Gibson LG-3 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1942)
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Gibson LG-3 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1942), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 7113H-13, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.
This is a VERY rare wartime Gibson flat top, an early LG-3 from one of the initial batches of this model in 1942. The LG-3 was advertised as the same instrument as the LG-2 with a "finer selection" of woods and a natural top finish. The natural finish did require better graded wood (visually at least), so not long after launching this model in 1942 Gibson began experiencing wood supply issues and simply stopped making them for the duration of the war. According to the research in John Thomas' book "Kalamazoo Gals" only 139 of these "Banner" LG-3s were shipped during WWII, making it officially the rarest of the "banner" Gibsons.
The "Banner Gibson" moniker refers to guitars built during WWII, so-called for the headstock decal reading "Only A Gibson is Good Enough", which disappeared by 1946. The "LG" series of small-bodied Gibson flattops were introduced at the same time as this marking replacing the earlier 1930s L-00 style instruments fairly early on during the war. The main difference was the LG's wider-waisted but slightly smaller body, a design drawn from the shape of Gibson's then-discontinued classical guitars. The LG-3 was the top model of a three-guitar line with the (initially) mahogany-topped LG-1 and spruce top, sunburst LG-2 below it. Only the LG-2 was produced in any real quantity until after the war.
During WWII the specifications of Gibson flat tops often vary greatly, dictated by both restrictions in place at the time and the limited materials available. As the LG-3 was quickly discontinued they remain true to the initial spec, unlike the highly variable LG-2. This particular guitar's features include a lovely tight-grained Appalachian spruce top (a wood in short supply after 1942) delicately X-braced over really nicely grained mahogany back and sides. In this case it really does seem like a "special selection" of woods was made! The decorative touches are also fancier than the average LG-2; the top is 5-ply bound, the back 3-ply and the soundhole rosette is 7-ply. Other features include a small tortoise celluloid pickguard, small rectangle bridge with retaining bolts under pearl dots and a thin black center strip on the back.
The neck is noticeably slimmer than the later "Louisville Slugger" profiles common in 1943-5, retaining a more pre-war feel. This is down to the presence of the adjustable truss rod, soon after deleted on wartime guitars due to metal restrictions. The headstock bears the gold script Gibson logo introduced at this time over the "Only a Gibson is Good Enough" banner decal. The tuners are pre-war flat-plate riveted Klusons, with the maker's name and patent number stamped on the plates, full depth gears and screws instead of rivets securing them.
The Factory Order Number (FON) stamped on the squared mahogany neck block is quite faded but the "H" suffix is visible confirming this guitar as a 1942 model. This is a great playing, wonderful sounding instrument that has survived over 80 years, the only LG-3 from this early period we have seen and one of the nicest playing and sounding "Banners" of any style we have ever had.
Overall length is 39 1/2 in. (100.3 cm.), 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 3/8 in. (11.1 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This 80+ year old guitar shows some wear commensurate with its age but remains in lovely original condition. The original natural lacquer finish shows typical checking (mostly to the top) and largely minor play wear, the exception being a spot of heavier pick wear down into the wood on the top below the fingerboard extension extending to the lower soundhole rim. The rest of the instrument shows small dings, dents very light scratches, with a few chips off the headstock edges. Really for an early WW--II era instrument this is a relatively clean guitar.
Amazingly enough the are no visible crack repairs, which is delightful. The original bridge appears to have been lowered just a bit in front of the pins, the mounting bolts and pearl dots covering them are undisturbed. Internally all the original light bracing and tiny maple bridge plate are intact and unaltered; one finger brace and one back brace show signs of having been reglued. The saddle is a later bone piece; the nut appears original if possibly lowered slightly long ago.
The neck has been reset with some very minor touch up. The cap of the heel lost a tiny chip during the process. The fingerboard has been trued and cleanly refretted with correct style wire. The tuners are original but the buttons are correct replacements for the likely crumbled originals; the strips themselves are in good working condition with some corrosion to the plates.
This is simply a superb looking, playing and especially sounding example of Gibson's finest WWII-era small body flat-top, the only one of these early wartime LG-3's we have ever seen. It lives in a later molded plastic HSC. Excellent - Condition.
