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Estate Sale Acoustic, is it a J45 or a LG Series?

zhivago

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Joined
Sep 29, 2004
Messages
1,417
That is a J45...the bridge is pre-belly, but it has the newly designed at the time "block" logo...so probably very late 40s, '48 possibly?
 

ace51

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Mar 6, 2020
Messages
14
Hard to tell for me, pictures aren’t great but I did notice the bridge and logo as you mentioned.
 

jrgtr42

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Mar 24, 2005
Messages
2,308
You're the winning bidder? Nice score.
I'm seeing several cracks on the top and back, presumably from being dried out in the Arizona heat / humidity (or lack thereof)
But a good luthier should be able to put it right quick enough. A session hydrating back up, patching the cracks, probbaly need to look an the bridge,
all straighforward jobs.
 

ace51

New member
Joined
Mar 6, 2020
Messages
14
You're the winning bidder? Nice score.
I'm seeing several cracks on the top and back, presumably from being dried out in the Arizona heat / humidity (or lack thereof)
But a good luthier should be able to put it right quick enough. A session hydrating back up, patching the cracks, probbaly need to look an the bridge,
all straighforward jobs.
so far, still can't be 100% its a J45, not sure how one can tell other than measurements if its a J45 of LG series from this period.
 

ace51

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Mar 6, 2020
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14
It's 100% a J45.
great news. Every since I sold my 56’ country western I’ve wanted another. Can’t wait to check this one out.
 

poor man's burst

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Joined
Oct 3, 2010
Messages
421
Considering the distance between the pickguard and the side the guitar side, the waist heigth relative to the soundhole and the general shape, I'd rather say it is an LG-2.
 

Wally

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Feb 27, 2003
Messages
3,535
The perspectives of those pictures are not good for seeing the guitar, but I think it is a J45.....1947 or later. If the headstock is tapered, it is a 1950 or earlier..back to 1947 due to the logo as noted earlier. There will be a factory order number inside. If the headstock is not tapered, there could be a letter at the beginning of that factory order number....Z is 1951, Y is 1952, etc.
 

Wilko

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Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
20,854
NOT j-45. That is LG shape.

Here's j-45. Look at the waistine:
gibson-J-45-1946-original.jpg
 

Wally

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Feb 27, 2003
Messages
3,535
Wilco, that is why I said that ‘I think’. The first pic in the sale is taken from a perspective that seems To perhaps exaggerate the butt of the guitar.. The last pic exaggerates the other end of the body....hard to tell, imho. I will admit that in the first pic the waist may exhibit the sharper curves of the smaller LG guitars.
 

ace51

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Joined
Mar 6, 2020
Messages
14
well how about that...

Now, LG1 or LG2? anyway to tell without feeling for bracing?
 

Wilko

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Mar 11, 2002
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20,854
Still good buy, and it will sound awesome!
 

ace51

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Mar 6, 2020
Messages
14
Thanks.
Appears to be a LG-1. After much research I found LG-2’s typically have a strip of wood down the center that you can see through the sound hole.
 

ace51

New member
Joined
Mar 6, 2020
Messages
14
got er' in, not too bad, needs new tuner buttons and bridge re-set and maybe a crack repair but not as bad as the photos, biggest thing is neck is fine and action is low. how bout dat.

Looks like its a 1950 LG1 from the FON (5490-14)

I received a ton of how to play guitar books and songs along with a invitation to play on a radio station from ~1950-1952, cool stuff!
 

Frutiger

Active member
Joined
Oct 17, 2007
Messages
727
It's an LG body. That bridge has been messed with - should have a fully slotted saddle, not a drop in.
 

VamboRool

Active member
Joined
Nov 25, 2015
Messages
424
As fas as t know, the LG series was built on a smaller body, 14 1/8 inches across the lower bout. The J series was larger, 16 1/8 inches across. Should just be able to measure and know exactly which model you have. LG-0/1 are ladder braced, braces run perpendicular to the strings. LG-2/3 are x-braced. Should be pretty easy to tell which is which.
 
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