A big shout out to Scott Baxendale with Baxendale Guitar for a job well done restoring my Gibson LG-0 and a super job on the bracing conversion. The sound difference is outstanding!
Absolutely the BEST LG-O I've ever heard! I received an LG-O for Christmas in 1966...enough of a guitar to learn on, but it became obvious that it didn't sound like much. Neither did any LG-Os that I heard over the next 50 years. This one is beautiful, and you are obviously a fine player. Excellent video!
Baxendale Guitar in Athens Ga charges $950 for the full conversion on most models. It's about a 8-10 week turnaround. Each guitar once completed comes with a new guitar warranty for structural and playability.
The guitar sounds great! I think that it shows that it’s well worth investing some money in nice old guitars, as you’ve demonstrated it often gives them a whole new life.
I bought a 62 LG-O last year. I was born that year, so I had to have it. This video makes me feel a lot better about having it restored, without affecting its value.
When we do our conversions all structural repairs are included in the flat all inclusive price. We repair all cracks, warped or loose parts. Once completed the guitar completed it is considered a new "remanufactured" guitar and comes with a new warranty for structural and playability issues. Baxendale Guitar in Athens Ga. We have a ton of photos of the process on our Face Book page.
Another alternative is to find a Gibson LG-2 that comes standard with x-bracing. For those concerned about the value of the guitar that's probably a better option. Also some folks may not like the fact that the guitar was modded from Gibson's original design. Hey but to each his own. I have a 65 LG-1 that I considered getting the conversion. I decided I'm happy with the sound but did have the plastic bridge replaced with ebony and the nut and saddle changed to bone. That made a big enough difference for me. Maple Street guitars in Atlanta did the work and it was really well done!
Every single Stradivarius violin has had the neck replaced to have a longer scale length and steeper neck angle to improve the sound and playability. What we are doing to these guitars is using our proprietary greentech process to make this into a drastically better guitar. A decent LG 2 would have cost twice as much as what this guitar cost in the end.
Obviously with all the variables involved, it's impossible to accurately compare the sounds of guitars on various You Tube videos. But I will say I've been listening to every LG-0 video I can find, and your guitar sound, to me, is head and shoulders above all the others I've listened to. I had the same thought about the money spent on the overhaul that others have commented, but I say that is completely irrelevant since you didn't do it for resale value. I have my wife's '65 LG-0 in the shop right now for a neck reset (long overdue) and you've got me thinking hard about that conversion to X bracing. Not gonna do it this time, but I'm not ruling it out for somewhere down the line. Thanks for the video.
Leo, thanks man! Honestly you'd feel the same if you played it in person. It's pretty much the best sounding LG0 I've ever heard. Huge difference here. I live in a small town in TN called Crossville and I've since found a talented old school man named Junior. He can do a neck reset and bracing conversion for under $400 total. He's done it several times on old harmony guitars. I'm trying to get a hold of an LG1 or and an old Harmony or Silvertone Dreadnaught and get him to do my next one. If you have questions about it feel free to ask away. my email is james@crowleymediaworks.com
I was just gifted an LGO recently and it too needs work. I do believe the bridge is rosewood. I love the idea for crossing the support. I hope to get it set up pretty exactly like how this one was.
I've been trying to date my dad's LGO. Thanks for the help. It's got a plastic bridge and the serial numbers have been making dating this instrument somewhat mysterious. 290 988. ?😆
Yes, mine came with the plastic bridge as well but mine is a 1966! The bridges on these LG-O’s are problematic as there’s always a problem with pull off, right now I’m keeping a close eye on mine as I’m thinking within a year or two, I will replace the one I have now. I’ve already had it replaced once. With that said, I love my Gibson LG-O!! Incidentally you’re right about the serial number issues. After looking online on “The Guitar Dater Project”, I couldn’t find anything at all. According to their website, my guitar was listed as a 1974, well they can’t get it right all the time but they try. I sent Gibson customer service an email and they verified mine as a 1966. Gibson rocks!! Good luck with yours, nice, looks great! ~Cheers!
You better be careful with those kickass chords you were playing toward the end. Every lady within earshot is going to come down with a serious case of the vapors if you aren't! (I have an LG-0 as well and yours sounds great!)
Damn... I intentionally didn't X-brace mine when I converted the bridge and touched up all the loose bracing. I knew someone with a converted LG-1 and I thought it just sounded so anemic, like a _very_ poor man's weak imitation of a dreadnought. It ruined that special ladder braced "mojo" and put it out in no man's land sonically. But after hearing _THIS_ I'm convinced either his luthier botched the job or the hogtop takes to X-bracing _much_ better than the low-grade spruce on the LG-1s. Absolutely wish I had done it because this is the PERFECT acoustic sound, imo.
I have a 56 LG-1, has the ladder bracing. Not sure what you paid to have it changed, but I'm thinking it's a bit high. I wouldn't mess with the tuners or the bridge you have great custom work on the bridge and tuners are tuners. Sounds pretty amazing.
Badass guitar man, sounds like awesomeness. Got me convinced to go for it! FYI, I'm sure I am way late, but I know a highly reputable banjo maker who soaks those tuning pegs in a jar of regular black tea that gives an excellent permanent vintage appearance. The longer you soak them the darker they become. Thanks for a cool well informed video, enjoyed it!
So basically you put twice what the guitar is worth into the upgrades. :) Sounds really awesome, though! I'm looking at a '65 LG-0 at the moment, and I'm glad to know you can do that. Also, I can appreciate not wanting the original LG-0 pickguard, but perhaps consider adding the cool J-45/J-50/LG-2 pickguard on it!
I have one of these guitars it is very good sounding. I like it for the wood. Think that the wood will be like the next Brazilian rosewood. Who is blind blake
love it the video. thinking about purchasing a 67. the guy wants a grand for it but i dont think its worth that much. i read for late 60s its usually 500-750. any advice?
Taxi War Dance Hey thanks for the comment! If it's a l67 I'd only pay that much if it's in pristine shape. But really 800 to 900 would be fair market. If it needs a neck reset or there are any cracks on the top or the saddle is pulling up I would pay more than 5 or 600. All those issues are very common on the 50's and 60's Gibson LG guitars. If it has any of the above damage I'd consider having the bracing conversion done. it dramatically improves the sound and playability. I hope that helps you! Good luck with it, they are sweet little guitars
as Redemption stated i feel 800-900 is fair however i have seen 65 models sell for 1200 EASILY. It really just depends on the condition. Anything that is selling for over a 1000 must be in REALLY IMMACULATE shape as they are very old. I inherited my 65 Gibson LG-0. So i was fortunate. But they can sell for even down the the 600ish range if they are beat up. