replaced is the tuners, their still really old style tuners but not originals, the finish is starting to crack up a little bit, as i assume really old paint on these things do, the neck looks straight to me, but the fret board has a dip in the second fret that i assume is just from playing, im not buying to have a mantle peice or to resale for big money, im buying this guitar to play. It doesnt hold tune the best though, is this an issue? And is anything else mentioned an issue? What would be some issues to look for when buying a 70 year old guitar? Any help is much appreciated and I would like to think any of you guys that even take the time to read my post :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Well you've got your hands on a prized small guitar, value only diminished by the changed tuners which could a hassle if they're the cause of the tuning problem. In original good condition, these are selling in the $3,000 range. A pic or two would help anyone here assess your find. There really are a zillion factors and questions...is the saddle height real low? That could mean it's been shaved low to postpone resetting the neck angle, a $500 prospect more or less. I couldn't think of many guitars though that deserve the work more, so not really an issue, considering it's value. The authentic Klusons for that period are still pretty accessible. Good luck, good investor guitar, as I said, unless it was altered. Damn good player, anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camaro55 Posted September 8, 2012 Author Share Posted September 8, 2012 I would have no idea how to tell if anything has been shaved or not, and have no way to take pictures of it, I can as soon as I buy it if I do get it. I had a tech look at it and he said the only thing he could see was done to it was the tuners. Is 1,600 a fair price? also thanks for the quick reply, I appreciate it a ton! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 One simple test you can do to see how playable it is is to measure how high the strings are at the 10th or 12th fret. Even if you just have a ruler it would be nice to see if the strings were no more than 1/8-1/4 inch above the fret. It's a pretty low price for the yr/model so maybe you need to place a deposit and have it looked at by someone not directly involved in profiting from the sale. I know that's a lot to ask but if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Â The bridge should be rectangular with two dots outside of the bridgepins, with no trace of a footprint from a bridge that was removed. Search out LG2 pics and compare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camaro55 Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Im going to try to go take some pics to post on but it will be a week or so, ill lasi try to measure at the twelth fret, it didnt look to much higher than an 1/8th inch to me, it certianly wasnt a 1/4 inch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Wish I could suggest you go for it, but ... Â In general, I find that most sellers are very educated in pricing old Gibsons. Where there's a great deal, there's most often a reason or two for the lower cost. You just have to dig 'em up. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfden1 Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 I would have no idea how to tell if anything has been shaved or not, and have no way to take pictures of it, I can as soon as I buy it if I do get it. I had a tech look at it and he said the only thing he could see was done to it was the tuners. Is 1,600 a fair price? also thanks for the quick reply, I appreciate it a ton! Â $1600 is a fair price. If you can get it a little cheaper, so much the better. Figure that you may need 1200 to 1500 for a neck reset plus new saddle/nut and fretboard/frets replacement plus crack repairs and/or regluing braces. All of that is common work for a 70 year old guitar, and a good LG-2 is worth it. Not that this particular guitar will/may need all of that in repairs, but that's the "average". Â Just as important is who you get to do the work once you buy it. Don't go to your average guitar tech, most of them are not the best, especially when it comes to vintage Gibson's. There are guys that have a great deal of experience with old Gibson's, and trust me, they are not for everybody. Personally, I like Dennis Berck in Eugene, OR. Â Keep in mind that what I've listed above is "worst case" in terms of work that you may need to have done and all of that may not apply to the guitar your interested in (but it may) Â Erich Schoenberg (www.om28.com) has said that he thinks the LG-2's are very underrated. I'd have to agree. In monetary terms, you'd be looking at $2700 -$3500 in decent playing condition (WWII LG-2's in excellent condition are very rare in my experience). Â Good luck, hope that helped. Â D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camaro55 Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 Well ive found out its believed to have a very old refinish, wich im sure hurts the value tremendously, im hoping to go take some pictures to post and let you guys see, to be honest if everything is ok with it i could care less about a refinish, im not really a collector, i just love the sound of the things! Hopefully this weekend i can go snap some pics and see what you guys think, and thank you guys very much, your helping a ton! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Well ive found out its believed to have a very old refinish, wich im sure hurts the value tremendously, im hoping to go take some pictures to post and let you guys see, to be honest if everything is ok with it i could care less about a refinish, im not really a collector, i just love the sound of the things! Hopefully this weekend i can go snap some pics and see what you guys think, and thank you guys very much, your helping a ton! Â Â If it is in fact a refinish, that cuts the value of the guitar by 30-50%. At about $1600, you may be paying about what the guitar is worth, provided it doesn't need substantial work. Â The problem I see is that you don't seem to have experience with vintage guitars of this type, which means you are effectively buying it without adequate means to evaluate its condition. This is a risky business. If you had pictures, we might be able to provide useful advice, but without them, there is no way we can give you truly meaningful input. Â To buy vintage guitars with confidence, you really need to understand what you are looking at, or buy from a very reputable dealer. That means you may pay top dollar, but you probably won't get burned, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camaro55 Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 Well i took some pics just not, just gotta upload and dont kno how, im on a cell phone, does anyone kno how to upload them from a cell phone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camaro55 Posted September 11, 2012 Author Share Posted September 11, 2012 Well. I loaded all the pics onto the computer and it says the file is to big do upload.... Just my luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Yep...you have to size your pics. Others have suggested using Photobucket, which worked for me. I have real limited nerd skills. Can you send a few to my email? I sent you a personal message on this site with my address. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camaro55 Posted September 11, 2012 Author Share Posted September 11, 2012 They should be on their way, i have a few more i can send later. I like you have limited nerd skills and very little computer patience sometimes! