1950s Mahogany was still being harvested from trees that were about 400 years old. By the mid 1960s the wood was from trees about 200 years old. The older growth Mahogany just sounds amazing. I have an all Mahogany Martin 0017 from 1953. It is a stunning guitar. Very beat up, with the name 'DEL' scratched into the headstock and a number (possibly a service number for a solidier) on the back. Whatever its history, DEL is a great guitar and it has found a home with me over here in Ireland. Great video Matthew, as usual. Thank you.
Not just old growth wood, lumber was probably seasoned in a pile for decades to dry out noisture naturally, and any remaining sap solidified, a process which cannot be duplicated by kiln-drying. I have a 1920s house and even the big solid floor & roof joists are impressive & so nicely squared. Now it's all engineered wood I-beam joists.
@@j_freed True I've read that the climate conditions 200 to 500 years ago was just conducive to produce great sounding mahogany. IMO, the Earth's climate is always changing, back then was just a good time for naturally growing mahogany in the Honduran/South American region. In any event, these early budget Gibson (and others from the era) offer better unique materials that are unaffordable to most these days in a new instrument. uniqe
I've played a 60s LGO since 1970 and totally, Totally, TOTALLY agree. The neck on this guitar is incredible. They stay in tune, stay straight as an arrow, have super nice low action, and they play like butter. The sound is truly fantastic. Once I played it in a recording studio to back up a singer and the engineers went nuts over the sound. Often called the poor man's Gibson, but it's the best playing Gibson out of the 5 I've had.
I have a 63 Gibson LG) - Weathered and checked as hell. Plastic Bridge. It sounds great. Plays great. Brazilian Board, good Mahogany. Ladder braced, but sounds fuller than many. The neck resonates so well when I play it. I love it.
I had one about 20 years ago, and I ruined it in a stupid ploy to turn it into a resonator after reading a Dan Erliwine article about it. I really miss that guitar. Not my best idea ever.
I listened to all of that carefully, and that you have an early 60s Gibson LGO small body acoustic guitar, mahogany and Brazilian rosewood, that was one of Gibson's cheapest, and still is relatively low-priced, etc., is all fascinating, but honestly, I subscribe and listen because you are a great guitar player with great blues riffs. Thanks as always.
They do. The one thing about them is when the strings start to go dead, the guitar does too, whereas spruce tops will still have a little life left. Just need to restring a bit more often.
Last week I've seen a great YT video on the kinds of wood in accoustic guitars, and how they sound: Paul Davids. He played the same song on several guitars, and he explained things. Like, soft wood will give you a bit less volume, digging in deeper will get you some distortion instead of more volume. The harder woods can sound brighter, and playing louder is no problem. Thing is, try playing quiet and louder, and listen how your guitar responds, you really feel it, the kind of woods applied, it makes a difference. Some luthiers do great combinations, say, a top literally one half in spruce, and the other half in hardwood. That way you can expect something in between, both a warm tone and also bright, I guess. Those are the luthiers one should press their subscribe button. And lesson here is, do not think mahogony is no good for you, this is a great example, this kind of Gibsons is not horribly expensive yet, and still very very very beautiful.
I agree. I have an all mahogany Vester Custom Shop from 1990. It’s 💯 mahogany. I have much more expensive “brand name” guitars but that Korean built Vester is my favourite!
Wow, beautiful sound from that old Gibson. Maybe just me, but my favorite acoustics are all the same wood throughout, and ladder-braced, really unique old sound. Don't you pay no attention to those forums, you got to go with how you feel!
Gibson LG 0. Thanks for sharing, but waiting over a minute and half with not knowing what model this Gibson is; well I can't understand why it wasn't mentioned or in the video title or in description.
Matthew, I feel led to tell you that your playing (specifically your maturity and voice on the guitar) has come such a LONG way since I first sub’d (I was with you back in the 3-5000 subs days). Listening to you now, I can hear YOU playing the guitar. I still hear the influence and sometimes obvious references to your hero’s (and mine). And that’s not a bad thing because EC, SRV and a host of other great players wore their heros on their sleeves frequently. But the difference in the overall voice is not only noticeable, but brings a smile to my face. I grew up listening to and copying so many of the same people as you, but you have shown your musicianship is growing to another level, IMHO! Kuddos & keep kicking out the excellent videos!!!
Not every song calls for a Martin D-18 or a Gibson Hummingbird. Something like this might better serve a part or vibe. Love it and great playing as always.
I had an old early 60's LGO and it was way cool, after a couple years I decided to change things up and away she went. Hopefully someone is loving on it and giving it regular exercise.
I have a '54 LG-1 and have always loved it. The ladder bracing kinda acts like a compressor, focusing the tone. Easy to play and very comfortable. Blues monsters!
I think tuning instruments like this one down a half or a whole step is where these things shine, and well most guitars really. It seems to be a great strummer!
So funny, I just picked one of these up about 2 weeks ago from a family member who has a lot of "nicer" acoustics, including a couple really nice other old Gibsons. He wasn't fond of the LG-0 but I loved it for it's small size and unassuming sound. It's got so much charm and I really do like the sound. Maybe not for everyone but seeing this video is funny timing and very validating!
I got one from 1959,with the spruce top and ladder bracing, super light,great guitar,especially for open tunings,and blues. I also have a 1958 epiphone version of a lg2 with x bracing, that sounds even better. Both great for own reasons.
Hey Matthew, I always enjoy your videos. You are the genuine article man. I’ve listened to you play for several years now. I commented some time ago to always let your heart pour out of your guitar…it’s clear you’ve got a lot of heart. Thanks for sharing your music and experiences with all of us.
I had a ‘68 LG-0 but it had a spruce top. I rebuilt it and X braced it also changed the nut to increase the string spacing. These guitars are underestimated. Yours sounds amazing.
The problem with steel string, fan/ladder braced guitars isn’t the sound. All steel string acoustics tear themselves apart, these and others like them tear themselves apart a lot faster. If you find one in ok condition, it’ll probably need $500+ worth of work. That puts them firmly in the range of a decent modern X braced guitar, like a D-18. There’s always a catch. Always.
I picked up a 1965 LG-0 about 4 years ago when you could get them for about $500. It's my go to for playing around the house. It doesn't have a pickup so I never play it out. My bridge has been replaced with rosewood and the neck is pretty big. Mine is still a 1.67" nut.
