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Gibson really started to put together nice flat top
guitars around 1930. My favorite Gibson guitars are from the 1930-35
period when the build style was quite light, making the guitars exceptionally
responsive. I'll feature all flat top Gibson models made during this
period, particularly the magical 12 fret L-1, L-2, and Roy Smeck jumbo
hawaiian models. From 1936 until the wartime years, the build grew steadily
heavier, with sharper clearer tone and great volume when pushed. I'll
feature all flat top jumbo models from this period as well as L-OOs,
L-Os, and HG-OOs. Some of my favorite Gibson flat top guitars were made
during the "Bannerhead" wartime and just postwar years of 1942-46.
Some of these guitars have Mahogany tops that ring with more of a midrange
tone than Adirondack or Sitka Spruce from this time. The 1947-54 era
post-bannerhead flat top guitars all have scalloped brace voicing except
for the ladder braced LG-1. I like the flat top guitars from the era
quite a bit and try to stock them when they are available. Gibson guitars
made after 1955 can be hit or miss, so I have to audition them before
I will take them in. Archtops are kind of a hard sell for me, so from
now on I will only take super clean archtops from any era. Coming soon: 1932 L-OO and 1935 Roy Smeck Stage De Luxe |
For
more complete description or questions, please email steve_swan@earthlink.net or
call (650) 515-1014. |
||
| Ca. 1946 LG-2 (nsn) | A great sounding postwar LG-2. Mahogany back and sides, Sitka Spruce top, Replacement Kluson tuners, Black painted headstock front with gold script "Gibson" logo, replacement truss rod cover, Replacement bone nut, 1 11/16" nut width, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots, Comfortable middle size neck profile, Cream top and back binding, Cream and black rosette purfling, Brazilian Rosewood bridge with replacement bone saddle, Replacement pickguard for badly shrunken and distorted original, Replacement endpin and bridge pins. Recent restoration and repair by the great Hideo Kamimoto includes: Refret, Reglue every internal brace, Repair long side cracks with refinishing on sides, Repair of 3 back cracks with buffed finish, good cleaning of filthy top finish. This guitar has a very large authoritative voice and a wide dynamic range. My current favorite guitar for oldtime stringband playing. With case. | $2150.00 |
1935 Roy Smeck Stage De Luxe (328A 12) |
Made early in 1935, this guitar combines the tonal complexity of my favorite 1934 examples with the forceful power of the 1935-36 Smecks. This one is my clear favorite of any 1935 Roy Smeck Stage De Luxe models that I have ever played or had in the shop to sell. Mahogany back and sides, Very tight grain Adirondack Spruce top, Original Grover 6:1 tuners with amber buttons, Black painted headstock front with white silkscreen script "Gibson" logo" and block letter "Roy Smeck Stage De Luxe" model name, Original nut, Dark Braziian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots, Single layer cream top and back binding, Cream-black-cream soundhole purfling, 3 3/4" soundhole, Small pattern sunburst top finish, Original Brazilian Rosewood bridge, One original bridge pin with five repalcements, Tiger stripe pickguard, Original endpin. No old repairs. CONVERSION by Alan Perlman included: Neck reset and refret, Plug old saddle slot and bolt holes, Reslot bridge for new compensated saddle angle, Narrow nut width to 1 13/16" and reprofile neck, Refinish back of neck. An export model for Canada, this guitar has the rear headstock "Made in the U.S.A" stamp along with larger stamped number "2209". Center strip export label reads "Made in U.S.A. by Gibson Inc. Kalamazoo, Mich.". The finish is pretty shiney and unoxidized. There are localized areas of dings below the bridge, on the back upper bout, and between the tuners on the rear of the headstock. This guitar plays very easily and responds with a ringing clarity and even tone through all ranges. A splendid example of an early Smeck. With hardshell case. |
$7500.00 |
Ca. 1933 L-OO |
A lightly built L-OO with an easy response and a very rich-toned voice. Mahogany back and sides, Adirondack Spruce top, Original brass strip tuners, Black painted headstock front with white script "Gibson" logo, Ebony nut, 1 3/4" nut width, V-shape neck profile, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots, Cream top binding, Black-cream-black soundhole rosette purfling, Brazilian Rosewood bridge, Original black bridge pins, Tiger stripe pickguard, Added gold strap button in neck heel, Gold Taylor endpin to replace the output jack that was there. OLD REPAIRS include: Repaired 4-6" cracks on either side of neck heel, Small mystery bolt (now removed) through the neck heel into the neck block, Strap button (now removed) installed on rear of headstock between the top of the tuners. RECENT REPAIRS by Alan Perlman include: Neck reset and refret, new ebony nut, new bridge saddle. There are three screw holes at the but from an old tailpiece installation, scratching and dings on the top and back, and very minor capo wear on the back of the neck. The tuners work a little stiffly, so I'll include a set of the Stew-Mac "Golden Age" tuners in the case pocket. This guitar has a very rich musical voice that responds the the most subtle attack. It's one of my favorite L-OOs that I've ever had in the shop. With hardshell case. | $3950.00 |
1993 SJ-200 (933367020) |
A showroom new condition natural finish J-200 that was only played a handful of times by the original consigning owner. Flame figure Maple back, sides, and two-piece neck, Fine even grain Sitka Spruce top, Gold Gotoh "Gibson Deluxe" Kluson style tuners, Cream bound headstock and fingerboard, Black painted headstock pearl "Gibson" and crown inlays, 1 3/4" nut width, Indian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl crown inlays, Cream body binding, Cream and black top purflings, Indian Rosewood bridge with pearl blocks and dots, J-200 pickguard, Cream endpin and bridge pins. This guitar has a powerful balanced voice that will only get stronger with a good break-in. With hardshell case. | $2495.00 |
Late 1932 or 1933 L-OO (Batch number unreadable) |
A very strong sounding early 1930s L-OO in very nice condition. Mahogany back and sides, Adirondack Spruce top, Original brass Waverly tuners, Black painted headstock front with white silkscreen script "Gibson" logo, Slightly wider than 1 3/4" nut width, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots, Generously full V-shape neck profile, Single cream body binding on top, White-black-white soundhile purfling, Original Brazilian Rosewood bridge with new bone saddle, 1932 pattern and color tiger stripe pickguard, original endpin. Repair work includes refret, 5" and 8" repaired back cracks, and replacement of the G string tuner post. The tuners work okay, but I'm including a set of drop-in fit Stewart MacDonald tuners in the case pocket if the new owner is frustrated wtih them. This guitar has a muscular, robust response to vigorous playing and responds with chiming bell-like tones when played lightly. A very versatile L-OO. With hardshell case. |
$4500.00
|
1930 L-OO (unreadable batch number) |
This guitar is a functional companion to the extremely light 1930 L-O also in inventory. Mahogany back and sides, Adirondack Spruce top, Original Waverly strip tuners with white buttons, Black finish all over, Silver silkscreen script "The Gibson" logo, 1 3/4 nut width, Typical early 1930s round, slim neck profile, Single cream binding on top, White-black-white purfling in soundhole, Replacement Brazilian Rosewood bridge, No endpin hole, replacement bridge pins. Repairs include: Neck reset and refret, New bridge, repaired 8" back crack. This featherweight guitar absolutely will not take light guage strings. Stringing with light silk & steel with .014" and .011" top strings yeilds a lovely voice with lots of character and surprising volume. A great sounding example of Gibson's extremely light build during 1930. With hardshell case. | $3950.00 |
| Another great converted early Smeck. I can't read the batch
number, but the sunburst size and type along with the depth at neck and
tail conform to 1934 specifications. Adirondack Spruce top, Mahogany back
and sides, Replacement Waverly tuners with ivoroid buttons, Black painted
heradstock front with white "Gibson" script logo and white "Roy
Smeck Stage De Luxe" model name, 2" nut width, Deep V-shape neck
profile, No truss rod cover (like my early 1934 Pre_Smeck), Brazilian Rosewood
fingerbaord with pearl dots, Single layer white binding, Tiger stripe pickguard,
Two tone bars and X-brace straight for 1/2 the length and then slightly
tapered down toward the top edge, Mix or original and replacement white
bridge pins, Ebony endpin. OLD REPAIRS include: Conversion to fretted configuration
with bone nut and a neck reset, 3 repaired top cracks between the pickguard
and treble side, 1 repaired top crack on the treble side of the fingerboard
extension, 3" repaired treble side crack, 6" repaired bass side
crack. RECENT REPAIRS by Alan Perlman include: Installation of Waverly
tuners, New nut, Filling in of old imprecise postion fret and installation
of frets in the correct position, Replacement Brazilian Rosewood bridge
of a slightly larger size to cover bad reglue repairs of original bridge
that was overly sanded on the bottom face, and cleating old crack repairs.
Nut width narrowed to 1 13/16", top braces revoiced by John Mello. There is a lot of finish cold crazing, numerous little dings on all body
surfaces, and what look like little puppy tooth marks on the treble side
of the top corner top and side surfaces. The voice of this guitar is huge,
clear, and harmonically rich. It plays quite easily with light guage strings,
but I prefer the thunderous response with medium guage strings. With recent
hardshell case. |
$6500.00 |
|
1935 Super 400 (92686) |
A great sounding example from the first full year of the spectacular 17 3/4" model with the early "pregnant spider" shape. Flame Maple back, sides, and neck, Medium grain Adirondack Spruce top, Replacement vintage Grover Imperial tuners, Multiple boud black headstock overlay with pearl script "Gibson" and split diamond inlays, Special Super 400 truss rod cover, 1 3/4" nut width, Multiple bound Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl split block inlays, Multiple bound body and F-holes, "Super 400" insription on heelcap, Brazilian Rosewood bridge with pearl triangle inlay, Large gold platd engraved Super 400 tailpiece, Ebony endpin with pearl dot. No cracks anywhere, but lots of top dings from decades of play. Huge voice. The original Grover G-98 tuners were worn out and replaced with the handsome gold vintage Grover Imperial tuners with stairstep buttons. The pickguard turned to dust at some point. I've priced this one very attractively to help the new owner finance a reproduction pickguard. With original Super 400 Lifton case. | $7500.00 |
Ca. 1974 Johnny Smith electric archtop (376382) |
A very fine example of one of the fairly rare 16 3/4" archtop models designed by jazz great, Johnny Smith. Maple back and sides, fine grain Sitka Spruce top, Gold super Kluson tuners, Bound black headstock overlay with pearl "Gibson" and super 400 style pearl inlay, "Johnny Smith " truss rod cover, 1 3/4" nut, Bound Ebony fingerboard, 25" string scale, Split block pearl fingerboard inlay, Multiple layer top and side binding, Bound F-holes, Gold L-5 style tailpiece with "Johnny Smith" insert, Two small gold humbucking pickups and all controls mounted to the pickguard, Gold strap buttons, Deep burgundy red finish. Kept in spectacular shape, there are just a few small top dings. The cae is in new condition, protected by the heavy duty zippered cover. Not only a fine collectible, this guitar would be a great gigging instrument. | $6750.00 |
Ca. 1930 L-O (batch # unreadable) |
A great sounding lightweight 12 fret version of the L-O from about 1930. Mahogany top, back and sides, Replacement strip tuners, Black painted headstock front with silkscreen silver script "The Gibson" log and truss rod bell cover, Ebony nut, 1 3/4" nut width, Round neck profile, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots, cream top and back binding, Cream-black-cream rosette purfling, Replacement Brazilian Rosewood bridge with long saddle and 2 3/8" string spread, Replacement bridge pins and endpin, no pickguard. OLD REPAIRS include: Back removal and reinstallation for top brace repairs, Neck reset and refret, tuenr repalcement, Some overspray. This very lightweight 12 fret L-OO size guitar is quite responsive and has a strong presence with a minimum of effort. Great or fingerstyle play or flatpicking Norman Blake style. With TKL hardshell case. | $2950.00 |
1951 Southern Jumbo (Batch number 9600 30) |
A pretty clean, even voiced Southern Jumbo with scalloped brace voicing. Mahogany back and sides, Sitka Spruce top, Kluson deluxe single unit tuners, Black painted headstock front with gold "Gibson" decal, 1 11/16" nut width, Replacement nut, Bound Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearloid parallelogram inlays, 24 3/4" string scale, Scalloped brace voicing, Cream body bidning, Cream and black multiple line top purfling, Probable replacement Brazilian Rosewood bridge with bone saddle and bolts, Turtle-oid pickguard, Original painted black line "backstrip" located near (!) the center line, Original brdige pins, Replacement endpin. OLD REPAIRS include: 1" replacement bass-side fingerboard binding at nut, Upper sections of fingerboard binding reglued, Repaired headstock chips from nut removal, Small ebony bridge plate cap, Bridge moved 3/16" toward tail for better intonation, Reglued top and back center seam separations, One replaced section of spruce interior center seam reinforcement, Some back braces reglued with glue squeezeout remaining. RECENT REPAIRS by the great Alan Perlman include: Neck reset and refret, New bone saddle, Reglue loose back braces, Remove some existing glue buildup at fingerboard binding near nut. The finish is in good clean condition given the guitar's continuous use for nearly 60 years. There is a rear headstock decal from the original dealer, Parker Music of Houston, Texas. This guitar is very responsive and has a tonally complete voice, making it versatile for use in a variety of settings. With hardsehll case. | $5500.00 |
1937 HG-OO (batch number --71) |
A exceptionally responsive and expressive all-black HG-OO with the 1932 style white pickguard. Mahogany back and sides, Two piece Adirondack Spruce top with wide grain at edges, Original square plate Kluson strip tuners, White silkscreen script "Gibson" logo, No truss rod, 1 7/8" nut width, Full V-shape neck profile, Dark Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots, White top binding, Cream and black rosette purfling, Replacement Brazilian Rosewood bridge, replacment bridge pins, Original endpin. REPAIRS inlcude: The old bridge had come unglued, held only by the bolts. It was so warped that Alan Perlman had to make a slightly oversized Brazilian Rosewood replacement with a long compensated bone saddle after heat flattening the bridge and bridge plate area. He also repaired the 7" back crack, reglued the back braces, and did a fret mill to cure the body joint "Gibson hump". As HG-OOs can be very tight sounding, I fully expected to have to take this guitar to John Mello for a brace revoicing. I didn't need to with this one. The voice is both clear and full, singing with an easy response to a gentle tuch. A charmingly versatile fingerstyle or Norman Blake style flatpicking guitar from Gibson's golden age. With case. | $2950.00 |
Previous offerings
1946-47 Southern Jumbo (nsn) |
A huge sounding postwar SJ. Mahogany back and sides, Sitka Spruce top, Single unit Kluson tuners (3 original, 3 from 1945 origin), Black painted headstock front with gold script "Gibson" logo, 1 3/4" nut width, Full round neck profile, Unbound Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearloid inlays, 24 3/4" string scale, Cream body binding, Cream and black top purfling and rosette, Dark sunburst top finish, Brazilian Rosewood bridge with long saddle, Turtle-oid pickguard, Five original bridge pins, One replacement bridge pin, Replacement endpin. OLD REPAIRS : Two repaired back cracks with cleats, One bass side repaired crack with cleats, One repaired treble side crack with cleats, Repaired top crack between bridge and tail and one repaired pickguard crack with cleats, New frets. A little pickwear on either side of the fingerboard and pretty clean otherwise. A greatly rewarding guitar with a muscular, even-toned response to fingers or pick. Clean 1960s hardshell case. |
| A fiercely bold and bright
sounding Smeck conversion. Mahogany back, sides, and neck, Adirondack Spruce
top, Replacement Waverly tuners with ivoroid buttons, Black painted headstock
front with script silkscreened "Gibson" logo and block letter "Roy
Smeck Stage De Luxe" model designation, Nut width narrowed to 1 13/16",
Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots and white side dots added,
Cream colored body binding, Cream and black soundhole rosette, Replacement
Brazilian Rosewood bridge with long saddle, Tigerstripe pickguard, Original
endpin, Replacement bridge pins. RECENT REPAIRS AND CONVERSION include:
Repaired two cracks on either side of fingerboard and three cracks below
the bridge, Reglue tonebars and a couple of brace ends, Neck Reset and
fretting, Narrowing nut width from 2 1/8" to 1 13/16", Addition
of side dots, New bridge to replace the old warped original, some finish
touchup of a top abrasion. Aside from some dings and the repaired cracks,
the guitar is pretty clean. The voice is huge and clear with lots of sustain.
