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Please note:
These are some of the more notable instruments
that have recently been sold by Folkway Music.
None of these instruments are for sale.
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1967 Gibson Country Western
Serial # 859585. With its good looks, warm and expressive voice and easy action, this later 60’s Country Western is the among the best vintage deals in the shop. It’s got all the best parts of that 60’s adjustable bridge tone, but without the deadness often associated with this bridge design. A great strummer of fingerpicker, this guitar is perfect for voice accompaniment, songwriting, or just plain looking good. One spliced crack repair on the at the edge of the top’s lower bout, a few glued braces, and a cleated pickguard crack help keep the price right, but don’t really detract from the guitar’s tone or original looks. Back and sides are a gorgeous unfaded deep red and crack-free, and the guitar’s finish is really fine throughout. There is a minor touch-up on the top crack, but it blends in seamlessly with the guitar’s original finish. None of the repairs were done by Folkway; we suspect the top splice to be Gibson factory work, while the brace repairs are more recent, evidenced by some glue messiness inside the guitar. The neck is slight and fast, with a width of a bit wider than 1-9/16”. Original frets are in excellent shape, and the guitar plays very nicely.
With period Gibson hardshell case
SOLD
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1917 Gibson A-1
Serial # 37700. It's hard to believe that this pumpkin top A-1 is closing in on its first century. The instrument is completely original, intact, uncracked and unrepaired, and perfectly playable. We suspect the strings that we replaced during set up are at least fifty years old. No seam separations, original pickguard, tailpiece, bridge, and tuners are all in excellent condition; no top sinkage, frets are in good condition, and the action is slinky. There is a little bit of finish wear on the back of the neck, minor dings and dents here and there, and some crazing to the old shellac finish. Not too bad for an instrument in its 90's! With its chunky neck and chunky tone, this A-1 is a perfect old-time instrument. Expect a loud and warmly voiced mandolin with a wide v-shaped neck. Carved spruce top and birch back, bound top and ebony fingerboard, The Gibson logo inlaid in pearl, ivoroid button Waverly tuning machines, tortoiseshell celluloid pickguard with intact mounting bracket; "The Gibson" engraved nickel-silver tailpiece.
With 1940's era chipboard case.
SOLD
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1973 Gibson ES-335TD
Serial # 055728. Here’s a walnut finish 335 in astonishingly fine condition. It’s 100% original, too; including the case (which we didn’t photograph for some reason). No changed parts or repairs, original frets are largely unworn, finish is immaculate… and it sounds great. Not much to say when they’re this clean. Neck is fast and small, with a nut just under 1-5/8” wide. Fresh set-up by us.
With original hardshell case
SOLD
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1952 Gibson A-40
FON Z1715-38. Dollar for dollar, this A-40 can’t be beat. It’s in wonderful and original condition, plays perfectly, and – most importantly – it really sounds good. It’s not an F5, but it’s not trying to be. More lively than a 20’s A, but richer and warmer than most F’s, this instrument’s tone is far more interesting than its low price suggests. Crack-free, and set-up in shop. Original throughout but for changed tuners buttons. The pickguard is a little cupped, so you might choose to take it off if it gets in your way.
With original chipboard case
SOLD
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1957 Gibson J-45 LEFTY
FON U355-23. For left handed vintage guitar lovers it doesn’t get all too much better than this! Here’s a near-mint factory lefty 1957 J-45 with perfect action and frets, the most comfortable neck ever carved, and to-die-for 1950’s Gibson Jumbo tone. No cracks or repairs and completely original but for replacement tuner buttons, bone saddle, and K+K Pickup. This guitar is just so clean; likely thanks to it being a lefty and not having been used for years. Spruce top, mahogany back and sides, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, Kluson tuners, finished-in bone nut. 24.75” scale, 1-11/16” nutwidth. An incredible find, and a rare and beautiful guitar.
With early 1960’s Gibson/Lifton hardshell case
SOLD
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1930 Gibson TG-1
FON 78. With its Cremona sunburst, bound body, banjo headstock and tuners, and bound fingerboard, this TG-1 is a fine looking machine – but it’s real beauty in its tone. We have is tuned in fifths with a low E bass note, and it just fills the room with this set up. It’s an exceptionally light guitar with a very resonant back; you’ll want to keep it away from your belly to get all the goodness out of the guitar. Lots of overtones and warmth, nice sustain and ring. A few top and back cracks have all been repaired, nicely set up with a full height bridge and low saddle, little wear on the original frets. 100% original but for the tuner buttons. A wonderful vintage Gibson tenor.
With original chipboard case
SOLD
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1955 Gibson J-185
Serial # A-20701, FON X9789. The J-185 is, without question, the most sought-after Post War Gibson flat-top. Less than 1000 of these were built in the model’s short production run from 1951 to 1959; and this example is one of only 59 sunburst 185’s completed in ’55.
In tone, condition, and playability this instrument is truly exceptional. The combination of maple back and sides and the small jumbo body create a tone unlike anything else in vintage acoustics. The guitar has balance and bigness, with sparkle and just enough edge to add definition to the otherwise fairly round typical Gibson tone. Crack-free and original throughout, save for replacement bridgeplate and saddle by our shop some years back, this guitar presents beautifully. The bridgeplate was replaced because Gibson mis-located the original too close to the soundhole. The result was that the bridge-pin holes did not pass through the plate, but rather, were located behind the bridgeplate, this resulting in the string’s ball ends anchoring on spruce instead of maple! The new plate is identical to the original, but properly located. Original tuners, nut (never removed), frets, pickguard, bridge, pins, and finish. Typical amount of finish crazing throughout, average fretwear, excellent action and set-up, and a good neck angle. Original bridge is full height, too. Mid-50’s neck carve is round and comfortable, the nut width is 1-11/16”.
With original hardshell case
SOLD
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1932 Gibson L-0
FON 188. A stunning and completely original all-mahogany L-0, this incredible guitar is among the finest L-bodied Gibsons we’ve ever offered for sale. A scant 3 pounds in weight, this one rumbles gorgeously until you dampen its back against your belly. It has string-to-string balance and a round midrange reminiscent of a fine classical guitar, and is an exceptional fingerstyle steel string as a result. We can only guess how much better it will sound after a few hours of picking! The guitar appears to have remained unused for decades; the finish is factory perfect, and playwear is limited to some minor groves under the high strings on the first three frets. The guitar’s only blemishes are a 1” long back-crack, and a ¼” ding on the lower bout of the bass side – both almost too minor to point out. Pickguard reglue and set-up by our shop. The guitar has a very good neck angle and plenty of saddle left for further action adjustments. Expect a fairly modern-feeling neck with a round carve and a nut width of 1-3/4”. The bridge is full-height and unmodified and the original tuners, nut and saddle, bridge and end pins remain. A finer L-0 you may never find again.
With original chipboard case
SOLD
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1965 Gibson Melody Maker
Serial # 274847. The Melody Maker is likely the best bang-for-the-buck in vintage Gibson electrics. The solid mahogany guitar features a set-in neck with Brazilian fingerboard, great feeling neck and frets, and a single-coil pickup. 24.75” scale, 1-5/8” nut. This one is completely original but for the tuners – they’ve been upgraded, and the originals will come with the guitar. Nicely set up, frets show some wear but still play fine, lacquer finish is fairly unfaded on the top but more faded to brown on the back. A great no-issues player.
With hard shell case
SOLD
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1935 Gibson L-Century
FON 293A-18. Chicago’s 1933 “A Century of Progress International Exposition” celebrated the city’s 100th anniversary with a theme of technological innovation. Gibson celebrated the event by showcasing Celluloid; and introduced a line of instruments dubbed the “Century of Progress Models”. Flashy guitars (and mandolins) these featured white pearloid fingerboards and headstocks, figured maple back and sides, and sunburst finishes. We’re fans of this kind of thing, but won’t hold it against you if you’re not!
This example is a particularly good sounding guitar; the maple adds drive and tightens up the typical L-00 tone. It’s a bit like a small J-200 or J-185; there’s a compression that maple adds to a guitar, which make this a great choice for players with a real dynamic attack. Play lightly, and all the subtleties and overtones flower from the soundhole, but dig in and you won’t lose definition. It reacts quickly, similar to an archtop, and is a great ragtime picker. Crack-free, professionally reset neck, nicely set up. The back and sides have been refinished, the bridge is a Brazilian rosewood replacement, and the back braces have all been reglued somewhat sloppily (one of them has a repaired crack, as well). Original tuners, nut, frets, bridge and end pins. Top and neck finish is original, no top repairs of any kind. V neck carve, 24.75” scale, 1-3/4” nut. Action of 5 to 7 64ths with plenty of saddle height to work with, perfect neck relief. This one plays real nicely…
With newer hard shell case
SOLD
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1939 Gibson J-35
Serial # EG-3490, no FON. A family owned guitar since new, this J-35 was brought to us by the son of the original owner; who lives about 15 minutes from the shop. This is a wonderful J-35; it’s quite powerful and very well balanced – tonal hallmarks of the triple unscalloped tone-bar models. It has been played, to which the original frets and top finish will attest, but the guitar has survived without cracks or loose braces. There have been no repairs of any kind made to this guitar, and none are needed. The bridge is full height, the top is perfectly arched, all braces and bridgeplate are intact and well glued, and the original Kluson tuners work perfectly. The only real flaw we can point out are two 1/16” screwholes in the top’s lower treble bout – no braces are affected, and they pose no concern to us. Set up in our shop and fitted with a new bone period-aged saddle the guitar plays quite well; however, the original frets are quite tired, particularly in the first position, and the D and A strings buzz out at the 12th fret. We would recommend fretwork for this guitar. The action is currently set at 6 to 8 64ths and can be lowered a touch further, even with the full-height bridge. 1939 saw the transition to a round neck at Gibson, but this guitar is fitted with the earlier V neck typical of mid-1930’s instruments. J-35’s are where it’s at for so many of us, and this instrument delivers.
With newer hard case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1933 Gibson L-0
FON 214. This spruce topped black L-0 is a stunning guitar, but its best features you can’t see in these photos – unless you can see tone! It certainly looks like it should sound good, and this one walks the talk too. If you’ve been following our site this year you’ll have noticed a number of L-body Gibsons have graced this page – and this instrument is amongst the best of them. It’s rumbly, bold, fat, and woody, without the flab or mush that many ultra-light early L’s have. This is a versatile guitar with surprising headroom that should appeal to most any guitarist. It just does it all. Essentially crack-free - it has a pickguard crack - this guitar has had a few braces reglued, and more recently a refret in our shop (its second or third). The X brace has been reglued in a few places; and although the work is structurally sound, it was not done to our cleanliness standards so expect to find glue dribbles if you peek inside with a mirror. There is some minor top sinkage in front of the bridge as a result. Original tuners nut, bridge, saddle, pins, and finish. Great feeling round early 1930’s neck is nicely worn and neither too big nor too small. Excellent action and playability, with strings set 4 to 6 64ths above the 12th fret. The bridge is full height and the saddle is at its lowest on the bass side with the low action we’ve set the guitar up with. With its beautiful one-owner patina, super-terrific tone, and excellent playability this is what vintage guitars are all about.
With hardshell case
SOLD
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1948 Gibson L5 Premier
Serial # A-2433. Fitted with a Venetian cut-away in 1939, the L-5P was the world’s first cut-away f-holed arch-top guitar. The cut-away design proved immediately popular and many new models would be offered as such in the years immediately following the War. This L-5P is a lovely guitar – both in looks and tone. From the multi-ply headstock binding to the engraved gold and nickel tailpiece this guitar says what it says with more class than most. Deep, rich sunburst finish accentuates the figured Maple and spruce, while pearl ornaments dress up the fingerboard and headstock. Neck-setted and refretted, the guitar is well set up and plays nicely. Original Kluson Sealfast tuners work without issue. There is a very minor check in the heel and some spot touch-up work associated with the neck set; the pickguard has been rebuilt with new tortoiseshell celluloid and the original binding; the bridge is a period-correct Gibson part, but not original to the guitar, the tailpiece is missing the Varitone tension adjuster, there are two extra screw-holes from other pickguard mounting brackets, and there is a 3” length of back center-seam that has been glued. Apart from this collection of minor flaws the guitar is intact and in wonderful condition. Fast round neck profile with a 1-11/16” nut. Brazilian rosewood fingerboard (not ebony) has a scale length of 25.5”.
With newer Gibson hard case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1946 Gibson J-45
No FON. 1946 is widely considered to be a magical year for Gibson flat tops. The war shortages were over, and the company got back to building guitars with the woods they wanted to be using. Mahogany and spruce were again available, and the instruments built in ’46 have something extra special going on. The “Banner” headstock decal was now gone, but the gold script logo remained – but just for a year or so. The new block lettered logo would come into use in ’47. The 1946 guitars are still quite similar to the banner models built during WWII, they have wide 1-3/4” bone nuts, deep bodies (this one measures 4-7/8” at the endpin), and small rectangular bridges. Many have single piece backs and poplar blocks left over from the war years. This particular J-45 has a bookmatched spruce top (likely Sitka), a one piece mahogany back, mahogany neck with truss-rod and Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, and mahogany neck and tail blocks. The back and sides show a collection of repaired cracks and a pair of reglued braces, but the top is without cracks or repairs. Bridge and bridge plate are intact and have never been regaled, top arch is perfect. Recent neck reset and refret were professionally done, and the guitar plays just right. Original tuners, nut, saddle, pins… everything but the frets. Finish is heavily crazed throughout and there is playwear on the top as the photos show. The tone is all 40’s J-45: raw, quick, balanced, dry, and powerful. Neck feel is just right, too – C carve but not too thick.
With period chipboard case
On consignment
SOLD
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1933 Gibson TG-00
FON 386. Beguiling tone is what this tenor is all about. The guitar is exceptionally lightly built, add to this the combination of short tenor scale length and the location of the bridge on the guitar’s top and the result is heavenly. It’s big and powerful but can still capture the most minute and subtle nuances of whatever it is that you’re playing. The trebles are round and full, and the basses are full of tonal color. Now if only it had two more strings! Mahogany back and sides, bound spruce top, rosewood fingerboard and bridge. One well repaired minor top crack, a few more on the back and sides – all repaired. Original finish throughout, but the back and sides appear to have been lightly over-brushed many decades ago. Back of the neck is fairly worn, one tuner has been replaced, and the bridge has been professionally shaved down to allow for lower action. Frets are in good shape, and the instrument has been very well set up in our shop. We’ve strung the guitar with heavier strings and tuned it down to E, in fifths. We like them this way – all low and rumbly - but are happy to set it up with standard tenor tuning (CGDA).
With hard shell case
SOLD
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1929 Gibson L-1
FON 9490. It is impossible to overstate this guitar’s virtues. In addition to being the very model held by Robert Johnson in the famous 1935 Hooks Bros. photograph, it is virtually unused and in factory-new condition. Even the strings are 80 years old. We have not cleaned or adjusted the guitar, oiled the tuners or fretboard, or changed the four remaining original strings. No repairs have been made, and with the possible exception of adding some glue into a minor top center-seam split, none are needed. The saddle is full-height, the frets are unworn, there is no playwear anywhere on the guitar, and the tuner-gears are shiny-new. There is not even dust inside the guitar’s body. Vintage guitars this clean just don’t exist, especially first-year X-braced Gibsons. We can only imagine how few of these early small-body L-1’s were built, and surely most have not survived the years; which adds to the mystique and attraction of this particular instrument. With original strings tuned to pitch the guitar instantly wakes into the richest, woodiest, and most open voiced Gibson you will likely ever play, with overtones a ‘plenty and bell-like harmonics. This is a lightly built guitar – it has the thinnest bridgeplate we’ve ever seen on a steel-string (about .050”) – and the some of the most delicately carved braces. The bracing below the soundhole is typical of an X-braced guitar, but unlike an X braced instrument, there are no upper arms to the main braces. These are replaced by a transverse brace below the soundhole (imagine a V-braced guitar, see photo). We’ve encountered this style of bracing only on the small handful of similar ’29 L-1’s we’ve come across over the years; the following year Gibson flat-tops became braced with Martin-style X bracing.
Bought new by the late Gladys Nelles, a music instructor in Hamilton Ontario, the guitar was played Hawaiian-style for the brief time it was used. Her first son, Raymond, was born in 1933, and the guitar would linger unplayed until now. Nelles passed away in 1959, six years after a suffering a stroke, and the guitar remained in its case with the strings loosened off for the next 50 years.
This is a museum quality example of Gibson’s first modern flat-top guitar. It’s also a museum quality specimen of Blues Legend Robert Johnson’s Fabled guitar. And if that doesn’t interest you, it is among the finest sounding vintage Gibsons you will ever encounter. 1-3/4” nut, round neck carve, 24.25” scale, 5 – 7 64ths action.
With original case, in similar condition; picks, riser-nut, and steel bar.
SOLD
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2007 Gibson J-185EC
Serial # 00367023. With its maple back and sides, 5-piece curly maple and walnut neck, pearl inlays and gold hardware this is one flashy Gibson. The 16” J-185 is the modern version of the vintage classic, and is fitted with a Fishman Prefix Plus-T pickup system. This one is in lovely condition minus a repaired center-seam split (it’s hard to see in the photos). Hardly used and nicely set up.
With original hard shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1934 Martelle Deluxe
Find another like it! This Martelle De Luxe is essentially a Gibson Roy Smeck Jumbo with a different headstock. It has been expertly converted from Hawaiian to standard style. Similar to Gibson's 1934 Jumbo, this instrument has a near-uniform depth of 4-5/8 inches to 4-3/8 inches, a 3-3/4" sound hole, small period sunburst top finish, and short scale length. It has two scalloped tone bars and a huge voice. The conversion, which included reshaping and narrowing the huge neck, installation of a truss rod, new fingerboard and frets, filling and re-routing the saddle slot for correct intonation, and a new nut and saddle was very professionally done. The neck is comfortable to play, and has an aged finish that is particularly well matched to the guitar. With perfect action, simply Awesome tone, and one of the most beautiful sunburst finishes out there, this instrument is tough to beat. This Jumbo has a huge and open voice, strong, sweet trebles up the neck, and rich, complete basses. It is a very lightweight guitar, and has a quality of tone that can't be found in most other guitars on the planet. The Martelle features mahogany back and sides, Red spruce top, 1-3/4" nut, 2-3/8" string spacing at the bridge, 24.75" scale length, original full-height lacquered bridge and action of 5 to 6 64ths at the 12th fret. It is in excellent condition with the exception of a repaired top crack below the bridge (and minor finish touch-up), and a patch to the bridge-plate.
Period hard-shell case included
On Consignment
SOLD
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1966 Gibson ES-330TD
Serial # 804387. This is a near-mint, all original '66 330. The 330 model has the same looks and styling as an ES-335, but is completely hollow and has P-90 pickups rather than humbuckers. This example is a one-owner under-the-bed guitar that has just surfaced here in Folkway-ville. Brilliant unfaded finish, almost no playwear, strong P-90's, and perfect frets. 1-9/16" nut, comfortable neck (it's small, but nice and round, fitting perfectly in your palm"), and nicely set-up in shop. When guitars are this clean, there's really not much to tell you about! The pictures should tell the story well.
With original hard shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1938 Recording King L-00
FON DW-1212. The super-rare Recording King Carson Robinson /Model K has the body and neck of a standard Gibson L-00, but is ladder-braced, has no
truss-rod, and a slightly different pickguard outline. This is a knockout of a guitar that we simply can't spare the time to work on. It's in
excellent condition, but for a small back crack, a pickguard margin crack, and a short crack between the soundhole and the fingerboard. The guitar has
its original lacquered bridge, and original bone nut and saddle, but is without tuners, and bridge pins. Repairs needed include fixing th
aforementioned cracks, resetting the neck, and setting up he guitar. The ladder-braced top is quite bellied as you'll see in one of the photos,
below. An option to explore would be to re-brace this top with X-bracing. A marvelous guitar with a great deal of potential.
SOLD
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1933 Gibson TB-1
FON 9486. Whether you choose to play this tenor as it was designed for or convert it to a flat-head 5 string you’ll likely be quite pleased. As it sits, it’s a powerful and rich tenor tuned CGDA, with a recent refret and excellent playabilty. Original Grover tuners work well, neck angle and fit are perfect. 5/8” rim with no separations, replaced flange, tension hoop and tailpiece. Original brackets, armrest, resonator, and bolts. Resonator appears to have been oversprayed, rim and neck finish are original. 19 fret, 23” scale neck.
With 1960’s Gibson hard shell case
SOLD
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1996 Gibson ES-165 Herb Ellis
Serial # 90666478. Essentially a modern version of the single pickup ES-175, the Herb Ellis model filled a much missed hole in the Gibson lineup upon its introduction in the early 1990’s. Fitted with a PAF inspired humbucker in the neck position, these early Herb Ellis 165’s remain one of the most popular Jazz boxes in modern Gibson history. Unfortunately, Gibson redesigned the model a few years back and the newer Johnny-smith pickup versions just aren’t the same. Just like the original ES-175’s this guitar features are cut-away laminate maple body, 24.75” scale mahogany neck, bound rosewood fingerboard with double parallelogram inlays, and volume and tone controls. This sunbust example is in near perfect condition and appears to have been very seldom used. It’s freshly set up with flat-wound 11-50’s and fast action. A wonderful guitar.
With original hard shell case
SOLD
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1939 Recording King M-5
FON EW-1577. Funny to think that some of the fanciest guitars that Gibson was building in the late 1930's weren't branded Gibson! Similar to the Ray Whitley Jumbo we posted a little while back, the M-5 was the king of Ward's archtop lineup. Step aside L-12, the Recording King has got you beat! The M-5 is the rarest, fanciest, and most expensive of all Recording King archtops, and not a heck different in build than the L-10 or L-12 models. 17" wide body, parallel braced carved spruce top, maple back and bird's eye figured maple sides. Multi-ply bindings on the top, back, sides, and neck. Gorgeous sunburst finish, notched D'A'esque headstock with pearl block and silk-screened ornaments; 5-piece maple and mahogany neck with bound Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and pearl diamond inlays; matching rosewood bridge. Nickel tailpiece, bound firestripe celluloid pickguard, and Kluson tuners. C-shaped neck has a nut width of 1-3/4", 24.75" scale length, and a non-adjustable truss rod. Finishwear on the back of the neck, and uniform light fret wear - this guitar was clearly used for jazz. In excellent condition, crack-free, and completely original, this is both an interesting collector's guitar, and a great player. Set up in-shop, it plays as nicely as it looks.
With original hard shell case
SOLD
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1920 Gibson A3
Serial # 61413. This A3 has a warm and chunky oval-hole tone that fills the
room. The sweet trebles hypnotize while the bass notes deliver a knock-out
punch. It is a truly beguiling mandolin. This elegantly styled white top A3
is in beautiful condition; and, besides the replacement end pin, is all
original. Folkway has lovingly glued a small top crack, re-glued an end of
the top brace and set it up. The first three frets have been previously
replaced and this instrument is an easy and delightful mandolin to play.
Factory finish is original and in nice shape; and the instrument has an
interesting shellac top-coat on the sides (perhaps a finish touch-up done by
Gibson prior to the completion of the instrument). An inch of back binding
has pulled away in the waist more recently, and there is some minor finish
chip-out along to top's bass-side edge. Perfect top arch, original tuners
work well, nicely fit bridge, and a comfortable V neck with a 1-3/16" nut.
With its great looks, excellent tone and playability, this one is a hard
instrument to put down.
