retrorod Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I justt happened upon this Ebay ad. This guy, by appearances has some 'minty' stuff for sale ....at a premium! What do Ya'll think of this....? http://www.ebay.com/itm/1941-GIBSON-JUMBO-J-35-VINTAGE-FLAT-TOP-BLONDE-PRE-WAR-J-50-J-45-ACOUSTIC-GUITAR-/230910455492?pt=Guitar&hash=item35c355eec4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Do you think that's the original saddle? Doesn't fit very well if it is. And what is the nut made of that makes it black? The 72 year old tuner buttons haven't aged a day and are as white as snow. Pictures of the headstock with the tuners removed? Who would do that and why? Not shy about price - but if its all legit, a helluva guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I just don't know. For one thing, the guy doesn't even know how to read a ruler. The height under the low E is 1/8", not 1/16". And I notice that the nut width is less than 1 11/16", which would be quite narrow for this period, I would think, and certainly narrow by modern standards. How can anyone in their right mind say it has the original bridge pins? How could you possibly know? That's almost like claiming the guitar has the orginal strings. Did Gibson use that fret section in 1941? It seems like a more modern profile to me compared to my Gibsons from the 1940's, which have a thinner fret wire. There is very little saddle left, but the action looks correct right now. We have two experts here on guitars from this period, and I hope they will have a close look at this. It almost seems too clean to be true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy2 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 You should buy it right away. I've bid on a couple of his guitars before. I consider him a knowledgable and legit seller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 You have to be careful with photos, but this looks fine to me. I would not call it minty -- just excellent. Let's pick, -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuanCarlosVejar Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 there's a guy selling a 1939 J 55 lefty for 16 + k . so I think both of them are crazy . that J 35 is really beautiful . if I could only have one guitar in the worl it would be a J 35 but that price it really high JC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livemusic Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Wow, I'd love to have that baby. But not for 16 grand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Moto Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Personally, I would never pay that kind of money for any guitar that I haven't held in my very own hands! This one looks refinished to me. The bridge has obviously had a finish applied to it that the factory never put on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Pictures of the headstock with the tuners removed? Who would do that and why? Not shy about price - but if its all legit, a helluva guitar. I think he's trying to show the strip tuners have not been replaced, at least not with any that required the drilling of any additional holes, like singles would. Beautiful guitar. Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Personally, I would never pay that kind of money for any guitar that I haven't held in my very own hands! This one looks refinished to me. The bridge has obviously had a finish applied to it that the factory never put on it. No, that was normal on J-35s. Also, the finish surjace looks exactly right for such a guitar if well cared for -- but pictures can fool you, so care is required. Best, -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Personally, I would never pay that kind of money for any guitar that I haven't held in my very own hands! This one looks refinished to me. The bridge has obviously had a finish applied to it that the factory never put on it. I agree with your comments, sir[thumbup] There is something 'eerily' clean about that guitar? The metal plates on the tuners also.....scary! I don,t need anything 'that' perfect for 'that' money[scared] I would be highly surprised if that has not been re-finished! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 No, that was normal on J-35s. Also, the finish surjace looks exactly right for such a guitar if well cared for -- but pictures can fool you, so care is required. Best, -Tom I also respect your expertise, Tom(lets pick) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 A stunningly gorgeous guitar! I agree with Tom (always a safe choice): all looks good, at least as best I can tell from the pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I don't know the seller and ain't a rich man so got no dog in this hunt. But lawdy, not even a spot of corrosion or discoloration on those tuner plates. It looks like they rolled out of the Kluson plant yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I don't know the seller and ain't a rich man so got no dog in this hunt. But lawdy, not even a spot of corrosion or discoloration on those tuner plates. It looks like they rolled out of the Kluson plant yesterday. That's what I think Rod means by "too clean". At the very least, those have gone through a refurbishment, but it's very rare to be able to remove every trace of aging. Nickel plating corrodes, and that corrosion does not remove completely. There's nothing wrong with even an extensive clean-up, but you have to make sure that the guitar really is as represented for that kind of money. Personally, I prefer to do my own clean-ups to my own standards. I like a guitar that looks like it has been used, but not abused. One this clean spooks me, not to mention that narrow nut width, which mystifies me on a guitar from this period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 The newspaper add near the end of the photos advertises a "white" end pin. This guitar's is black. The nut is black too. Looking back at all the pictures of Tom's old guitars, I see nothing with a black nut. Not a vintage buyer, just looking for an education. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 The newspaper add near the end of the photos advertises a "white" end pin. This guitar's is black. The nut is black too. Looking back at all the pictures of Tom's old guitars, I see nothing with a black nut. Not a vintage buyer, just looking for an education. I am watching live music right now, but I can say this. Ebony was quite common in the 30s as a nut material, but so was ivory. Nuts, saddles and frets are change fairly regularly as part of normal guitar maintenance, so it would be rare if it is original. Also the end pin is really just a hole -- what you plug in is up to you. The original one on our '43 J-45 is ebony, so that consistent. Best, -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvguit Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Here are the tuners on my '39 J-35. I believe them to be original. I think these tuners hold up a lot better than Klusons from the 40s 50s and on. They work great, much better than later Klusons. Sorry for the junk picture, I just snapped it from my phone when I saw the post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Here are the tuners on my '39 J-35. I believe them to be original. I think these tuners hold up a lot better than Klusons from the 40s 50s and on. They work great, much better than later Klusons. Sorry for the junk picture, I just snapped it from my phone when I saw the post. It is possible that these were chrome plate rather than nickel. Chrome doesn't turn green, and was used for a lot of industrial plating even as early as the 1930's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvguit Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 It is possible that these were chrome plate rather than nickel. Chrome doesn't turn green, and was used for a lot of industrial plating even as early as the 1930's. That makes sense to me. What about the buttons? Surely they are different than the later Klusons. They are a bit yellower than when new but are still in great shape. It doesn't feel like Bakelite. Anyone here know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Here are a couple of late 1930s Gibsons with black nuts. 1926 If I had to guess and I was to lazy to actually research it -- which is the case -- I would guess that ebony is pretty rare on J-35s. OK, Let's pick, -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Ebony never ever crossed my feeble mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 The newspaper add near the end of the photos advertises a "white" end pin. This guitar's is black. The nut is black too. Looking back at all the pictures of Tom's old guitars, I see nothing with a black nut. Not a vintage buyer, just looking for an education. You will also note that the description states the guitar has double line Kluson tuners. The guitar in the picture has three on a plate open gear tuners with the shaft attached with a screw - which is the correct style of tuner for a pre-1942 Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy2 Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I am watching live music right now, but I can say this. Ebony was quite common in the 30s as a nut material, but so was ivory. Nuts, saddles and frets are change fairly regularly as part of normal guitar maintenance, so it would be rare if it is original. Also the end pin is really just a hole -- what you plug in is up to you. The original one on our '43 J-45 is ebony, so that consistent. Best, -Tom My 1930 017 has an ebony nut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 My 1930 017 has an ebony nut. jannus you have WAY too many nice guitars :D what would a guy have to pay for the likes of that little martin ? is very sexy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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