Nice high bridge saddle with low playing action. This Smeck is expressively
fun to play in a variety of settings. A real knockout. With hardshell case. |
|
1942 L-OO |
This guitar has the beefier build of the late 1930s that produces a very loud voice with a hard-edged tone when driven hard. Mahogany back and sides, Adirondack Spruce top, Replacement Stew-Mac "Golden Age" tuners with white buttons, Black painted headstock front with white script "Gibson" logo, Ebony nut, 1 11/16" nut width, Full shape round neck profile, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots, Cream binding on top and back, Cream soundhole edge binding instead of rosette, Brazilian Rosewood bridge, Replacement white bridge pins, Tiger stripe pickguard, Original yellowed endpin. OLD REPAIRS include: Tuner replacement, 5 glued cracks in the back, 3 glued cracks in the bass area side. RECENT REPAIRS by Alan Perlman were a refret, new ebony nut, and installation of the new bridge pins. There is quite a bit of pickwear around the soundhole and deep capo marks on the back of the neck. The guitar plays quite well and responds with a brash, cutting tone that is great for oldtime stringband, blues, or acoutsic rock music. A ferocious little guitar! With hardshell case. |
Early 1932 TG-1 (batch # 9887) |
A very clean and quite responsive 12 fret version of this model. Mahogany back and sides, Adirondack Spruce top, Grover banjo tuners, Black painted headstock overlay with pearl script "Gibson" logo and pearl banjo inlays, Bone nut, Bound Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pointed end and cream plastic dots, Cream body binding, Cream-black-cream rosette, Brazilian Rosewood bridge with bone through-type saddle, Elevated red turtle-oid pickguard in the manner of the L-2s made at this time, Sunburst finish with dark brown back and sides. Two repaired cracks extending from bridge to tail block with another repaired 2" crack behind the bridge between them. Two repaired cracks between soundhole edge and fingerboard. Very clean finish with very fine crazing. A very loose, lively, and full-sounding example. Just a few months later Gibson changed the configuration to the thinner sounding 14 fret version. With original rigid chipboard case. |
| 1917 L-1 (38455) | This is a very nice example of the 13 7/8" roundhole archtop model with a build style that is closely related to Gibson mandolins of that WWI era. Maple or Birch back and sides, Adirondack Spruce top, Waverly strip tuners with ivoroid buttons, Script pearl "The Gibson" headstock inlay, 1 7/8" nut width, Full V-shape neck profile, Ivoroid bound Ebony fingerboard with pearl dots, 24 1/4" string scale, Ivoroid top and soundhole binding, Rope style soundhole purfling, Turtleoid tailpiece block and pickguard, Clamp type pickguard mount, Ebony endpin with pearl dot. Very clean and little in the way of dents or pickwear. The only damage is that the upper clamping leg for the pickguard is missing. The pickguard is quite stable with the fingerboard pin, the lower clamping leg, and the pin extending into the treble foot of the bridge. The bridge has been cut down a little for better playability. Very little top sinking under the bridge. This guitar responds with an authoritative voice when strung with medium guage strings and has a ringing sustain when strung with light guage. The original form fit case is in very nice condition. |
1944 LG-2 (Batch number 2729) |
Bold voiced Mahogany top "banner" (WWII) era LG-2. Mahogany top, back, and sides, Replaced Kluson style strip tuners, Black painted headstock front with gold script "Gibson" logo and "Only a Gibson is Good Enough" decal, 1 3/4" nut width, Five-piece Maple neck with truss rod, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots, Cream body binding, Replacement Brazilian Rosewood bridge, Replacment endpin and bridge pins, Turtle-oid pickguard. REPAIRS include: Replacement tuners, bridge, endpin and bridge pin. One repaired 4" back crack and one repaired 2" bass side side crack. Strong even voice with a fat midrange. A responsive and easy playing guitar. With hardshell case. |
1946 Gibson L-7 (99106) |
17" all solid woods Gibson archtop. Sitka Spruce
top, Flame Maple back and sides, Original single ring Kluson tuners except
for modern replacement double ring tuner on the high E string, Bound
headstock overlay with pearl crown and pearl "Gibson" script
inlays, 1 3/4" nut width, Two-piece Maple neck, 25 1/2" string
scale, Bound Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl parallelogram
inlays, Cream bindings, Brazilian Rosewood bridges, Original hinged cast
tailpiece, Authentic style replacement pickguard from Gryphon Stringed
Instruments. Nicks and scuffs on top and back. With new TKL hardshell
case. |
1939 L-30 archtop (EG-6609) |
An "under-the-bed" condition example of Gibson's smallest archtop model from just before WWII. Maple back and sides, Adirondack Spruce top, Mahogany neck, Kluson strip tuners with amber buttons, Black painted headstock front with white silkscreen "Gibson" script logo and truss rod bell cover, 1 3/4" nut width, V-shape neck profile, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots, Brazilian Rosewood adjustable bridge, Elevated finger rest, Original tailpiece and endpin. The neck is good and straight with plenty of neck angle. The only cosmetic blemishes are a top ding on the treble side upper bout and a small area of stain discoloration on the treble side of the back near the tail. The amazing original chipboard case remains in new condition. A rich sounding little time machine. |
| 1952 ES-350 (Serial Number A-_____, Batch Number Z1991 34) | A well-played earlier example of this model that can be compared directly to the late 1955 model currently in stock. All Maple ply body, Three-piece Maple neck, Gold Kluson tuners with single line keystone button, Bound black headstock front with pearl "Gibson" and crown inlays, Dark sunburst body and neck finish, 1 11/16" nut width, Round neck profile, Bound Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl double parallelogram inlays, 25 1/2" string scale, Cream-black-cream body binding, Brazilian Rsoewood adjsutable bridge, Replaced gold diamond tailpiece (the broken original is in the case), Black-white-black-white finger rest with gold mounting hardware (side screw is a replacement), Original gold tall numbered speed knobs and original wiring harness parts, Two black P-90 pickups, Possibly replaced endpin and added strap button. Finish arm wear on lower bout area of top, Finish leg wear on treble side waist, finish wear on back of neck, Small missing binding piece at top corner of headstock, Palm wear on top of bridge sadddle, Beginning of crack through center of output jack ara, Very minor small dings and scrapes here and there. A wonderful playing and sounding example of this model at an affordable price. With more recent TKL case and really beat original case. |
Late 1955 ES-350 (A-21226) |
A stunningly clean example from late in the run for this great jazz archtop model. Except for the modern replacement for the broken original tailpiece, this guitar is all original and was kept quite clean and in good playing order. Maply ply 17" cutaway body, Three-piece Maple neck, Gold single unit Kluson tuners with single line keystone buttons, Black headstock front with pearl "Gibson" and crown inlays, 1 11/16" nut width, Round neck profile, Bound Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl parallelogram inlays, Cream-black-cream binding, Rosewood adjustable bridge, Period tune-o-matic upgrade bridge in case pocket, Two black P-90 pickups with gold plated screws, Gold speed knobs and all original pickup harness with 3-way switch, Black-white-black-white finger rest with gold mounting hardware. There are two small dings on the back, one small ding on the neck from a guitar stand, and a small area of finish chipping at the edge of the neck heel. Otherwise there is some slight finish crazing. No other rubbing or pickmarks at all. Virtually no fret wear. This guitar plays like a dream and has the classic clear P-90 tone that I love. With more recent Gibson brown hardshell case. |
1941 Roy Smeck Stage De Luxe conversion (2239 G) |
An unexpectedly high tax liablility forces the sale of this exceptionally clean guitar that I sold last fall. The converted Roy Smeck Stage De Luxe, originally intended to be played hawaiian style on the lap with a steel bar, is my favorite vintage Gibson model. The huge free voice of this 12 fret dreadnought Jumbo model combined with the easy playing short string scale make it my favorite model for playing at home. Adirondack Spruce top, Mahogany back and sides, Original granite button Kluson strip tuners are in the case pocket, Gotoh Kluson style strip tuners in place, Black painted headstock front with white silkscreened "Gibson" logo and "Roy Smeck Stage De Luxe" model designation, Adjustable truss rod as available only in 1941-42 for this model, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots, Deep U-shaped profile, Single layer white binding on top and back, Rectangular Brazilian Rosewood bridge with bolts, White bridge pins and endpin, Tiger stripe pickguard, Sunburst top finish, No backstrip or endstrip. When I sold this guitar last year, the only work that had been done to it was fretting the fingerbaord and lowering the tall nut and saddle. The new owner had a neck reset performed for improved saddle height, a new angled saddle installed, and narrowing of the original 1 7/8" nut width to 1 11/16" with clean refinishing of the back of the neck and the sides of the headstock to match the side color. The neck reprofiling was quite well done, the full U-shape being retained. I had to measure the new nut width tomake sure that it wasn't 1 3/4" or 1 13/16". It feels great to play and the voice has been nicely developed from 6 months of regular play and the increased saddle height. With either the worn vintage Geib case or a new Guardian case. |
1954 J-45 (Batch number X9278 12) |
A superb sounding player grade example of the Gibson's most popular postwar model made in the last year for scalloped brace voicing. Mahogany back and sides, Sitka Spruce top, Replacement Kluson style strip tuners, Black painted headstock front with gold "Gibson" decal, Original plastic nut, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots, Cream body binding, Cream and black purflings, Brazilian Rosewood upside down belly bridge, Replacment bridge pins, Replacement pickguard, Added strap button in heel, Replacement endpin. OLD REPAIRS include: Refinished top and back, NEW REPAIRS by Alan Perlman include: Refret, New compensated bone bridge saddle, Reglue numberous braces, top lining, and end block. Amazingly there are no cracks anywhere on the guitar. The original parts of the finish show characteristic crazing, but little wear. The refinished top shows a fair amount of pickwear. This J-45 has all of the snap and pop that you would want to soar over the top of the solid bass tone on the bottom end. Great volume and responsiveness. With hardshell case. |
1946 Gibson L-7 (A 1041) |
A very clean, fine playing 17" archtop made just postwar. Maple back (unfigured), sides (flame figured), and 3-piece Maple neck (flame figured), Sitka Spruce top, Kluson tuners with ocatgonal plate, riveted posts, and tulip buttons, Bound black headstock overlay with inlaid pearl crown and script "Gibson" logo, Fossil ivory nut, 1 11/16" nut width, Bound Brazilian Rosewood 20 fret fingerboard with pearl parallelogram inlays, Cream-black-cream top and back binding, Brazilian Rosewood adjustable bridge, Original trapeze tailpiece, Original cream bound turtle-oid pickguard, 25 1/2" string scale, Added white strap button in heel and matching tailpiece button. The sunburst finish is intact with some light crazing. The guitar was recently refretted and lightly buffed to a high shine. The voice is full and balanced with an authoritative "bark" for jazz rhythm and soloing. With Black hardshell case. |
| One of my top three all-time favorite Smeck conversions with a comfortable narrowing of the nut to 1 7/8". Mahogany back and sides, Adirondack Spruce top, Original Waverly strip tuners, Black painted headstock front with white script "Gibson" logo and "Roy Smeck Stage De Luxe" model designation, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots, Cream top and back binding, Original Brazilian Rosewood bridge, Replacement bridge pins, Original tiger stripe pickguard, Original endpin. PREVIOUS REPAIRS: Two repaired top cracks behind the bridge, one repaired B string pickguard crack, and a repaired slight center seam separation between the bridge and the soundhole. RECENT REPAIR and CONVERSION by Alan Perlman included: Narrowing the nut width to 1 13/16", reshaping the neck barrel, and applying matching lacquer finish in the reshaped area. The fingerboard was carefully refretted with some slots recut to the correct placement. The original saddle slot was plugged with matching Brazilian Rosewood and recut to a dropin configuration with proper compensation. There are some slight thumbpick marks on the bass side of the soundhole from use as a hawaiian guitar, but it is very clean otherwise. This lovely guitar sings in the trebles with the slightest tickle, supported by strong and balanced bass. The great response and very clean condition make this Stage De Luxe a real holy grail guitar. With original 1934 hardshell case. | |
1947 L-5P (A-2433) |
This is an extra clean example of the highest model 17" archtop in the Gibson line. Sitka Spruce top, Flame Maple back, sides, and 3-piece neck, Gold sealed Kluson tuners with single line keystone buttons, Multiple layer cream and black binding and purfling on headstock, fingerboard, pickguard, and body, Black headstock overlay with pearl script "Gibson" logo and flower pot inlays, 1 11/16" nut width, Full round neck profile, Ebony fingerboard wtih pearl block inlays, Gold plated L-5 tailpice, Brazilian Rosewood adjustable bridge, Bound turtle-oid pickguard with gold mounting hardware, Cream endpin with black dot. Kept in extremely clean condition, this guitar plays beautifully and responds with a rich, clear and insistent voice. A versatile jazz guitar from a classic period in Gibson's history. With original alligator pattern Lifton case with dark green interior. |
1979 Gibson L-5 CES Special (70369143) |
A mint condition example of this very rare sunburst finish one pickup L-5 CES variant that precedes the eventual Wes Montgomery L-5 of the 1990s. Flame figure Maple back, sides, and 5-piece neck, Gold Kluson Sealfast tuners, Five layer black and cream black headstock overlay with pearl flowerpot and "Gibson" logo inlay, truss rod cover with engraved "Special" designation, 1 11/16" nut width, Five layer cream and black bound Ebony fingerboard with pearl block inlays and jumbo frets, Cream and black top and back binding and purfling, Single gold humbucking pickup, Gold L-5 tailpiece, Ebony bridge with pearl inlay in feet, Cream and black bound red turtle-oid pickguard, Hat style volume and tone knobs, Added gold strap button in neck heel. The guitar remains in mint condition. Without the muting effect of the bridge position pickup, the volume and tonal range is expanded. This is a lush-toned instrument with an easy playing neck profile and setup. Recent 5-ply Cedar Creek case. |
1957 ES-175 (A24997) |
A very nice example of my favorite Gibson archtop model,
the single pickup version of their 16" plywood electric archtop with
24 3/4" string scale. This one is apparently from the very first batch
that included the humbucking pickup. Unfigured plywood Maple top, back,
and sides, Mahogany neck, Replacement tuners, Black headstock front with
pearl "Gibson" and crown inlays, 1 11/16" nut width, Original
Delrin nut, Bound Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearloid parallelogram
inlays, Cream-black-cream binding, Replacement adjustable bridge, Original
nickel plated "zig-zag" tailpiece, Original P.A.F humbucking
pickup, Bonnet knobs, Original pickguard, Metal endpin, Strap button added
to neck heel. This guitar plays great and has the extra acoustic "bounce" of
not having a rear pickup muting the movement of the bridge. I had noted
expert Rich Hoeg open up the pickup and authenticate it because the solder
joints had been disrupted. We saw by the string winding marks on the top
of the bobbins that the cover had been off for probably a few years in
1970s wshen lots of knuckleheads were doing this. Luckily they saved the
original cover and had it reinstalled. The finish shows a fair amount of
crazing all over. The guitar shows very little wear except on the back
of the neck. With more recent brown Gibson hardshell case with pink interior.
|
1968 J-200 (896396) |
A fine restored and improved J-200 with the slim neck. Michigan Maple back, sides, and 3-piece neck, Sitka Spruce top, Gold Grover Rotomatic tuners, Bound black headstock overlay with pearl crown and "Gibson" inlays, 1 5/8" nut width, Bound Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl crown inlays, Cream binding and black-white purfling, Replacement open moustache bridge with bone drop-in saddle, Replacement pickguard, Beautiful red-maroon into golden yellow sunburst, Chain link backstrip, Gold strap buttons, Cream bridge pins. My old shopmate John Mello pulled out the weird original screw type mute from the inside, removed the old tune-o-matic closed moustache bridge, and shot the beautiful sunburst top finish. Except for the slight differences in the pickguard, you might think this guitar is from the 1950s by the appearance. If it were mine, I'd replace the Rotomatics with tulip button gold Kluson Deluxe type tuners. This voice is large and open, like a good early 1950s J-200. This guitar is ideal for someone who likes the small neck, but wants a good sounding and good looking J-200 at a very affordable price. With black hardshell case. |
1955 LG 3/4 (W 1274 81) |
This model was Gibson's smaller size
guitar for young people and it makes a great travel guitar. Mahogany
back and sides, Sitka Spruce top, Original Kluson strip tuners with crinkled
buttons are in the case with direct fit Gotoh replacements, Black painted
headstock front with gold "Gibson" logo, 1 9/16" nut width,
Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots, 22 7/8" string scale,
Cream binding, Cream rosette, Brazilian Rosewood bridge with 2 1/8" string
spread, sunburst top finish, Ladder top bracing, Red turtle-oid pickguard
with a smaller version of the older shape of the LG series guitars, White
plastic bridge pins and endpin, No strap button added to neck heel. This
guitar comes with a case may may give your friends heart palpitations
when they first see it, a brown hardshell that looks like a lightly deeper
Les Paul case. A little honest play wear here and there, but overall
very clean. A very easy responding guitar that speaks clearly with light
guage strings. |
1934 Roy Smeck Stage De Luxe (batch #966) |
My very favorite of all of the converted Roy Smeck Stage De Luxe guitars that I've ever owned or had in the shop. Honduras Mahogany neck, back and sides, Adirondack Spruce top, Original Waverly strip tuners with black buttons, Black painted headstock front with silkscreened script "Gibson" logo and "Roy Smeck Stage De Luxe" model designation, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots, Cream body binding, Black and cream rosette purfling, Very small pattern sunburst top finish, Original Brazilian Rosewood bridge with 2 3/8" string spread, Original bridge pins and endpin, No pickguard. OLD REPAIRS AND MODIFICATIONS include: Narrowing nut width to 1 13/16", New finish on sides of neck barrel and overspray to the back of the neck barrel and heel, Neck reset and refret, Epoxy graphite reinforcement under fingerboard, Bridge saddle slot plugged and reslotted at an angle for proper intonation, New bridge plate, 3 side cracks repaired, Braces very slightly scalloped for great response to medium guage strings, Entire body buffed out to match finish sheen. Very broad tonal range avilable, very responsive to medium guage strings. The original red line hardshell case is in remarkably clean condition. I wish that I could keep it! |
1948-49 J-45 (no visible batch or serial number) |
A great sounding J-45 that was completely refinished
in the 1970s. Mahogany back and sides, Sitka Spruce top, Black headstock
front with gold "Gibson" decal of indeterminate age, Tapered
headstock thickness, Replacement Kluson Deluxe tuners with white plastic
buttons, Replacement bone nut, 1 11/16" nut width, Brazilian rosewood
fingerboard with pearl dots, Cream body binding, Cream-black-cream rosette
purfling, Brazilian Rosewood rectangular bridge with long sddle, bolts,
and pearl dots, 2 1/8" string spread, Oversize replacement black
pickguard, Replacement white endpin and bridge pins, Strap button in
neck heel, Scalloped brace voicing. Repairs include a football patch
for an output jack, two top cracks near the endblock, and two plugged
screw holes for a previous cowboy type pickguard. I would usually pass
on a refinished J-45 from this era, but this one sounds so good and free
that I couldn't pass it up. With hard case. |
1950 ES-125 (5937-6) |
A great sounding 16" electric archtop guitar with the fuller round neck profile from this era that I really like. Maple plywood body, Mahogany neck, Kluson Deluxe strip tuners, Black painted headstock front with gold "Gibson" decal, Original plastic nut, 1 11/16" nut width, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots, Cream body binding, Sunburst finish, P-90 pickup, trapeze tailpiece, Brazilian Rosewood bridge, Red turtle-oid pickguard, Barrel knobs, 24 3/4", Strap button added to neck heel. This is an easy playing example with the original small frets and full neck profile. The finish has crazed, especially on the sides and neck heel area. With original chipboard case. |
1947 LG-2 (nsn) |
Mahogany back and sides, Adirondack Spruce top, Later
period Kluson strip tuners with white buttons, Black painted headstock
front with gold script "Gibson" logo, 1 3/4" nut width,
Round and full C-shape neck profile, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard wtih
pearl dots, Cream top and back binding, Brazilian Rosewood bridge with
pearl dots and long saddle, Replacement ebony endpin, White bridge pins,
Dark turtle-oid pickguared, Sunburst top finish. Finish crazing all over.
Reglued back braces. This is a great big and loud guitar for oldtime
or americana music. A little more bass than the 1939 L-OO currently in
stock. Recent neck reset and refret by Alan Perlman has greatly improved
the tone and playability of this wonderful guitar. With hardshell case. |
1938-42 LG-2 Prototype (Batch #710) |
This guitar is a big mystery, with a mix of late 1930s L-OO, wartime LG-2, and the postwar headstock logo of 1947. I agree with Mark Stutman, owner of Folkway Music of Guelph, Canada, that is is most likely a working prototype for the LG-2, which was introduced in 1942. Mark's musings and observations along with extensive photographs of this guitar are in the gallery section of the Gibson page of the Folkway Music website. The late 1930's L-OO features include Mahogany body, Binding only on the top, Adirondack Spruce top, V-shape neck with 1 3/4" nut width and Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard, Tall thin braces, the Brazilian Rosewood bridge, and the distinctive pickguard shape. The LG-2 feature is the classic guitar body shape used in the late 1930s. The strange feature of the 1947 era logo decal may indicate that this working prototype was lying around the shop through WWII and actually finished in 1947. The tuners are from Folkways' stash of period tuners. Two repaired top cracks, one side crack near neck heel. The guitar has a very loose, responsive voice that reminds me more of a 1935-36 era Gibson in its response to fingers or flatpick. I have really enjoyed playing this guitar in the shop. With recent TKL hardshell case. |
1957 J-200 (A27251) |
A large-voiced example of the model that made country music, blues, and rock'n'roll history. Michigan Rock Maple back sides, and neck, Sitka Spruce top, Gold Kluson Deluxe tuners with tulip buttons, Bound headstock, black painted headstock front with pearl inlaid "Gibson" logo and crown, White and black truss rod cover, 1 11/16" nut width, Round neck profile, Bound Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard, Pearl crown fingerboard inlays, Mulitlayer cream and black body binding, rosette purfling, and heelcap, Brazilian Rosewood cutout moustache bridge with pearl tie blocks, Red floral pattern pickguard, X-brace under fingerboard extension instead of the conventional single brace. Wide pattern sunburst on top, Sunburst sides, back and neck, Chain link backstrip, White endpin and bridge pins. REPAIRS: Interior postition pickguard cracks neck to fingerboard and between soundhole and bridge, Pickguard lift and reposition to relief shrinkage stresses, Repaired center sean crack between bridge and tailblock. This guitar playes well and has a big voice for all manner of americana playing. Original tan case with pink interior. |
1949 SJ-200 (A-3078) |
949 SJ-200 (A-3078) The top of Gibson's
flattop guitar line, the SJ-200 is a big, loud rhythm instrument that
has really made its mark in country and rock'n'roll music. This very
clean condition large-voiced example was still braced conventionally,
unlike those made from the mid-1950s on when Gibson experimented with
all sorts of crazy bracing schemes, including different double X systems.