I resurrected one of these for a friend of mine. It was a 1965 model with a plastic bridge and it was beat up pretty bad. I had to build three back braces as they were missing. I added some bracing around the soundhole to prevent the soundhole collapse that is common with ladder braced guitars and I added a popsicle brace to shore up the fingerboard extension. I built a proper ebony bridge for it and refretted it with medium stainless frets. All said it sounds amazing. They have a bluesy sound to them and they are very comfortable despite their insanely narrow neck. I have a banner LG-2 and after working on this guy I'd love to add an LG-0 to the family. Awesome video! These guitars deserve more love!
That is a loaded question because you have to consider market value from a collector standpoint and sentimentality. If the guitar holds high sentimental value to you by all means fix it. If you’re willing to drop the money that’s a good idea. But if you’re looking to flip it at this point in time it may not be such a good idea. A lot of people would say that it’s worth converting it to an express guitar that depends on whether you want an express mahogany guitar or you like the ladder bracing. There are a lot of things to consider but a few things that I would say are a must One you must replace that plastic bridge in my humble opinion. Those plastic Bridges crack tops in time and they don’t transfer sound efficiently. To you should get some reinforcement installed around the sound hole. On vintage ladder braced guitars this is a spot where they like to fold up. If you go to all the trouble to have it fixed and it folds up in 10 years it’s a waste of money. As a secondary recommendation I would say you would probably want to either put some sort of a reinforcement on the bridge pad as it is made out of spruce and quite soft. There are lots of things to consider in my opinion I would say yeah fix it if you enjoy the guitar you like the sound And you’re willing to spend the money on it then by all means like I said fix it but if you’re looking to flip it you’re not gonna make your money at this time. That’s not to say you won’t make your money in 10 years so if you’re looking to flip it keep an eye on the market and when the market is high that’s the time to fix it.
That depends on the situation your guitar is in. The guitar that I worked on had to collapse around the sound hole. Once I braced the sound hole and straightened all that wood out the action was pretty respectable so I could avoid a neck reset. I am in Canada and the cost to do what I did to my friends guitar would run you in the neighbourhood of about $1200-$1500 Canadian. Now a good example of one of these in top playing condition is going for about $2500 Canadian on reverb. You could change it into a dobro. Keep the action high for slide. I would still at the very least look at having a bridge made for it and just getting somebody to stiffen up around the sound hole a little for you because what will happen eventually is Glue joint failure on your neck block and cracking in the back because that’s where the pressure is. Once you step in the top up then the pole of the neck which pushes the fretboard extension down will be stiffened up. But if you avoid a neck reset you’ll be saving yourself about three to $500 Canadian. That’s a pretty significant savings. But then the question is is it worth it for just a slide guitar and you’re the only one who can answer that question. Just a few things to think about before you jump in. 🤔
OK. My first bit of advice would be to keep the fibreglass matting resin out of there. That’s going to add a huge amount of weight to the Body wood. The resin will do much the same thing. Your instrument relies on the ability of the wood in the body to move up and down to project sound. That would be akin to taking a speaker cone and dipping it in resin. You lose the volume of the instrument. In your situation with $500 for a budget I would honestly take it to a luthier and explain to him that you have a $500 budget. I would prioritize a bridge, cleating the cracks and getting some kind of support around the sound hole. Another option would be to get a bridge made have the cracks in the body cleated and put a JLD bridge doctor in it. A bridge doctor is $50 it takes about a half an hour to install and it will minimize a lot of that warping at the bridge. You may be able to get away with not bracing around the sound hole although I’d still recommend it. That would be money much better spent then spending that money on fibreglass resin and mat which isn’t cheap and basically killing the sustain of your instrument. If you turn it into a slide guitar you want that boxy bluesy tone which comes from the thin top and the ladder bracing. If you’re not too concerned about maintaining originality another thing you could do is buy a trapeze tailpiece and have a floating Bridge. That will negate the need to have a glue down bridge. If you’re confident you can do your own nut that’ll save some money and another thing too is that if you want to strictly play slide on this instrument your bridge doesn’t need to be compensated. But if you’re at all planning on playing this guitar in the conventional manner rather than strictly slide then you’ll have to have the bridge compensated. A lot of vintage slide only Martin’s and Gibsons just have a straight saddle rather than a slanted one. From what I understand you can also buy a premade bridge for this instrument online and they are fairly reasonably priced. That would probably be a good investment especially if compensation isn’t 100% vital. To be fair the original Gibson bridges were not compensated terribly well either so he would be getting essentially an original replacement only made out of Rosewood. But that would be my advice take it to a luthier explain what you want explain how much money you have and see what he says. You might find $500 does exactly what you want to have done only professionally and in the end will give you an instrument that will give you quite a bit of hassle free service
I think it really depends on what you're looking for. I love all-hog guitars but many LG-0s I've played sound very boxy thanks to the ladder-bracing. That sound is perfect for delta blues, but won't necessarily cut it for bluegrass or other more modern styles.
My uncle had one of these and I played it many times over the years. It sounded much like this one. Very nice playing, comfortable and beautiful sound.
Looks so much like my LG-0, which my grandfather bought new for my mom when she was in high school. I love the tortoise shell-style binding on the top - looks like yours has the same. Mine still has the original plastic bridge, which I have debated replacing over the years. But it sounds great the way it is so...
I have a '65 Gibson LG-1 Tobaco Sunburst that I love. I bought it from the original owner and had the plastic bridge, saddle and nut replaced with rosewood and bone. It sounds amazing! The bridge, saddle and nut work was done by a luthier at Maple Street Guitars in Atlanta, GA.
With the plastic bridge,,,just make sure it's snug, which is easily done through the sound hole, and they will sound great. Had several of these in different iterations and loved them all.
I own a 1963 Epiphone Caballero that a neighbor found in a garage can at a garage sale. It was the Epiphone 'copy' of the LGO, cost about $85 new back then and approx. 800 or less made. She (her name is Angel) was originally a lefty, I made her into a righty for my own use. I bought it and restored it and made a new bridge made of rock maple. Frets dressed and truss rod slightly adjusted. A bunch more work on loose braces and new bridge plate inside. Nut and saddle of mycarta because I had it on hand. She hangs with a '71 J50 Gibson and 3 modern Martins. Sound is much like your LGO but slightly brighter. Has that 40's bluesy tone with a little bit of snap.
