Nothing to Drool Over

[Starbuck]

But can anyone maybe tell me what this could be? It was my Dad's and it's in sad shape. There is no lable on the inside and at one time it was in pieces. It needs a complete fret re-dress and the laquer needs to be stripped cause I'm pretty sure at one time it was a tobacco burst. It still sounds ok though. I'm quite sure it's not worth the money it would cost to have it restored. I'm new to the postig pics thing so I hope this works. Oh yeah all that is inside is a very faded number under the neck it's 5 digits then a dash and 2 digits.

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee107/FrettingBullets/Gibson2.jpg

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee107/FrettingBullets/Gibson1.jpg

[NB-SK]

Well, it's a Gibson acoustic guitar, that's what it is. :tongue:

If you strip the brown lacquer, whatever is underneath it will also come off. You'd probably need to have it totally refinished if you did that.

[Starbuck]

Ha! Ooh you're a smart one! :smile: I'm just trying to get an idea of what it could be before I take it to the fret. I tried on the Gibson site as well as some other sources and come up empty. I think the number is the production number or something like that. It's pretty small as well. It's a smidge smaller than my Taylor Big Baby, but it's heavy and obviously solid wood and it feels really wonderful to play. And in the end that's all that matters.

[NB-SK]

I'd get in touch with Gibson if I were you. They could probably tell you what it is with the serial number.

[Starbuck]

I tried that and did not get a response from them.

[NB-SK]

All right. I found this. I hope it helps.

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson.html#intro

[Starbuck]

Hey thanks, I've seen that and it was a little convoluted cause the number that I have doesn't really look like anything they list. That's when I tried to contact them to no avail.

[NB-SK]

I'm no expert, but with a bit of research on Google, think I found got an answer.

Based on the shape and the pickguard, I'd say it could be a b-25...but that bridge really has me stumped. Are those abalone inlays on the bridge on each side of the strings? I couldn't find a picture of a b-25 that had similar bridge 'inlays'. Could it be a replacement? Don't know.

[Starbuck]

Hey did you read the info on that site? Wow! how confusing. But thanks anyway I sent an e-mail to the guy hoping he can help. I have no idea when or where my Dad came across it. From that site it could be in two different batches but Gibson seems to have little continuity to their serials. I have no intention of selling, but maybe my daughter would like to know what it is one day. :smile:

[NB-SK]

Hey did you read the info on that site? Wow! how confusing. But thanks anyway I sent an e-mail to the guy hoping he can help. I have no idea when or where my Dad came across it. From that site it could be in two different batches but Gibson seems to have little continuity to their serials. I have no intention of selling, but maybe my daighter wouls like to know what it is one day. :smile:

Check my previous post. I did a complete rewrite. I was correcting a spelling mistake when I got a hunch and started checking other vintage Gibson guitar sites. The Gibson b-25 and the b-15 were 'student' guitars (you said it's small). Well, they are worth an awful lot more than what a student would pay for them now. Very collectible, actually.

[Starbuck]

Based on the shape and the pickguard, I'd say it could be a b-25...but that bridge really has me stumped. Are those abalone inlays on the bridge on each side of the strings? I couldn't find a picture of a b-25 that had similar bridge 'inlays'. Could it be a replacement? Don't know.

You're better with Goolgle than I am. That's the thing the person who "fixed" this guitar butchered it. I think the bridge is likely a replacement and there is shudder.. white paint there and around the sound hole!! added to that, it has been laquered badly and it's thick in places. I just get the feeling it might sound better if it were re-done. b-25 never heard of that one. I'll go have a look. Thanks!

[greco]

I was going to offer my $.02 worth and suggest that it looked like a B-25 body shape. I owned a B-25 in the late 60's

Good Luck with it.

How is the tone ?

Dave

[rollingdam]

Thr pickguard and bridge are not original-could be a B 25 or LG series-what kind of bracing does it have-if ladder braced it could be an LGO or LG1

[Starbuck]

I was going to offer my $.02 worth and suggest that it looked like a B-25 body shape. I owned a B-25 in the late 60's

Good Luck with it.

How is the tone ?

Dave


Depending on the strings (I have Med's on now) the tone varies. I do find it a bit muddy and I think that's because of the crappy laquer job. The Gibson site was very confusing to me and for some reason I had never picked up on the B-25 (Never heard of it really) But I knew someone here could tell me something. Now it's to decide that if I had it redone (which would be costly) would it sound good? It was my Dad's so monetary value means nothing to me. It would be neat if it sounded great though. Thanks so much everyone for your input! I think I'll just case it up one of these days and take it to the fret to see how much it would cost.