Maple back, sides, and neck, Sitka Spruce top, Gold Kluson deluxe single
unit tuners with tulip buttons, Single layer binding on headstock with
genuine pearl "Gibson" logo and crown inlay, Two-tone bell
truss rod cover, 1 11/16" nut width, Vertical grain Brazilian Rosewood
fingerboard with genuine pearl crown inlays and single layer white binding,
Multi-layer black and white body binding and heelcap, Brazilian Rosewood
cutout moustache bridge with inlaid genuine pearl blocks and bolt dots,
Original white brdige pins and endpin, Classic floral engraved and inlaid
red turtle-oid pickguard, No strap button in neck heel. Repair has been
limited to lifting and regluing the pickguard to allow relief of top
stress and gluing of two lickguard cracks on the inside edge and near
the outside edge of the pickguard. The finish on this guitar is extremely
clean and it has been very well cared for over its 59 years. the tone
is full and balanced, the best sounding old SJ-200 that I've had since
selling Chris Hillman's 1952 example 10 years ago. With the original
dark brown hardshell case. |
Late 1935 or early 1936 Gibson L-OO (Batch # 1360 14) |
This incredibly responsive L-OO reminds
me most of a 12 fret 1932 L-1 that I stupidly sold a couple of years
ago. I've simply never had a 14 fret L-1, L-O, or L-OO that was this
loud or responsive to a light touch. Honduras Mahogany back and sides,
3-piece Adirondack Spruce top, New Waverly 1930s style strip tuners.,
White stenciled "Gibson" script logo, Ebony nut, 1 3/4" nut
width, Deep V-shape neck profile, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with
genuine pearl dots, Single layer white top binding, No back binding,
Brazilian Rosewood bridge, Firestripe pickguard, Replacement ebony endpin,
No strap button in neck heel, Replacement black bridge pins. The period
Grover bushings in headstock, so I don't know if the tuners or the bushings
are the original hardware. There was another set of cheaper, more modern
strip tuners on at one time, but the white button 1930s Klusons on now
fit the original screw hole pattern. New ebony nut, refret, and crack
repairs by Chris Berkov. Crack repairs at end block, bass-side lower
bout at top edge, two matching top cracks near the side repair, and a
crack below the bridge on the bass side. The bridge itself suffered a
small tear through the brdige pins (from pin hole reaming?) that has
been repaired. The bridge has also been sanded down a little at the top.
The current action is a little low for my taste, but it is very easy
to play. This is one amazing guitar to play Norman Blake style! Hardshell
case. |
1939 L-OO (EG 2064) |
Mahogany, Adirondack Spruce top, New Gotoh strip tuners
with black oval buttons, Black painted headstock front with white "Gibson" script
logo, Healthy 1 11/16" nut width, Deep profile V-shape neck, Brazilian
Rosewood fingerboard and bridge, Pearl fingerbaord dots, Cream binding
on top and back, Firestripe pickguard, Sunburst finish, Black endpin
and bridge pins, Wider compensatd bone bridge saddle, Strap button added
to treble side neck heel. Repaired cracks on bass side with a small patch.
One repaired back crack. I had Alan Perlman reglue the loose back braces.
This guitar has a hard, bright, snappy sound that makes it a great ensemble
guitar for oldtime or americana music. A really fun guitar to play. With
chipboard case. |
1947 Gibson L-50 (nsn or batch number) |
With the dizzying array of feature changes
right after WWII, it's a little hard to date these guitars without a
batch or serial number, but the combination of dot inlay, Modern silkscreen
logo, and cream-bound finger rest point to 1947 on this L-50. Adirondack
Spruce top, Rock Maple back (lightly flame figures) and sides (no flame
figure), Mahogany neck, Kluson strip tuners with cream buttons, Tapered
headstock thickness, Adjustable truss rod, Plastic nut, The full round
neck profile that I really like, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard and bridge,
Pearl fingerboard dots, Raised diamond tailpiece, Single cream binding
on top and back, Cream bound red turtle-oid finger rest, Cream endpin.
Unmodified in any way, this is a real time machine guitar showing light
wear on the frets, pick wear on the bass side of the fingerboard (swing
player syndrome), and a few stray dings in the top. The voice hasn't
really developed through enough play yet. It should make a monster 16" archtop
when it's played sme more. With hardshell case. |
Ca. 1931 L-1 (Batch number 139) |
A wonderfully light 12 fret L size coming from magic period
in Gibson's flat top guitar developement. Mahogany back and sides, Very
even fine grain Adirondack Spruce top, Black painted headstock front with
white script "Gibson" logo, New correct replacement Waverly strip
tuners with white buttons (the original tuners hardly worked at all), 1
3/4" nut width, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots, White
body binding, White-black-white rosette purfling, 2 5/16" string spread
at bridge, White replacement endpin and bridge pins. Mark Tossman recently
performed all of the repair and restoration. REPAIRS: Light application
of new lacquer on the top as the old "cremona brown" sunburst
had reviously been removed, reset and refret with wedge under the fingerboard
extension, New Brazilian Rosewood bridge with long saddle, Small side repair
near back of bass-side waist, New nut. This extremely light guitar will
only take the tension of silk and steel strings or an extra light guage
set with a light guage low E string. I currently have slightly heavier
strings for Maybelle Carter tuning (down 3 half steps) and the guitar responds
well in either configuration. A very rewarding fingerstyle instrument or
Norman Blake style flatpicker. Very affordable due to the repairs. With
hardshell case. |
1941 Roy Smeck Stage De Luxe (2239 G) |
This extremely clean Roy Smeck conversion was played
carefully and respectfully, the only sign of play wear is at the soundhole
edge. Honduras Mahogany back and sides, Adirondack Spruce top, Original
Kluson strip tuners, Black painted headstock front with white script "Gibson" logo
and "Roy Smeck Stage De Luxe" model designation, Bone nut,
1 15/16" nut width, Beautiful vertical grain Brazilian Rosewood
fingeboard with genuine pearl dots, Frets added as the conversion to
conventional playing, Brazilian Rosewood bridge withn original saddle,
Sunburst top finish, Firestripe pickguard, Soundhole at the 18th fret
positon rather than the earlier 19th fret position, Original bridge pins
and endpin. The finish is amzingly clean and intact. There are some small
side dents near the neck joint, leading me to believe that a strap button
buckle made them while in the case. Other than lowering the nut and saddle
and installing frets as part of the conversion, no other repairs have
been needed or performed. This is a real time machine instrument. The
tone is very dry and clear with lots of volume and sustain. With a well-fit
1930s redline Gibson archtop hardshell case. |
1963 J-45 (139017) |
Sitka Spruce top, Mahogany back and
sides, Kluson strip tuners, Black painted headstock front with gold "Gibson" logo,
1 5/8" nut width, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dots,
Cream body binding, Ceramic adjustable bridge saddle, Red turtle-oid
pickguard, Black plastic endpin and bridge pins, 24 3/4" string
length, Red finish in neck and body, Cherry sunburst finish on top. Very
clean condition. The only repair is a top crack between the treble side
of the bridge and the butt end. A nice easy playing guitar with that
classic Gibson sound. With hardshell case. |
1935 Roy Smeck Stage De Luxe (Batch Number 907A 15) |
This is a spectacular sounding, very clean, and unmodified
example from the second year of production. Honduras Mahogany back, sides,
and neck, Grover tuners with white buttons and washers under the bushings,
Black painted headstock front with white "Gibson Roy Smeck Stage
De Luxe" silkscreen, 2 1/8" nut width, Original high bone nut
for hawaiian style play, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard, White fret markers
in fret slots, White pearl dots, Single layer white body binding, White-black-white
rosette purfling, High Brazilain Rosewood bridge with uncompensated bone
saddle for hawaiian style playing, Red tiger stripe pickguard, 4 1/8" -
4 3/8" body depth, White endpin and bridge pins. Just a few top
dings and a couple more on the sides near the tail. A virtually unused
guitar as evidenced by the white condition of the pins. They usually
turn green from sweat from a palm grazing over the top during play. It
sounds great as a hawaiian style guitar, but I would pay the $800-900.00
conversion charge to a qualified luthier to make a huge sounding conventional
guitar with a wide, beefy neck. Converted versions of these guitars are
played professionally by Jackson Browne, Ry Cooder, Norman Blake, and
Paul Arnoldi, among others. The orginal Gibson redline case is showroom
new inside and shows just a few light scuffs on the outside. |
1965 Epiphone Texan (244969) |
This popular dreadnought model for Gibson was made
famous by the Beatles and was the first dreadnought model that Santa
Cruz Guitar Company founder Richard Hoover ever played. Mahogany back
and sides, Sitka Spruce top, Kluson Deluxe strip tuners, Pearl "Epiphone" logo
and "sideways cloud" headstock inlays, "E" truss
rod cover, 1 11/16" nut width, Unbound Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard
with white pearl rhombus inlays, Cream body binding, Line type rosette,
Brazilian Rosewood bridge with ceramic adjustable saddle, Red turtle-oid
pickguard with silver foil "E" logo, White bridge pins with
abalone dots from Custom Inlay, White with abalone dot neck and endpin
strap buttons from Elderly Instruments. This superb guitar was well cared
for during its entire life by the original owner. The finsih is stil
very shiny and there is very little in the way of finish cold-checking
or dings. It has a very complete clear and even tone when played with
a flatpick or fingerstyle. I'm very pleased to be able to offer such
a nice example of this model. With hardshell case. |
| 1956 Gibson ES-135 (V7314-30) | This fairly rare electric arcthop was
produced by Gibson from 1954 to 1958, totalling only 556 guitars. In
the same five year time period, Gibson produced some 12,830 ES-125s!
