The flatpicked guitar reviews database is here to help educate people before they purchase an instrument. Of course, this is not meant to be a substitute for playing the instrument yourself!
161 reviews in the archive.
Where Purchased: gift
Year Purchased: 1959/60
Price Paid: gift (bought USED)
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Great little guitar- It was a gift to our bluegrass club. Ladder braced but a clean bright sound - and pretty loud at that. [ no D-28 loud ]
Sound Rating: 9
It was the original 1959/60 setup. Just new light strings. I had heavys on it but the light work much better. It needed some new bridge pins- the insert holes were reamed out by the old ones so i had to order a larger size.
Setup Rating: 7
Good for a well used 60;s guitar..Some nicks and bumps. a few scratches- i dropped it and put a small crack in the top, but its not that bad. Good rubbed finish- black fade to sunburst [ very dark sunburst]
Appearance Rating: 6
Hardware good. Keys and tuners all orig. New bridge pins. Frets are good, does not need a fret job after 50 yrs. Really fun to play. I had an inner brace come undone. I had to send it out to a specialist to get fixed. Did nice job. Plays well now. BUT it is now about 60 yrs old
Reliability Rating: 8
I emailed Gibson for a restoration price-it was $2300. So for now- it will stay in its present [very playable] condition. Nice guys down there- very prompt answers. If i ever get $3k to restore it I may.,
Customer Service: 8
Latter bracing on the LG-1. the LG-2 is X braced. Wood's good, Mahogany back and sides. Spruce top. Mahognay neck. Old wooden case was trashed so I got a new one. Hardware has that patina of old age. AND it smells like an old Gibson.
Components Rating: 7
I have other guitars I use on stage with my high school bluegrass band, but this one I only used for practice sessions. My big guitar was in the shop for neck work, so I cleaned this one up. New light strings, replacing the old heavys [ what i lost in volume I got back in tone] Now I just use this- IT has that "Gibson sound" . I would like a J-45 [but cant afford one]. Gibson;s sound 'country', not really that Martin bluegrass sound. [ big and BASSY] it's a more balanced sound. I have Guild a-25 [1990's] and its a small guitar. I tried to use it for bluegrass but it wouldn't carry the sound. The Gibson does- We only use stage mikes [Shure 57s] no pickups. And it carries well. Live unamplilfed it sounds just as good. NICE old guitar they don't make anymore.
Overall Rating: 8
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