With original hard shell case
SOLD
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1967 Gibson Hummingbird
Serial # 370577. With its vibrantly un-faded cherry sunburst finish, distinctive hummingbird pickguard and pearl inlaid fingerboard and headstock, the Gibson Hummingbird is in a class of its own. This example is nearly perfect; the only blemishes are a couple of very small dings that wouldn’t otherwise catch your attention. No repairs, but the bridge is a very nice Brazilian Rosewood replacement with a drop-in bone saddle. It’s the exact footprint of the original, which will also be provided with the guitar. Neck angle and frets are spot-on, set up is perfect, and the original Kluson tuners work well. It would be hard to find a nicer hummingbird than this one.
With new deluxe hardshell case
On consignment
SOLD
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1936 Cromwell G-4
FON 973B. Cromwell guitars were built by Gibson in the 1930’s and marketed through various catalog distributors. This one has a Beare and Son, Toronto label visible through the bass-side F-hole as many of the Cromwells we encounter here in Ontario do. 16” archtop built of solid spruce and mahogany, with braced top and back. Sunburst top finish, single-bound top and back, firestripe raised pickguard, nickel tuners and tailpiece; and the white-stripe rosewood fingerboard typical of Cromwell guitars. Bridge is a 50’s replacement, nut is an aged new part made in our shop. The guitar is in excellent condition, and without cracks. Apart from a minor repair to the pickguard’s top corner the guitar has never needed repairs. Original tuners work well, original frets are unworn (it was set-up Hawaiian when we found it), and the neck relief is perfect. 30’s V shaped neck with 1-3/4” nut and 24.75” scale. A good sounding budget archtop with a lot of style.
With original chipboard case
SOLD
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1950 Gibson LG-2
FON 5224-11. A very special LG-2. Pretty much crack-free, original, and beautifully set up, if this guitar didn’t sound half as good as it does it would still be a keeper! That said, this one has the looks and the tone! Apart from some light dings and scratches and one tiny and close-to-invisible side crack this guitar pretty spotless. The nut and saddle have never been removed (still lacquered in), there are no internal repairs, and apart from the tuner buttons and the first 5 frets, there are no changed parts. Actually, even the frets are kind of original… They were salvaged from a Gibson of similar vintage in a previous refret (we keep all our old fret wire) and they match perfectly; you’d not notice they have been changed. We’ve reset the neck to the original full-height saddle, dressed the frets, and have adjusted a couple of nut slots; the guitar needs nothing further. Action of 4 to 6-64ths, typical late 1940’s neck carve with 1-11/16” nut – it plays great. Spruce and mahogany, scalloped X-braced top, small pickguard and original lacquered bridge. Open and balanced with a rich mid-range and layered overtones that are there when you want them but don’t get in the way.
With hard shell case
SOLD
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1956 Gibson LG-3
FON # V 7693-6. It has the quintessential late 1950’s LG-2 tone, a great neck, and is perfectly set up – this Gibson is sure to please. By ’56 the LG-3 featured unscalloped braces and the larger pickguard, making it a punchier and more feisty guitar than pre-’55 versions. Lead notes are very fat and loud right up the neck as a result, and this guitar packs enough headroom to really dig in with a flat-pick. The lower mids still have a woody openness, but with better articulation that those older guitars thanks to the bracing changes. Guitars like this are the reason why so many are on the hunt for affordable small-body Gibsons. Completely original but for a high-quality replacement bone nut made in our shop this guitar’s flaws are limited to a couple of repaired back cracks and some minor chipping in the headstock face adjacent to the nut (from a previous amateur nut replacement). Dings, scratches and pickwear are lightly strewn all over the instrument, but there is not any major wear anywhere on the guitar. Original frets are in good shape and show only minor pitting; neck angle is good, and there’s plenty of original saddle height left for further adjustment.
With period alligator chipboard case
SOLD
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1942 Gibson ES-300
Serial # 97420 FON 4096G-39. Upon its introduction in 1940, the ES-300 was the flagship of Gibson’s new Electric Spanish guitar line. Not many were produced though, as the War would curtail production shortly thereafter, and clean pre-war ES-300’s like this are quite rare today. This instrument is an example of Gibson’s second version of the model but apart from the pickup is virtually the same instrument (the first version featured a long, diagonal pickup). Its 17” body has a laminate arched spruce top and arched maple back and sides; Gibson designed in a pair of soundposts to help support the top. The headstock features a pearl script logo and a crown inlay – this model was the first to be outfitted with the crown – black painted rear, and individual Kluson tuners. The pickup is the predecessor to the P-90, and is a work of art in itself – with firestripe sides and a tortoiseshell top. Maple neck with a 25.5” scale, rosewood fingerboard, and pearl parallelogram inlays. The guitar is in wonderful condition throughout and quite original. The frets don’t show much playwear, and the guitar's original finish is glowingly beautiful. The pickguard has been expertly restored, and the pickup has just been rewound by Jason Lollar, whose work is undetectable. There is corrosion on the frets adjacent to the pickguard and some discoloration to the finish below. The original tuners tend to rattle at certain frequencies, and a few of the buttons have begun to corrode – we’d recommend replacing the set. All else is original and perfect. It is well set-up, has the most perfect fat / round neck you’ll ever put your hand on, and has incredible versatility. Rolling the tone off will give you that quintessential jazz tone, but leave that tone knob alone and blues and swing are the name of the game.
With original tweed lined case
SOLD
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c. 1930 Gibson L-2
The “Gold Sparkle’ or “Argentine Gray” Gibson L-2 is among the most distinctive of the pre-war flat-tops. They are also among the most rare and mysterious. This guitar has just emerged from our repair shop after having its bridge plate replaced, three braces reglued, and some set up. It is among the most lightly-built steel string guitars we’ve ever encountered (the bridge plate measured a scant .040" – more than half as thin as an L-00’s plate). The guitar’s voice is beguiling - it’s simply an awe-inspiring instrument. Enjoy the photos… and no, it’s not for sale.
SOLD
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1941 Gibson J-55
FON 2670G-11. Built only between 1939 and 1942, the J-55 is one of the more obscure Jumbo bodied Pre-War Gibsons. Not too many of these instruments seem to have been built, and as a result the model has remained fairly unknown to this day. The first of these instruments featured a moustache bridge, long scale neck and a unique “stairstep” headstock shape, but by the time this instrument was built the model featured the SJ-100’s “Bat Wing” bridge, a short scale neck, and a standard headstock with a fatter pearl logo. The 16” Jumbo 55 is the same size as a J-35 model, however a slightly larger bridgeplate, shapely pickguard, bigger and rounder bound neck, and lighter colored finish are features of the more expensive 55’s. As compared to a ‘41 J-35 the J-55 will have a more focused tone, with less thumpy basses and more even bass to treble balance. Imagine a tone somewhere between a D-18 and J-35.
This example is a lovely sounding instrument, with an almost-banner big round neck and excellent playability. It has numerous repaired cracks, but all have been attended to, and is structurally 100%. A few years back our shop was commissioned to re-repair some of those old cracks, replace a non-original oversized bridgeplate, and replace the frets. Since then the guitar has been well taken care of and remains in fine shape. Previous to Folkway, the guitar’s neck was reset, fingerboard re-bound and the finish touched-up along the neck’s edges. The body finish is completely original with clear coat added to the worn areas around the soundhole and pickguard. Bone nut and saddle, bridgepins, and tuner buttons are replacements. There is a lot of wear and patina to this guitar, and a good amount of funkiness all around but it remains perfectly viable guitar despite its bumps. Most importantly, of course, is what a guitar sounds like – and this J-55 is among the best. It’s big, bold, and balanced, well matured, and equally well suited to fingers or flatpick.
SOLD
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1954 Gibson ES-175DN
Serial # A-17871, FON X-8846-11. Guitars like this Blond ES-175D are what vintage is all about. Some of us are into old guitars for their tone, some of us wax poetic about how they feel, and some of us are into them just because they look so darn good... But ALL of us are into guitars that do it all - and that's what this box is all about. With its strong, big-sounding P-90's, well-worn neck, great patina, and vintage Bigsby tremolo this guitar is a tone monster that looks as good as it sounds. Full hollow, full depth laminate maple body with natural finish, Florentine cutaway, short-scale mahogany neck, and double parallelogram inlays define the 175. That Bigsby may have been on the guitar since new, but it may not be a factory original part as is evidenced by extra screwholes hiding under the screw-plate. Completely original wire-harness and pickups, original pickguard, knobs, and switch-tip; original bridge, and Kluson tuners. The frets and the nicely aged tuner buttons are not original; and the bridge was once pinned to the top (there are small pin-holes in the top under the bridge, and small holes in the bridge base hidden by the adjustment thumbwheels). Newer jumbo frets show some wear but play well up the neck, some minor cracks by the output jack have been repaired, and the instrument has just recently been set-up in our shop. This guitar offers some of the best P-90 tone you'll ever hear; it plays nicely, and looks oh-so-gorgeous...
With its original hard shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1930 Kel Kroydon
FON 9956. And for those of you who are looking for a more original example, this Kel is 100% stock except for a new bone saddle compliments of Folkway. Original finish throughout, nut has never been removed, original full-height bridge with original pins (and matching end pin); original frets, and tuners. X-braced Red spruce top, mahogany back and sides. Perfect neck reset, one expertly repaired top crack, one repaired back brace crack. Fret dress and setup done here. Featherweight 2 pounds, 10oz. Low C neck profile with 1-11/16" nut, and 24-3/4" scale. This is an astounding guitar, with a fullness and balance that will surprise, reward, and beguile you.
With original hard-shell case
SOLD
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1955 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop
Serial # 5 9822. An early 1955 guitar, with wrap-around stud bridge/tailpiece. For many of us, there is little better in the world than old P-90's on a Les Paul; and a few minutes with this guitar plugged in to our '57 Fender Super would make a believer out of anyone. If tone is what you're after, save big bucks and buy a refinished solidbody. Period.
Refinished beautifully by Joeseph Yanuziello earlier this year and restored here at Folkway, this guitar offers huge tone and perfect feel at a fraction of the cost of a similar Goldtop with original finish. We unfortunately do not have "before" pictures, but we'll just say that this guitar needed its new finish quite badly. Some of the plastic parts were unsalvageable thanks to the layer of white enamel paint that covered them. Suffice to say, Yanuziello is a master with his spray-gun, and the guitar looks great now. All the body edges are un-modified, the original body binding is intact, and you won't find any ugly sanding scratches under the new Nitro lacquer. Original headstock finish, Les Paul decal, and pearl Gibson logo are all intact, as is the original stamped serial number on the rear - but have been lightly oversprayed. The neck has its original fingerboard binding, inlays, frets, and nut (which has never been off). The truss rod cover is original, and the tuners are new aged replacements. No extra holes were ever drilled in the headstock. The body features a mix of original and new parts as follows: Original P-90 pickups and covers, original aluminum tailpiece and studs, original switch, 3 original knobs, 2 original pointer washers; original pots (dated late 1954), original jack, original back plates (restored), original mounting screws, original strap buttons, original pickguard mounting bracket. New Vintage Clone pickguard, switch ring and tip, jack plate; new aged knob (bridge tone), two new pointer washers, and new Luxe "Grey Tiger" capacitors. Original solder joints and wire from the switch, but much of the remainder of the guitar's braided shield wire has been replaced or spliced as it had previously been cut short. The best of what is currently available was used in the restoration of this guitar. We crackle-aged the finish, but chose to leave wearing it in to the guitar's next owner. Original pots work well, but the bridge tone control circles without stopping at 10 - it works fine, so we left it alone. The guitar weighs in at 9.25 Lbs, and the pickup DC resistances are 7.9 (neck) and 7.7 (bridge).
We have provided a large number of detail photos of this instrument in order to answer any of your questions. Please feel free to call for an in-hands description if you'd like further detailed info on any aspect of this guitar.
With new TKL hard shell case
SOLD
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1951 Gibson LG-2
FON 7900-12. An attractive small ’guard LG-2. With its scalloped braces, tapered headstock, lacquered through-saddle bridge, and smokey-dark sunburst top this small bodied Gibson exudes vintage. Nicely crazed and aged finish and not much playwear add to the guitar’s good looks, too. The neck is surprisingly modern in feel, as many were from ’51. A lower C profile than guitars a few years earlier, this instrument doesn’t make your hand have to work too hard. Neck angle is perfect, and original frets are in excellent shape, allowing for a comfortable and low set up. Nicely repaired small pickguard crack, one small repaired 2” back crack, and a few very minor side cracks (each less than 1”) but really no issues at all anywhere on this guitar. No brace repairs, which is very uncommon. Kluson Deluxe tuners are period correct, but are likely not the guitar’s originals. Really, apart from the old 50’s side-mounted coaxial output jack from a DeArmond, the guitar is in quite excellent condition.
With newer hard shell case
SOLD
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1957 Gibson ES-225T
FON U1916-26. The invention of the thinline guitar in 1955 was Gibson's way of
providing players with a light weight, feedback resistant hollow-body. To
help give the guitar further sonic definition, the solitary P90 pickup was
centrally placed between the neck and bridge, giving it what Gibson called
an "intermediate" range of tone. The guitar sounds anything but halfway,
however, with a P90 that growls the blues. Roll the tone off for a solid
round jazz tone. The guitar features a 16 inch wide laminate maple body with
a depth of 1-3/4", a pointed Florentine cut-away, 5-ply bevel-edge
pickguard, single P-90 pickup with volume and tone controls, Les Paul style
trapeze bridge/tailpiece, individual nickel Kluson Deluxe tuners (with one
replaced button), and a pearl inlaid Gibson headstock logo. This
all-original guitar is in immaculate condition, with only some minor top
coat scratches on the back and the slightest of fret wear that is hardly
worth mentioning. In fact, I suspect it would be
difficult to find a cleaner ES-225 out there. This truly beautiful example
must have been living in a closet most of its life, waiting. It has a
comfortably low set-up with action reading 6 to 4 64ths at the 12th fret.
With original chip board case.
On Consignment
SOLD
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1931 Gibson L-1
FON 80. Vintage guitars don’t come much better than this. Scoring high marks in tone, looks, and feel, this early 1930’s flat-top L-1 is close to as good as it gets. No cracks or breaks on the body, no loose or damaged braces – nothing to take away from the big, open, and balanced voice of the guitar. Overtones a plenty on this one, but nothing flabby; and unlike many smaller Gibsons the mids don’t take over the show. A great fingerpicker that really comes to life with a flatpick. The neck has recently been reset and refretted and the action is set comfortably and low. New ebony nut, bone saddle, bridge and endpins. Original finish throughout, back of the neck is worn smooth in the first position, some pickwear on either side of the fingerboard extension. The fingerboard was likely removed during the neck set (some people still do this), but you’d be hard pressed to notice that if we didn’t point it out. All-in-all, an excellent condition example – with that fantastic original raised pickguard! 24.75” scale, 1-3/4” nutwidth, round contemporary-feeling carve to the neck is quite comfortable.
With newer hard shell case
SOLD
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c. 1939 Recording King J-55
No FON. Gibson built instruments for Wards that carried the Recording King brand roughly between 1937 and 1941, and none of these instruments are more renowned than the Ray Whitley models built during that time. As the man who ordered the very first SJ-200, no one is really sure why Ray Whitley endorsed Ward rather than Gibson guitars, but he did, and the instruments carrying his signature are among the most valuable Gibsons on the vintage market today. Interestingly though, this one isn't technically a Ray Whitley model (it seems to predate them) but does have the headstock and pickguard we associate with these guitars. A cross between a J-35, J-55, and the Ward's Catalog, the guitar has a single-bound body of mahogany and Red spruce, sunburst top and dark back and sides. Large, amoebic fire-stripe Whitley pickguard with no engravings, bound rosewood fingerboard with dot markers, rosewood headstock overlay with pearl block inlay. The Recording King brand was stenciled - not engraved- onto the pearl and has since partially flaked away. Kluson tuners with black buttons, and matching black bridge pins and end-pin. Chunky V-shaped Mahogany neck, 1-3/4" nut, and 24.75" scale. Inside, you'll see an un-scalloped X-brace with a wide angle (about 108 degrees) and three unscalloped tonebars. The guitar's bridge is a replica made in our shop as the original was shaved low and cracked through the pin-holes. Our repair department has also neck-setted and refretted the guitar, fixed a b-string pickguard crack, and re-glued a 1" section of the top's centerseam. The guitar's top is in excellent shape with no other cracks. Its back is crack free with the obvious exception of an ancient repair on the lower treble bout; and the sides show a few tight / glued mini-cracks typical of old mahogany dreadnaughts. There is another ancient side repair on the lower bass bout that matches the one on the back. Nothing funny to mention on the inside with either of these two old repair jobs, and they are both non-issues from a structural point of view, so we left them alone. With the exception of the frets, bridge and saddle the guitar is completely original and un-modified. All braces and bridgeplate are original, well-glued, and intact.
The guitar's voice is clear and balanced, and its attack is immediate - almost as if it knows what you're about to play. It has a strong midrange that makes flat-picked notes have that perfect round tone; and articulate, piano-like basses. Not thuddy, or tubby like later scallop-braced J-35's or 45's, this instrument is more reminiscent of a later 1930's L-00 - but bigger, with stronger bass. And you can't argue with that. Perfectly suited for fingerstyle or flat-picking, this may become the only guitar you play.
With a period Gibson Tweed hard shell case
SOLD
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1939 Kalamazoo KH-21 Mandola
FON EK-2433. A truly rare and interesting instrument. Mandolas of any brand were uncommon in the late 1930's as the Mandolin craze was pretty much all but dead by the outbreak of WWII, and there wasn't very much call for any mandolin-family instruments; especially the C-tuned Mandola. So what a curiosity this Kalamazoo-branded instrument really is. It shares the same appointments as many Kalamazoo instruments - sunburst top finish and dark back and sides, single-bound body, bound fire-stripe pickguard, and simple tailpiece and Kluson 4-on-a-plate tuning gears. It has a braced arched top and back, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, and a bone nut. It has a small and well-repaired crack in the back that may or may not have been locally oversprayed. The repair is very attractively done and does not deter at all from the beauty of the instrument. It plays very well, and has a warm tone with lots of sustain and woodiness. There can't be too many of these instruments out there, especially in this fine condition.
With original case
SOLD
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1957 Gibson SJ LEFTY
FON U2284-11. Possibly a one-of-a-kind instrument, this ’57 Gibson Southern Jumbo is – at very least – impossibly rare. We sold this one years ago, and we’re glad to offer it again. It’s a gorgeous guitar with a perfect feel, and it offers the kind of tone most lefties have never really had a chance to experience. The guitar’s body is near-perfect; there is a very small and well-repaired crack on the bottom of the back, but no other repairs or modifications. The bridge was once slotted for a right-handed saddle, but has been ‘corrected’ since; and the frets were replaced in our shop seven or eight years ago but remain mostly unworn. An old headstock repair is the only category in which this guitar looses points, but it is structurally stable and doesn’t pose any concern to us (in all the years we’ve known this guitar it’s looked the same). It’s a loud and lively guitar, with bold trebles, rich mids, and healthy basses. A perfect vocal companion and a great strummer. We’re not giving it away, but you’ll never find another.
With deluxe hard shell case
SOLD
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1954 Gibson SJ
FON # X8096-8. Wow. It's original from the tuner buttons down to the end-pin, has its original hard shell case and rope strap; looks astounding, and plays perfectly. And, it will make you sound good. It doesn't get much better than a small-guard Southern Jumbo for many of us, and small-guard Southern Jumbos don't get much better than this one. Unmodified, save for the center-seam repair and set-up courtesy of our repair department, close to no playwear, and a perfect top-arch. Scalloped braced top, small maple bridge plate, full-height Brazilian rosewood bridge, and original frets with almost no wear. The strikes against it are minor and few in number: A small area of cat-claw scratching on the top near the end-pin, the odd ding in the finish, and stiffness in the original Kluson tuners. Set up with 5 to 7 action the saddle is on the low side, but does have a little more wiggle room left if you're looking for a fingerstyle set up. Strong projection, sweet and rich, with a tight low end, crispy highs and good clarity - pretty much what we'd hope to find in a big mahogany guitar. It's never really been played, and should open up into a tremendous guitar with a few good hours of strumming.
With original hard shell case
SOLD
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1934 Gibson L-00
FON 921. A gorgeous small-burst early L-00 that’s almost as original and clean as they come. Almost. An unfortunate fall recently left its mark on the sides of this guitar on both sides of the neck, and a less vintage-sensitive repair person repaired the cracks and over-sprayed the guitar’s shoulders. It actually doesn’t look too bad, but we would have chosen to use the opportunity to reset the neck as well. The guitar’s action is high, and a neck reset is required if you’d like to have the strings set more comfortably. The original lacquered bridge has never been modified, and we couldn’t bring ourselves to mess with such a perfect thing. The saddle is factory original; it’s never been lowered. Internally, the guitar is perfect; there are no loose braces, no modifications or repairs. The top and back are without cracks, and the original finish looks almost new, save for some crazing. Tuners, nut, frets – they are all unworn. Really, with the exception of 4 bridgepins and the aforementioned crack repairs this guitar is the best preserved L-00 we’ve ever seen. Even its original case is in great shape. It’s a big and bold guitar that’s aching to be played.
On Consignment
SOLD
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1936c. Gibson TG-00
FON is illegible, but may be 43?-2. The 4 string counterpart to the venerable L-00, the TG-00 shares the same body and bracing as its 6 string brother, but is fitted with a 22.75" scale tenor neck and a wee 4 string bridge. It is a well-used guitar with many scratches and dents in its original finish, but is in remarkably fine condition otherwise. A few repaired hairline cracks on the back but no top or side cracks to mention. Our repair department glued a few back brace ends, plugged numerous screw-holes left from various replacement tuners through the years, fitted aged 50's style Klusons and new period-correct bridge pins, and set the instrument up in our favorite Tenor tuning - low E, with .016 - .054 strings. The set up is just right, and the guitar plays beautifully and rewardingly. Neck is true, and the original frets are in very useable shape. Original tuner bushings, nut, saddle, and end-pin. Keen eyes will notice that this guitar has a three piece top - something we see fairly regularly on L-00 models of this era. The guitar's voice is breathtaking at worst; you'll have a hard time putting this instrument down.
With original chipboard case
SOLD
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c.1932 Gibson L-00
FON 328. The L-00 took on many different looks during its production run, but none are more striking than the white-on-black versions of the early 1930's. This is a 1932 or 1933 instrument, and exhibits some interesting evolutionary features of the L-00. It's an all-mahogany 12-fretter, with early style bridge, silkscreen logo, and early 2-ply rosewood fingerboard. The braces are tall, thin, and unscalloped, and the bridge plate is petite and thin. The workmanship on Gibson guitars from this era is excellent, and the top's arch and bracing are in excellent shape. Although this was Gibson's least expensive flattop in '33 it is an astonishing instrument whose looks are only exceeded by its tone. This is a thick and rich guitar, with very full and expressive mids and highs, a dry woody bass, and a hint of sparkle thanks to that mahogany top. It has a complex voice, and a colorful harmonic palette. (how's that for a description?!). Do I like this one? Yes, quite a lot.
In excellent shape overall, this L-00 is crack-free and plays perfectly. It has recently had a neck reset, its fingerboard re-glued, a replacement bridge made, a few back brace ends glued, and the first 3 frets replaced. As the 13thfret has never been out we suspect that the luthier who reset the guitar's neck removed the entire fingerboard to access the dovetail joint. In our repair shop the finish along the edge of the neck and fingerboard was lightly touched up, and this repair is now largely unnoticeable. The bridge, saddle, and nut are accurate replicas of the originals, care of Folkway. Finally, four small tailpiece holes have been filled and very nicely concealed with touch-up. The guitar presents beautifully, and the aforementioned repairs all fade from consciousness within five minutes of holding this guitar. Set up with a somewhat low action of 5 to 6 64ths and 12-54 strings, this guitar is ready for anything you'll want to play. Truly a remarkable instrument in every way.
