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  #1  
Old 03-20-2019, 02:14 PM
simonplacasse simonplacasse is offline
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Default Gibson LG-3 1959 / bridge reglued, refinished??

Hello all. Pictures: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AmGz2xhl7rhxpBgXHhdWZF37lcId

I acquired a beautiful Gibson LG-3 1959. Past owner (2nd owner who bought it from original owner 2 years ago) believed it is all original.

The guitar has not been played, frets are pretty much without wear.

Something caught my : there are some tony splatter of glue or finish on the bridge. Does it seem to any of you from the pictures that the bridge was reglued?

Which leads to another puzzling question... The other similar guitars that I encountered had less of a shiny/thick finish it seems. Would you believe this guitar could have been refinished?

any input welcome!
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Old 03-20-2019, 02:37 PM
bufflehead bufflehead is offline
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Hard to tell from those photos, but what you may be thinking is glue on the bridge might actually be lacquer. My guess is that the original owner refinished it himself. Doesn't look like a professional job--just an extra coat of lacquer on top? Trying to cover up the crazing?
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Old 03-20-2019, 02:39 PM
zombywoof zombywoof is offline
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Bridges do start lifting. I owned a 1946 LG-2 which had the telltale three small holes in the butt where somebody had once attached a tailpiece as a way to get around a lifting bridge. The re-gluing on yours may just not have been the neatest job.

I cannot tell from the photos whether the guitar was oversprayed or not. You should be able to tell from the crazing whether there is a coat over it. If you get hold a black light you will see a glow if the guitar has been oversprayed.
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Last edited by zombywoof; 03-20-2019 at 02:56 PM.
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Old 03-21-2019, 06:05 AM
simonplacasse simonplacasse is offline
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Thank you for the replies. The cracks I see on the lacquer, however, do seem to the on the surface and not under another layer or lacquer. I'll try and get my hands on a black light.

In any case, in the case of an overspray of lacquer, I'm concerned the guitar does not resonate to its full potential... Thoughts?
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Old 03-21-2019, 06:56 AM
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The bridge appears to have been off, which is not a deal breaker of any kind for me. Also, is it Indian Rosewood? It kind of looks like it so it's possible it's a replacement.

If it was oversprayed carefully with a thin coat of lacquer, it won't really change the sound. If it was done with poly or a bunch of coats of lacquer, it can definitely change the sound.
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Old 03-21-2019, 10:05 AM
zombywoof zombywoof is offline
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The one thing I can say is it is not easy to spray a "thin" layer of a poly finish even if you know what you are doing.
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Last edited by zombywoof; 03-21-2019 at 10:12 AM.
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Old 03-21-2019, 10:16 AM
zombywoof zombywoof is offline
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I just looked at the photos again and the pickguard does not appear to be original. The one on your guitar looks to be a multiply. Gibson pickguards were single ply.
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Last edited by zombywoof; 03-21-2019 at 12:24 PM.
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Old 03-21-2019, 12:33 PM
Osage Osage is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zombywoof View Post
The one thing I can say is it is not easy to spray a "thin" layer of a poly finish even if you know what you are doing.
I don't like poly as a finish but I've used it and as long as you don't treat it like lacquer when you're spraying, you can do it quite thin. Especially using the poly that has been available for the past 20 years or so. I have a friend who does fantastic and super thin poly finishes. They look nothing like what I think of as a poly finish.
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Old 03-21-2019, 05:39 PM
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DenverSteve DenverSteve is offline
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Welcome aboard and congratulations on your guitar. I have no idea (nor care to) what you paid for the guitar. However, I would take it to a good luthier and have your questions answered because a refinish and some other work on a vintage guitar can diminish its value greatly. If I paid vintage price on a guitar that had been refinished, and they didn't tell me, I would be irate. If it wasn't purchased as a collectible vintage and you got a steal on it I would mostly be concerned with the tone/sound of the guitar which you stated wasn't what you expect. About a guitar's potential? I don't think there is one. It is what it is. You either love it or not.
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Old 03-21-2019, 06:01 PM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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Simon, the bridge might well have been replaced or at least reglued, but I don't think it's a major concern. What does concern me, however, is what appears to be a crack in the top (not just the finish) that runs from the base of the fingerboard along the pickguard almost to the bridge. There appears to be dirt or a darkening of some sort in the wood of the crack, so it's been there a while.

Take a dental mirror and look inside, or else take the guitar to a repair tech and let them look inside for you. If that hasn't already been stabilized, that's something you need to attend to. That's a bad place to have a crack.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller
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Old 03-21-2019, 07:17 PM
Dominick Dominick is offline
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Welcome to the forum Simon,
I concur with Wade. That crack in the soundboard most definitely needs to be addressed. Have a qualified repairman glue and cleat it. He should be sure it is properly humidified first. He most likely can answer your concerns about the bridge as well.
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Old 03-21-2019, 10:27 PM
gmel555 gmel555 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wade Hampton View Post
Simon, the bridge might well have been replaced or at least reglued, but I don't think it's a major concern. What does concern me, however, is what appears to be a crack in the top (not just the finish) that runs from the base of the fingerboard along the pickguard almost to the bridge. There appears to be dirt or a darkening of some sort in the wood of the crack, so it's been there a while.

Take a dental mirror and look inside, or else take the guitar to a repair tech and let them look inside for you. If that hasn't already been stabilized, that's something you need to attend to. That's a bad place to have a crack.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller
Agree with Wade, the crack needs looking at. The stuff right around the bridge that you think is glue, might just be the crude that builds up in that 90 degree "crevice" where the bridge meets the top. Years of wiping/polishing, etc. deposits a build-up all along the bride bottom edge that's difficult to clean out.
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Old 03-22-2019, 04:32 AM
Howard Emerson Howard Emerson is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zombywoof View Post
I just looked at the photos again and the pickguard does not appear to be original. The one on your guitar looks to be a multiply. Gibson pickguards were single ply.
Actually it looks to be an original single ply faux tortoise Gibson pick guard.

The magnifier feature worked on the picture hosting site, and picture #4 shows it clearly. The other shots showing the pick guard have a reflection going on that makes it appear to be laminated, but it's not.

Howard
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Old 03-22-2019, 02:03 PM
Howard Klepper Howard Klepper is offline
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The bridge has been reglued--there are some tiny droplets of glue on it, but overall it appears to have been done competently. There is no indication of refinishing or overspraying.

The crack is from pickguard shrinkage, which is better than the fingerboard cracks that form from loose braces or neck block. But it should be glued and cleated--routine work for a competent repair tech.
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Old 03-22-2019, 02:29 PM
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Bruce Sexauer Bruce Sexauer is offline
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I am not a repairman, but the top looks to me like it has repaired cracks in it, and the top finish appears very thick which if so probably accounts for the cold checking in it. Therefore I would expect it is top-coated or refinished. On the other hand, I have seen 60's era Gibsons with factory finishes that were surprisingly thick.
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