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camaro55 Posted October 7, 2012 Author Share Posted October 7, 2012 Well, I finally got it and i absolutly love the sound of it, my only concern is their is a crack on the back, If you look through the inside of the sound hole you can barly see it coming through the wood, Is this a concern that needs to be fixed? It really sounds amazing, and i would like to not have to spend anymore money, plus I kno absolutly no experianced Luthiers around here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 An easy temporary fix would be to get some Titebond II DARK wood glue and put blue painter's tape on the inside covering up the crack. Get a thin vinyl glove and after running the thinnest possible bead of glue along the crack from the outside, press and rub the glue into the crack. Let it set for two or three minutes and take a slightly damp cloth and gently remove the excess glue. Don't play it overnight or longer. Remove the painter's tape. If the crack reappears you'll have to have it repaired more thoroughly, but it sounds like a minor issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camaro55 Posted October 7, 2012 Author Share Posted October 7, 2012 Ok thanks a ton i need to re string it anyway so it will be a good time to do it, where can i get the glue? And also I was wondering about traveling with the guitar, I took it out last night in the 45-50 degree range, When is to cold to travel with it and just leave it setting at the house? I bought a case humidifier for it and im hoping that helps but another thing that worrys me is i couldnt find a case that fit it perfect so for the time being i got a classical case and put a wrag in it, but it seems like it has a little trouble snapping down the middle latch. Do you thing the guitar may possibly set up to high for the case? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 Ok thanks a ton i need to re string it anyway so it will be a good time to do it, where can i get the glue? And also I was wondering about traveling with the guitar, I took it out last night in the 45-50 degree range, When is to cold to travel with it and just leave it setting at the house? I bought a case humidifier for it and im hoping that helps but another thing that worrys me is i couldnt find a case that fit it perfect so for the time being i got a classical case and put a wrag in it, but it seems like it has a little trouble snapping down the middle latch. Do you thing the guitar may possibly set up to high for the case? Â Lowes or HDepot has the glue, as well as better hardware stores. If you're taking your guitar out and about in this time of year, closing and opening it indoors you shouldn't have a problem, however that case sounds like a risk. If any part of the case or the rag inside is putting uneven pressure on the guitar it can wreak all kinds of havoc. If the latch has to be coaxed down you're pushing down on the bridge which will eventually cause top cracks. Drastic or sudden changes in temp also screw things up so a guitar that's been in the cold trunk then opened up in a warm living room will freekin' wreck it. If it's exposed to temp extremes, it needs to stay in the case for a good twelve hours to acclimate. I'd string it with nothing heavier than 12's. Be extra nice to this old timer. Â Many here would argue with me here, but I'd throw the humidifier in the garbage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfden1 Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Lowes or HDepot has the glue, as well as better hardware stores. If you're taking your guitar out and about in this time of year, closing and opening it indoors you shouldn't have a problem, however that case sounds like a risk. If any part of the case or the rag inside is putting uneven pressure on the guitar it can wreak all kinds of havoc. If the latch has to be coaxed down you're pushing down on the bridge which will eventually cause top cracks. Drastic or sudden changes in temp also screw things up so a guitar that's been in the cold trunk then opened up in a warm living room will freekin' wreck it. If it's exposed to temp extremes, it needs to stay in the case for a good twelve hours to acclimate. I'd string it with nothing heavier than 12's. Be extra nice to this old timer. Â Many here would argue with me here, but I'd throw the humidifier in the garbage. Â Whether or not you need a humidifier depends on what the relative humidity (RH) is where you normally keep the guitar, whether it's in in it's case or in a room. To know that, you need a hygrometer. Look on ebay, they're not expensive. You need it to monitor the humidity around your guitar. Normal range is 45 - 55 RH. 35 RH is fairly low, but not terrible. Below 30, you may need that humidifier. Â About the back crack. If you do the repair jedzep suggests, be sure to check the outside also to see if any of the glue seeps through the crack and on to the outer surface and wipe it off as soon as possible. Preferable would be to take it to an experienced tech to have the work done. If you don't know anyone where you live, maybe you can ask some of the musicians in your area for a recommendation. Or, if you tell us where you live, perhaps someone here can recommend someone. Â Also, pics? Would like to see if it has been refinished or not. Why do you think it has been? Â D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I'd agree that the best thing is to find a way to get it repaired by a pro. Think I suggested that the glue be applied from the outside with tape holding it back on the inside from spreading beyond the crack. Neatness counts and cleaning the back after gluing requires a delicate touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camaro55 Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 I live in East Tennessee, About an hour from Knoxville, Hour and a half from Nashville. If yall know of anyone good close let me know! Also where could I go about finding a case for it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 The Guardian CG-020-C is a perfect fitting affordable case. Contact Alan Bennett at alrbennett@charter.net. He stocks them and will give you a decent price on a direct sale. I'm way up in Cooperstown, but I think he lives near you. Tell him Dave, who bought his LG2 in upstate NY referred you. Knoxville, by the way, will have a good luthier to give you a pro fix for that crack. Scope out guitar shops online and call ahead. Maybe they can do it for you on your way to pick up the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camaro55 Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 Ok I emailed him, thanks a bunch, its just hard for me to trust just anyone, but im going to call around a couple local shops in Knox, about what is the going rate for luthier work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camaro55 Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 And also, should i stop playing it until I get the crack repaired Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Keep playing it and don't worry much.. The LG2 is one of the sturdier acoustics ever built. My shop charges 15 bucks to repair a slight crack. It's a hard repair to screw up. Any shop in Knoxville will be up to it. Just ask for the crack to be repaired, as it sounds like you don't want to put money into it right now. If a luthier starts pointing out other issues, and you're happy playing it as it is, say thanks, maybe fix it later. Just enjoy it for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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