Gibson LG-2

1944

Attention exceptional guitar.

This LG-2 is a real little bombshell; it’s a sort of mini J-45 on steroids.

It vibrates so much. It will undoubtedly be one of the defining instruments of the year, if not more. First of all, the condition is impeccable. The guitar does have some play marks on the varnish, which was quite soft at that time, but there are no cracks or repairs. The neck angle is excellent, and the guitar is very easy to play because it has benefited from a neck reset. It has been refretted with frets similar to the originals. The tuners are replicas of those originally installed on these models. It is therefore in absolutely optimal playing condition.

But if it were only the condition… no, it sounds like a million bucks as the Americans say. I really see a lot of beautiful guitars, but this one has something. It’s just phenomenal. It’s all there. The roundness, the precision, the sharpness, and the projection. What a voice! It’s a truly great guitar.

For the record, this LG-2 was manufactured in 1944, a time when only women worked at the Gibson factory. Even though the brand refused to acknowledge their existence until the 1990s, women did indeed create these incredible guitars, which were also assumed not to exist. Since the factory was mobilized for the war effort, it wasn’t supposed to produce musical instruments. Yet, according to its own documents, it produced 25,000 between 1940 and 1945. Dating a Banner is always a tricky business. This one bears a FON 2313 24, which places it around 1943/44. The neck block inside the body being a rectangular block of poplar, this would make me lean more towards 1944. There is some mahogany for the internal blocks in 1943, but it’s more likely pre-number 2200.

Comes in its modern Gibson acoustic case. Don’t miss it there’s not many that sound like this one.