c.1968 Gibson Blue Ridge Guitar


This is a 1968 Gibson "Blue Ridge" guitar, and before you ask -- yes, it's been retopped, and a very professional job it is (though, not mine). This guitar is a true "banjo killer" -- loud, projecting, crisp but also balanced and warm on the bottom end. Back and sides are laminate rosewood, top is solid spruce, and the neck is one-piece mahogany with a rosewood fretboard. Rosewood bridge, too.

When the top was replaced it also got a sunburst top finish and Martin-style D-28-ish appointments and teardrop pickguard. Pretty snazzy!

A friend handed me this guitar (which, I thought was a Japanese Gibson-style clone at the time) and the action had crept up quite high over time. Since the neck looked like it had been set in the past and was nice and flush with the body, I decided to shave the bridge to take up the slack, and now it plays fantastically -- just like you'd expect from an old '60s Gibson dreadnought. They have such fast necks!



Gibson logo is gone but the Blue Ridge trussrod cover remains. Old Klusons were replaced with Schallers at some point.



Good compensated bone saddle (and nut). Plastic pins, freshly shaved bridge.








Typical era screwed-in end pin. I actually prefer these to the "friction" end pin as it's harder to pull these off by accident in the middle of a show.

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