This model is essentially a much more deluxe version of the ES-125 with
upgrades of single unit Kluson Deluxe tuners with white oval buttons,
cream bound fingerboard, trapezoid fingerboard inlays, and bevelled black-white-black-white
fingerrest material found on the ES-175, etc. I sure appreciate the upgrade
on the fingerrest. The 1952 ES-125 that I used to own had a stock flexible
tortoiseshell fingerrest that didn't support my planted fingers at all.
All plywood construction, Mahogany neck, Black painted headstock front
with gold "Gibson" logo, 1 3/4" nut width, Brazilian Rosewood
fingerboard, Cream body binding, Sunurst top finish, Brown neck, back,
and side finish, Brazilian Rosewood bridge, P-90 pickup, Trapeze tailpiece
with raised diamond crossbar, Gold bonnet volume and tone knobs, 24 3/4" string
scale. The guitar is all original except for a replacement endpin, added
strap button in the heelcap area, and new tuner buttons, as the old ones
had turned to dust. The neck is straight and the original frets are in
great shape. There is a little fine finish crazing on the top and back
and much deeper, heavier crazing on the sides for some reason. There
are a few dings here and there, but the overall condition is very clean.
I purchased this guitar from the family of the man who bought it new.
His grandson said that it hadn't been played for a few years before he
had died in 1983 and it has been in a closet with rock'n'roll guage strings
on it since. Plugged in, the guitar has a great Herb Ellis jazz tone.
It's also great for jump blues, honkytonk, rockabilly, americana, etc.
With hardshell dreadnought case. |
1967 J-160E (062694) |
This 15 fret slope shoulder dreadnought model was
designed as an acoustic-electric long before the Takamine invasion of
the 1970s. You read it correctly, it has 15 frets clear of the body!
Not just used by George Harrison and John Lennon, the J-160E was used
by jazz great Gabor Szabo and legions of rock and country players. Feedback
is controlled by having the bridge high up in the waist area and solid
ladder bracing of the plywood top with lovely straight Sitka Spruce outer
ply. Solid mahogany sides, Plywood Mahogany back, Mahogany neck, Black
painted headstock front with pearl "Gibson" logo and crown
inlay, Kluson Deluxe tuners, 1 9/16" nut width, Bound Brazilian
Rosewood fingerboard with pearloid crown inlays, P-90 pickup with adjustable
pole pieces at the end of the fingerboard, 24 3/4" string scale,
Brazilian Rosewood bridge with Brazilian Rosewood adjustable saddle and
2 1/8"string spread, Red turtle-oid pickguard, Black hat volume
and tone knobs, Output jack at side, Sunburst top finish, Original endpin,
Replacement white bridge pins with black dot. TYhe guitar was purchased
new in 1968 by its current owner and played some in the first 10 years,
but he has played acoustic guitars exclusively since then. There was
never a neck heel strap button and play wear is localized to the treble
side of the fingerboard and the soundhole. This guitar is easy to play
and gives a nice blanced sound with the adjustable P-90. My honkytonk
playing friends are licking their chops! With the interesting original
case supplied by the Gibson dealer. |
1934 Gibson L-5 (91793) |
16" size with 24 3/4" string scale. Curly
Rock Maple back, sides, and 2-piece neck, Adirondack Spruce top, Gold
Grover tuners (replaced g tuner is a current gold Waverly), Bound tapered
headstock with pearl script "Gibson" and torch, Bone nut 1
3/4" nut width, V-shape neck profile, White binding on fingerbaord
and body, Pearl block fingerboard inlay, Ebony adjustable bridge, White
bound red turtle-oid pickguard, Trapeze tailpiece, Small F-holes. Fine
finish crazing and pick wear on bass side upper bout. Fingerboard wear
indicates a lot of Carter-style playing over the years. A strong, bright
guitar with lots of punch for serious swing or jazz rhythm playing. With
period hard case (Epiphone?) |
| 1954 Gibson Super 300 (A 17308) |
This is the cosmetically simplified version of the
better known 18" wide Super 400 archtop. Flame Maple back, sides,
and two-piece neck, Tuners have been changed to more recent Grover Imperial
(I'm looking for a set of the round button Kluson tuners original to
this guitar.), Bound black headstock with pearl "Gibson" and
crown inlays, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearl parallelogram
inlays, Healthy pickguard and tailpiece. Plugged jack hole in treble
side lower bout, repaired 3" bass-side f-hole crack, Finish repair
to 3" wear spot on bass side of top between bridge and fingerboard,
some assorted knicks and dings from play wear on top, back, sides, and
neck. Endpin jack for transducer type pickup in bridge saddle. Strap
button in neck heel. A very healthy, meaty sounding jazz guitar. With
substantial Harptone case. |
| 1938 Gibson L-OO (DG 5106) |
Mahogany, Adirondack Spruce, All-black body and neck
finish, White script "Gibson" silkscreen headstock logo, Kluson
strip tuners with ivory colored buttons, V-shaped neck profile, 1 3/4" nut
width, Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots, White body binding, Rosewood
bridge with 2 3/8" string spread, Red firestripe pickguard, 4 of
the bridge pins are original. Just out of restoration from the amazing
Alan Perlman, the guitar has had: Back and side cracks closed, Neck reset
and refret, Bridge reglue, New bridge plate, New bridge saddle. Inside
the original chipboard case is the original Lyon & Healy of Chicago
bill of sale from march of 1939, the original bridge saddle, and the
original bridge plate. This guitar is very strong and bright and I'd
love to keep it myself, but it's on consignment. I don't see any other
examples for sale from other dealers right now, so hurry on over to give
it an audition. |
| 1967 Epiphone FT45 Cortez (051512) | Gibson made LG-2 style guitar. Mahogany,
Sitka Spruce, Original Japanese-made single unit tuners, Unbound headstock
with gold "Epiphone" decal, 1 5/8" nut, round neck profile,
unbound Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dots, cream-colored
binding, Sunburst finish, Brazilian Rosewood bridege with adjustable
saddle of Brazilian Rosewood, White bridge pins and endpin, Red turtle-oid
pickguard in the distinctive Epiphone shape. Body has nicks and dings
from honest play wear, the back of the neck is surprisingly clean. This
little guitar has a bright, forceful sound that puts most Gibson LG-2
guitars of this era to shame. With chipboard case. |
1932 Gibson 12 fret L-1 (batch #272) |
Mahogany, Adirondack Spruce top. Original
Kluson tuners. 1 3/4" nut width. Pearl dots inlay in Brazillian
Rosewood fingerboard. Mahogany shim underneath fingerboard. Rare late
1932 version with factory pickguard. Brazillian Rosewood bridge has been
off and reinstalled. Some finish overspray on the back of the neck. This
very lightweight little hotrod makes an excellent fingerstyle guitar
or a flatpicker in the style of Norman Blake. Wide open tone and extremely
responsive. |
1939 Gibson 12 fret HG-OO (EG-2926) |
Mahogany, Adirondack Spruce top. Kluson
tuners. Converted from Hawaiian configuration. 1 15/16" nut width.
