LG2 questions

[LG2]

After many years on a 1970 Martin 00-16, I've just gotten a much older LG-2. I'm trying to learn what I can about it, and what I might want to do to it -- other than play it, which I've been enjoying a lot.

It's got the single word "Gibson" in block script on the headstock. There's a number inside, but only three (of four?) numbers are legible. The legible ones are 344, and the fourth could be another 4, or even an 8 or a 3 (it's really faded). The headstock is tapered. The tuners are three on a rail and open-backed.

I was told it was '47 to mid '50s vintage, and from my little research that sounds consistent with the above. Any possibility of tying it down more precisely?

Also, the tuners seem old but ok (if only barely), but the buttons seem melted and falling apart. I haven't turned up any similar open-back three-on-a-rail tuners. I was thinking about replacing them, but haven't turned up anything that looks similar so far.

Any info or ideas about this guitar would be greatly appreciated.

[TM]

The FONs during the post war years do not seem to be consistent with the features of the J45, J50. Those guitars went through bridge changes. There are numbers published that indicate a year, but I don't think they are reliable. Your guitar would be a 47-51. The 46 had the old script logo and the 52 were the first year for the reverse alphabet system. It should have open back three on a plate tuners, often with crumbling buttons. You can buy replacement buttons. Other than the old script on the 46 I am not aware of any significant differences in these early post war guitars.

 

Nice guitars with great necks.

 

Terry

[sfden1]

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson.html#intro

 

Here's a site that might help you narrow it down a bit, though I think TM is in the right range and it may not be possible to narrow it down any further than that.

 

I'd leave the tuners and replace the buttons. It's an easy thing to do and I'd be glad to tell you how if you haven't done it before. You can get replacements at Stewmac, although they're a little too white for my taste. Or, you can get replica tuners to replace what's on there now. Be sure to keep the old ones though. Try Stewmac and Luthiers Mercantile.

 

Enjoy that old LG-2. I think 40's and early 50's LG's are some of Gibson's best and really fun guitars to play.

[brians356]

As the chaps already stated, about the best you can say is it is a '47-'51 LG. The tuners are junk until you replace the buttons, which as already stated you can do yourself, so you might as well do them. If they are too white, and you're not in a hurry, you can "age" the buttons (not on the guitar!) by leaving them in direct sunlight outdoors, turning them occasionally, for a few weeks. (Here in Nevada we have this option, if you live in Seattle don't bother. I have put pint Mason jars of clear lacquer out in the sun for various periods to get different shades of amber to brown, a trick that Frank Ford taught me, a lot cooler than adding toner.)

 

If the tuners are really stiff and/or bent (as on my LG-3 from the same era) I think Stewart-MacDonald sells a set of inexpensive direct replacement strip tuners that *should* not require any modifications to the headstock, but please call their tech support to confirm that. (And keep the original tuners with the guitar, of course, for posterity.) The tuners I am thinking about are enclosed, not open-backed, but I have seen evidence of some old LGs that came with closed tuners (and I know some J-45s that had open-backed) so, except for the lack of patina, they wouldn't be totally out of place, and besides this is for playbility only, if you need the guitar to look original, then soldier on with the original ones!

[J45dale]

I also have what I call a late 40s to early 50s LG-2. It has no label, and no interior marks to give a exact date.

My Dad bought it very much used around 1964, complete with massive finish checking, a non-growing pickguard crack, a aftermarket DArmond across the soundhole pickup, and two lower top control knobs. I replaced the old tuners because the buttons were crumbled, but did keep the old tuners.

No matter what it is or is not, it is a outstanding Blues Guitar. It offers more bass and volume than its size would suggest unplugged, and is a real blast to play.

Although I am mainly a Dread fan, I really feel no stable of guitars could be complete with one of the various models of small body Gibsons.

String them up and enjoy!

Dale.

[jefleppard]

there are always plenty of them available too. there are usually 3 or 4 on ebay at any given time, in varying states of repair given that most are 60 or 70 years old. did gibson have a huge run of these back in the day? regardless, owners always speak highly of them and tend to use the same positive adjectives when descibing them. i want one.

[LG2]

Thanks very much for the info and ideas. I'm learning, the more I play, what a great instrument this is. Cheers