Gibson LG-1 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1951)
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Gibson LG-1 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1951), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 7312-23 (FON), sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, mahogany back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.
This Gibson LG-1 was Gibson's lowest budget flat top in the early 1950's, but still a very classy looking and good sounding guitar. The model is essentially identical to the next-in-line LG-2 but with simpler ladder-bracing under the top instead of the more elaborate X-pattern. The materials and cosmetics are otherwise exactly the same, with mahogany back and sides and a spruce top. The only way to tell the difference is to peer (or poke a finger) under the back edge of the soundhole! The top is finished in a stately sunburst, the back and sides natural mahogany and both are single bound. The mahogany neck has a plain dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard and is topped by the standard Gibson-logo'd headstock with Kluson Deluxe tuners.
While designed as a budget guitar for student players and teaching studios the LG-1 in this period is still a very nicely made instrument, especially compared to most of its competitors. The sound is usually somewhat brighter and less sophisticated than its X-braced sisters, with something like a mix of Gibson and Stella characteristics. These days some folks actually like the barkier, bluesier tone of the ladder braced models better! This is a superbly well-preserved and all original 1951 guitar, one of the cleanest, best playing and sounding of these we have had.
Overall length is 39 3/4 in. (101 cm.), 14 3/8 in. (36.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 3/8 in. (11.1 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This guitar is VERY clean and nicely original, showing hardly any play wear for it's 70+ years on the planet. It is all original showing only minor wear; The finish still shines like when Harry Truman was in office (or at least Ike!) with some light checking, mostly to the top. Overall the finish shows some minor dings, dents and scuffs mostly into but not through the lacquer but really this guitar looks not much used. The instrument shows a nice rich patina to the sunburst, darker than many later examples with a very stately look for a small budget guitar.
The top seam has been resealed between the bridge and tail; there are no other cracks. The neck has never been reset; the original bridge has been lowered a bit with a new saddle. The original frets and the fingerboard show very little wear, the original Kluson tuners are still shiny with the original buttons. Playability is excellent with quite a powerful if bright and midrangey sound. This is a really sweet example of Gibson's elegant little student flat-top model from the early '50s, a lot of fun to play and housed in a fine modern HSC Excellent + Condition.
This Gibson LG-1 was Gibson's lowest budget flat top in the early 1950's, but still a very classy looking and good sounding guitar. The model is essentially identical to the next-in-line LG-2 but with simpler ladder-bracing under the top instead of the more elaborate X-pattern. The materials and cosmetics are otherwise exactly the same, with mahogany back and sides and a spruce top. The only way to tell the difference is to peer (or poke a finger) under the back edge of the soundhole! The top is finished in a stately sunburst, the back and sides natural mahogany and both are single bound. The mahogany neck has a plain dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard and is topped by the standard Gibson-logo'd headstock with Kluson Deluxe tuners.
While designed as a budget guitar for student players and teaching studios the LG-1 in this period is still a very nicely made instrument, especially compared to most of its competitors. The sound is usually somewhat brighter and less sophisticated than its X-braced sisters, with something like a mix of Gibson and Stella characteristics. These days some folks actually like the barkier, bluesier tone of the ladder braced models better! This is a superbly well-preserved and all original 1951 guitar, one of the cleanest, best playing and sounding of these we have had.
Overall length is 39 3/4 in. (101 cm.), 14 3/8 in. (36.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 3/8 in. (11.1 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This guitar is VERY clean and nicely original, showing hardly any play wear for it's 70+ years on the planet. It is all original showing only minor wear; The finish still shines like when Harry Truman was in office (or at least Ike!) with some light checking, mostly to the top. Overall the finish shows some minor dings, dents and scuffs mostly into but not through the lacquer but really this guitar looks not much used. The instrument shows a nice rich patina to the sunburst, darker than many later examples with a very stately look for a small budget guitar.
The top seam has been resealed between the bridge and tail; there are no other cracks. The neck has never been reset; the original bridge has been lowered a bit with a new saddle. The original frets and the fingerboard show very little wear, the original Kluson tuners are still shiny with the original buttons. Playability is excellent with quite a powerful if bright and midrangey sound. This is a really sweet example of Gibson's elegant little student flat-top model from the early '50s, a lot of fun to play and housed in a fine modern HSC Excellent + Condition.