This 1953 Gibson LG1 acoustic guitar was brought into the workshop several weeks ago.
It was purchased by one of my regular customers from a well known auction site and listed as a “project guitar”. They were not kidding!
The Damage
- The back was badly split and cracked
- The struts that reinforced the back were missing or cracked
- The machine heads were stiff and difficult to use
- The bridge was missing.
Not only was the bridge missing, but a bridge shape had been painted on in a disconcerting fashion. The bridge pins were still in place and clearly someone somewhere had been trying to use this guitar in its sorry state.
Being over 50 years old this guitar had suffered serious abuse and damage not only structurally but also to its finish. It was decided that cosmetically the guitar would not be altered due to financial restraints.
The Repair
- All splits and cracks to the back repaired
- A new back brace made and fitted (without removing the back)
- Machine heads overhauled and made functional
- A new Rosewood bridge made and fitted
- Fingerboard and frets cleaned up
- Set up for .011 – .054 gauge strings
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August 2, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Hello,
Where are you from? Is it a secret? 🙂
Dirnov
August 5, 2009 at 10:20 pm
London U.K.
August 4, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Hi Graham, thank you for another superb job and congrats on your new site. The Gibson LG-1, like the Gibson J-45 you did for me recently, play great and will be good for another 50 odd years. My next project will be an easy one , Promise! It is an all mahogany L-0 from 1929 and all it needs is some bracing work, a liitle tweak here and there on the nut, saddle and truss rod to get the intonation just right, maybe a little strenghtening of the soundbox, a quick look at the tuning gear, some fret levelling, some binding work, a little bit of angel dust on the top bellying and maybe a new bridge, easy peasy.
August 24, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Hi Graham, having seen the guitar before and after your work I’m very impressed – it’s now a real player. Congratulations on your new site as well. Cheers, Glenn
August 24, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Hi Glenn, Thanks for your comments. Yes the guitar worked out very well and plays beautifully. I think there are a few more like that one in the Arthur collection.
Graham