Mine looks like this:
I bought it in 1962 after getting frustrated with my beginners guitar made out of plywood.
The blurb says:
August 1942 LG-1 introduction specs:
14 1/8" wide Spruce top, X-bracing, mahogany back, no lengthwise center seam on inside back, mahogany sides, mahogany neck, rectangle bridge with black pins, single bound top and back, sometimes darker sunburst finish (darker than the LG-2, to hide the lower quality spruce top). "Only a Gibson is Good Enough" banner logo. Only about 100 made in 1942, production ceased until 1946.
In 1946 the "banner" is dropped (still a script "Gibson" peghead logo). Bracing changed to ladder.
In 1948 goes to a "block" Gibson peghead logo.
In 1955 larger pickguard with point, and 20 frets total.
In 1962 plastic upper belly bridge. $105 list price.
In 1966 rosewood bridge with adjustable saddle was used.
Discontinued in 1968 but seen as late as 1974.
I believe the belly bridge is plastic instead of rosewood (hard to tell, actually), and the $105 price sounds familiar. Bracing is ladder.
Gibson and Kalamazoo models used Ladder bracing on all their inexpensive guitars. It is generally thought that ladder braced guitar don't sound nearly as good as X-braced. For this reason most ladder braced models will have little collectibility. |