With 1940's chipboard case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1940 J-35
FON #1464F. Let me start by saying that, as good as our pictures are,
they're sometimes just not good enough. The photos of this 1940 Gibson J-35
do not do this instrument justice. The top has some minor dings and
scratches, but these seem to have been excessively highlighted by the
diffuse light we use in our photo studio. Now for the good stuff...
This Gibson J-35 was built in 1940, and purchased new in 1941 by the
Grandfather of a gentleman from Rochester, NY who just recently sold us this
guitar. This instrument was well cared for by its three generations of
owners, as the condition of it attests. It is in wonderful shape, with
only one tiny (and repaired) crack on the bass side lower-bout of the top,
adjacent to the binding. The original lacquered Brazilian rosewood bridge
is full thickness. The finish is in great shape, very thin, with only mild
crazing. The original frets show only minor wear; and the nut, saddle,
bridge pins and endpin are all original. The original tuners have replaced
buttons. There are no interior repairs, no loose braces, no water damage,
and no excessive top deflection. It is an exceptionally fine no-issues
example. The neck is quite large - small hands will have a hard time with
this one - and the action (at 5/64 treble and 9/64 bass) is high on the bass
side. We simply don't shave bridges, and we've left the option to reset the
neck up to the next owner as certain collectors would prefer to have such a
fine specimen in its un-repaired and original condition. Nut width of 1
11/16", one piece mahogany neck with adjustable truss rod. Adirondack Red
spruce top and bracing; double un-scalloped tone-bars. Gorgeous fire-stripe
pickguard and no pickguard crack. It is a thunderously loud guitar, hugely
resonant, and well balanced. You feel the back vibrate with each note you
play. This guitar exemplifies why so many players want J-35 Gibsons. It
will not disappoint.
SOLD
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1964 Gibson ES-330TD
Serial #174813. Here is a beautiful example of a Gibson 'burst thin-line. The Gibson ES-330 has much of the same aesthetic styling as the 335, but it has P90 pickups instead of Humbuckers and is without the wooden center block of the 335. Those differences create a resonant and versatile guitar in the 330's. The deep, defined mellow basses of the neck pickup are perfectly suited for the Jazz festival circuit. Conversely, the inherent cutting snarl of the bridge P90 will liven up any Country Blues set. The 1-5/8" nut and comfortable neck help make this guitar a joy to play. It has been professionally set up in shop with action of 4 to 5-64ths at the 12th fret. At some point its upper frets were replaced, and there is some minor fret wear in the first positions. With replaced tuners and some minor buckle rash, this otherwise pristine 330 is an opportunity for players to own an icon. It even comes with its original hang tags!
With hard shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1921 Gibson F-4
Among the finest instruments we have ever had the pleasure of offering for
sale is this Gibson F-4 mandolin. Instruments with this tone quality are
rarely this clean. Absolutely original and nearly unplayed, even the
original frets are like new. The case is that clean, too! The vivid
sunburst is completely unfaded and the subtly flamed maple seems to light up
from inside. In pictures these style 4's can look a little garish, in
person, everyone who has seen this instrument has dropped their jaw. This
was the top of the line when it was made in 1921; the very next year the F-5
usurped that role. Personally, (cash aside!) I'd take this over an F-5, and
this is pretty much the holy grail for anyone who doesn't play bluegrass. We
repaired a clean "Bill Monroe" crack on the headstock scroll, and a loose
end on the single interior brace. I'm glad to report there is no top
sinkage, and the crack is all but invisible now, with no finish touch up.
This is indeed one of the very best sounding mandolins I have ever played:
loud, rich and full, lots of sustain, no mushiness and a big warm bottom
end.
SOLD
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1939 Gibson / Cromwell G4
FON EC-351. This 16" archtop, similar to the Kalamazoo KG-31 and the Gibson L-50, features a solid spruce arched top and a braced arched Mahogany back. The Cromwell brand was built by Gibson and distributed by a few mail-order stores from 1935 until 1939. The Gibson budget brand has become famous for their flashy Deco fingerboard ornamentation and cool looks. This instrument features a sunburst top, elevated firestripe pickguard, single-bound body and fingerboard, and nickel tailpiece. It has a comfortable V neck with a 1-3/4" nut width and Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. Original everything, and in excellent condition. The guitar plays very well thanks to a fine setup and good original frets. All of us here like the way it sounds, too - it's loud and punchy, but has a warmth not usually found in less-pricey archtops.
With deluxe hardshell case
On consignment
SOLD
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1947 Gibson LG-2
FON 648-4. Amongst the very first instruments to leave Kalamazoo with the then-new "Modernized" logo, this guitar was likely completed in late 1946 or early 1947. The new logo required a little less room than the "Script" logo it was replacing, and we suspect that Gibson moved the tuning machines about a 16th of an inch away from the nut to accommodate this difference in size. This change would have happened sometime after this guitar was built; and as a result, you'll notice that this guitar's logo appears mis-located, when in fact there was simply more space for it to occupy on the headstock. We find that kind of stuff interesting.
A gorgeous guitar, this LG-2 doesn't have a single crack and is completely original. It has a rich reddy-brown sunburst finish that's developed a wonderfully vintage patina over the years. With scalloped X bracing, very light weight, and a wide-grained top it's no wonder it sounds as good as it does, but this guitar has something extra-special in its voice too. Airiness, warmth, woodiness - any of these are good descriptors. It's not the loudest LG-2 out there, but it definitely does what it does well. Single-bound body, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, original nut, saddle, tuners, pins, and frets. Very little fret wear, nicely set-up in shop to standard 5 - 7 64ths action. Full height bridge, but no more room on the saddle to lower the action further. Comfortably round neck with 1-11/16" nut width. A special guitar.
With original chipboard case
SOLD
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1930 Gibson L-1
FON 9569. Introduced in '26, the original L-1 (with its small 13-1/2" body, wide V-neck, and H-bracing) has become famous due to its association with mythically legendary bluesman Robert Johnson. By 1929, the L-1's body size was increased to the L-2's 14-3/4" width, and X-bracing replaced the tubby-sounding H bracing. These new L-1's were built exceptionally lightly, with ultra-thin top, backs, and sides, thin braces and tiny maple bridge plates. They sounded great thanks to this light construction; but, unfortunately few have survived in playable condition to this day. The heavy
steel strings of the era took their toll on the lightly built tops, and most of the early 1930's L series guitars (0's, 1's and 2's) we come across today have been heavily (and often badly) repaired as a result. We offer here a guitar that has survived the years wonderfully, without warpage, damage, cracks or playwear. It's a guitar that is truly in "Collector Condition," and one that plays as effortlessly as it is beautiful.
Red spruce top, mahogany back and sides, bound in a single layer of white celluloid, with a rich tobacco sunburst finished top and Sheraton brown back and sides. Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, "The Gibson" headstock logo, three-on-a-plate tuners with white buttons, C shaped 12 fret neck with
a 1-3/4" ebony nut and 24.75"scale length. Straight tapered braces, mahogany neck block and poplar tail block, maple bridge plate, mahogany kerfed linings, and gauze side reinforcements. Original frets, bridge pins, endpin, tuning machines, and thin lacquer finish. We have recently completed a neck reset and set-up on this instrument; its action measures 5 to 6 64ths at the
12th fret.
Tonally, this guitar is among the best of them. Its light weight, age, and flawless condition work together to offer up a vintage Gibson voice that is rich in harmonic overtone, open and woody, with well developed tonal response across the musical spectrum. It is less boxy and mid-range heavy
than later L-00's and LG-2's, but fatter and more punchy than a similarly aged Martin 00-18, and strikes a nice balance between the three aforementioned instruments. While this L-1 is best suited for fingerstyle playing, few of you won't find any reason to not love this guitar.
Sold with its original semi-hardshell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1944c. Gibson J-45
FON 335-26. A perfectly preserved mahogany top Banner, from the late-war period. The guitar is in tip-top shape, its only scar being chipped out finish in front of the bridge. We've neck setted the instrument, glued a few loose braces, reglued the bridge, dressed the original frets, and set it up. It is completely original, including saddle and bridge-pins. Huge Banner tone, with added crispness, sparkle, and snap thanks to the mahogany top. Like many late Banner models, the guitar was built with a bookmatched top, and single-piece back; it has a 5-ply maple neck, with a manageable shape, truss-rod, 1-3/4" nut, and bean-wood fingerboard. Poplar neck and tail blocks, bean-wood bridge, black bridge and end pins, tortoise-pattern pickguard and two-tone sunburst finish. No cracks. Some lacquer crazing, but otherwise a new-looking 60+ year old finish. It's too bad we're in the business of selling guitars... this one's a keeper.
With newer hardshell case
On consignment
SOLD
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1934 Gibson Nick Lucas Special
This guitar was recently in for bridge regluing and re-profiling, a new
saddle, and set up. It's a lovely and original '34 Nick Lucas with a 14
fret neck and maple back and sides. Apart from some minor finish touchup
around the bridge from a previous reglue and a repaired back crack this
guitar is unaltered and just lovely. It's a shame not more of these
instruments were built; let's just say that there is a good reason for all
the fuss!
Sorry, not for sale.
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1922 Gibson TB
FON 11513-12. A warm and expressive instrument, the tone of this early TB is particularly irresistible. It's almost as simple a banjo as you could ask for, with the exception of its dowel-stick and coordinator rod set up, but it sounds like a million bucks. 10-1/2" head; 18 fret, 22" scale length neck, ebony fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, maple neck and tone-rim, and geared tuners. The tailpiece, bridge, and head are new (original bridge and broken tailpiece supplied), and the rest of the instrument is original and in excellent condition. Excellent set up, nice frets, and a good neck angle.
With original hard shell case
SOLD
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1956 Gibson ES-125 LEFTY
FON V5966-6. Here's a rare and exciting opportunity for our left-handed customers. Factory left-handed, and in stunning MINT condition, this guitar has definitely benefited by being unplayable to the average right-handed
guitarist! No modifications, no issues, no scratches, no fretwear... we can find absolutely no flaws or faults on this guitar other than a couple of insignificantly small dings, and new replica tuner buttons. Completely
original and beautifully set up, this will certainly be among the highlights of any lefty's collection. 16" wide maple laminate body, single P-90 pickup, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and lefty compensated bridge,
original Kluson tuners. 24.9" scale, 50's Gibson neck with original bone nut and 1-11/16" nut. Blues or Jazz are what this guitar loves to play, but we're sure you'll find ample versatility in the instrument's tone. Original
hang tag is included, as well as the original alligator brown case.
On Consignment
SOLD
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1949 Gibson L-50
No FON. Based on the bound tortoiseshell pickguard, modern logo, and neck-profile, we're guessing this L-50 to have been built in 1949 or '49.
It's a great looking and super-clean vintage arch-top, with a carved spruce top and carved figured maple back. Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with
pearl dots, and matching rosewood bridge. The guitar is completely original but for its tuners - they're 1950's Klusons with original buttons. Lacquer
finish is really quite gorgeous, and apart for a little bit of pickwear above the fingerboard extension, it's nearly perfect. Nice frets, and well set up.
With period hard shell case
SOLD
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1934 Gibson L-1
FON 612. Probably the most nicely preserved L-body Gibson we have ever offered for sale, this 1934 L-1 is in near-mint condition. An under-the-bed special, the instrument shows close to no play wear and is completely original, including case. No cracks, no loose braces. Full-height original bridge has been professionally reglued, and the original saddle was re-cut and compensated for modern playability. The guitar's original lacquer finish is glossy and free of all but the slightest dings; although there are some noticeable crazing lines, primarily on the top. A spot of finish wear is evident on the back of the neck in the first position, and we French-polished a small area on the back of the headstock where a minor split in the mahogany grain had appeared due to an excessively tightened truss-rod. It's a nice repair, and not at all noticeable. Very nicely set up with standard action, and ample saddle height to go lower. The guitar's original frets show only very slight wear in the first position and lie true. Very comfortable mid 1930's V-profile neck with 1-3/4" wide (original) bone nut. Mahogany back and sides, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge. Original tuners, white bridge pins, and white end pin. Absolutely gorgeous small-center tobacco-sunburst top finish, bound top and back (L-1's from '34 have a bound back, otherwise identical L-00's have an unbound back), silkscreened Gibson script headstock logo. A very fine sounding guitar, with volume and punch.
With original case
On consignment
SOLD
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1951 Gibson J-185
FON 9731-5, Serial # illegible. Introduced in 1951 only to be discontinued seven years later, the J-185 has achieved near mythical status in the vintage guitar world. A total of 918 J-185's were built in that period (sunburst and natural) - far fewer than the 2500 or so J-35's out there, and a small fraction of the 20,000 or so J-45's and J-50's produced during the same years. 918 instruments might sound like a lot, but that number equals about half of the total production of original Sunburst Les Paul Standards. Rare and desirable are two words that most definitely describe the J-185 model.
The guitar's factory order number dates to 1951; the original label is partly missing and we can only guess at the serial number. The numbers 143 are legible, but don't really offer any help in dating the guitar. Regardless, it was at least begun in 1951. Completely original with the exception of its endpin, this 185 has survived the years nicely. It has one nicely repaired top crack running from about the A-string bridge-pin hole south to the body's edge; and a pair of repaired pickguard cracks. There is an older repaired side crack of about 3" in length on the bass-side waist; and the upper part of the back's center seam has been reglued. We suspect the guitar's neck was reset - possibly by Gibson - some time ago, as the finish is slightly chipped away around the heel of the neck (shown in the photos provided). The instrument arrived here with a loose bridge and a few loose back braces, all of which have been properly tended to. Original gold Kluson tuners, nut, frets, saddle, bridgepins. Like all Gibson flat tops built before 1955, this guitar's top braces are scalloped - a nice plus. Original finish shows typical heavy crazing but is in nice shape otherwise; there is not very much playwear to report on. Very nicely set up with standard 5-7 64ths action. Solid maple back and sides, Sitka spruce top, bound Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with double parallelogram inlays, Brazilian rosewood bridge with pearl Maltese Cross inlays. 1-11/16" wide nut, 24.75" scale, round 1950's profile neck. This guitar is beautiful to look at, and wonderful to play. It's small-jumbo 16" wide body is a perfect size for both comfort and tone, and coupled with its light bracing and solid maple back and sides provides a tone unlike anything else in vintage guitars.
With original hard shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1946 Gibson LG-2
No FON. With its script logo, 1-3/4" nut, and warm sunburst this '46 LG-2 is a lot more like a Banner model than a later 1940's instrument. A one owner guitar in excellent condition, this LG-2 has developed a deliciously sweet tone from the years of cowboy chords. Rich harmonic overtones color every note this guitar has to offer, and the trebles and mids are complex, full, and meaty. The bass end is reserved, making this guitar an ideal choice for those of you who play primarily fingerstyle, or are on the hunt for that perfect recording studio Gibson. The guitar has no cracks, but has had its top's center-seam nicely relgued. The tuners are new Gotohs, nicely aged, and a small maple patch has been added to the original bridgeplate. The repairs were all done in our shop. The guitar has no other issues and is structurally perfect. Original bone nut and saddle, original frets show wear in the first position, new bridge pins and end pin. Good neck angle, nicely set up, and there is still some room left on the saddle to lower the action further if desired. A recent photograph of the guitar's first owner - guitar in hand - will be included with the instrument.
With original chipboard case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1966 Gibson ES-335TD
Serial # 855140. This one is a knock-out, folks. Vibrant and un-faded cherry finish, near-mint condition, and completely original but for perfect new frets and a bone nut; this 335 is both a player's and collector's dream axe. Pots and serial number date 1966; patent # pickups (neck is missing decal), with DC resistances of 7.3 (neck) and 7.9 (bridge). Very resonant and light weight, this guitar is a great sounding 8.2 pound machine. Original double-line double-ring Kluson tuners work well, as do pots and switch. Fast neck, with nut-width of 1-9/16". If you're in the market for a collector-grade instrument, this might just be the one.
With original hard shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1967 Gibson ES-345 Burgundy
Serial # 050503. Just like the '66 ES-335 above, this is another rare Sparkling Burgundy Gibson; this time a Stereo Varitone 345 in excellent
condition. No history lesson here, folks. We've covered it all with the '61 345 and the '66 335, above. This guitar is straight-up, except for new
Kluson tuners and the holes left behind when the Grovers were taken off. Professional refret, nice set up, fast neck with a nut of 1-9/16". Pickups
read 7.5 (b) and 7.2 (n), and the guitar weighs in at 8.75 pounds. There is some minor buckle wear on the back, and a bit of finish worn through on the
neck. A nice example of what Gibson was occasionally up to the year The Beach Boys single "Good Vibrations" was at the top of the charts.
With non-original hard shell case
On consignment
SOLD
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1961 Gibson ES-345TD
Serial # 37127. Introduced in 1959 and heralded by Gibson as their new "Stereo Guitar," the ES-345 was the first Varitone-equipped instrument in the Gibson line. This example is one of only 223 cherry 345's made in 1961, and is among the esteemed group of early 345's to be equipped with original P.A.F. humbuckers, and stop tailpiece (most of them came equipped with tremolo systems). It's a fabulous sounding guitar, with PAF pickup resistances of 7.8 in the neck 7.6 in the bridge. Nicely set up in-shop, the guitar has minor fretwear and shows mild scalloping between the frets from an earlier fret-dress. Gorgeous unfaded cherry finish appears completely original, however under black light a belt-rash touchup on the back becomes noticeable, and we suspect the entire back to have been over-sprayed. The back of the neck (but not the headstock face) has been professionally refinished as well. Apart from the Gold Grover tuners the guitar is completely original. Comfortable and fast '61 neck profile with a nut that's a shade wider than 1-5/8"; 8.6 pounds total weight.
With original hard shell case
On consignment
SOLD
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1955 Gibson GS-2
FON V6230-9. A guitar every Gibson collector needs to really round out their collection! This is a rare guitar - shipping totals for the GS-2 indicate only 177 were ever built, 32 of these in 1955. It's a bit of an odd bird, sure, but it certainly is a cool one! LG-sized body of solid flamed maple and spruce, fan braced, with a 25.5" scale neck, slotted headstock, flat fingerboard, and a 2" wide nut. The guitar is in gorgeous original condition, with no cracks or playwear. We've replaced the tuner buttons, but the guitar is otherwise as straight-up as they come.
With period case
SOLD
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1948 Gibson BR-6
FON 1409. The BR-6 lap steel was introduced shortly after the end of WWII, and remained in production until 1959. The solid mahogany instrument features a square neck, bound top, a Lucite pickup cover under-painted gold, gold painted fretboard, and a subtle sunburst top finish. This late 1940's instrument it outfitted with first-generation "Pat. Appld." Kluson tuners, first-generation numberless speed knobs, and a first-generation P-90 pickup. Apart from the tuner buttons, this steel is completely original and in excellent working order. There is some minor tape scarring on the fingerboard and a light smattering of dings and dents, but the instrument presents nicely and is quite a lovely example.
With original hard shell case
SOLD
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C. 1938 to '42 LG-2 Prototype
FON 710. Almost certainly a prototype LG-2, this is a most interesting instrument: Imagine a mini-J-35, with features indicative of both the pre-war L-00 and post war LG-2. Gibson's shop records were notoriously terrible during that era, making our research into the what and when of this instrument a very difficult task; but after much forensic investigation and discussion with other leaders in our field, we're confident in what we present below. The LG-2 was introduced in 1942. It featured the body shape pioneered with the GS-35 and GS-85 classical guitars built between '38 and '42, but with an X-braced top, and steel string neck. The scalloped bracing was slightly more robust than that of the L-00, and the neck was carved into a round profile and had a fatter, squatter heel. Its headstock, too, differed; with curved edges versus the straight edged look of earlier Gibsons. The new LG-2 received a smaller tear-shaped pickguard, a sunburst top, and dark Sheraton-brown back and sides with top and back bindings to match its big brother J-45. From around late 1946 onward the modernized logo seen on this guitar was used regularly. When looking at this instrument, it is immediately obvious that it's not completely an LG-2 - but it's certainly no L-00 either! Have a good look at the photos and see if you can spot the various L-00 and LG-2 characteristics. The entire neck, pre-war truss rod, pickguard, two-piece bookmatched back, lighter sides and back finish, and lack of back binding are L-00 features. The bridge, sunburst top finish, and bracing are 40's LG-2. The tuners were installed here, and cannot be used to date the guitar. To further the mystery of this guitar, the underside of the truss rod cover is etched with (presumably) the original owner's name and address, and a date of July 27th 1939. The guitar's finish is original, the neck has never been removed, and with the exception of the tuners no parts have been changed. The bridge was loose when the guitar arrived to our shop, it appeared to have been glued back more than once before; but there was no evidence of another bridge ever being on the instrument. There are two possible scenarios to explain this guitar: Either it was built in 1938, and sent back to the factory in the late 1940's where its top and headstock were refinished and a new logo applied (we really don't see any evidence of refinish); or the guitar was started in 1938 (as the FON suggests), worked on again sometime around '42 when the LG-2 went into production, and finally finished in '47 - in which case the truss-rod cover may have been a transplant from another instrument, or perhaps indicate a birthdate. Either way you choose to look at it this must be a prototype LG-2, and probably the first steel-string guitar with this body shape. It looks a lot more like a J-35 than an L-00, and might have been a design that Gibson was experimenting with before their big redesign of 1942.
The guitar has been well used, but is in fine structural condition. There is only one crack on the guitar - on the uppermost bass side, although there are many scratches, dents, and pickwear. The bridge plate is an exact replica that was made here (original included in sale), and the bridge has been reglued a couple of times, most recently by us. We re-repaired a few brace ends that had wiggled loose of their old glue, and made a new bone saddle for it when we set it up. The bridge pins are nice vintage-style replacements too. The original frets have good height left, but there is a rise in the fingerboard tongue that causes some buzzing on the bass strings up past the 12th fret. The guitar plays well, with comfortable action. It is a very open and woody sounding instrument, with a little less mid-range honk than most LG-2's. And, best yet, the pre-war L-00 neck has that super comfortable V-shaped profile, so you don't need to struggle with a baseball-bat-sized banner neck. Even if it weren't an historically important guitar, this Mini J-35 is a highly desirable instrument based on its own merits of tone and feel.
With new deluxe hard shell case
SOLD
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1946 Gibson ES-150
No FON. A very early P-90 equipped Gibson, and one of the earliest 17" ES-150's you'll encounter. The early post-war 150's featured a laminate maple body, single bound in white; and unbound rosewood fingerboard with simple dot inlays, individual tuners, and a long 25.5" scale length. Keen eyes will also notice this guitar's original tall, numberless, first-generation speed knobs. An old neck set and associated side-crack repair keep this great sounding jazz box's price low, but don't hurt its tone one bit. Tailpeice and tuner buttons are replacements; original frets are worn in the first position but are quite useable except at the 13th fret where notes buzz out noticeably; avoid playing in F, I guess. Great feeling late 40's neck, with 1-11/16" nut width, and original finished-in nut. Original adjustable bridge, wire harness, and all finish. With a bit of fretwork this guitar will be an excellent player; but is being offered AS-IS
With original hard shell case.
On Consignment
SOLD
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1966 Gibson ES-335 Burgundy
Serial # 858135. Gibson first began offering Custom Color options to its electric guitars with the Firebird in the early 1960's. By the mid 1960's
custom-colored verions of most Gibson electric models became available, and "Sparkling Burgundy" showed up on the scene in 1965. If you're tired of
all those cherry 335's from the 1960's, this might tempt your fancy. Completely original and in nice shape, the only faults we were able to find
with this guitar are changed strap buttons and evidence of other Kluson-style tuners under the footprints of those currently on the guitar.
There is the usual finish crazing, some significant wear to the back of the neck, and some minor dings here and there, but nothing too unsightly to tell
you about. Nice in-shop set up, light 7.8 pound weight, and PU resistances of 7.6 (b) and 7.4 (n) kOhms. Round C-profile neck with a 1-9-16" nut,
excellent tone.
