1951 Gibson LG-2 Flattop Guitar

This is a good one. It's got girth and warmth to the tone but still with that overall midsy, punchy, forward, woody Gibson sound to it that you expect from an LG-2. I'm pretty surprised by it, really. I don't expect that much mmrrrrrr from the low-end on these guys. It's also spoken-for already -- sorry folks -- and will be getting a neck reset later today before heading to its new (local) home.

There's not much to say, otherwise -- LG-2s are the in-demand guitar around the shop, it seems. Lots of folks ask me to keep my eyes out for them and I haven't been getting many in lately because the prices have shot-up on all of them, everywhere, so even my guitar-flipper/guitar-hoarder consignors are having a hard time locating them. No, we don't have addictions. Trust!

This one's had work done in the past to improve it. It's had a good refret job in recent memory, a new saddle, new buttons for the tuners, and a replacement pickguard that actually looks right. The top and back are also crack-free but, but, but... the heel has an old split repair to it that also follows part-way into the sides near the neck block. It's a tidy repair and good to go, but it's there. It'll be fun to see if I can muck it up during the reset work...

Aside from this being "home base" for my hands (medium-C neck profile, ~10" board radius, short scale), I also love the way the mahogany on the back and sides of these old Gibsons has a three-dimensional quality to it. They knew how to stain and shoot these guys, for sure.

The bracing is scalloped and tall/thin.

It also arrived with a tone-sucking acoustic pickup in it (undersaddle plus controls, battery, etc.) so I yanked that, plugged the endpin hole, and fit a vintage-style strap button in its place instead.

Repairs included: mild setup work, restring, etc.


Made by: Gibson

Model: LG-2

Made in: Kalamazoo, MI, USA

Serial number: 9582-8 (factory order number)


Top wood: solid spruce

Back & sides wood: solid mahogany

Bracing type: x

Bridge: rosewood

Fretboard: rosewood

Neck wood: mahogany

Tone: punchy, warm, woody, lush mids, good pop to the treble


Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
String gauges: 54w-12 lights

Neck shape: medium C

Board radius: ~10"

Truss rod: adjustable

Neck relief: straight

Fret style: medium-modern


Scale length: 24 3/4"

Nut width: 1 11/16"

Body length: 19"

Body width: 14 1/4"

Body depth: 4 3/8"

Weight: 3 lb 2 oz


Condition notes: replacement tuner buttons, replacement saddle, replacement pickguard, replacement endpin/strap button. There's weather-check to the finish throughout but it's mild and the scratching/nicking is only minor here and there. The heel has a tight/repaired hairline crack that also spreads part-way into the sides near the neckblock.


It comes with: a hard case (newer).





















Comments

Warren said…
Very cool Jake. How much variation do you see in the bracing shape/profile for early 1950's LG-2's?
Jake Wildwood said…
Kind of a lot, actually. Most aren't as scalloped as this guy but all are kinda tall/narrow.
Rob Gardner said…
Beautiful little guitar, Jake. Somebody got a nice one.