Pearl dots fingerboard inlay. Original pickguard. Brazillian Rosewood
bridge reslotted for compensated saddle . Original black finish. Braces
revoiced by John Mello for more responsiveness to light gauge strings.
This guitar is a bright little flatpicker or fingerstyle instrument.
I find the wide neck very easy to play. Very clean condition. |
1937 Carson Robison Mahogany/Adirondack |
|
| 1934 Gibson Pre-Roy Smeck Hawaiian 12 fret Jumbo (dreadnought) model. (batch #881) |
Mahogany, Adironack Spruce top. Converted
to fretted playing by narrowing nut width to "only" an even
2 inches, angling the bridge saddle and adding a pickguard. This is the
model used to make the prototypes for the Steve Swan 12 fret Jumbo Santa
Cruz models (see SCGC dreadnought section).
This is the guitar I use most often at home. |
| 1956 Gibson C-5 Custom Classic (A 2428) | This is an amazing time capsule example
of the rare highest model classic guitar from Gibson. Sitka Spruce top
with a little bearclaw figure, Elegant red straight grained Brazilian
Rosewood such as what you'd find on a 1950s Martin 21, Red Brazilian
Rosewood fingerboard and headstock overlay, Mahogany neck, Kluson tuners
with metal barrels (these will take the cutting tension extra light silk
and steel strings), Binding on top but not the back, Brazilian Rosewood
bridge with pearl tie blocks, No added strap buttons or other hardware.
Very clean with the exception of some finish nicks on the back corners
and a few top dings and scratches. The premium brown hard case in great
condition fits this style 5 instrument with its deluxe latches, leather
handle, and chocolate colored felt interior. With its thin top and fan
bracing, this guitar sounds fine as a nylon string guitar, but would
be a super folk instrument if strung with extra light guage silk and
steel strings. A true Willie Nelson fan might be tempted to perform their
own top excavations with a wild flatpick style, but that would be a cruel
insult to a guitar in such fine original condition. A Real honey. |
| 1964 Gibson B-25N (224638) |
Whether it was hidden away in a clost or stuffed under
a bed and forgotten, this is simply the cleanest vintage Gibson Guitar
that I've ever seen. Straight, even grain Sitka Spruce top, Red stained
Mahogany back, sides, and neck, Kluson Deluxe strip tuners, Brazilian
Rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dots, Red plastic pickguard, Plastic
bolt-on bridge with ceramic saddle. Virtually mark-fee and untouched
by sunlight. The case is just as clean and showroom new inside. This
is an amazing collector-grade instrument. |
| 1996 Gibson J-200 (90876005) |
This guitar was supervised in its production by the
Gibson Montana employee that owned it for a while. Beautiful fine even
grain Sitka Spruce top, Flame figure Maple back and sides, Maple neck,
Gibson Deluxe gold tuners with tulip button, Bound balck headstock with
pearl "Gibson" and crown inlays, Bound rosewood fingerboard
with crown inlays, Cream colored body binding with line purfling, Line
style rosette, Rosewood cutout bridge with pearl blocks inlay, Fancy
wood backstrip, Red J-200 pickguard with emobssed flowers and pearl dots.
Strap button added to neck heel. Repaired crack 1/2" from bass-side
fingerboard edge between top edge and rosette. This is a great sounding
example of this contemporary model. The supervision through the production
process obviously paid off with nice materials and a great tone. With
Gibson hard case.
|
| 2005 J-45 (02655041) | This is a clean example of the most
popular dreadnought jumbo model from the gibson "Historic Collection" series
of guitars. Fine, even grain Sitka Spruce, Honduras Mahogany back, sides,
and neck, Gotoh Kluson style tuners with white oval buttons, 11/16" nut
width, Unbound Rosewood fingerboard with vintage size frets, Pale abalone
fingerboard dots, 24 3/4" string scale, White body binding, black
and white line type top purfling and rosette, Vintage shape turtle-oid
pickguard, Rosewood bridge with pearloid dots and compensated saddle,
Scallped brace voicing for a rich, full-bodied response, Fishman pickup.
This guitars is extremely clean and has only one shallow dent in the
back near the treble side lower bout edge. This guitar plays very easily
and responds quite well to light guage strings as well as medium guage.
With Gibson TKL hardshell case. |
| 1957 J-50 (U1 867 29) |
A very clean example of Gibson's natural finish model
dreadnought jumbo from the late 1950s. Except for the endpin, this guitar
is all-original without even a neck heel strap button! Standard features
include: Mahogany back and sides, Sitka Spruce top, Kluson strip tuners
with white oval buttons, Mahogany neck with headstock wings, Black painted
headstock front with gold "Gibson" logo decal, Truss rod cover
on headstock, White plastic nut, 1 11/1`6" nut width, Slim oval
neck profile, Unbound Brazilian Rosewood 20 fret fingerboard with pearloid
dots, 24 3/4" string scale, Cream top and back binding with Cream-black
top purfling, Cream-black-cream soundhole rosette purfling, Larger pattern
tortoiseshell pickguard, Brazilian Rosewood bridge with plastic saddle
and bolt-covering pearl dots, White bridge pins. This guitar is in remarkably
clean condition, plays quite easily, and has a big even voice. If I was
swatting out swing rhythm chords, I'd put in a higher bridge saddle and
keep the low original on in the case pocket. I used to see 1950s Gibson
flattop guitars this clean when I managed the Fifth String in 1982-84.
Now that the guitars are twice as old, I rarely see them in this clean
unabused condition. With hardshell case. |
| 1966 Epiphone Texan (802872) |
Epiphone's popular fancy round shouldered dreadnought.
Honduras Mahogany back (perfectly quartered with cross-grain ray silking),
sides, neck, Sitka Spruce top, Kluson strip tuners, Black painted headstock
front with abalone script "Epiphone" logo inlay and pearl "cloud" inlay, "E" truss
rod cover, Replacement bone nut, 1 5/8" nut, Brazlian Rosewood fingerboard
with pearl parallelogram block inlays, Cream body bidnings, Cream and
black top purfling and rosette, Brazilian Rosewood bridge with ceramic
adjustable saddle, Red turle-oid pickguard with Metal "E" logo
attachment, Cream bridge pins and endpin. Chrome strap button attached
and refretted with large Gibson style fretwire. Pick wear, dings, and
3 repaired cracks on the bass side of the top. This guitar was played
a lot! The well-developed voice really shows it. It is a real workhorse
guitar with a lot of power and personality. With original Epiphone chipboard
case. new hardshell case is available for $125.00 more.
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