With original hard shell case
On consignment
SOLD
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1959 Gibson J-50
FON S8398-20. Completely original, intact, and gorgeous, this J-50 is a closet special. No repairs aside from a glued pickguard crack - even those
tuner buttons are original! Not much else to tell you here. it's a beautiful J-50 in beautiful condition, with excellent tone. Great neck, no
fretwear or finish wear, and fairly normal crazing to the lacquer. Nicely set-up in shop.
With hard shell case
SOLD
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1954 Gibson J-50
FON X9049-13. Tone, tone, and more tone. Pre 1955 small guard Gibsons are where it's at if you're into J-45's and 50's, and this '54 is no exception
to that rule. Scalloped braces, well defined top arch, chunky round neck, and small bridge and plate help make this one sound so good, and 55 years of
good vibrations ice off this particular cake just right. One tight and well-repaired top crack to tell you about, otherwise this guitar is as
straight as they get. No other repairs, no loose braces to glue, no changed parts. Nicely set up in shop, this guitar plays well with standard 5 to 7
action. Its original frets are in good shape as well, with just minor wear in the cowboy position. Original kluson no-line tuners still have their
original buttons (it does happen sometimes), and the guitar's nut, saddle, bridgepins and endpin are all factory parts. There is a normal degree of
finish crazing and a light dose of scratches and dents here and there, and the overall vibe of this one is that of a gently used and well respected
instrument. A fine J-50.
With original Gibson hard shell case
SOLD
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1930 Gibson PG-0
FON 9929. An interesting Plectrum L-body Gibson from the first era of Gibson's X-braced flat-tops. This guitar closely resembles the 1930 - 31 L-0's we've seen, with the exception of fingerboard biding and elevated pickguard reminiscent of the L-2 model; and - of course - its long scale 4 string neck. A spectacular instrument, this PG-0 is in remarkably fine condition, plays well, and has a tone that will take your breath away. There is nothing quite like an early 1930's Gibson flat top; never since has the company built instruments as light and delicate as those built between '29 and '32. With its combination of long scale (26.4"), mahogany top and back, and X bracing, the notes leap from this guitar with piano-like clarity and ring. It's transcendental and beguiling.
No cracks or repairs and just minor finish scuffing here and there. Light to moderate fretwear, and well set-up in our shop. Action of 6 to 7 64ths at the 12 fret. We have the instrument low-strung and tuned in fifths with an E in the bass, but will gladly set it up with tradition Plectrum gauging and tuning, should you desire.
With original chipboard case
SOLD
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1924 Gibson Tenor Lute
Serial # 76700, FON 11172A. Definitely a curiosity of the Loar era, the Tenor Lute was offered between 1924 and 1926, although all known examples bear 1924 serial numbers. The Tenor Lute has the distinction of being the only Master Model-labeled instrument that was not part of the Style 5 line and it does not bear a Lloyd Loar signature label. Its F holes and elevated fingerboard are Style 5 features, but that's where Loar's improvements end. The Tenor Lute has a Mandola body with carved spruce top and carved birch back and sides. Its maple neck is akin to that of a Style 3 banjo, complete with Moccasin headstock, dot-neck ebony 24 fret fingerboard and 20-3/4" scale length. The instrument is in excellent condition and has no cracks, separations, or top sinkage. Its pickguard is missing, but it is otherwise completely original. Grover G-82 tuners are in good working order, fingerboard and frets are level, and it plays very nicely after being set-up in shop. We have replaced the original bridge with a better sounding ebony adjustable unit, but will include the original with the instrument. Tuned to G Octave Mandolin tuning, the instrument has a lovely tone. Its body is too small to produce a great deal of bass response, but the trebles are certainly nice to listen to! Imagine an octave mandolin with only 4 strings, and you'll have an idea of the Tenor Lute's tone. Among the rarest of Gibson's 1920's Mandolins, very few Tenor Lutes are known to exist. Here is a chance to round up your Master Model collection!
With original hard shell case
SOLD
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1961 Gibson Hummingbird
Serial # 18380. Introduced in 1960, the Hummingbird was Gibson's first new flat-top design since the J-185 a decade earlier and their first square-shouldered acoustic. It was second only to the J-200 in the price-list and was dressed up with a cherry sunburst finish, pearl fingerboard inlays and headstock décor, gold Kluson tuners, and -- most notably -- its iconic pickguard. A few early 'birds were built with maple back and sides, and some had short-scale necks; but most were just like this one with mahogany back and sides and a long scale neck. 156 Hummingbirds shipped in 1960, that figure jumping to 595 in 1961 thanks to the immediate popularity of the model. These early hummingbirds - like all Gibson acoustics - differ significantly from those built after 1964. Their top's bracing was still light, bridge plates were still small and single-ply, and their headstocks were pitched at 17, rather than 14 degrees. These were great flat-tops, and became well-anchored as the flagship of the company's acoustic lineup.
Mahogany back and sides, Sitka top, bound Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with split parallelogram inlays, multilayered body bindings, original nut and tuners. One old repaired back crack on the lower left bout adjacent to a section of reglued binding; pickguard crack nicely repaired. Repaired quarter-sized impact on upper treble bout (pictured below). New Brazilian rosewood replacement bridge with drop-in bone saddle, and new maple bridgeplate. The pickguard, bridge, and plate were repaired here at Folkway. The original maple bridge plate and adjustable bridge will be included with the instrument. The bridge had been previously reglued poorly which necessitated a slightly oversize replacement in the fix. To finish it off, we replaced the first 5 frets and set up the instrument. It is now structurally perfect, and in great playing condition; and, it's a ridiculously good sounding guitar to boot. Standard 5 to 7 64ths action, 25.4" scale, and 1-11/16" wide nut.
With original hard shell case
SOLD
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1946 Gibson LG-2
No FON. A lovely script logo LG-2 from right here in Guelph. A one owner guitar, this Gibson was treated well throughout its life and has matured into a very fine vintage instrument. Lots of openness in its voice, even balance, and plenty of that organic, mossy, roundness that these early LG-2's are famous for. It's not so much a punchy and loud one as it is rich and tempered - and like many LG-2's this guitar responds well to thumpy fingerstyle a la Mississippi John Hurt, but maintains its definition well at any volume. There are lots of overtones to get lost in, which is what we all love about a good LG-2 around here, and the body size and neck shape combine to make this a guitar that literally is very hard to put down. In our shop a very minor crack at the end-pin was expertly repaired, and we replaced the disintegrated bridge pins and tuner buttons with our best stuff. The bass side tuners are not original, but are of about the same age as the originals. No top or back cracks, no braces repaired or in need of attention. Original nut and saddle have never been removed, and the guitar's original frets are in fine shape with pitting only in the first position. Original finish is quite clean and shows significantly less wear than you'd expect on a 60+ year old. Comfortable post-war 1-11/16" wide nut, C-shaped neck. Action of 5 to 7 64ths with close to full saddle height available for future adjustment.
With original soft shell case
SOLD
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1924 Gibson A-Jr Snakehead
Serial # 77035, FON 11185A. A particularly interesting Loar Era A-JR thanks to its unique factory original light brown finish. Most Jr's were finished with a dark brown stain, however a few examples such as this one have surfaced over the years. It seems that for a short while in 1924, possibly coinciding with the switch from birch to maple, Gibson used a stain which nicely complimented the figure of the wood. The Jr. was Gibson's most affordable mandolin at that time, similar to an A- but without top binding or rosette, and with a simple clamshell tailpiece. This example is completely original, but is unfortunately without its pickguard. It is very playable, and nicely set up; nice top arch, full height bridge, and good neck angle. This mandolin has the volume and cut you'd expect from a maple instrument, but maintains the warmth you generally associate with oval hole Gibsons. Its back center seam was professionally re-glued, and a few inches of back / side separation have been properly dealt with as well. Just a little playwear to the finish on the back of the neck and left of the bridge.
With newer hard shell case
On consignment
SOLD
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1965 Gibson RB-250
Serial # 533140. Introduced in 1954, the RB-250 went on to become the
best-selling banjo Gibson ever produced. There were a great many variants
of this model through the years, but the most notable changes occurred in
1969 with the redesign to a fiddle-shaped headstock, 2 piece flange, and
different fingerboard inlays. This particular example is likely a
mid-1960's instrument and features a 40 hole flathead tonering, 1/2 rim,
double co-ordinator rods, bowtie inlays, dove-wing peghead, bound ebony
fingerboard, four-screw resonator attachment, and Kluson tuners. It's in
excellent condition and is set up well. Spikes at frets 7, 8, 10. Very
fine sound.
With newer hard shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1967 Epiphone Cortez
Serial # 100079. The FT-45 Cortez was the Epiphone-branded version of
Gibson's LG-3. It's an X-braced small-bodied flat-top with a spruce top,
mahogany back and sides, one-piece mahogany neck, Brazilian rosewood
fingerboard and adjustable bridge. White body bindings, tortoise celluloid
pickguard with epsilon emblem, and Kluson "double-line" tuning machines.
Like all Gibson acoustics from this era, the neck is very small - measuring
1-9/16" at the nut. It feels like an electric guitar in your hand. This
guitar is in remarkably fine condition, and has been well set up in our
shop.
With hard shell case
SOLD
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1939 Kalamazoo KG-31
FON 2446. A great looking vintage Gibson Kalamazoo jazz box from the late 1930's. Spruce top, mahogany back and sides. Sunburst finished on all sides, with single-ply binding throughout. Gorgeous bound fire stripe pickguard adds huge pizzazz to this already cool guitar. Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, nickel tailpiece, Kluson tuners. With the exception of one tuner-button, one tuner-gear, and one tuner screw (each on different tuners) and a two inch splice of fingerboard binding by the nut on the treble side of the neck, this instrument is completely intact. Neck and frets are in excellent condition, and playability is spot-on. No cracks, no issues. Typical 1930's Gibson neck with V profile and 1-3/4" nut width.
With 1950's alligator chip-board case.
SOLD
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1959 Gibson J-45
FON # S7825-23. A strong J-45, with good looks and fine playability. Its
original adjustable bridge was cracked in a couple places so we opted to
replace it with a Brazilian rosewood vintage-replica drop-in-saddle bridge.
It's the same footprint as the original, looks right, and made the guitar
come alive. Original small maple bridge plate is in excellent condition,
and its braces are all tightly glued. Older repaired pickguard crack and
refret. Original tuners, nut, bridgepins. No cracks in this one other than
what we've already mentioned, and the finish is original. There are a few
small drop-fills on the top (upper bass side - likely cigarette burns), and
another pair of small fills on the back. Very nicely set up with a
compensated bone saddle; the action measures 5 to 7 64ths with a full height
bridge and saddle. Comfortable '59 round and full neck profile. It's a
particularly good sounding J-45, and a very pleasing instrument to play.
With newer hard shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1926 Gibson A
Serial # 83371. From the early post-Loar era, this A model mandolin features the same adjustable bridge and truss-rod that were introduced by Llyod Loar just a few years earlier. The back and sides are maple (another Loar introduction) rather than birch, as was previously used by Gibson on all their carved instruments. All told, this Model A is much more akin to a Loar period Snakehead than to the instruments built before '22 and after '28. And it sounds like it too. This is about as loud an oval hole mandolin as you can find. Although tonally it is very dissimilar to an F-5, it can carry its own in terms of sheer volume.
The instrument is in excellent overall condition, but does show finish wear on the back of the neck and on the top under where your arm would rest. It has been played, and it has been well cared for throughout its life. Completely original but for a bone nut that we've made for it, the instrument has a fabulous look and feel. The neck and frets are bang-on (the frets were lightly dressed by us, too), and the action is slinky low. The top is in good shape and shows no signs of sinkage.
With original hard shell case
SOLD
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1959 Gibson J-50
FON S910-19. If you're on the hunt for a truly great sounding adjustable bridge Gibson, you'd be best to quit right now and give us a call. This guitar is lively, loud and resonant, woody and open, and a bunch of fun to play. An early ceramic-saddle adjustable bridge model, with a small maple bridge plate, nice 50's neck profile, and thin celluloid pickguard. It's completely original - right down to the bridgepins, and is in very excellent condition. It has no cracks aside from the pickguard crack which we've just repaired, and its frets are neck are spot on as well. Gorgeous original finish shows only minor wear and tear at the bottom edge of the soundhole and on the back's bass-side waist. No weird old repairs on this guitar, and no further repairwork is needed. Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, nice original Kluson tuners with original buttons (the D-string shaft is bent a bit). Original nut has never been removed, and the original bridge pins don't show much wear either. It's a great guitar, and we're happy to have it for you.
With non-original hard shell case
SOLD
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1917 Gibson A-1
Serial #35106. A wonderful sounding, well set up, and beautifully well kept pumpkin-top A-1 from the glory days of the mandolin era. This under-the-bed special is in remarkable condition, especially when you consider that it was built 91 years ago! No cracks, no top sinkage, no excessive finish wear, and no fret wear on this instrument. It's completely original except for an identical replacement bridge made in our shop (have a look at the detail photo). Very nicely set up with action set at 3-4 64ths and excellent neck and frets. Carved spruce top and birch back, bound top and ebony fingerboard, The Gibson logo inlaid in pearl, ivoroid button Waverly tuning machines, tortoiseshell celluloid pickguard with intact mounting bracket; The Gibson engraved nickel-silver tailpiece. No repairs and no issues. Loud and warm, if you're into mandolins at all you'll love the sound of this A-1 - it definitely holds company with the best A style mandolins that have passed through Folkway over the years.
With original hard shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1957 Gibson ES-140T
FON U938-31. The ES-140 was Gibson's first 3/4 sized electric upon its introduction in 1950. For the first six years of production the model
featured a full-depth body, but by 1956, its depth was thinned to 1-3/4", and the model renamed the ES-140T. With its 22-3/4" scale length, 1-9/16"
nut width, and small 12-3/4" wide cut-away body, the 140T was designed to be
a kid's guitar; but today the model has found favor with those players looking for the tone that the combination of P-90 and short scale offers.
This one is in excellent condition, very well set up, and completely original. There is really no playwear on it, and the finish looks fantastic.
Its P-90 reads 7.6kOhms, and sounds big. Play it yourself, or take it home for your son or daughter - they'll surely be the coolest kid on the block!
With chipboard case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1951 Gibson J-50
FON 7854-3 Talk about vibe! This J-50 is a mostly one owner guitar that has been played hard its whole life - and has the wear to prove it. Pickwear on the top, and lots of neck and fingerboard wear. The thing feels great! Despite the worn look of this instrument it's in excellent condition, with no top cracks, side cracks, and only a pair of small back cracks. The frets were replaced by us a couple of years ago, and it has since had a professional neck reset saddle - the set up is just right. It sounds as good as it looks - as long as you like the looks of well-played guitars as much as we do! Early fifties Gibsons are great sounding instruments in any condition, but crack-free original guitars with lots of playing in them are the best ones, and this guitar is no exception to the rule. Lots of thumpy bass and breathy trebles. It's completely original, with the exception of the frets, saddle, and tuner buttons, and in perfect working order, including its early Pat. Appld. Kluson tuning machines. Sexy firestripe pickguard, too, huh? Check out the original hard shell case it comes with, and God Bless!
SOLD
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1942 Gibson J-45
No FON. Banner J-45's don't come in much finer shape or more attractive than this one, folks. With its gorgeous two-tone sunburst finish, banner headstock logo, small rectangle bridge, and open-geared Klusons this guitar perfectly epitomizes the War-time J-45. This is an early Banner model, but without factory order number, we can't get too specific about the year it was built; however, analyzing its features leads us to believe it was finished up in very late 1942. The first Banner models featured multi-layer top bindings and soundhole rosettes, while later models have simple single-ply bindings and rosettes. This guitar's top has the multi-ply rosette of the first Banners, but has the single-ply binding of the later models. It has a four-piece top of Red Spruce, one-piece mahogany back and matching sides, mahogany neck (with truss-rod), and mahogany head and tail blocks. It was completely original when we acquired it, but has since had a neck reset, a refret and set up. The tuners, nut, finish, bridge and end pins are original. This guitar is in truly excellent condition; it has had no internal repairs, and shows no top deflection. We repaired a short 2" back crack, a pickguard crack, and glued a suspect top-seam; this guitar arrived with no loose braces - very unusual! Typical of war-time Gibsons the neck on this J-45 is quite large and round; measuring 1-25/32" wide at the nut. Thanks to the new frets and nice action, this guitar is very comfortable to play despite its girthy neck. Its got that typical Banner J-45 voice - big, loud, and warm, with a very quick attack, and robust mids and trebles... there's nothing out there that sounds anything like it. I'll be sad to see this guitar leave the shop - Banner J-45's are getting harder and harder to come by, and examples this nice are as rare as palm trees in Michigan.
With its original case
SOLD
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1961 Gibson Les Paul Jr.
Serial # 188; pot codes 1346041 and 1346043. Lightweight and resonant, at 6.7 pounds. One piece mahogany body and set-in one piece neck, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. Fantastic sounding and super-hot P-90 with a DC resistance of 10kOhms! Original lightweight aluminum wrap around tailpiece. Original pots, knobs and capacitor. A few re-soldered joints, but mostly original, including output jack. Finish and plastic parts are completely original. Original vintage Kluson single line tuners, but there were Grover Roto's on it in the past. Neck and body are in great shape and crack-free; finish is also in good shape - with normal crazing in the lacquer and a slightly faded top. No belt rash, but the finish is worn through to the wood where your arm would rest on the bass-side edge. A small amount of material was removed under the pickup at some point in the past - we suppose to make room for the pickup to fit properly (see photo). . Professionally refretted with jumbo wire, and a new bone nut. The instrument plays very nicely and is well set up with 11's. Fat and bright P-90 tone will make you not want to put this one down! The '61 neck profile is very comfortable and more manageable than the earlier larger necks, but still has a 1-11/16" wide nut. It's a great sounding guitar, and a good investment.
With 70's Les Paul Case
On Consignment
NOT FOR SALE
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1954 Gibson SJN
FON X8618-9. The first natural finished Gibson Southern Jumbos were offered in 1954, the year this instrument was built. The SJN was renamed "Country Western" in '56, but aside from the standard changes which occurred to all Gibson acoustics in 1955, there was no real difference between these two models. First year production of the SJN totaled only 15 instruments, making this a guitar of some historical significance - and one fiftieth less common than it's fraternal twin, the sunburst-finish Southern Jumbo. Scallop-braced spruce top, mahogany back and sides, bound Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with double parallelogram pearloid markers. Small tortoise-celluloid pickguard, multi-ply body bindings, Brazilian rosewood bridge, and three per side Kluson tuning gears. Completely original and unmodified, this instrument is complete with its shrunken tuner buttons and factory bridge-pins. The guitar is in fine condition, with no repairs other than a reglued center-seam on the top. Some light playwear is evident on the side of the neck in the first position, and along the soundhole's bottom edge. Action currently measures 7 to 9 64th's at the 12th fret with room on the saddle to lower it to about 5 to 7 64ths if you'd like to. Typical 50's round neck carve with 1-11/16" nut and 24.75" scale. Great lo-fi jumbo tone with thumpy lows and fat trebles, perfect for singing country tunes.
With period Gibson case
NOT FOR SALE
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1928-9 Gibson L-1
FON 9511. Gibson's first flat-top guitars arrived on the scene in 1926 with the L-0 and L-1 models. These first variants had massive necks, H-bracing, small and round 13.5" wide bodies, 12 fret necks, and an appearance much akin to the "Pumpkin-top" mandolins the company had been building for twenty or so years. By 1929, the L series had acquired the larger, more squared-off body that we commonly associate with the L-00, X bracing, and modern neck dimensions. Somewhere in between, the L series' evolution paused for a short while - and the guitar pictured here was completed. Another one, similar to it, would end up in the hands of Robert Johnson, circa 1935, in a photo studio in Memphis and forever be associated with the legendary bluesman. Of note is the X-bracing employed on this guitar; it is the earliest X-braced Gibson flat-top we've yet encountered, and surely among the first such guitars the company built. Its bridge is a simple rectangle, and its truss-rod equipped neck is modern in feel. A great deal of restoration went into this guitar over the course of a year, including replacement of all four back braces and the top's X brace and bridge plate. Holes in the top were patched, the bridge is new, the neck has been reset, and the frets are replacements. This guitar is a family heirloom of one of our regular local customers; it has been with the family since new, and features the "Made in the USA" stamp on the heastock's rear face typical of export guitars from that era.
NOT FOR SALE
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1934 Gibson TG-50E
FON 798. For a short period in 1934 and early 1935 the TG-50 and related L-50 models featured a 14-3/4" wide L-00 sized body with a braced flat back, and a carved top with a round sound hole. By late 1935, the Gibson catalog pictures these instruments with the larger and more common 16" body. Also in 1935 Gibson introduced its first production electrics - the Electric Hawaiian - a lap slide guitar fitted with the earliest version of what we today commonly call the Charlie Christian pickup. A year later, this pickup was fitted in a pair of newly introduced slide models, and by late 1936 the first Gibson Electric Spanish, the ES-150, was offered, complete with a variant of the same pickup. Gibson employed this pickup on its EH and ES series electrics until 1940, when it was retired in favor of the metal-covered, smaller magnet units which would forbear the venerable P-90. The pickup fitted into the TG-50 pictured here was known as the ES-96. This unit, and a simpler version of it (the ES-75) were listed in the 1936 Gibson Catalog on the same page as the new ES-150. It sold for a whopping $35, while the TG-50 sold at $50 (imagine buying a pickup worth 70% of your guitar's value today!). It is identical in construction and dimensions to the earliest EH-100 pickups, with large and heavy bar magnets, slip-over bobbin, and lowish DC resistance; but is fitted in a circular nickel-plated disk which also features a smartly configured volume control. When we acquired this instrument, the pickup wire dangled loosely from the tail-piece; we removed the 15 feet of original cord and hard-wired an output jack in the tail-piece (no modification to the tailpiece, but we did widen the hole in the endblock to accommodate the 1/4" jack). We also mounted an 1/8" quick-connect jack to the pickup for easier removal. This pickup can be removed for shipping, or for installation in another instrument; it can be used in a 6 string acoustic as well.
The TG-50 is a beautiful guitar, with carved Red spruce top, braced flat maple back and sides, cream bindings. Ebony fingerboard and adjustable bridge. It is fitted with Grover # 79 geared pegs, pearl Gibson headstock logo, bone nut, truss-rod and nickel-silver tailpiece. It originally was fitted with an elevated pickguard, but its removal would have been necessary for the use of the soundhole pickup. The guitar is crack free and in excellent condition but for some pick wear near the sound hole and the usual assortment of dings and scratches. It is well set-up and very playable. This Gibson, complete with its period pickup and original red-line hard shell case is beautiful - and very useable vintage package.
With original hard shell case
SOLD
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1946 Gibson LG-2
No FON. An LG-2 from the early post-war period. One-piece mahogany back, tight-grained spruce top. Truss-rodded one-piece mahogany neck with Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bone 1-3/4" nut. Script Gibson logo, original Kluson open geared tuners, small tortoise pickguard and rectangular Brazilian rosewood bridge. Changed tuner buttons and bridge pins, but otherwise original. This guitar sounds great; it's loud and articulate, with an even string to string response. It was in our repairshop for a while where it had various top cracks and braces reglued (the back and sides are crack-free) and is now in very fine structural shape. It has a good neck angle, low and comfortable action, and is very nice to play. Its original finish is thin and finely crackled all over - and looks beautiful. Set up with light-gauge strings, this guitar is great at both fingerstyle and flatpicking. Its original frets are level have good life left in them, and its set-up is spot-on with action measuring 5 to 7 64ths with plenty of saddle room to make further adjustments. It's a guitar with a lot of vibe and tone; Vintage - with a capital V.
With original chipboard case
SOLD
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1951 Gibson LG-2
FON 6962-29. With its original Fire-stripe pickguard, dark sunburst finished top contrasting against aged white purflings, and small Brazilian rosewood bridge, this '51 Gibson easily ranks among the most attractive LG-2's we've yet come across. It is in excellent condition, with no top cracks, one repaired side crack, and a well-repaired back seam separation. Very clean original finish, original nut, frets, and tuners (replaced buttons). Perfect neck angle and set up, the guitar plays like a dream with action at the 12th fret measuring 5 to 7 64ths. Scallop-braced spruce top, mahogany back and sides, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge. New bone saddle and bridge pins installed in our shop. We removed a pickup form the guitar, as such the end-pin hole has been widened to 1/2" and a new endpin has been installed. Exceptional tone, with very woody mids and vintage warmth. Exceptionally balanced, this guitar would find favor with any flat-picker or fingerstylist; and, thanks to its knock-out looks you collectors are going to love it too.
With deluxe TKL hard shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1937 Kalamazoo KTG-11
FON 223. The KG-11 and KTG-11 were the base-model Kalamazoo offerings during the late 1930's. Both the 6 string KG-11 and and 4 string KTG-11 featured the slightly squashed looking 17.5" body, and basic trim. Like all of Gibson's Kalamazoo branded guitars the KTG-11 is ladder-braced and without truss-rod, but nicely built. This tenor features a mahogany and spruce body with bound and sunburst-finished top, unbound back and bound soundhole. It is 100% original including bridge and end pins, ebony nut and bone saddle, firestripe pickguard, Brazilian rosewood lacquered bridge, and friction banjo tuners. Not much for ornamentation, the Kalamazoo has a silk-screened logo and firestripe pickguard, but not much else to fancy it up. All that being said, I'd rather have tone than looks, and this guitar has lots of it. Big and open, with a very surprising bass response and trebles in balance, we have set the guitar up in a low E-B-F#-C# tuning with heavier strings, and it sings. Great action and frets, this guitar is ready to play and need no further restoration. No cracks or issues other than one minor brace repair. Set-up in shop.
With original (beat) chip-board case
SOLD
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1920 Gibson H-1 Mandola
Serial # 60117. A fine example of the classic Gibsons that were made just before Lloyd Loar's tenancy. This one is warm, with plenty of bite and cut, and will suit ensemble players well. It is all original, including the "JAN, 18-21" adjustable ebony bridge. The nut is 1 5/16" with a nice V-neck. Ivoroid-bound top and fingerboard, which has the 21st-fret extension for the A string. The finish on the back and sides is in exceptional condition, some areas on the top have flaked off of the grain, but there is no damage and there no cracks on this beautiful instrument; however the top's center-seam has been reglued between the bridge and tailpiece. The frets are original with little wear, and the instrument plays nicely. The original case is in great condition.
On consignment
SOLD
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1961 Gibson ES-355TD
Serial # A 35848, FON R5464-17, pot codes date 27th week of 1960. Likely completed in the first weeks of 1961, this Mono 355 was bought new by the same gentleman who walked into our shop with it earlier this week. They're still out there folks... This one is complete with its original hard case, original bill of sale (he bought a Fender Super at the same time - but it was sold long ago), tunematic instructions, and "*Humbucking Pickup Adjustments" sheet (with the asterix in front of the word 'humbucking' footnoted at the bottom of the page with the words "Patent applied for"). It is completely original and completely unmodified - right down to the switch tip. PAF's with DC resistances of 7.95 (neck, zebra) and 8.15 (bridge, double white). 8.5 pounds light, vibrant un-faded cherry finish, gold hardware and factory Bigsby tailpiece. Most 355's of this era were equipped with the Stereo Varitone circuit which killed tone, and a Gibson sideways Vibrola tailpiece which simply didn't work very well. Luckily for all of us this one is gig-worthy thanks to its great sounding standard mono wiring and very functional Bigsby; it's a 335 all dressed up! There is some playwear on the back of the neck and a small chip on the back treble corner of the headstock (see photos). The body finish is very clean and rash-free. The gold plating is worn away from the Bigsby arm, parts of the pickup covers, and tuning machine knobs. The nut has never been removed, and the original frets are worn up to about the 9th fret, but still in fine working order. The instrument is well set-up (done here), and plays smoothly with no buzzing out. This is a very well cared for instrument, who's owner showed it a lot of TLC -and it sounds simply amazing.
Original hard shell case (very nicely covered with Naugahyde) included
On Consignment
SOLD
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1962 Gibson GA-18T
With foot-switch able tremolo, a pair of EL84 power tubes, a 12" Ceramic Canadian Jensen, and about 14 watts the GA-18T is highly prized for its small-amp breakup and big-amp tone. A very fine sounding lower wattage tube combo, and a killer blues amp. It can't be much longer until the amps built by Gibson start realizing the vintage dollars and cache of some of those other companies amps! Original tolex and grill cloth in excellent shape, and no real wear to the chassis, knobs, or handle. It is missing it's back panel though, but those are easy to make...
On Consignment
SOLD
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1935 Gibson L-00
FON 920. Built sometime around 1935, this L-00 has survived the years very well. We've dated this early model guitar by the small sunburst top finish and lack of back binding typical of guitars built between '34 and '36. It's a great ragtime and blues fingerstyle guitar, as most L-00's are, thanks to its punchy, open, balanced, and raw voice. We've got the action set very low (4 to 5 64ths) on this guitar, so with its current set up it's strictly a fingerstyle instrument. If you've got a heavy hand, or plan to flat-pick on this one you'll want to get a new taller saddle made, or possibly refret the guitar to add some forward bow to the neck (the truss rod is backed off completely). This one has had a neckset in the not-to-distant past it seems, and the frets were replaced at the same time. Its tuners, nut, bridge, and all bracing are original and intact, and its bridge-plate is in excellent condition. The low E string runs close to the edge of the fingerboard, a replacement nut with better string spacing would correct this if it is an issue for you. One 3" repaired top crack at the bridge, and another of about the same size at the lower treble bout; no back or side cracks. There have been some drop-fills of lacquer around these cracks and adjacent to the fingerboard's extension on the top, and in the vicinity of the heel of the neck (where there is also a filled strap-button hole). Given how shiny the guitar is, we suspect that the entire instrument (except for the headstock) was buffed as well. The bridge and pickguard are originals and have never been removed, and black lighting confirms the finish to be original. It has a superbly comfortable V-neck, with a 1-3/4" nut and 24.75" scale; the guitar plays itself. Replacement truss rod cover, bone saddle, and high-quality bridge pins.
With hard shell case
SOLD
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1913 Gibson K-2 Mandocello
Serial # 15759. In years leading up to the First World War, about two decades before the guitar's rise to popularity and the first Singin' Cowboys, the most common family of instruments in America was that of the Mandolin. Mandolin Orchestras could be found in just about any urban center in the country, and mandolin-family instruments were being produced in just about every imaginable fashion. The Gibson Mandolin -Guitar Company was one of the predominant producers of high-end instruments, and naturally took an interest in expanding the popularity of their products; they became the nation's largest promoter of Mandolin Orchestras, and outfitted thousands of musicians with their instruments. Among the mandolin varieties the Gibson company produced was the Mandocello, a guitar-sized instrument with a 24.75" scale length and four courses of strings, with unison pairs tuned C-G-D-A.
The instrument pictured here was built in 1913, near the height of the Mandolin craze. It has an ivoriod bound spruce and birch carved body, with a black top and reddish-brown back and sides. Its appointments and construction are consistent with the Style 4 Mandolins (with which you may be more familiar). It has a three-piece neck, pearl "The Gibson" headstock logo and Fleur-de-Lys ornament, bound ebony fingerboard with pearl dot markers, bound oval soundhole with a double rope pattern rosette; non-adjustable compensated ebony bridge, elevated tortoise-celluloid pickguard, and clamshell tailpiece. There are no cracks on this 'cello, and it is completely original save for the pickguard mounting bracket, and the binding on the treble side of the fingerboard up to the 16th fret (the work was very nicely done, a long time ago). The top shows no sinkage, and the neck and frets are true. Its original nut has additional string-grooves from being guitar-strung at some point in the instrument's long history, and a strap button has been added to the heel of the neck. We have just finished a thorough set up of this instrument as well. The mandocello's original shellac finish is intact and in fine condition with minor scratches here and there, and shows no areas of excessive wear. This is a very fine sounding instrument; it has great volume and sustain, and a presence befitting of any contemporary mandolin orchestra.
Two cases accompany this instrument: its original tooled leather Maulbetsch & Whittemore, and a more recent Harptone custom-made hard shell.
SOLD
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1956 Gibson ES-225T
FON: V5873-14. The ES-225T was introduced in 1955 only to be phased out four years later, despite strong sales. The model was Gibson's first thinline electric, and the company's first electric to feature a single pickup located halfway between the bridge and finger board. Essentially a thin body ES-175, the 225T was designed to offer the electric guitarist a more feedback resistant instrument. It was ultimately replaced by the double cut away ES-330, whose modern styling found more appeal among the guitarists of the era. The guitar features a 16 inch wide laminate maple body with a depth of 1-3/4", a pointed Florentine cut-away, 5-ply bevel-edge pickguard, single P-90 pickup with volume and tone controls, Les Paul style trapeze bridge/tailpiece, individual nickel Kluson Deluxe tuners, and a pearl inlaid Gibson headstock logo. This example is in very excellent condition. From finish to frets, there is nothing to fault about this guitar. It is completely original, save for replacement tuner buttons. Its original frets show only very minor playwear, the set up and playability are excellent, and the instrument sounds exceptional thanks in part to a particularly strong P-90 (8.1kOhm). The guitar's mid-50's neck profile is about as comfortable as it gets, and coupled with this instrument's light weight make it a joy to play. 24.75" scale, 1-11/16" nut.
With its original brown/pink hard shell case
On consignment
SOLD
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1965 Gibson Skylark EH-500 Steel
Gibson introduced the EH-500 in 1956, and the model remained largely unchanged until its discontinuation in '68. This 1965 model features a single piece Korina body, with a slant-mounted single coil pickup. It is completely original and in perfect condition. Its chrome parts are still mirror-shiny and its finish pretty much blemish free. Silver logo, black amp knobs and matching black buttons on the Kluson tuners. Original hard shell case.
SOLD
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1960-1 Gibson Les Paul / SG Special
Serial # 2246. In my mind, electric guitars don't come much better than a slab-bodied double-cut Les Paul or SG Special. Produced for only 3 years between '59 and '61, the model was named the Les Paul Special for most of '59, but by November of that year it was re-designated the SG Special - although with the exception of the headstock markings and the position of the neck pickup the guitar was unchanged. In early '61 the Special took on the new skinny SG body, but production of Les Paul bodied Specials trickled on throughout the year until supplies were used up. This instrument has an early 1961 four digit serial number, and pot codes dated the 27th week of 1960. Its neck is typical of the '60-'61 transition, having a fast carve and a standard width 1-11/16" nut. It has maintained a good neck angle, and its playability is flawless. There are no neck joint issues, and the original frets have good life left in them. The electronics are original and untouched, with P-90 DC values of 8.3K and 7.9K, and a vintage replica switch tip. The guitar sounds fantastic. The cherry finish has strong color, and there are no areas of extensive rash on the body and neck. There are the usual number of dings and some minor belt wear on the back; on the headstock there is a bit of lacquer-melt caused by an old sticker. The tuners are original, but there are nicely filled screw-holes from a set of Schallers; the original headstock bushings fit tightly in their original holes. Overall, this Les Paul Special scores highly - it's gorgeous to look at, weighs in at a feathery 6.75 pounds, and sounds spectacular. And it comes with its original hard shell case, too.
SOLD
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1925 Gibson MB-4
FON 11832-10. The Trap-door banjos built by Gibson in the early 1920's are some of the most attractive instruments the company every made. At the high end of the model line up was the Style 4, which featured a gorgeous Cremona sunburst finish, expertly bound "Moccasin" style headstock with pearl logo and Fleur-de-Lys inlay, bound ebony fingerboard, resonator, rim, and heel, three-piece curly maple neck, and pearl nut. The MB-4 is Mandolin version of the style, with 13-7/8" scale, 1-3/16" nut, and 10-1/2" head. The MB-4 pictured here is a local one-family instrument, and in very fine condition. It is missing its tailpiece cover, and five brackets are replacements, but it is otherwise original, intact, and in good working order with a fresh set up.
With original hard shell case
SOLD
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1935 Gibson A-50
FON 169A-9. Priced at $50 at the height of The Great Depression the A-50 was Gibson's fanciest A style instrument, and 15$ more expensive than the J-35 guitar introduced a year later! The A-50 featured a body of carved spruce and maple, a one-piece mahogany neck, brazilian Rosewood fingerboard and adjustable ebony bridge. The pickguard and tailpiece were the standard issue of the day, and the Gibson logo was inlaid in pearl on the headstock. The body was bound in white and featured a sunburst top finish matched with Cremona back and sides. The neck was equipped with a truss rod and had a nut width of 1-3/16". This particular instrument is in near-mint condition, it is completely original and in perfect working order. Although the mandolins Gibson was building 10 years after the departure of Loyd Loar are not renowned for their tone, this A-50 is highly collectible thanks to the pristine condition that it is in, and doesn't sound half bad! They don't come much nicer than this.
With original "Red Line" hard shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1937 Gibson L-00 Lefty
FON 50C-36. Ok, so here's something your don't see every day. Actually, scratch that. Here's something that you never, ever, in a million years, even think you'll come across! Vintage lefties are just about as rare as, well... vintage lefties; and finding a pre-WWII left handed guitar is a once in a lifetime occurrence. Well here you go. It's an original 1937 lefty Gibson L-00. Complete with a gorgeous fire-stripe pickguard and all the vintage tone you'd hope to hear. The instrument is in excellent condition, but has had some modifications over the years. The top and sides were oversprayed a very long time ago, and the back and neck were refinished at that time. The finish-work is of the highest quality; and may even be Gibson factory work from the 1950's. There is much crazing in the lacquer, and it looks quite respectably old. The headstock face has not been oversprayed, and its logo and finish are original. The bridge is a slightly oversized replacement, and the bone nut and saddle were cut and installed in our repair shop. There is a very (I mean VERY) slight shadow of a right-handed pickguard that you may or may not notice, and I suspect that prior to the overspraying of the top the guitar was fashioned with a second pickguard. Frets and tuners are original. As with all pre 1969 left handed Gibsons, the guitar is braced right-handed, and has dots on both sides of its fingerboard. The frets and fingerboard show lefty playwear, as does the top adjacent to the pickguard. The top wear is actually under the overspray, suggesting that this instrument was used by a left handed player throughout its life. The instrument checks out well, structurally. There are no top or side cracks, and only one well-repaired back crack. The original bridge-plate and bracing are all intact. The neck angle is fine, and the action measures a standard 5 to 7 64ths at the 12th fret. It has an added strap button on the heel of the neck, and the end-pin has been drilled for a pickup output jack. It has that perfect V-profile neck that most lefties have never had a chance to feel, and a roomy 1-3/4" nut width. A great sounding guitar, it's woody and balanced, loud and bright. Tonally, it's unlike any guitar most lefties have ever had a chance to play.
With newer hard shell case
SOLD
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1935 Gibson TB-3 conversion
FON 42-2 By late 1929 Gibson's banjo designs had pretty much reached modern standards. Mastertone pot assemblies had cast one-piece flanges and tone rings, double coordinator rods, 24 hooks and a standard 11" head. But the banjo was, at that time, beginning its decline in popularity and on its way out as America's instrument. The guitar would soon become the instrument of choice for the nation's most famous cowboys, engineers and hobos. But those Mastertones built between '29 and the Second World War would soon find favor with a different musician than the Jazz players they were designed for. Bluegrass was taking root, and the Gibson Mastertone was the banjo of choice. Today original five string Mastertones from that era have become amongst the most sought after acoustic instruments on the vintage market.
The TB-3 pictured here was built in 1935. It features a Mastertone pot assembly with a cast one-piece flange and 40 hole arch-top tone ring. All of its metal parts are original and intact, and its flange is not cracked. It has a very nice replacement 5 string neck built by Frank Neat, and comes with its original tenor neck and hard shell case. Its four original Grover tuners are in service on the new neck, and its original Presto 4-string tailpiece was not replaced in the conversion. One resonator screw is a replacement, and the original mahogany resonator (and original 4 string neck) have been over-brushed with lacquer. The finish on the rim is original. This is a very fine and collectable arch-top Mastertone.
With hard shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1946 Gibson J-45
No FON. If tone is what you're all about and Gibsons are your kind of guitars, then I can't think of an instrument that would be better suited for you than this script-logo J-45. It's a huge sounding guitar, with classic Banner-era J-45 tone: big bass and punchy trebles, with endless headroom and volume. 40's J-45's are very different animals than their 1950's offspring, and if you've not played one from the 1940's you're in for a big treat. This guitar has a lightning-fast attack, and a sparkle that you wouldn't necessary associate with a '50's era instrument. It looks and feels quite different, too. The neck is 1-3/4" wide at the nut, and has a pretty large C profile. It's not as girthy as wartime necks, but it still feels big. The sunburst top finish has a smokier vibe, with a more gradual shift from vintage amber to dark reddish brown; and at the center of the burst is a small rectangular bridge of lacquered Brazilian rosewood. A small tear-shaped tortoiseshell celluloid pickguard finishes of the top just right. It's an attractive package.
This guitar is in excellent condition overall, although the tuning machines have been changed a couple of times. There are two small and tightly repaired top cracks, and few on the back as well. Internally, the guitar has had some brace-gluing done, and is healthy. The top is perfectly arched, which is likely why this one sounds so good. Its small maple bridge plate is in good shape, too. Original lacquered bridge, original frets and bone nut (the nut has never been removed), newer bone saddle and aged plastic bridge pins. There are three-on-a strip Kluson tuners on the guitar now, but the headstock was drilled for Grovers in the past; the Klusons do a good job of hiding the old Grover footprints. The guitar's action is set at 5 to 7 64ths, and there is a hair of adjustment room left on the saddle. There is not much playwear on this guitar, and the frets are in much the same condition; there are only some minor divots on the first few frets, and the guitar plays very well up the neck. Guitars this nice don't come around to often these days...
With newer hard shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1925 Gibson A-Jr
Serial #81896. The A-Jr was Gibson's most basic and inexpensive mandolin during its tenure from 1919 to 1927. It was constructed identically to all the higher-end A models, but its trim and adornment was significantly scaled down. The only binding on this mandolin is around the sound hole; the finish is a uniform dark brown, and there is no logo on the headstock. Additionally, to keep the price low on this model, Gibson omitted a truss-rod (which was by that time a standard feature on all mandolins), and fitted the instrument with a clamshell tailpiece and an ebony nut. Its body is carved of spruce and maple, its neck is mahogany. Ebony fingerboard with pearl dot position markers, Loar-era "Snakehead" headstock, adjustable bridge and pickguard, and Waverly tuning machines. This A-Jr. is in excellent condition overall. It is without cracks or structural issues, and is original with the exception of two tuner buttons and its adjustable bridge (which is a slightly later Gibson part). There is some finish wear around the body edges, adjacent to the fingerboard, and on the neck; and the frets show normal wear under the A and E strings. The instrument is well set up and plays nicely. Typical of Snakehead A models, it is a fine sounding instrument, with surprising volume.
With non-original hard case
SOLD
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1960 Gibson ES-330TN
No serial # or FON (we dated this one by the neck profile). Is there anyone out there who doesn't think this guitar is at (or very near to) the pinnacle vintage Gibson coolness? We all certainly think it is! The single pickup ES-330T was built between '59 and '63, the natural finish version (ES-330TN) only being offered in '59 and '60. A total of 165 were built, compared to 1121 sunburst ES-330T's during those same two years. Any blond Gibson is rare, and the blond 330's are no exception to that rule. This one is a two owner guitar, and it's had nearly 50 years of steady use. We opted out of cleaning the finish on this baby; it looked too good to mess with. But we did set it up and carved a new old-looking bone nut for it; it plays beautifully. Original frets are evenly worn and not pitted (he played the whole neck of the guitar), original P-90 pickup with 8.4 kOhm resistance; original pickguard and mount, knobs, ABR-1 no-wire bridge, and tailpiece. Original tuning machines (although one might not be original, but is the same style and age as the others); newer pots and capacitor. The finish is completely original, and is fairly worn is a few areas; the back of the neck, inside the horns, and under your arm in particular. In our books the finish wear on this guitar is a value-added feature... it looks that good! 1-11/16" nut, 5.3 pounds light. And yes, it sounds as good as it looks...
With 70's Gibson hard case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1937 Gibson Cromwell G-4
FON 261. This 16" archtop, similar to the Kalamazoo KG-31 and the Gibson L-50, the Cromwell G-4 features a solid spruce arched top and a braced arched Mahogany back. The Cromwell brand was distributed by a few mail-order stores from 1935 until 1939, and are now famous for their flashy Art Deco fingerboard ornamentation. This instrument features a sunburst top, elevated firestripe pickguard, single-bound body and fingerboard, and nickel tailpiece. It has a comfortable V neck with a 1-3/4" nut width and Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. Original everything, and in excellent condtion. The guitar plays very well thanks to a fine setup and good original frets. I like the way it sounds, too - it's loud and punchy, but also has a warmth not usually found in less-pricey archtops. This guitar's fingerboard sports double stripes, as opposed to the single stripe found on most Cromwell fingerboards. Only a few Cromwells with this fingerboard were built, making this a rare instrument. According to Gibson records this guitar was shipped on August 13th, 1937.
With original chipboard case
SOLD
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1967 Gibson ES-355TD
Serial # 872797. This Mono 355 is just about as close to mint condition as you could hope to find. We're talking un-faded cherry red finish, full height unworn frets, original solder joints, gorgeous original pickguard, and original hard case. The finish is pretty close to scratch free; but the lacquer is crazed, as you'd expect. The gold plating on the pick-up covers, bridge, and top corner of the tailpiece is a bit worn, and the nut is a bone replacement; but that's pretty much it. This guitar is otherwise spot-on perfect. Two Patent Number pickups, wired in Mono, with DC resistances of 7.7 (neck) and 7.6 (bridge) kOhms. Original Grover Pat. Pend. Rotomatics, Deluxe Vibrola tailpiece. Five-layer bindings on headstock, pickguard, and back; seven-layer bindings on top, bound ebony fingerboard with pearl block inlays, pearl headstock inlays and logo. 24-3/4" scale, 1-9/16" nut width. Tips the scales at 8.98 pounds. If you're looking for a super clean, collector-condition ES from the same year the Beatles released Sgt. Peppers, and Hendrix rocked Monterey, you've found it.
With original hard shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1963 Gibson Country Western
Serial #118390. Unfortunately, too few people know what the Country Western Model is. These were originally designated Southern Jumbo Natural Finish, or SJN, selling for just a few dollars more than the more familiar sunburst SJ. The difference is only in the finish color, same as the J-45 and J-50. You could think of it as a spiffy J-50 or a blonde SJ. In 1962 the model was renamed Country Western, given square shoulders and the three-point pickguard.
This particular guitar has had the original plastic bridge replaced with a rosewood facsimile with bone saddle, and a bone nut installed. It's had a couple of strap button changes over the years with a small mahogany fill in a screw-hole beside the tail-pin, and there is a minor finish touch up on the top near the bridge. Mahogany body, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. Very little wear on the original jumbo frets, and only a few dings with generally very little playwear on the rest of the guitar. No pencil neck here, this one's got a 1 11/16" nut and a nice fast D profile. Nice fat well-developed sound, with plenty of warmth and punch. Ready to rock with a nice professional setup.