This is a VERY rare wartime Gibson flat top, an early LG-3 from one of the initial batches of this model in 1942. The LG-3 was advertised as the same instrument as the LG-2 with a "finer selection" of woods and a natural top finish. The natural finish did require better graded wood (visually at least), so not long after launching this model in 1942 Gibson began experiencing wood supply issues and simply stopped making them for the duration of the war. According to the research in John Thomas' book "Kalamazoo Gals" only 139 of these "Banner" LG-3s were shipped during WWII, making it officially the rarest of the "banner" Gibsons.
The "Banner Gibson" moniker refers to guitars built during WWII, so-called for the headstock decal reading "Only A Gibson is Good Enough", which disappeared by 1946. The "LG" series of small-bodied Gibson flattops were introduced at the same time as this marking replacing the earlier 1930s L-00 style instruments fairly early on during the war. The main difference was the LG's wider-waisted but slightly smaller body, a design drawn from the shape of Gibson's then-discontinued classical guitars. The LG-3 was the top model of a three-guitar line with the (initially) mahogany-topped LG-1 and spruce top, sunburst LG-2 below it. Only the LG-2 was produced in any real quantity until after the war.
During WWII the specifications of Gibson flat tops often vary greatly, dictated by both restrictions in place at the time and the limited materials available. As the LG-3 was quickly discontinued they remain true to the initial spec, unlike the highly variable LG-2. This particular guitar's features include a lovely tight-grained Appalachian spruce top (a wood in short supply after 1942) delicately X-braced over really nicely grained mahogany back and sides. In this case it really does seem like a "special selection" of woods was made! The decorative touches are also fancier than the average LG-2; the top is 5-ply bound, the back 3-ply and the soundhole rosette is 7-ply. Other features include a small tortoise celluloid pickguard, small rectangle bridge with retaining bolts under pearl dots and a thin black center strip on the back.
The neck is noticeably slimmer than the later "Louisville Slugger" profiles common in 1943-5, retaining a more pre-war feel. This is down to the presence of the adjustable truss rod, soon after deleted on wartime guitars due to metal restrictions. The headstock bears the gold script Gibson logo introduced at this time over the "Only a Gibson is Good Enough" banner decal. The tuners are pre-war flat-plate riveted Klusons, with the maker's name and patent number stamped on the plates, full depth gears and screws instead of rivets securing them.
The Factory Order Number (FON) stamped on the squared mahogany neck block is quite faded but the "H" suffix is visible confirming this guitar as a 1942 model. This is a great playing, wonderful sounding instrument that has survived over 80 years, the only LG-3 from this early period we have seen and one of the nicest playing and sounding "Banners" of any style we have ever had.
Overall length is 39 1/2 in. (100.3 cm.), 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 3/8 in. (11.1 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This 80+ year old guitar shows some wear commensurate with its age but remains in lovely original condition. The original natural lacquer finish shows typical checking (mostly to the top) and largely minor play wear, the exception being a spot of heavier pick wear down into the wood on the top below the fingerboard extension extending to the lower soundhole rim. The rest of the instrument shows small dings, dents very light scratches, with a few chips off the headstock edges. Really for an early WW--II era instrument this is a relatively clean guitar.
Amazingly enough the are no visible crack repairs, which is delightful. The original bridge appears to have been lowered just a bit in front of the pins, the mounting bolts and pearl dots covering them are undisturbed. Internally all the original light bracing and tiny maple bridge plate are intact and unaltered; one finger brace and one back brace show signs of having been reglued. The saddle is a later bone piece; the nut appears original if possibly lowered slightly long ago.
The neck has been reset with some very minor touch up. The cap of the heel lost a tiny chip during the process. The fingerboard has been trued and cleanly refretted with correct style wire. The tuners are original but the buttons are correct replacements for the likely crumbled originals; the strips themselves are in good working condition with some corrosion to the plates.
This is simply a superb looking, playing and especially sounding example of Gibson's finest WWII-era small body flat-top, the only one of these early wartime LG-3's we have ever seen. It lives in a later molded plastic HSC. Excellent - Condition.