It has a great warm, woody, throaty sound. That’s the acoustic sound I love. Some of those Martin spruce tops can just be a little bright for me. Nice find.
Awesome guitar and video! Are those new strings? They don't sound new. Could be the specs you mentioned rolling of the highs? I'm a sucker for new strings and the brightness they bring. Great guitar, I would love to have one. Thank you for the video.
hi matthew that instrument has its own distinct tone and temperament that only comes with nicely aged woods and time honoured wear and tear, its sweet subtle but lively where it has to be, you found a keeper ! 😇👍(played beautifully too )
You are correct about the plastic bridge. Friend, customer, has one & I replaced the bridge for R/W one (27yr ago)... it came to life! And - yip, the neck is a bit too narrow. However - Jim plays blues... which sound like blue!
I picked one up from an estate sale about 3 years back. The binding is falling off and the finish is checked but plays and sounds amazing. A treasure for sure. Definitely a back porch go to player.
I have an old Harmony, which has been similarly critiqued. Mine has been x braced. It definitely sounds different from modern acoustics but it's got a nice punch and bite similar to what I was hearing from your Lg. It sounds amazing with bluesy picking and sounds pretty sweet with folksy fingerpicking too.
I bought a 3/4 Gibson like this Years ago, still have it, except mine actually has an adjustable wood bridge on it which is definitely not a common design of any other acoustic guitar I know about. I don't remember what year the woman I bought it from said it was made, but I want to say it was sometime in the 60's or early 70's. Regardless, I love it. It has the most unique voice from any of my other guitars and sits beautifully in a mix with other guitars to help thicken that wall of sound one might be trying to create.
Nice guitar and picking bro. In 1965, I wanted to learn how to play guitar, I was only 13 and my dad said rent one. So I rented a Gibson LGO all mahogany for $17 a month. At the end of the year for eighth grade graduation. I got a 1966 Gibson SG standard. and in the Ampeg Jet for $365, I should’ve also bought that LGO. Just played a gig today and one tomorrow. The Guitar bug has been with me all my life. Thank God! I’m 71 and still performing.
I have a 1969 LG-0 with a spruce top. It sounds good, pretty similar to this one, but I do wish it had a thicker and wider neck. The small body is really comfortable for couch pickin'
I bought the LGO in 71 shipped from factory for $250.00. Was not a great sounding guitar but was comfortable to play. My next acoustic was a guild f20 which was also low priced and small bodied but that guitar had very good sound and good volume.
I have a 1964 LG1 my uncle gave me almost 40 years ago and I love playing that guitar, sounds great, a little thin but I don't use it playing out it's my home guitar and I still play it to this day and it never disappoints.
Yeah,I've got a 1964 Harmony Sovereign jumbo folk guitar that I really love. Actually bought it in 1964. It's got an issue with the neck close to the body but otherwise, plays and sounds great.
Matt O my LG0 the plastic bridge was no good I replaced it with rosewood. I tore out the soft wood bridge plate and made a rosewood one. It made the guitar come to life
Thanks for the well produced and great sounding video. Myself and my bro-in-law(a 50 player/songwiter/performer) are the only 2 guys I know that think it's a grwat guitar. I got my 61 LG-0 a couple years back. It sounds literally exactly the same as yours does in this video. I have yet to find the perfect pickup for it. The best match I found is the fishman rare earth mic blend with the mic turned down 80% or so. I trade for mine....a $1500 value but it needed nothing!!! Action is pefect and I am picky. It is in above average shape with no problems. I have not had any problems keeping it in tune with the open tuners. I did lube the gears and tightened all screws. This guitar is a simple masterpiece for my blues style.
Hi Matthew i am one of your Facebook friends, that is really a great guitar i must say! And it is pretty rare these days. Price indeed skyrocketed, and not a cheap guitar in my country. Sounding huge man! I love that you bought it and at the end of the day, it is still yours and your skillful fingers will play 'em. ❤
I love the LGs, have had a few of ‘em over time, currently have a ‘61 LG3. I also have a thing for small all-mahogany guitars…my fav is the 1942 Martin 0-15 I had restored in 2017. Loud, rich & punchy!
It has tonal balance, so more than just the wood, what about the nut, bridge and strings?...the nut and compensated bridge looks like Tusq replacements. I think that is helping with the tone quite a bit. What gauge and type of strings are you using?
It's in the hands. Some can some can't. You have to be able to mentally project musical patterns from the mind to the hand to neck and simultaneously strum or pick accordingly
I picked up a (roughly/circa) 1945 Gibson acoustic which "seems to be" an L50 which, at the time, was sold as an entry-level guitar. Just like yourself, it is something of an idle go-to guitar; it feels good, it sounds good - it even smells good. It wasn't that cheap (though I am a cheap-skate) but for the joy it provides it has proved to be a steal.
I think it sounded great,has a ton of sustain and doesn't sound dead,like so many claim they do,I try not to change strings on my acoustic guitars, for at least a couple of years, they just seem to sound better,no this one rocks Matt.
My grandmothers brother (whom I never met) gave me his 1964 LG-0 when I was 10. At the time, I didn't realize what I had. About 2 years ago, I had a master luthier completely level the fretboard and remake the hollow plastic bridge out of rosewood. When I played it, I specifically remember crying. It was so beautiful. This is an incredible guitar, it ages well and people ALWAYS give me compliments.
The guitar sounds great indeed! I’d be a little scared of the ladder bracing. I’ve had an old 30’s ladder braced Kalamazoo, but it was in such a poor shape that it would have cost me twice as much to repair it than to try and find another one in a good shape. The sound of your LG-0 is really great though. ❤
I've got a First Act acoustic that I bought new at Big Lots that I like... I don't mind playing it in a circle full of Taylors Gibsons and Martins... It plays and sounds beautifully....
Mahogany top with ladder bracing is going to remain stable and flat well after the spruce tops develop a belly and a dip between the sound hole and the bridge making the action impossible to play or intonate. The guitar that remains comfortable, easy and relaxing to play is the guitar that gets played. A small acoustic doesn't need to be loud like a dreadnought, anyway ...That is what microphones are for.
I have a 1969 Gibson B-15 that I bought 20 years ago from Rumbleseat when they were in NY. I have recorded with it through an Audio Technica AT-2020 and it sounds amazing! All mahogany and killer tone.
Going through your catalog to see if anything new.. stumbled into this one had not watched... This guitar has that something that makes you play it as much as you do, so that alone is worth the buy in .. with you being a performing artist/musician it is always to have a colorful pallet to draw on . I think this guitar sounds wonderful, good score
I played the LGO and loved it. But the Guild has a unique sound that Is astonishingly beautiful. I could always pick it out when listening to live or recorded music at the time.
Not only a great bargain, but a great sized acoustic for all sorts of playing styles. Thanks Matthew, I'd never really considered one of these '50s models.
This was main guitar for many years, it was dried out real bad had loose braces and a lifted bridge. It was the easiest playing guitar I had and I loved playing blues. I ended up giving it to a friend that was dying from cancer
Mine is a 1968 model and my only criticism and it sounds great, is the width of the neck/fingerboard which is a bit narrow as you mention- but that may suit others. The tuners on your guitar appear to be the Japanese type that Kay began to use in the 1960s and are not what these guitars had when new, so I would reckon they are replacements for the originals. This model of Gibson morphed into the B- 15 which had some detail differences and was also sold as the Epiphone Caballero and Kalamazoo KG-10 and one obvious detail is the narrow headstock- no wings glued on unlike the one seen here. The sound of these guitars, is "Old Timey" and you did some great playing, for sure!
I can see what you like about the tone, and I can see why the internet thinks it's lacking. But to me, it sounds like the action is choking the tone. I wonder if raising it a little would give it more body?
I used to have an LG-O. Long story short it was my dad‘s guitar. By the time I started taking lessons it sounded like absolute garbage. However, my uncle is a Luthier and he years later fixed the thing up and it sounded absolutely incredible. He gave it to me, but it got stolen. Mine was a 1965..
Friend of mine has one of those he found in a house they were gutting for demolition, not even sure of the year, but it's pretty old looking. "The Internet said"...I liken that to Movie Critics...95% of the time they don't like a movie for whatever reason I usually wind up loving it! That Guitar sounds really nice...
Sounds lovely Matt 🙏 - Aside from your amAZing feel/playing, I find it's often the case that 'thin' sounding instruments, often cut thru mixes Sooo sweetly. Think of Van Morrison's voice... So yes, 'thin' often equates to 'personality' and uniqueness in a mix, I find. I bet this guitar would slot really nicely into a bigger band production - and especially if you wanted it to 'stand out'... Anyways, that's my 2 cents mate. Awesome job as ever young man... Bobby x
I’m had a 58 LG1 I sold it a couple years ago. Sounded great , I just didn’t really use it . I have a favorite Yamaha I just can’t put down . These gibsons hold up well though, still alot of them around for a reason.
Matthew, I agree. A few years ago, I picked up a Barcley Custom acoustic at an antique shop. Made in Japan around 1970. Apparently it is one of those Gibson knock-offs. A local professional musician had played it for years at musical festivals in and around Shelburne Ontario, known for their old time fiddle festivals. He had put in on consignment so the price was not negotiable. I paid $140 Canadian and thought it was a lot of money at the time. I played it off and on but mostly ignored it. Then I decided to have it professionally set up and restrung and was told that because of its excellent condition and sound, I could probably find a collector who would be willing to buy it for between $400 and $600. Not many were made. They were distributed by RMI in Ottawa, Canada and sold by Sears. The spruce? top is a very tight grain and the sides and back are a beautiful, mottled dark finish, I don't know what kind of wood. It's very light weight almost like my Jim Dandy parlour, but full size. The more I play it the more I love it and I don't plan to sell it but keep it for my grandchildren. And it stays in tune better than my newer Epiphone. Matthew do you have any information on this? It's a Barcley model R-360.
thinking for yourself. I love it its about what you want, what you like, personally i think it sounds great (also good choices for the soundscapes that helps as well everything has a repertoire)
I think a big reason of why this guitar sounds so good is because of the way you are playing it.
Yes it's like tonewood or endless pickup swapping,
It comes down more to the player's touch and feel on the instrument.
1950s Mahogany was still being harvested from trees that were about 400 years old. By the mid 1960s the wood was from trees about 200 years old. The older growth Mahogany just sounds amazing. I have an all Mahogany Martin 0017 from 1953. It is a stunning guitar. Very beat up, with the name 'DEL' scratched into the headstock and a number (possibly a service number for a solidier) on the back. Whatever its history, DEL is a great guitar and it has found a home with me over here in Ireland. Great video Matthew, as usual. Thank you.
Wow, neat info to know! I agree 50s/60s mahogany guitars are special
Iv got a 2001 0017 reissue and it’s my favorite guitar. So much more comfortable to play! Sounds excellent. Plus gloss mahogany is killer.
Occasionally, as a guitar player, we sometimes find an instrument that is immediately revealed as a "Keeper".
Great info/story, Thank You for sharing.
Not just old growth wood, lumber was probably seasoned in a pile for decades to dry out noisture naturally, and any remaining sap solidified, a process which cannot be duplicated by kiln-drying.
I have a 1920s house and even the big solid floor & roof joists are impressive & so nicely squared. Now it's all engineered wood I-beam joists.
@@j_freed True
I've read that the climate conditions 200 to 500 years ago was just conducive to produce great sounding mahogany. IMO, the Earth's climate is always changing, back then was just a good time for naturally growing mahogany in the Honduran/South American region.
In any event, these early budget Gibson (and others from the era) offer better unique materials that are unaffordable to most these days in a new instrument.
uniqe
Worth mentioning that ladder braced guitars can record REALLY well. That focused mid-range gives you everything you’d want to emphasize in a mix.
There's a real honesty about this little guitar and your playing gives it a beautiful voice. Well done Matthew.
I've played a 60s LGO since 1970 and totally, Totally, TOTALLY agree. The neck on this guitar is incredible. They stay in tune, stay straight as an arrow, have super nice low action, and they play like butter. The sound is truly fantastic. Once I played it in a recording studio to back up a singer and the engineers went nuts over the sound. Often called the poor man's Gibson, but it's the best playing Gibson out of the 5 I've had.
Gives me that retro folk vibe. I really like it. Looks kinda like it’s been through a life and a half!
I have a 63 Gibson LG) - Weathered and checked as hell. Plastic Bridge. It sounds great. Plays great. Brazilian Board, good Mahogany. Ladder braced, but sounds fuller than many. The neck resonates so well when I play it. I love it.