On consignment with a non-original good period hard case.
SOLD
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1938 Gibson HG-00
FON Mostly illegible, but is a 3 digit number beginning with 6. Introduced in '37, and priced the same as its counterpart, the L-00, the Hawaiian HG-00 is almost identical to the L-00, but with a 12 fret neck, slightly heavier bracing, high bone nut, and straight saddle. These guitars are very simple to convert back to Spanish-style - a new nut and compensated saddle are all that it takes - and they generally sound incredible as standard acoustics. This one is no exception; with a strong and punchy voice, it is a great blues and ragtime companion. But you've got to like big-necked guitars to take this one home - the neck profile is a typical 30's Gibson V, but that larger 1-7/8" nut make it feel quite substantial in your hand.
Mahogany back and sides, Red Spruce top, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge. L-00 body with a 12 fret neck, 24.75" scale and 1-7/8" wide nut. Original bridge and small maple bridge plate, one repaired top crack and a small filled screw hole in top from an old pickup. Top lightly over-sprayed (original finish on back, sides, and neck); new pickguard (original will be furnished with the guitar); tuners replaced sometime in the 1950's or 60's, original bushings; new bone nut, original frets and saddle. Action currently set at a comfortable 5 to 8 6/4ths. It's not at all a museum-grade specimen, but it plays and sounds great and is priced to sell.
No case
SOLD
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1947 Gibson LG-2
Anyone who has followed the Gibson chapter of this website over the years has heard me wax poetic about LG-2's. It's no secret that they are among my favorite guitars, and we've done our best to offer many of them to you. We've had some great LG-2's pass through the shop - from first-year mahogany topped Banner models and the prototype that's currently for sale, to late 40's instruments (including the '49 I kept for myself), punchy 50's models, and even a few from the early 1960's with those horrible plastic bridges. Among these, certain guitars really stand out from the crowd; and the '47 pictured here is the newest member of this top-tiered group.
No FON. With the combination of Script logo and 1-11/16" nut, this guitar can only be from early 1947. Script logos are commonly associated with necks that have a wider 1-3/4" nut width, but were replaced by the modern block logo sometime in early '47. It's a very nice combination of features, really - the guitar is pretty much a Banner model in construction and tone, but has the slightly smaller and easier feeling neck of the late 1940's. All that being said the real selling feature of this instrument is its ultra-fine condition. This is the cleanest 40's Gibson we have ever offered for sale. With the exception of an inch wide spot of play wear by the sound hole and a few isolated nicks and small scratches this instrument is in mint condition. There are no cracks or separations and no loose braces or parts. There have been no repairs, and there are none needed. The inside of this guitar is spotless and dust-free, the outside is shiny-new, but with some fine lacquer crazing. The nut has never been removed, the tuners work smoothly and flawlessly, the frets and fingerboard show no wear, the bridge is full height, and the original bridge pins are in almost-new condition - meaning the strings haven't been changed more than a few times. You simply will not find a better preserved example of an early LG-2 than this guitar. We have set up the instrument in shop, and it plays very nicely with an action of 5 to 7 64ths at the 12th fret. Spruce top, mahogany back and sides, scalloped braces, Brazilian rosewood bridge and board. The guitar has an open and strong voice, with big round trebles and mids and woody low notes. Play this guitar, you'll love it - but play it carefully. LG-2's are still relatively under priced in the vintage market, we expect instruments such as this one to appreciate significantly over the coming years.
With original chipboard case in similarly fine condition.
SOLD
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1915 Gibson H-1 Mandola
Serial # 23584. A super-fine pumpkin-top Mandola from the golden era of the mid-teens. This particular instrument is exquisite condition overall, and shows only minor wear to the frets and finish. It is completely original and intact, and having been set-up in our shop it plays as nicely as it looks. It is an under-the-bed special, the strings that we removed seemed to have been on this mandola for a long long time. The neck and fretwork are excellent, and the top's arch is the same as it was when it left Kalamazoo some 92 years ago... Ninety two years ago?! Yes, really. The finish is gorgeous, the nickel plating on the tailpiece and tuning machines is un-tarnished, there are no cracks anywhere on the instrument, and the tortoise-shell celluloid pickguard is intact and not showing any signs of the decomposition that oft plagues them. Have a look at the felt lining inside the original case - the color is unfaded... Best yet, this instrument sounds wonderful. It is loud when you want it to be, and subtle when you softly ask it. The high A string has life all the way up the neck, and there is a warmth that washed over you when you strum a big C chord in the first position. Do you think we like this one?? Is it that obvious?
With original hard shell case
On consignment
SOLD
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1957 Gibson J-45
FON U-9012-12. Hands down the best sounding adjustable bridge Gibson I've ever heard. The guitar is in excellent and original condition - it's only flaw is some case-wear on the upper treble side. No cracks (no pickguard crack either), and only mild pickwear around the sound hole. Original tuners with new buttons (check out those repro buttons - we custom ordered them from Germany; they're pretty cool). Original nut, frets, saddle, bridge and end pins, too. It's nicely set up and perfectly playable but with some light fret and fingerboard wear. The neck shape is super-comfortable, making the guitar as nice to play as it is to look at. Tonally, this guitar sounds as good as any drop-in saddle late 50's Gibson out there. It's a rare one, this guitar.
With 70's hard shell case
SOLD
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1957 Gibson LG-2
FON U-2613-27. Gibson was building some good guitars in 1957. Kalamazoo must have had some good weather or something. The LG-2 pictured here is a loud and punchy little guitar, with a feisty edge, and a strong cut. LG-2's are great jam guitars - you're often the loudest instrument in the group; but they love being played softly too, and are responsive to a light touch. My own LG-2 is my go-to guitar -and my desert-island instrument - so I'm a bit biased, but if you're looking for a great sounding LG, this is the one. In excellent condition, with a very well repaired pickguard crack and no other issues. Completely original, and well set up. The action measures 5 to 8 64ths at the 12th fret with ample saddle room to come down further. Full height Brazilian Rosewood bridge, original tuners, nut and frets, clean original finish with some minor dings here and there and not much lacquer craze. A very fine instrument.
With original soft shell case
SOLD
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1936 Gibson EH-100 & EH-150 Set
Historially important, if not completely cool. This is a first year example
of Gibson's EH-100 Steel and EH-150 amp combo. Both from 1936, the steel
and amp both have features indicative of the first year issues. The EH-100
steel is a hollow maple guitar-shaped body, with an early blade pickup doing
the dirty work. One Bakelite knob on the treble side, black finish with a
white-bound top. The EH-150 amp is the first production amplifier bearing
the Gibson script logo. It features the same tweed-with-stripes covering
that was found on many Gibson cases of the era, a 10" speaker, 4 tubes, and
a removable back cover. Shockingly, it works well and sounds cool. It's
only a few watts, so don't expect tons of volume though. With the package
comes the steel's original "red-line" hard case, the amp's original slip
cover, and the slide-bar, picks, and extra fuses that we found in the case.
A wonderful piece of Gibson history.
SOLD
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1959 Gibson Melody Maker
Serial # 933344. The Melody Maker was introduced in 1959 and stayed in production until 1971. The guitar was offered as Gibson's new budget model, replacing the Les Paul Jr. which was abandoned at the end of 1960. The original MM featured the same single-cut body as the Jr., but was about 3/8" thinner; in 1961, it was redesigned with a double cut-away body. The first Melody Makers featured a slightly larger single-coil pickup than the later model, an aluminum wrap-around tailpiece, and Kluson Deluxe tuners. The neck profile was standard '59 Gibson... just about 1-11/16" at the nut, and big and round - making this guitar awesome to play. One-piece mahogany body with set-in neck, Brazilian fingerboard, and pickguard mounted electronics. With the exception of the knobs, the guitar is completely stock and original; although there are some repaired solder joints. The neck, frets, and finish are in great shape, and the guitar is set up nicely. There is a possible crack at the neck-joint (pictured), but we feel that it's not a significant crack. There is no movement in it, and it does not appear to have ever been fixed. We don't like saying that It's just in the finish (because usually, it's not just in the finish), but in this case we kind of feel that it is. They say a picture tells a thousand words, so you can decide for yourselves. The guitar is accompanied by its original alligator chipboard case, which is in rough shape.
On Consignment
SOLD
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1934 Gibson TG-00
FON 895. A rare find. For anyone who thinks a tenor guitar has to sound like a tin can and be strung with barbwire, this one will be a revelation. With a full, rich tone, matching any 30's L-00, this guitar has lot to offer. Tuned in fifths (traditionally C-G-D-A) I play mine tuned down as low as a guitar (E-A-F#-B), giving a big sound that belies the four strings. This instrument will add a whole new dimension for a recording guitarist, and open new doors for mandolin players. The guitar is in great shape, with a few tight and well-repaired cracks, and has tuners that were replaced most probably in the 1940's. The nut is 1 1/8" wide, and the action is great with plenty of room for future adjustment. An exciting guitar. With new hard case.
SOLD
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1917 Gibson A-1
Serial # 37313. There's not even dust on this 90 year old mandolin. It is without a doubt the cleanest and most original pumpkin-top Gibson A we've ever seen. There is virtually no wear to the finish or frets and all the parts are in perfect condition. The tuning machines have no wear on their gears. And then there's the case that looks like it was made last week. This Mandolin is nuts. We've set it up, so that after 90 years maybe someone will play it - carefully! A true investment-quality instrument, especially when you take into account how under-priced A models are in today's hot vintage market.
On Consignment
SOLD
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1929 Gibson TB-3
FON 9025-17. This TB-3 came in for some set up work last week. It is a beautiful instrument, and completely original. A few months and one string away from being worth an awful lot of money! Gibson switched to the one-piece flange sometime in '29, but this one still has its tube and plate. The original owner told us he thought he must have had it for more than 30 years but his wife reminded him that they bought it new on their honeymoon! You do the math! I'm sure there are a lot of you out there who'd love to convert this one, but you can't have it... sorry.
SOLD
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1947 Gibson L-7
Serial # A-625. A serial number on a 1940's Gibson! Wow... the things us guitar guys get excited about! This is a mid-year 1947 L-7, with a then-new "Modernized" Gibson logo, and open-geared Kluson tuning machines with original tulip buttons. The guitar is remarkably beautiful, with a gorgeous sunburst finished top, bound tortoise pickguard, raised-diamond nickel plated tailpiece, triple bound body, single bound fingerboard and headstock, and pearl ornamentation. With the exception of the outer-pickguard mounting nut the instrument is completely original. Like its more expensive big brother, the L-7 features a 17 inch body, with a carved spruce top and carved maple back. There is an old repaired crack on the sides of the guitar at the heel of the neck, and a bent tuning key - the classic combination. A bummer, really, as this guitar would otherwise be as nice an L-7 as you'd likely find. As it is, it is still a spectacular guitar; and a couple grand less. No other issues to mention - the top is in perfect condition, the neck angle is spot-on, the action and set-up are perfect. No top or back cracks, no neck damage. Original nut, frets, Brazilian rosewood adjustable bridge, and finish.
With original Geib hard shell case
SOLD
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1916 Gibson A-
Serial #26224. Our third pumpkin-top Gibson this month is this near-perfect 1916 A- mandolin. It is in almost the same ridiculously clean condition as the mint 1917 we posted a few weeks back, but with a touch of playwear and a tiny chip missing from the ebony bridge base. The instrument is complete and entirely original, with an intact pickguard and bracket, tuners and tailpiece. No cracks, separations or structural issues, and a perfect top arch with no sinkage. The frets and fingerboard are true and level, and the instrument plays buzz-free all the way up the neck with comfortable low action. We wish all the vintage pieces we encounter would be in such fine and playable condition! It has a sweet voice, with a nice openness and rich sustain.
With a non-original hard shell case
SOLD
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1967 Gibson ES-335TDC
Serial #024726. A completely original, one owner cherry-red ES-335 in excellent condition, with original hang tags, tunematic instructions, bill of sale, case key, and original hard case. Well, ok... almost completely original - the switch tip is new (but we've aged it to fool you). Bought new at Mason's Music in Toronto on July 11th 1967 by the fellow who has placed it on consignment, this guitar has been very well taken care of over the last 40 years. It has been well used, as is suggested by the finish wear on the back of the neck and its dressed frets; but the guitar is scratch-free and intact. It is a first-rate example of a '67 335, complete with chrome-covered "Patent Number" pickups, trapeze tailpiece, nylon saddle tunematic bridge, double-ring / double-line Kluson tuners, and block fingerboard inlays. The photos should speak for themselves in attesting to the condition of this instrument, and all of you who are looking for a clean and unmolested 60's 335 should consider this instrument - especially as earlier models have become all but unobtainable for the majority of us. The neck angle is perfect, and the set-up is buzz-free with action of 4/64ths across. Great neck profile - round back, with a nut width of 1-5/8". The pickups measure 7.8 kOhms (neck) and 7.7 kOhms (bridge), and the instrument weighs in at a feathery 7.67 pounds with strings! It's a resonant and amazing sounding guitar, with serious investment appeal.
SOLD
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1966 Gibson Melody Maker D
Serial #553755. With it's Vibrola tailpiece and double single-coil pickups the melody maker was the poor man's SG standard in its day. Today these have come to be respected vintage guitars that command real dollars on the vintage market. The Melody Maker has a solid one-piece mahogany body with a set-in mahogany neck that joins the body at the 18th fret. This example is in excellent condition, but for the changed tuners and plugged screw-holes that are still visible adjacent to the tuning machines. Melody Maker tuners were famously lousy, and it's not uncommon to find these guitars with changed machines. The Vibrola tailpiece functions, but requires the action to be set a bit higher than we'd like it to be to work without rattle. These units were badly designed from the onset, and most people take them off - preferring to use the original wrap-around bridge/tailpiece for better guitar performance (as pictured below). There are just three small screw-holes in the top, so the conversion is not particularly unsightly to boot. The neck and frets are in good shape, as are the electronics. Narrow 1-17/32 nut width, standard scale.
Original alligator chip-board case is included
SOLD
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1959 Gibson EH-500 Skylark Steel
Serial # 9 1565. Single piece Korina body, completely original and in great
shape. Very cool '59 serial number ink-stamped on the back of the headstock
a la Les Paul. Gold logo, nickel-plate parts, black UFO knobs and matching
black buttons on the Kluson tuners. Original hard shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1914 Gibson H-1
Serial # 18980. At 92 years of age, it's incredible to imagine the musical diversity this mandola has partaken in over its life. What was the first song played on it way back before the First World War? How many people called this their-own instrument over the four generations since it was built? From a receipt dated June 30th 1920 we know that it was sold to a Mr. J. M. Connally from Miss Grace M. Jackson and Mrs. F. M. Jackson for forty five dollars; but who were these people? Were the Jackson's selling the Mandola after Mr. Jackson, husband and father, passed away? After all, forty five dollars was a significant amount at that time. These are questions that we will never know the answers to, sadly. What we do know, however, is that Mr. J.M. Connally and the various subsequent owners of this instrument valued it highly and took very good care of it to this day.
It is in excellent condition, with no cracks, scrapes or bruises; just some minor playwear to the finish on the neck and some mild grooving on the frets. The Mandola is completely original with the exception of a 1920's replacement adjustable bridge (the original, in the case pocket, is fractured and not useable), and it is in perfect working order. The top arch is fine, as are the neck, tuners, pickguard, and tailpiece; and the shellac finish has a rich patina. Mandolas all sound great; but Gibsons from the 'teens particularly so. There is a familiarity and warmth to the tonal response the Mandola offers - it is in the same range as the human voice - and this instrument can warm the coldest winter night with its lovely sweetness. Excuse the flowery metaphors; but it really is a wonderful instrument! We've completed as set up on this instrument, and needed to position the bridge slightly rearward for proper tunability; you'll notice the finish in front of it is marred from years of the bridge being in the wrong place. Instruments like this don't come around too often, sadly - and this one will bring happiness to many more generations over the years to come.
With its original hard shell case, and 1920 bill of sale.
SOLD
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1935 Gibson A-00
The flat-backed A-00 was Gibson's most economical mandolin when it was introduced at the height of the Great Depression. The mando version of the classic L-00, it featured similar appointments to its larger 6 string cousin. The sunburst-finished carved spruce top is single-bound in white, and the dark-brown back and sides are unbound maple. The bridge and nut are ebony, and the fingerboard is Brazilian rosewood with simple pearl dot inlays. A simple silk-screened Gibson logo adorns an otherwise plain headstock. The mandolin's tuners, clamshell tailpiece, and pickguard are all original, the pickguard suffering slightly from mild decay. It's in excellent condition, with good frets and a true neck, and the in-shop set-up we've just finished has made it a very playable instrument. 13-7/8" scale length, and a nut-width of just about 1-3/16".
With original soft shell case
SOLD
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1931 Gibson L-0
FON 9919, 127. An all-mahogany 12-fret early L-0 Gibson. Introduced in the very early 1930's, the flat top L-0 was one of the very first modern Gibson flattop guitars. Featuring X-braced tops with pin bridges, larger body sizes, and modern-shaped necks, these guitars replaced the small-bodied, H-braced, 12 fret guitars with huge necks and thumpy voices that were previously available.
Gibson got it right straight out of the gate with their take on Martin's X bracing. With their exceptionally thin tops and back, slightly wider X angle, and unscalloped braces, the remarkably lightweight and resonant L-0 has its own sound, and was among the first Gibsons to "have that Gibson sound" - the same one we hear about a lot around here. It is much more
lightly built and resonant than the L-00's and L-0's built from 1933 onwards, and this L-0 has bit more subtlety as a result. The body is completely Mahogany, bound in white celluloid and features a very thin lacquer finish. The braces are tall, thin and unscalloped, and the tiny original bridge plate is quarter-sawn maple. The 12 fret truss-rodded
Mahogany neck has a very comfortable C profile, that's not as bulky as those on guitars from the 1940's, and a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. The nut is 1-3/4" wide, and the scale length measures 24.75". Silver "The Gibson" silk-screened logo, original three-on-a-plate tuners. Full height Brazilian rosewood bridge and bone saddle. Original bridge pins, ebony nut, endpin,
and truss rod cover. The action measures in at a standard 5/64ths under the high E and 7/64ths under the low E. This instrument is completely original and in remarkably well-preserved condition. No cracks, no loose or separated braces, and in overall excellent condition, but with some minor pickwear below the soundhole. This guitar plays very well; its original frets have
almost no wear, and the fingerboard is in great shape. This guitar performs well under a pick or fingers - and has ample headroom if you have a heavier attack, despite its super light weight. It is loud, full, and woody, with a sparkle imparted by the mahogany top. A wonderful guitar.
Sold with its original case
SOLD
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1954 Gibson J-45
FON. X9053-34. Everyone loves small-guard J-45s - there's just something about these gorgeous instruments that makes us want to pick up the guitar and play. Is it the smokey sunburst finish, the single-ring sound-hole rosette, or the small upper-belly rosewood bridge? Or is it in the finer details - the small frets and petite headstock, the color of the Kluson buttons, or the way the screws holding the tuners and truss-rod cover on are kind of flat on the top? Perhaps it's because we all know, with just one look, that it is a guitar that's going to sound and feel great. Before 1955 Gibson scalloped the braces in their J-45s, giving them the woody openness they're famous for. Also, the necks from this era are popularly considered to be the most comfortable necks Gibson ever put on their acoustics. The whole package is simply awesome; and anyone who's spent time with an early 50's Gibson knows it.
This guitar is in excellent and original condition. With the exception of two very small and very tightly repaired back cracks the instrument is crack free. There are no changed parts, no funny repairs, and no signs of abuse. The original frets show some wear but are still playable, and there are two patches of pickwear on the top - one by the pickguard, and another by the bass side of the fingerboard that has been carefully tinted dark to match the finish. Unlike most Gibsons this guitar came to us with no loose or cracked braces and nothing to adjust except a couple of nut slots. It is a "collector quality" instrument, with tone to match - so if your collection is just this one guitar, you'll have done well; this guitar is a songwriter's dream.
Sold with a newer deluxe TKL hard case
SOLD
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2006 Gibson Custom Shop Historic Les Paul R8 VOS Lefty
Serial # 8 6432. It is a 2006 model from Gibson's Custom Shop. A faithful
1958 reissue, complete with VOS (Vintage Original Spec) components and
design - from the long neck tenon, mildly aged looks, nitro finish, sexy
plastic parts, bumble-bee capacitor, solid one piece mahogany back and
mildly figured maple top. The neck is awesomely comfortable, and the guitar
weighs in at a svelte 9.17 pounds total. Acoustically, it's an incredibly
resonant instrument - which always translates to a killer amplified tone -
especially when its voice is coming from a pair of Gibson Burstbucker
pickups. This guitar does exactly what Les Pauls are supposed to do. And
it's so much fun to play. It's sold with all its original documentation,
hang tags, patch cord, and hard case.
SOLD
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1962 Gibson LG-3
Serial # 54928. The LG-3, for those of you who are not familiar with this
model, is a natural-finish version of the LG-2. Gibson generally charged
more for natural topped guitars, and as a result these are harder to find
today than their sunburst brothers. A very fine sounding LG, this guitar
has had two top cracks and two back cracks repaired in our shop; a
replacement Brazilian rosewood replica bridge and bone saddle made and
installed, and a new small single-ply maple bridgeplate. The guitar needs
no further repairs, but the original frets are getting fairly tired. The
action and playability are very comfortable, and the guitar's neck has a
very early 60's feel to it - not quite a big as a late 50's, but certainly
more beefy than a mid 1960's. Those of you who are seeking a fine sounding
vintage LG-2 or 3 but don't want to pay a fortune for it will very much
appreciate this guitar.
Without case.
SOLD
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1932 Gibson TG-00 Tenor
FON 191. This guitar has made tenor players out of everyone in the store. Its voice is beguiling, with the depth and fullness of an opera singer's voice, and
the resonance and and warmth of a vintage ribbon microphone. The secret to this guitar's tone is its all-mahogany L-00 body, light weight, and short scale (23") 12 fret neck. The resulting bridge placement is
only 2" from the soundhole, leaving a much larger area of the top free to vibrate. The black finish with white binding and pickguard is nothing but gorgeous,
and the instrument is original right down to the bridge pins. One very well repaired small back crack is the only flaw that we can point out; and the
guitar's frets and action are perfect. It has geared Grover tuning machines, and ebony nut, truss-rodded 19 fret neck with a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, and a
full height Brazilian bridge and bone saddle. The case it comes with is its original hard shell, with
broken handle, and suspect latches and hinges.
SOLD
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1951 Gibson ES-150
FON 8742-17. A remarkably fine early ES-150. With the exception of the
tuning machines, this instrument is completely original and unmodified. The
finish is in great shape, and there are no cracks or bruises to mention.
Original 5/8" tall barrel knobs (these were replaced by 1/2 tall speed knobs
in '52), original tuning machine screws and bushings, 4-ply bevel-edge
pickguard, trapeze tailpiece and bridge. Bound Brazilian Rosewood
fingerboard with trapezoid inlays and original frets. The P-90 pickup has
an output of 7.2 kOhms. Very comfortable neck, set up with fast low action.
Some fret wear on the first 3 frets, not much elsewhere. They don't come
too much more clean than this one, and they don't often come with an
original hard shell case...
