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1930s Gibson Advanced Jumbo


nerts

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I own a 1930s Gibson Advanced Jumbo. I removed the bridge pins and end pin prior to taking the guitar to be repaired--then I managed to lose the pins. I am ordering new pins however I would like to know if the 30s AJs had bone or ivory pins. Anyone have an answer??

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I am ordering new pins however I would like to know if the 30s AJs had bone or ivory pins.

As you've heard, they were plastic -- but a much harder plastic than typical plastic pins today. Antique Acoustics makes replica pin sets. You'd want either these or these, depending on the exact vintage of your guitar.

 

-- Bob R

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As you've heard, they were plastic -- but a much harder plastic than typical plastic pins today. Antique Acoustics makes replica pin sets. You'd want either these or these, depending on the exact vintage of your guitar.

 

-- Bob R

Thanks for the links. I've been looking for a source for these but never thought of Elderly.

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The original pins for my 1942 J-45 were bent, so I replaced them with Antique Acoustic replica pins. These pins are very nice!

 

A side note, the originals were made of celluloid, which is extremely flammable. I know this because I almost set my house on fire when trying to heat and bend the original pins back into shape. The first two pins were a success, but the third pin literally blew up in my hand :-)

 

Lars

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A side note, the originals were made of celluloid, which is extremely flammable. I know this because I almost set my house on fire when trying to heat and bend the original pins back into shape. The first two pins were a success, but the third pin literally blew up in my hand :-)

 

 

Ain't that the truth. If you want to see how flammable it is set a match to a celluloid pick. They just flash and disappear.

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I am quite sure these are original. Both instruments are from 1936 -- AJ and Trojan.

 

Plastic for sure.

 

Best,

 

-Tom

 

ajtrojan.jpg

 

Tom, I feel like I recognize the one on the left. Did it make the front cover of a certain popular book on Gibson flat tops?

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Tom, I feel like I recognize the one on the left. Did it make the front cover of a certain popular book on Gibson flat tops?

 

They are plastic (celluloid), I have the originals on my 1938 AJ. They yellow , but mine are still functional. The pick guard in the photo is a Gibson Montana one, but the guitar has since been fitted with a firestripepickguards.com James Burkett replica.

 

Tom I believe my 38 Advanced Jumbo has the same "Polliak Electrical & Musical Supply " yellow label as your AJ, they were the South African importer, I'm curious to know if that indeed is the yellow label in your AJ. My FON has a "D" stamp on the neck block for 1938. I found mine in South Africa many years ago and restored it. Here are some photospost-47652-014226100 1349275990_thumb.jpg

post-47652-062578100 1349276054_thumb.jpg

post-47652-086373100 1349276341_thumb.jpg

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Oh my, this is getting interesting!

 

Tom, I feel like I recognize the one on the left. Did it make the front cover of a certain popular book on Gibson flat tops?

 

No -- although it is a bit of an iconic guitar, at least to the lunatic fringe that cares about such things. We got the guitar from (the late) Frank Motes of Atlanta Vintage Guitar. He bought it from the son of the original owner -- as I understand it, it was more or less under the bed for years.

 

In the 1990s, Lynn Wheelright wrote an article for Gibson in which he talked about discovering a "new" Gibson model from late 1936 from the entries in the Gibson shipping ledgers -- the Trojan. There was only one entry entry in the ledgers which both identified the guitar as a Trojan and included a FON -- 960B-12.

 

Trojan1st960B-12Nov221936.jpg

 

That guitar is 960B-12 -- ie, the only fully documented Trojan [thumbup] -- if you care about such stuff.

 

36j35fons.jpg

 

 

Tom I believe my 38 Advanced Jumbo has the same "Polliak Electrical & Musical Supply " yellow label as your AJ, they were the South African importer, I'm curious to know if that indeed is the yellow label in your AJ. My FON has a "D" stamp on the neck block for 1938. I found mine in South Africa many years ago and restored it.

 

Hi Alan,

 

ajlabel1.jpg

 

We need to talk.

 

I'll send a PM.

 

Best,

 

-Tom

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Oh my, this is getting interesting!

 

 

 

No -- although it is a bit of an iconic guitar, at least to the lunatic fringe that cares about such things. We got the guitar from (the late) Frank Motes of Atlanta Vintage Guitar. He bought it from the son of the original owner -- as I understand it, it was more or less under the bed for years.

 

In the 1990s, Lynn Wheelright wrote an article for Gibson in which he talked about discovering a "new" Gibson model from late 1936 from the entries in the Gibson shipping ledgers -- the Trojan. There was only one entry entry in the ledgers which both identified the guitar as a Trojan and included a FON -- 960B-12.

 

Trojan1st960B-12Nov221936.jpg

 

That guitar is 960B-12 -- ie, the only fully documented Trojan [thumbup] -- if you care about such stuff.

 

36j35fons.jpg

 

 

 

 

Hi Alan,

 

ajlabel1.jpg

 

We need to talk.

 

I'll send a PM.

 

Best,

 

-Tom

 

Thanks Tom, message received, I've sent you some details, this is the same importer in South Africa as mine from the 1930's. I found mine about 1 1/2 hrs from where I lived in South Africa.

 

Rgds,

 

Alan G

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Wow! The Gibson Trojan!! That is amazing. I thought that the checking reminded me a lot of the guitar on the front of Fabulous Flat-tops. Upon further review the guitar on the front cover is a '37 J-35.

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