I had one about 20 years ago, and I ruined it in a stupid ploy to turn it into a resonator after reading a Dan Erliwine article about it. I really miss that guitar. Not my best idea ever.
Seriously! The playing on this, start to finish, was exceptional! Takes a player to get tones like that out of any instrument.
Yup.
My best friend growing up in the 70's had one which we played constantly every day for years. Loved it.
Sounded great.
He may still have it.
I listened to all of that carefully, and that you have an early 60s Gibson LGO small body acoustic guitar, mahogany and Brazilian rosewood, that was one of Gibson's cheapest, and still is relatively low-priced, etc., is all fascinating, but honestly, I subscribe and listen because you are a great guitar player with great blues riffs. Thanks as always.
I think mahogany guitars have a really rich sound they can really sustain a warm aura, great playing.
They do. The one thing about them is when the strings start to go dead, the guitar does too, whereas spruce tops will still have a little life left. Just need to restring a bit more often.
Last week I've seen a great YT video on the kinds of wood in accoustic guitars, and how they sound: Paul Davids. He played the same song on several guitars, and he explained things. Like, soft wood will give you a bit less volume, digging in deeper will get you some distortion instead of more volume. The harder woods can sound brighter, and playing louder is no problem. Thing is, try playing quiet and louder, and listen how your guitar responds, you really feel it, the kind of woods applied, it makes a difference. Some luthiers do great combinations, say, a top literally one half in spruce, and the other half in hardwood. That way you can expect something in between, both a warm tone and also bright, I guess. Those are the luthiers one should press their subscribe button. And lesson here is, do not think mahogony is no good for you, this is a great example, this kind of Gibsons is not horribly expensive yet, and still very very very beautiful.
I agree. I have an all mahogany Vester Custom Shop from 1990. It’s 💯 mahogany. I have much more expensive “brand name” guitars but that Korean built Vester is my favourite!
I made a guitar out of a cigar box when I was a kid. I swear Mathew, you could make that thing sound great! That Gibson has a wonderful tone!!
Wow, beautiful sound from that old Gibson. Maybe just me, but my favorite acoustics are all the same wood throughout, and ladder-braced, really unique old sound. Don't you pay no attention to those forums, you got to go with how you feel!
It's just you.
Sweet! The music, the evaluation of the guitar, the music and the overall feel of the video. Nice work man.
Gibson LG 0. Thanks for sharing, but waiting over a minute and half with not knowing what model this Gibson is; well I can't understand why it wasn't mentioned or in the video title or in description.
Guitars are like shoes, you have to wear them awhile to see if they fit. Every instrument is unique and you can find gems if you keep hunting.
Matthew, I feel led to tell you that your playing (specifically your maturity and voice on the guitar) has come such a LONG way since I first sub’d (I was with you back in the 3-5000 subs days). Listening to you now, I can hear YOU playing the guitar. I still hear the influence and sometimes obvious references to your hero’s (and mine). And that’s not a bad thing because EC, SRV and a host of other great players wore their heros on their sleeves frequently.
But the difference in the overall voice is not only noticeable, but brings a smile to my face. I grew up listening to and copying so many of the same people as you, but you have shown your musicianship is growing to another level, IMHO!
Kuddos & keep kicking out the excellent videos!!!
I have an 70s acoustic, made by a luthier in serbia has a similar sound, more for blues, gypsy jazz and soloing... i adore it
One of your best honest reviews yet. Just telling it like you felt it. More of this! 👍
I have one! Some still have these plastic bridges on them and are subject to be replaced. I love mine.
Not every song calls for a Martin D-18 or a Gibson Hummingbird. Something like this might better serve a part or vibe. Love it and great playing as always.
I have a ‘63 Epiphone Caballero and love it. It’s really great for recording
I had an old early 60's LGO and it was way cool, after a couple years I decided to change things up and away she went. Hopefully someone is loving on it and giving it regular exercise.
I have a '54 LG-1 and have always loved it. The ladder bracing kinda acts like a compressor, focusing the tone. Easy to play and very comfortable. Blues monsters!
I think tuning instruments like this one down a half or a whole step is where these things shine, and well most guitars really. It seems to be a great strummer!
So funny, I just picked one of these up about 2 weeks ago from a family member who has a lot of "nicer" acoustics, including a couple really nice other old Gibsons. He wasn't fond of the LG-0 but I loved it for it's small size and unassuming sound. It's got so much charm and I really do like the sound. Maybe not for everyone but seeing this video is funny timing and very validating!
I got one from 1959,with the spruce top and ladder bracing, super light,great guitar,especially for open tunings,and blues. I also have a 1958 epiphone version of a lg2 with x bracing, that sounds even better. Both great for own reasons.
Hey Matthew, I always enjoy your videos. You are the genuine article man. I’ve listened to you play for several years now. I commented some time ago to always let your heart pour out of your guitar…it’s clear you’ve got a lot of heart. Thanks for sharing your music and experiences with all of us.
I had a ‘68 LG-0 but it had a spruce top. I rebuilt it and X braced it also changed the nut to increase the string spacing.
These guitars are underestimated. Yours sounds amazing.
Can we get an MP3 of that song?! Sounds incredible. Please pot 100+ more videos of you playing the blues with that LG0!
I’m an old Gibson fanatic. I have several from early 50’s to late 60’s. I wish I could play them like you do. Love it
The problem with steel string, fan/ladder braced guitars isn’t the sound. All steel string acoustics tear themselves apart, these and others like them tear themselves apart a lot faster.
If you find one in ok condition, it’ll probably need $500+ worth of work. That puts them firmly in the range of a decent modern X braced guitar, like a D-18.
There’s always a catch. Always.
I picked up a 1965 LG-0 about 4 years ago when you could get them for about $500. It's my go to for playing around the house. It doesn't have a pickup so I never play it out. My bridge has been replaced with rosewood and the neck is pretty big. Mine is still a 1.67" nut.
I resurrected one of these for a friend of mine. It was a 1965 model with a plastic bridge and it was beat up pretty bad. I had to build three back braces as they were missing. I added some bracing around the soundhole to prevent the soundhole collapse that is common with ladder braced guitars and I added a popsicle brace to shore up the fingerboard extension. I built a proper ebony bridge for it and refretted it with medium stainless frets. All said it sounds amazing. They have a bluesy sound to them and they are very comfortable despite their insanely narrow neck. I have a banner LG-2 and after working on this guy I'd love to add an LG-0 to the family. Awesome video! These guitars deserve more love!