SOLD
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1925 Gibson L-5
Serial # 81629. The Gibson L-5 designed by Lloyd Loar and introduced in late 1922 revolutionized the guitar world. Loar's 16" carved instrument was the first to employ "F" holes in its design, and signaled the genesis of the modern arched-top guitar. The L-5 featured many other modern features: An adjustable truss rod in the neck, a height adjustable and intonated bridge top, an elevated pickguard with a right-angle mounting bracket, and an elevated fingerboard which allowed the top's effective vibrating size to be enlarged; and a fourteen fret-to-the-body neck. Similar to his famous F-5 Mandolins, Loar's L-5 guitars featured Gibson's most select timbers, with spruce and maple plates carved, graduated, and tap-tuned to perfection. Thanks to Lloyd Loar, 1923 also saw the end of the celluloid tailpiece bracket (replaced with metal), and the introduction of a tilted-back neck attachment which permitted a taller bridge, more downward pressure on the instrument top, and a resulting increased volume. Today, the Loar-era "Master Model" instruments (L-5, K-5, H-5, F-5 and Style 5 Banjos) which bear Loar's signature are among the most prized instruments on the vintage market. Loar resigned from Gibson in December of 1924. The last known Loar-signed instrument was an F-5 dated December 21st 1924 bearing serial number 80416.
The instrument pictured here is an L-5 completed in the spring of '25. This instrument's construction was undoubtedly begun during Loar's tenure at Gibson, but completed after his departure. As such it bears the Master Model label associated with Lloyd Loar, but not Loar's signature label. This particular L-5 bears certain transitional features indicative of the immediate post-Loar period: An angled peghead logo, flowerpot inlay, dot fingerboard inlays from the 5th fret on, single-bound fingerboard with pointed end, and gold hardware. Of note are the original tuning machines - gold Grover "Pancake" planetary banjo tuners with pearl buttons - a rare and beautiful feature.
A one owner guitar and a local instrument, this L-5 came to us after being in storage since the early 1980's. There is finish wear to the back of the neck and to the areas that were in contact with the owners clothing. There is one small and largely insignificant top crack at the waist below the pickguard, and an invisible center-seam repair (done by us) beneath the tailpiece. The back and sides are in crack free excellent condition. The top braces are intact, and the top's arch is perfect. Original frets, pearl nut, bridge, endpin, and bound pickguard. The original tailpiece string hanger is bowing forward slightly, but is intact and functional. As is evident in the photos, the pickguard was once notched for a DeArmond floating pickup, and there is a fairly well-hidden 1" splice of fingerboard binding adjacent to the 18th and 19th frets. This instrument features two Master Model labels, one almost completely obstructing the second. We'd only love to be able to read the hidden label, but we can't, so that's all we can tell you about it... sorry. The maple figure in the neck, back, and sides is tight and deep; and is accented nicely by the Cremona sunburst hand-rubbed stain. Set up in our shop, this instrument plays perfectly up the neck. 24-3/4" scale, 1-3/4" nut. Tone? Well, that's the best part. If you've never played one of these first L-5's you really ought to soon.
Sold with its original hard shell case in excellent condition
US $28500 SOLD
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1935 Gibson Jumbo
FON #161. Wow... The fifth Jumbo we've offered in the last few years!
Among the rarest and most collectable Gibson flat-tops, the Jumbo was
Gibson's first big guitar - introduced in '34. This model dates from '35,
and features a bound fingerboard and a slightly larger sunburst diameter
than the '34 guitars. With its even deep body depth, scalloped triple tone
bars, and small sound hole its tone is unmistakable. Clear, balanced, even,
warm, rich and loud; but still quick and raw. It's all there.
Fine action (5 to 7 64ths) and lots of room to raise or lower the strings. 1
3/4" nut width, 24 3/4" scale length. Only one tiny top crack - a 1inch
long, very tight split near the waist by the pickguard. The sides show a
few well-repaired cracks and some light overspray that has been blended in
well. The back has an old splice repair at the bottom, a few cracks as
evident in the photos, and has been completely over-sprayed or refinished.
The crack repairs are very old, and the newer finish has aged and crazed to
an appealing patina. The top has a few small spots of drop-filled finish
below the bridge, and a small area of touch-up adjacent to the fingerboard.
The bridge has been off in its life, but is well glued currently.
Internally, this jumbo is in great shape - there are no signs of repaired
broken or loose braces - only the internal support of the aforementioned
back repair, and a small cleat we installed near the sound hole to ward off
a potential crack.
The neck is incredibly comfortable. A bigish V profile to go with a big
guitar. It's plainly obvious that you're holding something special when
playing this guitar. The neck was reset at some point, and the heel shows
some overspray and a repaired crack. The tuners and neck finish are
original, the bone nut is not. We have recently refretted the guitar and
replaced the bridge saddle resulting in a 70 year old guitar that plays
perfectly.
While it is not in perfect condition, this Gibson Jumbo is a very fine
example of the very first Gibson large-bodied flat-top guitars. It sounds
wonderful and plays and feels the same.
A period-correct Gieb / Gibson tweed hardshell case is included
SOLD
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C. 1945 Gibson LG-2 MAPLE
FON 301-8. As the Second World War dragged on into the 1940's the supply of
tropical hardwoods dwindled as shipping lanes to and from the major North
American ports were unsafe and vulnerable to German U-Boat attack. As a
result, manufacturers had to look to other, more locally available,
materials. Many Gibson instruments from this era, which were typically
constructed of Honduran Mahogany, are built of maple - a wood locally
available to the Kalamazoo, Michigan company. Earlier during the war,
spruce and steel were rationed for the war effort and instruments with
Mahogany tops and no truss rods can be found from that period. However, as
the war drew to a close, the supplies of these materials again became
available; but the supply of South American Mahogany would take a few months
to restock. It is during this period that the LG-2 pictured here is most
likely from.
There was almost no Mahogany used in the construction of this instrument
-only the kerfed linings are of this wood. The back and sides are maple,
stained dark to match the catalog description of the LG-2. The neck is a 5
piece laminate of maple and rosewood, stained dark as well, and capped with
a Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard. The instrument's top is bookmatched Red
Spruce, its bridge is Brazilian rosewood which (typical of Gibsons from
pre-'46) is lacquered over. The truss-rod equipped neck features a 1-3/4"
nut width, and sports original open-geared Kluson tuners and the famous
"Only A Gibson Is Good Enough" headstock logo. The instrument is in
excellent condition despite heavy lacquer crazing. There are no cracks and
no loose braces, however there is some minor damage to the pickguard's top
corner where it was previously lifting. The back of the neck sports some
worn-away finish in the first position, and there is a small patch of
case-wear on the upper-treble bout's side. The original frets have some
mild wear, but are still very playable, and the action measures 5 to 7 64ths
at the 12th fret. The tone is all LG-2, but with the brightness and snap of
maple. A very rare and interesting instrument.
With period chip-board case
SOLD
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1962 Gibson Johnny Smith
Serial # 87019. Introduced in 1961, and offered in the Gibson Company
catalog until 1989, the Johnny Smith was both the most expensive and
(arguably) the most popular of the artist models the company offered in the
1960's. This early 1962 example (pot coded 12th week of 1962) features the
earliest version of the JS humbucking pickup which has a layer of celluloid
between the pickup's upper bobbin and gold plated cover (which made
pole-pieces non-adjustable). Solid carved spruce top, and highly figured
solid carved maple back and matching sides. Three-piece maple neck with
5-ply bound ebony fingerboard and matching headstock. Pearl split-block
pearl fingerboard and split-diamond headstock inlays. 7-ply top bindings,
3-ply on the back and sides. 5-ply bound celluloid pickguard, bound
f-holes, ebony adjustable bridge. Gold L-5 style tailpiece with Johnny Smith
emblem, matching hardware, and Kluson Sealfast tuners. Rich sunburst
lacquer finish on all sides.
A beautiful and ultra-deluxe vintage Gibson archtop with a wonderful voice
both acoustically and plugged in. The instrument is completely original and
in remarkably excellent condition. The original frets show mild wear, the
nut has never been removed, and the playability and feel are exceptional.
Nut width of 1-3/4", 25" scale length. Included with this guitar is its
original Lifton hard-shell case in Mint condition and original Canvas case
cover (with replaced zipper). The Johnny Smith offered here is a fabulous
investment opportunity, as instruments of this quality and condition are
becoming harder and harder to come by.
On Consignment
SOLD
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1924 Gibson F-5 Lloyd Loar
This fine Loar F-5 was brought in by a visiting musician on his trip through
Guelph. It is often that we get a show and tell of fine instruments around
here, but it was an extra special day when this mandolin was placed on our
evaluation bench. The instrument is in excellent original condition but
with heavy one-owner playwear to the back of the neck and fingerboard in the
first position. We thought you'd all like to see photos of it.
NOT FOR SALE
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1963 Gibson F-25
Serial # 367591. In response to the folk revival of the late 1950's and early 1960's the big American guitar companies all introduced "Folk" guitars in
effort to capitalize on the demand for small-bodied gut and silk-and-steel strung instruments. The F-25 was Gibson's offering, and was designed to be used
with either ball end gut (nylon) strings or steels. The neck is 2" wide at the nut and features a flat fingerboard, much like a classical guitar or turn of
the century parlor. The body is that of a B-25N (or LG-3), with an X-braced spruce top and mahogany back and sides, and the dual white pick-guards are factory
original. The guitar sounds like an LG-3, with big mids, lots of volume, and punchy treble and bass notes. It is a great instrument for fingerstyle
country blues for those of us who prefer the feel of a wide neck and the finger room it affords. Those of you who were reared on a classical guitar will also
feel right at home on this guitar. It is completely original, with the exception of a compensated bone saddle, and in remarkably fine condition with no
cracks or issues. The set up is comfortable and low, and the guitar is strung with standard light gauge strings. It is sold with its original Gibson
soft-shell case.
On Consignment
SOLD
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1939 Gibson Recording King M3
FON # EW-1026. Some guitars just have it all. From the original stamped
Kluson tuning machines (which are the same that are found on many high-end
Gibsons of the era - and worth about five or six hundred) to the exquisite
bound fire-stripe pickguard and the sunburst-on-all-sides original finish,
this is a scrumptiously appealing guitar. It features a solid red-spruce
carved top, maple back and sides, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge,
and pearl headstock inlays and position markers. It is original right down
to the tuner screws! Frets and neck are in great shape, with only some
minor fret wear and worn finish on the back of the neck. Playability is
great, thanks in part to this instrument's first-ever set up done right
here!
The nut measures 1 -3/4", scale length of 24-3/4". Superbly comfortable
rounded neck profile with the slightest hint of a V. To top it off, it
comes with its original soft-shell case! Wow.
SOLD
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1950 Gibson J-50
FON 4655-18. Wow! What a knockout of a guitar! It's gorgeous, AND it
sounds great. Older J-50's are getting harder and harder to come by,
especially instruments of this quality. With its perfect top arch, lack of
cracks, minimal finish wear, comfortable action, and simply wonderful tone,
this J-50 is a very special instrument. Triple-bound natural-finished
spruce top, mahogany back and sides, Brazilian rosewood bridge and
fingerboard. Scalloped bracing and a small maple bridge-plate give this
instrument a huge voice with powerful basses. Anybody would become a Gibson
fan with one strum on this beauty. Original finish, nut and saddle, Kluson
tuners, small pickguard, and bridge pins; full height bridge, with newer
bone saddle, replacement end pin. The back of the neck shows a very
professionally repaired crack (that looks much worse in the photo than in
person); it is tight and poses no future risk. The neck is that great
feeling early 50's shape with a 1-11/16" nut. The action measures 5 to 7
64ths.
Older soft-shell case included
SOLD
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1940 Gibson EH-150
FON F612-6. An instrument like this must make you want to play lap steel
guitar! What an incredibly gorgeous instrument. Sunburst on maple
guitar-shaped body, gumwood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, nickel
hardware, individual Kluson tuners with translucent amber buttons, one black
and one brown Bakelite octagonal knobs, and, of course the famous Charlie
Christian pickup. Complete with its original hard case, this is a
beautifully preserved instrument. The pickup is very hot, with a fat tone
and bigness not usually found in steels.
SOLD
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1931 Gibson L-0
FON #163. Introduced in the very early 1930's, the flat top L-0 was one of
the very first modern Gibson flattop guitars. Featuring X-braced tops with
pin bridges, larger body sizes, and modern-shaped necks, these guitars
replaced the small-bodied, H-braced, 12 fret guitars with huge necks and
thumpy voices that were previously available.
The guitar pictured here dates from 1931 most likely. It is among the
earliest X-braced Gibsons built and is remarkably lightweight and resonant.
It is much more lightly built and resonant than the L-00's and L-0's built
from 1933 onwards, and represents a period of great change at Gibson. The
body is completely Mahogany, bound in white celluloid and features a very
thin lacquer finish. The braces are tall, thin and unscalloped, and the tiny
original bridge plate is quarter-sawn maple. The 12 fret truss-rodded
Mahogany neck has a slim C profile, with a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard
and original frets. The nut is 1-3/4" wide. White "Gibson" silver
silk-screened logo, original three-on-a-plate tuners with their original
buttons. Brazilian Rosewood full height bridge and bone saddle. Original
bridge pins, ebony nut, endpin, truss rod cover, and celluloid pickguard.
The action measures in at a standard 5/64ths under the high E and 7/64ths
under the low E. This instrument is completely original and in remarkably
well-preserved condition. No cracks, no loose or separated braces, and in
overall excellent condition, this instruments plays nicely and is set up
with light gauge strings. As with most feather-weight guitars, this guitar
performs best under a light touch. It has very robust almost
classical-guitar like trebles and a very open and woody middle to low
register. A very fine vintage instrument.
Sold with non-original hard shell case
SOLD
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1950's Gibson Vibra-Rest
Gibson offered these in the 1950's as add-on vibrato units. Though simple
in design, it works quite well. It's as new in its original box.
SOLD
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1941 Gibson A-00 Mandolin
FON 3706-18. While we are calling this Mandolin an A-00, we are equally
certain that it is an A-1... or an A-50. Gibson Catalog descriptions from
this era are dubious at best, and the company is famous for building
instruments of the same model with differing trim and construction details.
In any case, here are its specifications: 10-1/4" wide, A-style body with
f-holes; solid carved spruce top, solid carved maple back. Lacquer finish,
sunburst top, rich red mahogany stained back and sides. One piece mahogany
neck, with Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and ebony nut. Nickel Grover open
geared tuners with white (now yellow) buttons, Gibson silk-screened script
logo. Clamshell tailpiece, tortoise-celluloid pickguard, adjustable ebony
bridge. Bound top, and unbound back. The instrument is in excellent and
original condition, with a normal but not extensive, amount of wear and
tear. Set up in our shop, the mandolin plays very well with comfortably low
action. The first 7 frets appear to have been replaced, but they are
nearly indistinguishable from the originals. There is plenty of fret life
left, and many tunes left to be played in this attractive instrument.
With newer hard case.
On Consignment
SOLD
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1956 Gibson ES-225T
FON V4037-1. The ES-225T was introduced in 1955 only to be phased out four
years later, despite strong sales. The model was Gibson's first thinline
electric, and the company's first electric to feature a single pickup
located halfway between the bridge and finger board. Essentially a thin
body ES-175, the 225T was designed to offer the electric guitarist a more
feedback resistant instrument. It was ultimately replaced by the double cut
away ES-330, whose modern styling found more appeal among the guitarists of
the era. The guitar features a 16 inch wide laminate maple body with a
depth of 1-3/4", a pointed Florentine cut-away, 5-ply bevel-edge pickguard,
single P-90 pickup with volume and tone controls, Les Paul style trapeze
bridge/tailpiece, individual nickel Kluson Deluxe tuners, and a pearl inlaid
Gibson headstock logo. This example is in excellent original condition; the
hardware is in great shape, and the original tuner buttons are still
functional (a rarity). The set up and playabilty are excellent, and the
instrument sounds exceptional thanks to a particularly strong P-90. A small
key-style reinforcement was long ago spliced into the neck's heel to fix a
slight separation - the repair is very well done and structurally stable,
and no finish was altered or added in the process. The guitar's mid-50's
neck profile is about as comfortable as it gets, and coupled with this
instrument's light weight make it a joy to play. 24.75" scale, 1-11/16"
nut.
No case
SOLD
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Early 1970 Gibson ES-335 TDC
Serial # 612257. A pre-Norlin orange-label 335 with features typical of the
69-70 transitional period. Three-piece mahogany neck with volute and Made
is USA stamp, "Pantograph" headstock logo, original 60's fiberglass nut,
chrome-plate hardware, nylon bridge saddles, trapeze tail-piece and patent #
pickups. Kluson Deluxe double ring tuners (but there is evidence that there
were once Grovers on it, and the bushings are non-original). Frets and neck
are in great shape, as are all electronics. Guitar weighs in at 7.7 pounds.
Cosmetically in near-perfect condition, and in excellent playing set up.
Included is a MINT condition early 1970's original Gibson hard shell case.
On Consignment
SOLD
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1955 Gibson J-185
Sorry folks, this one sold before we were able to post it on our website.
It is an excellent condition 1955 Gibson J-185. Rarer than the J-200, The
J-185 was built between '51 and '58 - and only 59 of them were built in
1955. It is a gorgeous guitar, and in wonderful and original condition.
The package even included an original brown/pink Gibson hard shell case. We
thought you'd like to see it...
SOLD
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1932 Gibson Nick Lucas Special
Serial # 87896. Uncommonly rare, entirely desirable. Most likely built
in '32, this Lucas features a thirteen fret neck and Brazilian rosewood back
and sides. It was originally fitted with a trapeze tailpiece, adjustable
bridge and floating pickguard, but has since been converted to a pin-bridge
instrument. The sound is simply to die for and impossible to describe;
there is a good reason why so many consider this model the ultimate Gibson
flat top guitar.
Intensely figured Brazilian rosewood back and sides, X-braced Red spruce
top. Body depth of 4-5/8" at the tail and 4-1/4" at the neck heel. Bound
ebony fingerboard with Nick Lucas pattern inlays, pearl "The Gibson" and
Fleur-de-Lys peg head inlays. Scale of 24-3/4", nut width of 1-3/4".
Repair history:
The Current bridge is a very nice early 50's style replacement built of
figured Brazilian rosewood that well matches the back and sides. There has
been at least one other pin bridge on the guitar, as is evident by the small
finish touch-up visible under the bridge. The bridgeplate is a correctly
sized replacement, and is made of Sycamore as the original was. The plate
was replaced to deal with old bridge pin holes that were poorly positioned.
The bridge pins are period correct, but of course non-original, and the
saddle is bone. The top is in excellent condition with no significant
cracks or bellying. All top braces are intact and un-repaired. Back and
sides are crack-free and in excellent condition with the exception of a 1/8"
filled strap-button screw-hole by the neck heel on the side. The finish on
the body is original with no overspray; the finish touch-up by the bridge is
the only finish flaw of note. The neck appears to have been reset some time
in this instrument's past, and there is a second filled strap button hole
on the neck heel that is largely not noticeable. The tuners have been
changed a few times; the holes have been enlarged for thread-in bushings.
The current tuners are 60's Waverley three-on-a-plate machines which are
fairly close in appearance and footprint to the early 30's engraved
Waverleys that this guitar would originally have had. The action is
currently set at 5 to 6 64ths at the 12th fret.
This is a wonderful guitar that, despite some old repairs, is actually in
very fine condition. Its voice is rich and open, with well developed
complex overtones and harmonics, and a very even response across the strings
but with an added oomph in the bass register thanks to the deep body depth.
Sold with a period correct hard shell case
SOLD
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1960 Gibson Super 400CES
Serial # A-33851. Considered by most to be the "Holy Grail" of electric jazz
guitars, The PAF equipped, round (Venetian) cut-away Super 400CES from 1958
to 1960 is a beautiful thing. Only about 90 Super 400's with this
combination of pickups and cut-away were built, and most of us will never
have a chance to get our hands on one. Well, we aim to please here at
Folkway Music, and offer this near-mint condition 1960 Super 400CES for your
enjoyment.
About as clean as they come, this instrument shows only minor playwear. Some
slight finish-wear to the back of the neck in the first position and slight
scuff marks on the back, and a slight warp to the original pickguard are all
that can be held against this fine guitar. It is completely original, with
the likely exception of the frets. The wire harness has never been removed,
and all solder joints are virgin. The original gold PAF humbuckers have
outputs of 8.5 and 8.1 kOhms. The original hard shell case is in equally
fine and unfaded condition as well. It is an astronomically warm and rich
guitar, and certain to inspire. The combination of solid carved spruce and
maple, 18 inches, and PAFs is simply magical.
On consignment
SOLD
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1930 Gibson L-0
FON #281, 9767. The first modern Gibson flattop guitars - those which
featured X-braced tops with pin bridges, larger body sizes, and
modern-shaped necks - were the redesigned L-0 and L-1 instruments introduced
in the very early 1930's. These were the first instruments with the
now-familiar 14 3/4" wide body commonly referred to as the L-00 shape.
Prior to these, Gibson flat-tops were small-bodied, H-braced, 12 fret
guitars with huge necks and thumpy voices.
The guitar pictured here dates from 1930 or '31. It is among the earliest
X-braced Gibsons built and is remarkably lightweight and resonant. It is
very different from the L-00's and L-0's built from 1933 onwards, and
represents a period of great change at Gibson. The body is completely
Mahogany, bound in white celluloid and features a very thin lacquer finish.
The braces are tall and thin and unscalloped, and the bridge plate is
flat-sawn maple; and very small. The 12 fret truss-rodded Mahogany neck has
a shallow C profile, with a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard that is very
thin. This thin fingerboard (similar in thickness to those found on Fender
Electrics of the early 60's) is factory original; other L-0's from this
period have been documented with such boards. The nut is 1 23/32" wide.
"The Gibson" silver silk-screened logo, original three-on-a-plate tuners
with their original buttons. The Brazilian rosewood bridge has been shaved
and the saddle position shifted back a 16th of an inch for proper
intonation. The ebony bridge pins are original, the bone saddle is not.
The action is on the high side at 7/64ths under the high E and 1/8th under
the low E. With the exception of the saddle and one well-repaired back
crack this instrument is completely original and in remarkably
well-preserved condition. It plays nicely and is currently set up with
light gauge strings. As with most feather-weight guitars, this guitar
performs best under a light touch. It has very robust almost
classical-guitar like trebles and a very open and woody middle to low
register.
With original semi-hard shell case
SOLD
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1951 Gibson J-50
Talk about vibe! This J-50 is a one owner guitar that has been played hard
its whole life - and has the wear to prove it. Pickwear on the top, and
lots of neck and fingerboard wear. The thing feels great! Despite the worn
look of this instrument, it is in excellent condition, with no top cracks,
side cracks, and only a pair of small back cracks. We've replaced the frets
and set it up with some fresh strings (the originals were antique) to
discover that it sounds as good as we hoped it would. Early fifties Gibsons
are great sounding instruments in any condition, but crack-free original
guitars with lots of playing in them are the best ones, and this guitar is
no exception to the rule. It's completely original, with the exception of
the frets, and in perfect working order. Check out the original hard shell
case it comes with, too!
SOLD
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1942 Kalamazoo KGN-12
FON 2801G-33. The rarest of Kalalmazoo Guitars, maple natural finished L-00
sized instruments (many with the famous Oriole decal) are hard to come by,
especially in this condition. Crack-free and with just about no finish
wear. Ladder braced, with maple back and sides and red-spruce top.
Original lacquered Brazilian rosewood bridge with bone saddle, Brazilian
rosewood fingerboard with ebony nut. Original Kluson 3-on-a-strip tuners
with newer buttons. The headstock logo was removed and tastefully replaced
with an r-rated 40's decal... a nice touch. Action measures 5 to 9 64ths,
(a bit high on the bass side), and can only be lowered further with a neck
reset or bridge shave. 24.75" Scale, 1 3-4" nut.
Sold with original soft shell case.
