Antique Acoustic Gibson...value help

M

MCreel

New member
My grandpa has what I have determined is likely either a 1941 or a 1950 Gibson J50 Acoustic guitar.

Two questions.

Does anyone have any sources where I could verify the year and does anyone have any sources where I could estimate a value range for this item?

thanks for the help.

I meant to take some pics, but I didn't.
 
You might try George Gruhn's website-I think they may have something there to help with info on vintage instruments.
 
The J-50 didn't come into production until 1942, so it is clearly NOT a 1941. If it is a 1950, it should have a reverse belly bridge (the belly is towards the fingerboard), however 1950 is the year they made that change, so it could also be a straight bridge. If it has straight bridge, it is probably a `40's. If it has an adjustable bridge, it is at least a 1955 (when the adjustable bridge became optional). Of course, if it has a adjustable bridge, then it is also a POS, but that's a different issue (the second worst idea Gibson ever had).

If it is a 1941, it could be a Jumbo 35, which was avalible in 1941 in either a natural or a sunburst finish. (It is natural, right? cause that's what makes it a J-50 instead of a J-45.) The new edition of the Blue Book for the Guitar puts a 1950 J-50 at $2,450-$4,000 depending on the condition. This book came out about 2 months ago, so it's pretty up to date. Now, if it is a Jumbo 35, the you are looking at $7,200-$14,250. However, relatively few Jumbo 35's were ever made (approximately 2,500 - though I don't know how many of those were 1941's), so it is more likely a J-50.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
For what it's worth, the Gibson logo changed dramatically in mid-1948 when the modern script took over. That should help with the dating. The reverse belly bridge appeared in 1944 and was used only on the Southern Jumbo model until 1950. on the other hand this was Gibson and the reverse belly shows up on J-45s & J-50s before the change was official.

Also on the Jumbo 35 the logo was usually stencilled white instead of gold.

All the above are incredible guitars
 
Wow...thanks for all the info, special thanks to Light and Milnoque.

It is definately a J50. Inside the body is a stamp that says J50, and then on the neck block is the serial number.

The guitar looks basically like this one:
http://www.provide.net/~cfh/j50_63.jpg

Except the pickguard is different (it does run down the body as far as the one in the photo does)

The color also seems a bit different. It's not a sunburst color, it is natural, it just looks like it has more of an orange hue to it than the ones I see in the pics I have found.

Here's the website where I found info about the serial and FON numbers.
http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson.html#serial

The serial number on the guitar was something like 4175 28.

I'm not sure if the numbers are exact with the exception that I know for a fact the lead "4" is right, and the "28" is right. I didn't see a hyphen in there anywhere.

On that website above I must have taken the 1941 year off of the Serial Number section that describes mostly lap steels. I guess i didn't read very carefully. If I scroll down a bit it shows that the 4000 range serial numbers are also associated with 1950 Gibsons. So I'm guessing it's a 1950.

The guitar would probably be valued at the low end of whatever range is presented because, like a lot of older instruments, it has a visible crack running through the top. It's a shame because its a beautiful instrument, and it sounds great too.

When I was at their house I changed the strings and used a light application of wood cleaner to get the grime off it. I assumed that was ok, I don't see why it wouldn't be.

Any advice on what to do to help preserve it?

Thanks a ton guys.
 
Let's cut to the chase here.

I'll give you all the cash in my pocket right now for it.

That's a whopping $27.

...although, I am about to go eat. So think fast.
 
One more addition...

I don't know much about the anatomy of a guitar, so I have no clue how to tell what kind of bridge it has. I know where the bridge is, but can't see how any part of it would be near the fingerboard.

Sorry for my ignorance, and again, thanks for all the help.
 
Usually a bridge on an acoustic guitar has a rounded shape on the back like this... Assuming this is what light and milnoque are talking about, that "belly" would be facing the soundhole.

invisiblenemies said:
Let's cut to the chase here.

I'll give you all the cash in my pocket right now for it.

That's a whopping $27.

...although, I am about to go eat. So think fast.
Click to expand...
And, unfortunate for this poor chap, I have a milk jug with exactly $47.54 in it that's yours and I'll pay for shipping... :D
 
Throw in the milk jug?

Gotcha...thanks for the bridge explanation. I'll have to try and get some pics of the thing. Should have taken them while I was there.
 
MCreel said:
Wow...thanks for all the info, special thanks to Light and Milnoque.

It is definately a J50. Inside the body is a stamp that says J50, and then on the neck block is the serial number.

The guitar looks basically like this one:
http://www.provide.net/~cfh/j50_63.jpg
Click to expand...



That bridge is the reverse belly, but THAT one has a adjustable bridge (i.e. - POS). If the saddle is that wide and has the screws on either side, it is at LEAST 1955.

Oh, and serial numbers are a questionable way of dating any Gibson, so take it with a fairly large grain of salt. Actually, make that a fairly large salt lick.



Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
That larger pickguard also came along in '55 If yours has the smaller guard as you describe you're probably close on the date. '50 through early '55 J-50s all sell in the same price range.

That guitar is worth enough money that I strongly advise a professional appraisal and an insurance rider for it. This goes for anyone reading this thread who has a valuable guitar. The appraisal is affordable and the rider will be surprisingly inexpensive.

I lost a bunch of tasty instruments in a house fire and I did not have a rider for them. I speak from experience. Please DO THIS.

Light, have you ever seen a J-50 made before 1948? I understand they made them but I've never seen one.
 
Does the crack extend along the inside edge of the pickguard? If so, does it extend to the bridge, or the other way along the edge of the fingerboard? Is the top displaced at any pont along the crack? Does it extend to the sound hole? (The infamous "Gibson crack").
 
Mil - good tidbit about the pickguard.

Treeline - this is where I wish I had pics. I don't recall the exact location of the crack. I know that it doesn't hit the soundhole and it also does not run from fingerboard to bridge, but while it's not quite that long, it is pretty extensive. It forms sort of a mountain peak all the way down the crack. I think it runs underneath the pickguard, but I could be wrong. I'm not sure if there's any way to fix that.

Thanks for all the help. Even if nothing else this thread is a good read on the different makes of the guitar.
 
Wherever the crack is, it is a guitar which should be taken to a good repair shop as soon as possible. A good repair will enhance the value of the guitar by quite a lot; and more importantly, any unrepaired structural issues will only get worse. A good quality repair will stabilizes the guitar, and keep further damage from happening. It may well be expensive, but the value of the guitar will go DOWN if the damage gets worse, and the repair will get more expensive as labor rates go up.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
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