That is a loaded question because you have to consider market value from a collector standpoint and sentimentality. If the guitar holds high sentimental value to you by all means fix it. If you’re willing to drop the money that’s a good idea. But if you’re looking to flip it at this point in time it may not be such a good idea. A lot of people would say that it’s worth converting it to an express guitar that depends on whether you want an express mahogany guitar or you like the ladder bracing. There are a lot of things to consider but a few things that I would say are a must One you must replace that plastic bridge in my humble opinion. Those plastic Bridges crack tops in time and they don’t transfer sound efficiently. To you should get some reinforcement installed around the sound hole. On vintage ladder braced guitars this is a spot where they like to fold up. If you go to all the trouble to have it fixed and it folds up in 10 years it’s a waste of money. As a secondary recommendation I would say you would probably want to either put some sort of a reinforcement on the bridge pad as it is made out of spruce and quite soft. There are lots of things to consider in my opinion I would say yeah fix it if you enjoy the guitar you like the sound And you’re willing to spend the money on it then by all means like I said fix it but if you’re looking to flip it you’re not gonna make your money at this time. That’s not to say you won’t make your money in 10 years so if you’re looking to flip it keep an eye on the market and when the market is high that’s the time to fix it.
I meant to say X brace. My phone had other ideas. Apologies
That depends on the situation your guitar is in. The guitar that I worked on had to collapse around the sound hole. Once I braced the sound hole and straightened all that wood out the action was pretty respectable so I could avoid a neck reset. I am in Canada and the cost to do what I did to my friends guitar would run you in the neighbourhood of about $1200-$1500 Canadian. Now a good example of one of these in top playing condition is going for about $2500 Canadian on reverb. You could change it into a dobro. Keep the action high for slide. I would still at the very least look at having a bridge made for it and just getting somebody to stiffen up around the sound hole a little for you because what will happen eventually is Glue joint failure on your neck block and cracking in the back because that’s where the pressure is. Once you step in the top up then the pole of the neck which pushes the fretboard extension down will be stiffened up. But if you avoid a neck reset you’ll be saving yourself about three to $500 Canadian. That’s a pretty significant savings. But then the question is is it worth it for just a slide guitar and you’re the only one who can answer that question. Just a few things to think about before you jump in. 🤔
OK. My first bit of advice would be to keep the fibreglass matting resin out of there. That’s going to add a huge amount of weight to the Body wood. The resin will do much the same thing. Your instrument relies on the ability of the wood in the body to move up and down to project sound. That would be akin to taking a speaker cone and dipping it in resin. You lose the volume of the instrument. In your situation with $500 for a budget I would honestly take it to a luthier and explain to him that you have a $500 budget. I would prioritize a bridge, cleating the cracks and getting some kind of support around the sound hole. Another option would be to get a bridge made have the cracks in the body cleated and put a JLD bridge doctor in it. A bridge doctor is $50 it takes about a half an hour to install and it will minimize a lot of that warping at the bridge. You may be able to get away with not bracing around the sound hole although I’d still recommend it. That would be money much better spent then spending that money on fibreglass resin and mat which isn’t cheap and basically killing the sustain of your instrument. If you turn it into a slide guitar you want that boxy bluesy tone which comes from the thin top and the ladder bracing. If you’re not too concerned about maintaining originality another thing you could do is buy a trapeze tailpiece and have a floating Bridge. That will negate the need to have a glue down bridge. If you’re confident you can do your own nut that’ll save some money and another thing too is that if you want to strictly play slide on this instrument your bridge doesn’t need to be compensated. But if you’re at all planning on playing this guitar in the conventional manner rather than strictly slide then you’ll have to have the bridge compensated. A lot of vintage slide only Martin’s and Gibsons just have a straight saddle rather than a slanted one. From what I understand you can also buy a premade bridge for this instrument online and they are fairly reasonably priced. That would probably be a good investment especially if compensation isn’t 100% vital. To be fair the original Gibson bridges were not compensated terribly well either so he would be getting essentially an original replacement only made out of Rosewood. But that would be my advice take it to a luthier explain what you want explain how much money you have and see what he says. You might find $500 does exactly what you want to have done only professionally and in the end will give you an instrument that will give you quite a bit of hassle free service
I have a 64 LG-0. I had to replace the original plastic bridge with rosewood. I did a refret and new keys. I love it!
I think it really depends on what you're looking for. I love all-hog guitars but many LG-0s I've played sound very boxy thanks to the ladder-bracing. That sound is perfect for delta blues, but won't necessarily cut it for bluegrass or other more modern styles.
I also think with other guitars in a similar tier like the Guild M-20 or Martin 000-15 that it doesn't compete as well with them tonally.
My uncle had one of these and I played it many times over the years. It sounded much like this one. Very nice playing, comfortable and beautiful sound.
Looks so much like my LG-0, which my grandfather bought new for my mom when she was in high school. I love the tortoise shell-style binding on the top - looks like yours has the same. Mine still has the original plastic bridge, which I have debated replacing over the years. But it sounds great the way it is so...
I have a '65 Gibson LG-1 Tobaco Sunburst that I love. I bought it from the original owner and had the plastic bridge, saddle and nut replaced with rosewood and bone. It sounds amazing! The bridge, saddle and nut work was done by a luthier at Maple Street Guitars in Atlanta, GA.
With the plastic bridge,,,just make sure it's snug, which is easily done through the sound hole, and they will sound great. Had several of these in different iterations and loved them all.
I own a 1963 Epiphone Caballero that a neighbor found in a garage can at a garage sale. It was the Epiphone 'copy' of the LGO, cost about $85 new back then and approx. 800 or less made. She (her name is Angel) was originally a lefty, I made her into a righty for my own use. I bought it and restored it and made a new bridge made of rock maple. Frets dressed and truss rod slightly adjusted. A bunch more work on loose braces and new bridge plate inside. Nut and saddle of mycarta because I had it on hand. She hangs with a '71 J50 Gibson and 3 modern Martins. Sound is much like your LGO but slightly brighter. Has that 40's bluesy tone with a little bit of snap.