On Consignment
SOLD
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1940 Kalamazoo Sport
FON # 1119F. At first sight this one won us over. We all wished that as
kids we had a guitar like this to learn on! The 3/4 size sport model by
Kalamazoo (Gibson's budget brand) was designed and marketed for the young
guitarists of the post-depression era. It is a Mahogany and Red spruce
12-1/2" wide guitar with a scale length of 22-3/4", a nut width of 1-9/16,
and a proportionally sized 3-1/4" soundhole. The top is bound in white, the
back unbound, and the rosette is a simple white-black-white ring. This
instrument is original down to the bridge pins... the lacquer is still on
the bridge (and the pearl dots - or lack thereof - is an original feature).
There are a couple of well-repaired top cracks and a bit of kid-style
pickwear, but this instrument looks like it's been played very little,
judging by the absence of fretwear and tuning machine wear. The canvas case
is original, too. Just set up in our shop, this instrument plays very well
with comfortable low action. Hey - it's cherry sunburst too! A few years
earlier than you usually see this finish.
SOLD
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1953 Gibson L-4CN
This L-4 came in for some basic set-up work this week. It is in such wonderful condition that we thought you all should see it. It is a one-owner guitar, bought new in '54 with a matching National tweed amp. Very cool.
SOLD
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1943 Gibson J-45N
FON #7117H-25. Talk about rare! The J-50, introduced 1947, was a
natural-finish version of the J-45, with slightly different top purflings -
but otherwise the same guitar. So what's a natural finished J-45 from 1943
called? Well... a J-45N - and it's one of the most rare variants of the
wartime Jumbo. Introduced in 1942, the J-45 featured Banner headstock logo,
teardrop pickguard, rectangular bridge, scalloped bracing, a two tone bar
brace layout, and a sunburst finished top. Only a small hand full of
natural-finished topped J-45's are known to exist - and this one is likely
the best preserved one of the lot. It is free of any cracks, and has just
about no finish wear. It is completely original, with the possible
exception of the ivory nut, and the new saddle that we cut for it.
Beautifully set up, this guitar is in no need of a neck reset, and plays
well with 60 year old frets that are in great shape. The bridge has been
reglued and some finish has chipped away from the top along its front
margin.
This J-45N is definitely the best sounding J-45 we've ever encountered, and
every one of our customers who have played it agrees that they have never
heard a better example.
Sold with its original soft shell case.
SOLD
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c. 1946 Gibson LG-2
FON 707. A Banner LG-2 in excellent and original condition. One piece
solid mahogany back, solid mahogany sides and a bookmatched spruce top. One
piece truss-rodded mahogany neck with a Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard and
1-3/4" bone nut. Original Brazilian rosewood bridge with newer bone saddle.
No cracks, no repairs, none needed. The neck has been professionally reset
and the action is perfect. Original tuners work well too. The finish is
completely original, but has been cleaned and mildly buffed to a vintage
gloss. The guitar sounds fabulous (as most Banner LG-2's do) with a woody
midrange, full trebles, and open basses.
Sold with newer hardshell case.
On Consignment
SOLD
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1926 Gibson TB-1
FON 8325-24. A great banjo for Celtic players, the short scale feels great and can be tuned to C or G. This banjo has a truckload of vintage charm, and it plays like you want it to! 11 inch diameter head, 3/4" three-ply maple rim, diamond-hole stamped flange with 22 brackets; single coordinator rod, 21" scale length. Very cool original Elton pickguard with built-in pickholder, original arm rest and friction tuners. Single-bound fingerboard and maple resonator. Non-orig tailpiece and two changed resonator screws (we had to tell you!) A simply appointed tenor banjo, the TB-1 occupied the lower end of the Gibson banjo lineup in its day. The warm tone of this instrument is the result of a simple brass hoop tone ring mated with Gibson's 3/4" maple rim, its 11" head, and short 21" scale length. With the original hardshell case in great shape.
SOLD
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1963 Gibson L-48
Serial #102713. We challenge you to find a cleaner 43 year old Gibson.
This L-48 is in just about Mint condition, and we've never seen anything
like it. It's a true "Closet Classic" one owner guitar. Mahogany top and
sides, Maple back - in classic Gibson form! 1-3/4" nut, 24.75" scale
length. Completely original, and very playable, with new hard shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1955 Gibson L-48/ ES-125 Lefty
Nope, it's not a factory lefty, but it is the next best thing. We started
with a 1955 Gibson L-48 that was missing all of its hardware, and made a
lefty electric out of it... just because we could! The tortoise celluloid
pickguard was made by us after we installed a Seymour Duncan Antiquity P-90
and a completely new wire harness in the guitar. The 3-on-a-plate Klusons
are new, and we've aged the buttons to look the part. We installed
period-correct lefty side dots on the neck, installed a Tone-Pros AVR-II
bridge, set it up with 11-49's and voila! A quasi-vintage lefty Gibson. It
has a great feeling neck, vintage appeal and vintage tone thanks to the
Antiquity P-90, and everything about the guitar looks just right and
perfectly believable. Very cool.
SOLD
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1964 Gibson J-50
Serial # 190146. A local one owner J-50. This guitar has just emerged from
our repair shop with new frets, a drop-in bone saddle, a couple of glued
braces, and a set up. It plays great now thanks to the fret work, and
sounds significantly better than it did with its original rosewood
adjustable saddle. Mahogany back and sides, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood
bridge and fingerboard. Original "single line" Kluson tuners. One older
repaired back crack, no others. Lots of nice mids, and that plunky bottom
end early 60's Gibsons are famous for. 24.75" scale, 1-21/32" nut (a hair
less than 11/16ths)
With original soft-shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1962 Gibson Melody Maker D
Serial # 46358. The Melody Maker is still one of the most under-valued
instruments Gibson built in the 1960's. These guitars, with their mahogany
bodies, set necks, and wrap around bridges have a lot in common with the
Specials and Juniors built a few years earlier - except no one too famous
played one, so they've lived a life of quiet servitude and under-appreciation.
The Melody maker pickups sound good - sort of a cross between
a Strat pickup and a P-90, and compliment the light weight body well. These
days, though, we're seeing more and more Melody Makers with replacement
P-90s as they convert very easily. This instrument is in great original
condition with the exception of a very well repaired headstock crack.
Playability is great, with a good neck and quality frets. When this guitar
was built, Gibson hadn't yet switched to the smaller neck profile of the
later 1960's, so many of you will love the way this one feels. Brazilian
rosewood fingerboard with a 1-11/16" nut.
On Consignment with original soft shell case.
SOLD
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1951 Gibson J-45
FON # 8576-34. I don't know about you, but for me a small-guard J-45 is
where it's at. Gibson switched from the small tear-drop pickguard in '55 -
the same year they stopped scalloping braces, making the pre-55'ers better
sounding guitars, too. A year later, they'd introduce the adjustable bridge
(as an option, to start)... the first of many big changes to come.
This guitar is a 1951 example. It has been a one owner guitar until now, as
is evident by the great looking pickwear around the soundhole and pickguard.
The instrument is completely original - frets, nut and saddle, tuners,
bridge pins - everything except the tuner buttons which had to be replaced.
There is a crack on the back and another at the pickguard's margin - both
repaired well. There are no other repairs to speak of, and none needed; a
rarity for any Gibson of this age. The set up is great too - with an action
of 5 to 7 64ths and lots of saddle height to play with should you want it
lower still. The frets show some light wear, but no major pits or grooves,
and play buzz-free. It's a great sounding J-45, as you might expect; thanks
to its light build, scalloped braces and 50 some-odd years of service. It's
loud and full, with a nice midrange and equally balanced basses and
trebles.
With hard case
SOLD
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1967 Gibson Tal Farlow
Serial #891899. A wonderfully well preserved one owner Tal Farlow that has spent its entire life right here in Guelph, Ontario. The Tal Farlow is the most rare of the Artist models Gibson built in the 1960's - only some 215 were shipped, and one would be hard pressed to find one in such stunning condition. With it's distinctive inlaid scroll on the cutaway, upside down crown fingerboard inlays and shapely pickguard, it's not only rare - it's a very unique instrument as well. In nearly new condition, the only mentionables are the beginnings of deterioration to the pickguard's celluloid, two spots of minor play wear on the back of the neck, and possibly some very light overspray on the back of the headstock from the E tuners up. I say possibly as there exhibits no reason for overspray or finish work, and the serial number is still very legible. Gibson quite possibly could have touched up a small flaw in the back of the headstock before shipping this guitar out in '67... we'll never know. 1-9/16" nut width, 25-1/2" scale. Double crown pearl headstock inlays, single-bound headstock, fingerboard, and f-holes; triple-bound top and back. Original Patent # pickups, original (but not common on the Tal Farlow) Grover Rotomatics. Original bone nut (never removed) and plastic saddle bridge top. Set up with 11-50 flat wounds.
Sold with its original hard shell case in similar condition
SOLD
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1950 Gibson CF-100
A cool first year Gibson LG-2 cut-away. It was here for a new bridge, some
brace work, and a refret. We thought you'd like to see it. Yes, it
sounded great.
SOLD
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c.1919 Gibson GY
Gibson's first flat top was not the L-1 that Robert Johnson made famous, but
GY model (or Army Navy) which predated the flat-top L series guitars by some
10 years. The Army Navy instruments were low-budget guitars and mandolins
with flat tops and backs sold through military stores from the end of World
War One into 1921. They were unornamented and finished in Sheraton Brown
with natural finish on the neck. This instrument features a ladder-braced
spruce top, birch back and sides, trapeze tailpiece and adjustable bridge;
ebony fingerboard with simple pearl-dot inlays, and three-on-a-strip tuners.
The list of repairs on this instrument includes multiple seam separations, a
long top-crack, two side cracks and a replacement bridge and pin-block.
Despite all the repairs, this instrument works very well. The neck and
frets are in particularly good condition, and the set up is very playable.
Typical of the day, the neck is large, clunky, and V-shaped. It joins the
body at the 13th fret. The scale length is 24 1/4", and the nut width is
1-3/4". It's a fun guitar to play - very plunky and bluesy - and great for
a heavy fingerstyle attack on Leadbelly era tunes.
With a non-original soft shell case
SOLD
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1938 Gibson GS-35
FON # 41D-4. Gibson has never been well known for their classical guitars,
and with the exception of the folk boom of the 1960's never built a
significant number of them. However, from 1938 on, classical or Gut-String
(GS) guitars have occupied a small corner of Gibson's catalogues. From 1938
to 1942 the GS-85 (Rosewood) and the GS-35 (Mahogany) were built in very
limited quantity; 27 rosewood instruments, and 39 Mahogany. They are rare
guitars. These early Gut Strings marked the emergence of the LG-body
shape, one that would become a staple of the post-war steel-string lineup.
This example dates from early 1938, and is possibly the earliest known of
its kind. It is a one owner instrument that was bought new a year before
its owner was sent off to fight in World War Two, sadly not to return. With
the exception of some slight pickwear this guitar is in vintage-mint
condition, having spent the last 50 years in its case in the closet of the
family home.
White-bound Solid Mahogany back and sides and Red spruce top. Brazilian
rosewood bridge with pearl inlays and bone saddle. Ebony fingerboard,
carved polished bone nut. Gibson pearl inlaid logo, Kluson tuners with
original buttons. Interesting 7-7-5 white and black rosette around a bound
soundhole.
This instrument is very much a classical guitar; the top is fan braced with
7 fans, and it is very lightweight and resonant with fine tone. The nut
measures a shade less than 2" and the scale is 25.4".
With the original 'Red Stripe' Geib case, this is very collectable and rare
instrument - a true museum piece.
On consignment
SOLD
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1952 Gibson SJ
FON # Z1681-13. A one owner early 50's SJ in remarkably fine condition.
With its small pickguard, thru-saddle bridge, and gorgeous tobacco sunburst
finish this guitar exudes every thing that the term "Vintage Gibson"
embodies. It's a knockout, simply put. It came to us from its home in
Michigan, not too far from the town of Kalamazoo where it was built 52 years
ago. Scalloped braces, tiny little maple bridgeplate, Brazilian Rosewood
bridge and fingerboard, and completely original -right down to the bridge
pins. Evidently not played too much, the frets show only the most minor
wear on the first 3 frets under the B and E strings. The saddle is full
height, and the action in perfect - this guitar does not need a neck reset.
It's always fun to discover that you are the first person to adjust a
guitar's truss rod in a half century! A few small repairs to note: A
pickguard crack and a small (2") top crack from the bass-waist have been
well glued. The tuners are the originals, but with newer buttons, and
although you'd likely never notice, the tuner holes were enlarged for the
replacement Gibson Klusons that adorned this one when it arrived. We
removed the incorrect newer tuners, replaced and aged the buttons on the
originals, and re-installed the original bushings which almost completely
cover the markings of the replacements. The finish is in fine shape with
only minor dings and scratches (as are over-exemplified in the photos).
There is a minor (1" by 3/8") area of case-wear on the upper bass side. The
guitar plays wonderfully, and sounds.... well, like a '52 Southern Jumbo!
With 60's era Gibson HSC.
SOLD
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1927 Gibson A-4
A very nice mandolin, made just after the change back from snakehead to
paddle headstock. That means it has the powerful tone of the maple back and
sides and the original adjustable bridge and truss rod of the Loar period,
coupled to the great looks of the earlier 'Teens A-4s. This one also has
the slightly wider 1 3/16" bone nut, which many players prefer. The
original tuners have plenty of life. There's a little honest playwear but
no cracks or seam separations. The first eight frets have been replaced
many years ago, and all of the frets have recently been leveled and crowned.
Two brass rings for tying a strap have been left in place by a previous
owner. The instrument has a loud, balanced tone with some sweetness and
some good old-fashioned chop. The original green-lined case is in good
condition, too.
SOLD
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1955 Gibson ES-175TD
Here's a '55 ES-175 in very nice condition, just some changed tuners to
detract from its originality. It was here for some TLC, so we though we'd
let you see some of what we get to play with every day...
NOT FOR SALE
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1942-3 Gibson "Banner" LG-2
FON 1011-9. By now a lot of you know that we love our LG-2's here at
Folkway, and it is with great excitement that we unveil this '42 - '43
Mahogany-top. This instrument's condition is truly amazing; to think that
this guitar is more than 60 years old is simply mind boggling. It is
without cracks, even though the top and back are one-piece mahogany (yes, a
one-piece top... very cool). The pickguard is not curling up at all, and
all the braces are well-glued - a rare event with old Gibsons! Only a few
minor nicks and a touch of lacquer crazing blemish the otherwise perfect
finish; it's obvious that this guitar was not played too much over its
lifetime. Wartime features of this Gibson include a Maple neck, gumwood
fingerboard and bridge, and the Mahogany top; there is an adjustable
truss-rod though, and the original tuners work much better than most
war-time gears I've encountered. 1 3/4" nut width, 24.75 scale length,
action of 5.5 to 7 64ths. We replaced the bridge-plate as it was cracked
and had had an excessively large patch glued over it. The new plate is an
exact replica of the original, and has allowed this guitar's voice to really
come out. It is a fine choice for any collector and a great sounding LG if
you're looking for another muse.
Newer hard-shell case included
SOLD
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1965 Gibson ES-125CD
In 1965 Gibson introduced the ES-125CD as an inexpensive alternative to the
fancier ES-175. Starting with the best-selling ES-125 platform, Gibson
added a Florentine cutaway, a second P-90 pickup, and standard 2 pickup
Gibson wire harness with volume and tone for each pickup, and a 3 position
toggle. Not many of these instruments were produced in their 5 year run,
and as a result they are fairly unknown today. Unfortunate, given the
bang-for-the buck this instrument offers vintage Gibson fans. The
dimensions are the same as an ES-175; at 16-1/8" wide and 3-3/8" deep, with
a scale of 24.75", and this guitar features the same laminate maple
construction of its older brother. Essentially the instrument is a
simply-appointed pre-PAF ES-175. The squiggle tailpiece of the 175 is
substituted by a standard 125 trapeze, the Maple top laminate is unfigured,
and the finger board has a simple dot inlay pattern. The tuners are
three-on-a-strip Kluson double-lines with white plastic buttons. The pickups
are P-90's and the bridge is Brazilian rosewood. The finish is the
now-famous Gibson Cherry Sunburst. Everything on this guitar is original
and in great condition, except the pickguard has gone missing. The original
hardshell case is in great shape too. Nut width of 1 9/16.
SOLD
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1942 Gibson Banner J-45
F.O.N. 1012. A first year Banner J-45 that is one Factory Order Number
away from our 42 LG-2!! This one is on the list of the best sounding J-45's
I have ever heard - this guitar is truly incredible. Huge volume, rich and
warm, but very articulate, with perfect balance. "Only a Gibson is good
enough" banner on the headstock. The neck is large and round, measuring 1
3/4" at the nut, and fits perfectly in your hand. It is a 5-piece maple and
walnut neck, with a truss rod, gumwood fingerboard and a scale length of
24.75". This guitar has a Mahogany back, sides, and scallop-braced top;
sunburst finish on the top, and a tortoiseshell celluloid teardrop
pickguard. One small repaired crack on the back, one other one on the top
between the bridge and the sound-hole; both are well repaired. Non-original
Brazilian Rosewood bridge. This guitar most likely once had an oversized
bridge that was professionally removed and replaced, and the top's finish
was touched up in the area of the old bridge's footprint. The repair is very
good, and the finish work does not terribly detriment the instrument. Most
importantly the top has maintained its perfect arch - so crucial to its
tone, and the guitar sounds sooooo good! Original tuners, nut, and frets.
Strap button in the heel, and the end-pin replaced with an out-put jack.
Action of 6 to 7 64ths, with a little wiggle room if you'd like to bring it
down further.
Non-original hard-shell case included
SOLD
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1941 Kalamazoo KG-32N
Talk about a gorgeous guitar! This is a '41 Kalamazoo KG-32N; it's just
about same guitar as an Oriole, but without the peg-head ornamentation and
with different binding. The KG-32N shown here is a rare guitar - most
KG-32's were finished in sunburst - and it has withstood the ages very well,
making it a truly collectable budget Gibson. Arched solid red spruce top
(with three tight well-repaired cracks), arched figured maple back and
sides, and what looks like a Korina Mahogany neck! The guitar's top is
bordered with checker-board white and black, and the back and top are bound
in white. Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, bound tortoiseshell
celluloid pickguard and chrome-plate tailpiece. The tuners are original
three-on-a-plate Klusons, with beautiful swirly-celluoid buttons. This
guitar is original down to the last screw and bushing, and is simply
breathtaking. The original hard shell case is included, too.
SOLD
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1940 Gibson J-35N
Well folks, the third Gibson J-35 that we're offering this calendar year is
yet another super-clean and original example - this time in natural finish.
It's easy to understand why pre-war Gibsons are so sought after by musicians
and collectors alike. As far as vintage guitar shops go, we think we're
pretty fortunate to have had three excellent-condition J-35s come through so
far this year. We have been provided with a very interesting opportunity to
compare and contrast the tonal and structural characteristics between some
of the finest sounding and most original J-35's out there. This example,
dating from 1940 (FON 1463F-19), has double un-scalloped tone-bar bracing
which results it a tighter bass response and more cutting trebles. Those of
you who find the boom of old Gibson Jumbo 35's a little to extreme will
likely prefer the more even string-to-string balance that this instrument
offers.
This J-35 is in original condition, right down to the blue-and-white-twist
strap that you'll see in the photos. The lacquered bridge, pins, saddle,
nut, and tuners (but not the tuner buttons) are all factory originals.
Nearly crack-free, there are only two very small and well-repaired (by us)
side cracks to speak of - barely noticeable. The neck is round and large, no
V, tapering to a French-style heel. Little wear to the frets and
fingerboard, and only the most minor finish wear on the body. Small out-put
jack hole in the side (bummer) from an old DeArmond soundhole pickup. The
action is at 7/64ths on the E,B,G, and D strings, 9/64ths under the A, and
5/32nds under the low E; the saddle is cut down as low as the full-height
bridge will allow. The playability is fine, but does feel high, especially
on the bass side. The instrument looks wonderful, with one of the nicest
original natural finishes that we've seen surrounding a striking firestripe
pickguard. Complete with it's original chipboard case, this time-capsule of
a 1940 Gibson J-35 is priced at:
SOLD
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1952 Gibson SJ
Sorry everyone - but we tried to get this guitar off the original owner's
hands... and we couldn't. It's a '52, and it's as clean (or cleaner) than
it looks. Last year an unscrupulous vintage dealer replaced his original
tuners with those wrong replacements - and charged him! We'll offer the
owner a set of originals from our reserve. Anyway, it was here for some
loose braces, a bridge reglue, and some set up work. We thought you'd want
to see it.
NOT FOR SALE
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1927 Gibson L-4
When this guitar was brought in for our assessment by the neighbour of the
original owner, I knew by the sound of the two remaining strings that we had
an exceptional instrument on our hands. With a few repairs and some setup
work done, this guitar has proven to be one of the richest sounding archtops
I have ever had the pleasure of playing. Structurally it is a rare bird,
with a few unusual features. The serial number, 83708, dates to early 1927,
and it has a transitional soundhole rosette around the oval soundhole, with
checkered outer rings and diamonds in the middle. Very classy. And then
there's that snakehead, a rare vestige of the Loar period, never usually
seen this late. The details are all concurrent with Loar instruments. I
suggest that this guitar was built in an earlier batch, and completed and
dated in '27. All that aside, it sounds so good, that I challenge you to
find a Loar-era guitar this appealing! The basses have the quality of a
cello, huge, rich and full, with sweet trebles. This is a guitar that will
appeal to players of many styles, particularly if you've ever found standard
f-holed archtops a little tight and cold.
The guitar is all original: maple and Adirondack spruce, ebony board and
patented bridge, pearl nut, engraved tuners, floating guard, and that
luscious green-lined case! We think the mahogany neck is a close copy of
the bat that helped Babe Ruth sign on for $70,000 in February 1927, when the
next highest player made $20,000. There is no fret wear, as the original
owner played it lap-style with a riser nut. Check out the picture sent
along by his family! The guitar plays exceptionally well, with a fresh
setup from our shop, and has a reglued centre seam on the top. There are
two dings in the top which were clearly filled in the Gibson shop, prior to
sunbursting and finishing the guitar. A very fine investment.
SOLD
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1968 Gibson Super 400 CESN
From the Tsumura Collection. This 1968 Gibson Super 400CESN is pictured in
Akira Tsumura's book "Guitars, The Tsumura Collection" (Kodansha
International Ltd, New York, ISBN 0-97011-839-0) on pages 76 and 77.
A stunning natural finish Super four, and one of only 11 built in '68.
Carved spruce and highly-figured maple - and 18" wide there is a lot to look
at on this beauty. All original gold hardware, bound tortoise-celluloid
pickguard, 5 piece maple neck, and legendary tone. Factory original side
repair in the area of the out-put jack, as seen in our detail photo, and
noticeable in the Tsumura pictorial; the jack plate was likely to have been
later added. There is the possibility of a repair to the headstock of this
instrument, but the workmanship is so fine that we are unable to conclude
this for certain. Recent professional refret and set up gives this guitar
excellent playability - amazingly low action without buzzes. Nut width of 1
5/8", and a long scale. Sold with its original hard shell case.
SOLD
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1933-4 Gibson TG-00
A rare find. For anyone who thinks a tenor guitar has to sound like a tin
can and be strung with barbwire, this one will be a revelation. With a full,
rich tone, matching any 30's L-00, this guitar has lot to offer. Tuned in
fifths (traditionally C-G-D-A) I play mine tuned down as low as a guitar
(E-A-F#-B), giving a big sound that belies the four strings. This instrument
will add a whole new dimension for a recording guitarist, and open new doors
for mandolin players. The guitar is in great shape, with a few tight and
well-repaired cracks, tuners that were replaced probably in the late
thirties (it came with cheap planetaries originally). The nut is 1 1/8"
wide, and the action is great with plenty of room for future adjustment. An
exciting guitar. With new hard case.
SOLD
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