1938 gibson archtop flatback- pictures up now!

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 6:41 am

so.......
tracy's half brother's girlfirend(on her biological fathers side) has inhereted her grandfathers 1938 gibson.
here are the specs.
arched top,-spruce(unknown species)
flat back-maple
sides - maple
neck - mohogany(single center with headstock wings)
pearl dots(rare for the age)

so... im no gibsom buff or anything but i know a little bit, basically its a 38-40.
the finish is AMAZING for the age, a few finish crack and literally no player wear,
its completely original with NO issue besides a lil top bow and fret wear(but its totally acceptable for the age)
first off.
the carve on the top is amazing, very defined and the rise is about 3/4 of and inch(thats ALOT!)
and the neck is fucking huge! and its cut to a perfec v, great for moveable f's and open chords.
that sound that radiates from this thing is pure love, total greatness. i would gladly kill the president for this guitar.
i have pics, but the camera is acting up after a fall this morning.
im not really sure how to explain the overall build of the instrument.
its got a tapered headstock(common with higher end/older archtops)
no binding on the neck, but a nicely aged cream bound body.
the guard is authentic tort, that has somehow avoided warping and shrinking.
ITS ALL SOLID WOOD! AMAZING TONE!
i literally played this thing all weekend, every chance i got.
great fucking guitar.
one more thing.
she had it appraised last year and was told it was worth 400 bucks.
she basically said ok, and figured it should stay in the family.
i took a look at it and told her it was worth a couple thousand and did a double take.
oh, and its got gold grover tuners, very cool.
im trying to look up info on this guitar to appraise it right and get the most info possible.
oh, and the body is rather small, like a 16inch, usually gibbys are 17inch bodys, and sometimes 18 inchs, but thats just huge.

Justin J · Post by **Justin J** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 7:07 am

don't pre-war archtops go for big bucks? definitely more than $400. even the budget line kalamazoo branded ones go for more than that.

Baaan012 · Post by **Baaan012** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 7:08 am

whoever appraised that is a whore. . .

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 7:34 am

it was a "she" so...
she did say that they wanted to buy it from her but she refused.
i told her that my best guess is it was worth anywhere from 5,000.00-12,000.00
mainly becuz it was in such great condition, and it was a solid wood pre war gibson, altho i believe it was a lower end gibson its still better than anything new, hands down.

Will · Post by **Will** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 7:40 am

If it's in the family, hang on to it and enjoy it.

James · Post by **James** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:09 am

robert(original) wrote:she had it appraised last year and was told it was worth 400 bucks.
she basically said ok, and figured it should stay in the family.

robert(original) wrote: she did say that they wanted to buy it from her but she refused.

Did she refuse based on $400 not sounding like a lot? If they said $2,000 and it is worth $5,000+ they could have right-royally ripped her off.

Boo those people, and boo no pics yet

I love old archtops like this, some of the gibsons (student model, laminate types) are quite cheap and I spent a while considering one before buying the ES175 copy that I did. I spent ages browsing nicer olf Gibsons to get more of a feel for what's available and some of them are stunning. I'd much rather own an old Gibson archtop than an old Gibson Les Paul.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:24 pm

ok, here are some shots, tracy deleted some of them cuz she took a load of arial shots.

the only markings to be had in this beast. i never was able to make it out clearly but it was definitly two sets of numbers, one is red ink, and one in black, the red ink started with a 3.

this shows the v-cut on the neck.

fucking neck was FAT!

i had abunch more, but like i said, tracy deleted them.
im sure that in some point in my life i will make contact with this guitar again.

Justin J · Post by **Justin J** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:59 pm

looks like a gibson L-50. i think your estimate might have been a tad high.
http://www.gbase.com/Stores/Gear/GearDe ... em=1882488

James · Post by **James** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:59 pm

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson2.html

Looks like an L-30

James · Post by **James** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:01 pm

bubbles_horwitz wrote:looks like a gibson L-50. i think your estimate might have been a tad high.
http://www.gbase.com/Stores/Gear/GearDe ... em=1882488

I'm fairly sure it's an L30 like this one..

Justin J · Post by **Justin J** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:02 pm

you're probably right. they seem like very similar models, though

James · Post by **James** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:04 pm

There are loads of similar models in that era. The L30 fits the mahogany back and sides (sunburst L47 models are sunburst on the back too) and the date. Value looks to be $1000-Â£1400 sort of area.

Justin J · Post by **Justin J** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:07 pm

yeah, looks just like this one priced at $1850.

i've played a few kalamazoo archtops identical to these.

Will · Post by **Will** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 6:10 pm

It's pretty as fuck whatever it is.

dodgedartdave · Post by **dodgedartdave** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 10:29 pm

I have one just like yours except mines black. Great guitar. Well worth the money....

Does the one you're looking at have a v-neck? Also, what's the scale?

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 3:12 am

wow, i was insanely high, for that price im going to look into finding one myself.
i think i may be the l-30, mainly becuz it appears the red ink is a 30.
im not sure of the scale, i didn't have any sort of ruler, and i was really more into playing it, sounded so damn good!
felt really nice too, cept the neck, huge. and yeah some hardcore v action going on with it.

dodgedartdave · Post by **dodgedartdave** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 6:38 am

robert(original) wrote:wow, i was insanely high, for that price im going to look into finding one myself.
i think i may be the l-30, mainly becuz it appears the red ink is a 30.
im not sure of the scale, i didn't have any sort of ruler, and i was really more into playing it, sounded so damn good!
felt really nice too, cept the neck, huge. and yeah some hardcore v action going on with it.

I love those old V necks. I think because that gibson was my main guitar for YEARS. I've owed mine since I was 16. (almost 20 years)

dodgedartdave · Post by **dodgedartdave** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 6:40 am

robert(original) wrote:wow, i was insanely high, for that price im going to look into finding one myself.
i think i may be the l-30, mainly becuz it appears the red ink is a 30.
im not sure of the scale, i didn't have any sort of ruler, and i was really more into playing it, sounded so damn good!
felt really nice too, cept the neck, huge. and yeah some hardcore v action going on with it.

I love those old V necks. I think because that gibson was my main guitar for YEARS. I've owed mine since I was 16. (almost 20 years)

deadonkey · Post by **deadonkey** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 4:42 pm

beautiful!

do want.

JamesSmann · Post by **JamesSmann** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 6:11 pm

OMG.

tits.

pure.

simple.

tits.