It has a great warm, woody, throaty sound. That’s the acoustic sound I love. Some of those Martin spruce tops can just be a little bright for me. Nice find.
Is this a scam?
Awesome guitar and video! Are those new strings? They don't sound new. Could be the specs you mentioned rolling of the highs? I'm a sucker for new strings and the brightness they bring. Great guitar, I would love to have one. Thank you for the video.
That outro blues was something else! When a guy can play all that with his eyes closed, he's in a very deep groove.
hi matthew that instrument has its own distinct tone and temperament
that only comes with nicely aged woods and time honoured wear and
tear, its sweet subtle but lively where it has to be, you found a keeper !
😇👍(played beautifully too )
That instrument has a very rich and sonorous voice, and you sure know how to make it sing nice things!
You are correct about the plastic bridge. Friend, customer, has one & I replaced the bridge for R/W one (27yr ago)... it came to life! And - yip, the neck is a bit too narrow. However - Jim plays blues... which sound like blue!
I meant to add... if you find one w a plastic bridge - you'll find it has shrunk, deformed. The plastic is held on by two nuts & bolts. No glue.
I picked one up from an estate sale about 3 years back. The binding is falling off and the finish is checked but plays and sounds amazing. A treasure for sure. Definitely a back porch go to player.
I have an old Harmony, which has been similarly critiqued. Mine has been x braced. It definitely sounds different from modern acoustics but it's got a nice punch and bite similar to what I was hearing from your Lg. It sounds amazing with bluesy picking and sounds pretty sweet with folksy fingerpicking too.
Love 1960 LG2
John D Willis plays it in my studio. He has played on over 50 number one songs worldwide.
Sounds awesome, just bought one! What strings are these? Love the dead sound.
Tuning down half step helps. I have a 64 LG-1 and love it. Great playing btw.
I bought a 3/4 Gibson like this Years ago, still have it, except mine actually has an adjustable wood bridge on it which is definitely not a common design of any other acoustic guitar I know about. I don't remember what year the woman I bought it from said it was made, but I want to say it was sometime in the 60's or early 70's. Regardless, I love it. It has the most unique voice from any of my other guitars and sits beautifully in a mix with other guitars to help thicken that wall of sound one might be trying to create.
Nice guitar and picking bro. In 1965, I wanted to learn how to play guitar, I was only 13 and my dad said rent one. So I rented a Gibson LGO all mahogany for $17 a month. At the end of the year for eighth grade graduation. I got a 1966 Gibson SG standard. and in the Ampeg Jet for $365, I should’ve also bought that LGO. Just played a gig today and one tomorrow.
The Guitar bug has been with me all my life. Thank God! I’m 71 and still performing.
I have a 1969 LG-0 with a spruce top. It sounds good, pretty similar to this one, but I do wish it had a thicker and wider neck. The small body is really comfortable for couch pickin'
I bought the LGO in 71 shipped from factory for $250.00. Was not a great sounding guitar but was comfortable to play. My next acoustic was a guild f20 which was also low priced and small bodied but that guitar had very good sound and good volume.
I have a 1964 LG1 my uncle gave me almost 40 years ago and I love playing that guitar, sounds great, a little thin but I don't use it playing out it's my home guitar and I still play it to this day and it never disappoints.
Yeah,I've got a 1964 Harmony Sovereign jumbo folk guitar that I really love. Actually bought it in 1964. It's got an issue with the neck close to the body but otherwise, plays and sounds great.
I’ve got one at an estate sale we’re doing now in Seguin Texas. After playing it, I’m keeping it. It’s absolutely pristine
Matt O my LG0 the plastic bridge was no good I replaced it with rosewood. I tore out the soft wood bridge plate and made a rosewood one. It made the guitar come to life
Thanks for the well produced and great sounding video. Myself and my bro-in-law(a 50 player/songwiter/performer) are the only 2 guys I know that think it's a grwat guitar.
I got my 61 LG-0 a couple years back. It sounds literally exactly the same as yours does in this video. I have yet to find the perfect pickup for it. The best match I found is the fishman rare earth mic blend with the mic turned down 80% or so. I trade for mine....a $1500 value but it needed nothing!!! Action is pefect and I am picky. It is in above average shape with no problems. I have not had any problems keeping it in tune with the open tuners. I did lube the gears and tightened all screws. This guitar is a simple masterpiece for my blues style.
Hi Matthew i am one of your Facebook friends, that is really a great guitar i must say! And it is pretty rare these days. Price indeed skyrocketed, and not a cheap guitar in my country. Sounding huge man! I love that you bought it and at the end of the day, it is still yours and your skillful fingers will play 'em. ❤
Just got one LG-0 65 from a guitar fair in London. Need some light repairs but sound and play amazing. And it’s a vintage Gibson for around 1.2k
That’s a very cool old Gibson. Congrats, you found another great guitar.
I love the LGs, have had a few of ‘em over time, currently have a ‘61 LG3. I also have a thing for small all-mahogany guitars…my fav is the 1942 Martin 0-15 I had restored in 2017. Loud, rich & punchy!
It has tonal balance, so more than just the wood, what about the nut, bridge and strings?...the nut and compensated bridge looks like Tusq replacements. I think that is helping with the tone quite a bit. What gauge and type of strings are you using?
It's in the hands. Some can some can't. You have to be able to mentally project musical patterns from the mind to the hand to neck and simultaneously strum or pick accordingly
I picked up a (roughly/circa) 1945 Gibson acoustic which "seems to be" an L50 which, at the time, was sold as an entry-level guitar. Just like yourself, it is something of an idle go-to guitar; it feels good, it sounds good - it even smells good. It wasn't that cheap (though I am a cheap-skate) but for the joy it provides it has proved to be a steal.
Peek inside the f-holes of your L-50. If they haven't faded, the serial number should be stamped inside one, the model number in the other.
Guitars all have fascinating personalities. I'd like to hear this one with a center post like a violin. It wouldn't be hard to slip on in there.
I think it sounded great,has a ton of sustain and doesn't sound dead,like so many claim they do,I try not to change strings on my acoustic guitars, for at least a couple of years, they just seem to sound better,no this one rocks Matt.
My grandmothers brother (whom I never met) gave me his 1964 LG-0 when I was 10. At the time, I didn't realize what I had. About 2 years ago, I had a master luthier completely level the fretboard and remake the hollow plastic bridge out of rosewood. When I played it, I specifically remember crying. It was so beautiful. This is an incredible guitar, it ages well and people ALWAYS give me compliments.
The guitar sounds great indeed!
I’d be a little scared of the ladder bracing. I’ve had an old 30’s ladder braced Kalamazoo, but it was in such a poor shape that it would have cost me twice as much to repair it than to try and find another one in a good shape.
The sound of your LG-0 is really great though. ❤
Nice tones, How about the strings, New or vintage? ...or Is mahogney damping the janglyness?
GREAT SCOTT, MATT, YOU ARE BEST WHEN SOLO!!! THAT OLD LG-O SOUNDS GREAT IN YOUR SOLO HANDS!!!
I've got a First Act acoustic that I bought new at Big Lots that I like... I don't mind playing it in a circle full of Taylors Gibsons and Martins... It plays and sounds beautifully....
I had an old Gibson acoustic I lost in pawn. To this day it's the best acoustic I've had. I miss her 😢
Mahogany top with ladder bracing is going to remain stable and flat well after the spruce tops develop a belly and a dip between the sound hole and the bridge making the action impossible to play or intonate.
The guitar that remains comfortable, easy and relaxing to play is the guitar that gets played.
A small acoustic doesn't need to be loud like a dreadnought, anyway ...That is what microphones are for.
I have a 1969 Gibson B-15 that I bought 20 years ago from Rumbleseat when they were in NY. I have recorded with it through an Audio Technica AT-2020 and it sounds amazing! All mahogany and killer tone.
I have a JD Player from about 30 years ago. Bottom of the line guitar i got for about 300 with a hard case. Love it.
I have a '68 B25 and love that guitar. So, I'm not sure about the later 60s models you were talking about but the B25 is quite nice. (To me)
Going through your catalog to see if anything new.. stumbled into this one had not watched... This guitar has that something that makes you play it as much as you do, so that alone is worth the buy in .. with you being a performing artist/musician it is always to have a colorful pallet to draw on . I think this guitar sounds wonderful, good score
Very nice sounding acoustic Matthew…I’ve always thought that these guitars sound cool! You’re getting quite the collection! Keep ‘‘em coming!
Really enjoyed your playing on this! Thanks.
I would say an early to mid '70s Guild D-35 is the best budget vintage acoustic guitar. I've had mine for years and love it
I played the LGO and loved it. But the Guild has a unique sound that Is astonishingly beautiful. I could always pick it out when listening to live or recorded music at the time.
Not only a great bargain, but a great sized acoustic for all sorts of playing styles.
Thanks Matthew, I'd never really considered one of these '50s models.
Killer jams, as per usual from you. Thanks again Matt.
This was main guitar for many years, it was dried out real bad had loose braces and a lifted bridge. It was the easiest playing guitar I had and I loved playing blues. I ended up giving it to a friend that was dying from cancer
Mine is a 1968 model and my only criticism and it sounds great, is the width of the neck/fingerboard which is a bit narrow as you mention- but that may suit others. The tuners on your guitar appear to be the Japanese type that Kay began to use in the 1960s and are not what these guitars had when new, so I would reckon they are replacements for the originals. This model of Gibson morphed into the B- 15 which had some detail differences and was also sold as the Epiphone Caballero and Kalamazoo KG-10 and one obvious detail is the narrow headstock- no wings glued on unlike the one seen here. The sound of these guitars, is "Old Timey" and you did some great playing, for sure!
I can see what you like about the tone, and I can see why the internet thinks it's lacking. But to me, it sounds like the action is choking the tone. I wonder if raising it a little would give it more body?
I used to have an LG-O. Long story short it was my dad‘s guitar. By the time I started taking lessons it sounded like absolute garbage. However, my uncle is a Luthier and he years later fixed the thing up and it sounded absolutely incredible. He gave it to me, but it got stolen. Mine was a 1965..
I have a friend that has one close to that age. Still a good neck with excellent action. Very full sounding.
Friend of mine has one of those he found in a house they were gutting for demolition, not even sure of the year, but it's pretty old looking. "The Internet said"...I liken that to Movie Critics...95% of the time they don't like a movie for whatever reason I usually wind up loving it! That Guitar sounds really nice...
Really dig my Martin DC-15. Solid Mahogany. Not as bright as a spruce top, but smoother and warmer sounding. Great for rhythm
Sounds lovely Matt 🙏 - Aside from your amAZing feel/playing, I find it's often the case that 'thin' sounding instruments, often cut thru mixes Sooo sweetly. Think of Van Morrison's voice... So yes, 'thin' often equates to 'personality' and uniqueness in a mix, I find. I bet this guitar would slot really nicely into a bigger band production - and especially if you wanted it to 'stand out'... Anyways, that's my 2 cents mate. Awesome job as ever young man... Bobby x
Bro, it really doesn’t matter what guitar you’re playing. You have soul brother. Beautiful playing.
I’m had a 58 LG1 I sold it a couple years ago. Sounded great , I just didn’t really use it . I have a favorite Yamaha I just can’t put down . These gibsons hold up well though, still alot of them around for a reason.
Really like your style! Sounds good for an old Gibson, never could get any ring or sustain out of mine
Matthew, I agree. A few years ago, I picked up a Barcley Custom acoustic at an antique shop. Made in Japan around 1970. Apparently it is one of those Gibson knock-offs. A local professional musician had played it for years at musical festivals in and around Shelburne Ontario, known for their old time fiddle festivals. He had put in on consignment so the price was not negotiable. I paid $140 Canadian and thought it was a lot of money at the time. I played it off and on but mostly ignored it. Then I decided to have it professionally set up and restrung and was told that because of its excellent condition and sound, I could probably find a collector who would be willing to buy it for between $400 and $600. Not many were made. They were distributed by RMI in Ottawa, Canada and sold by Sears. The spruce? top is a very tight grain and the sides and back are a beautiful, mottled dark finish, I don't know what kind of wood. It's very light weight almost like my Jim Dandy parlour, but full size. The more I play it the more I love it and I don't plan to sell it but keep it for my grandchildren. And it stays in tune better than my newer Epiphone. Matthew do you have any information on this? It's a Barcley model R-360.
thinking for yourself. I love it its about what you want, what you like, personally i think it sounds great (also good choices for the soundscapes that helps as well everything has a repertoire)
You do have a knack for finding cool stuff. Nice guitar. Thanks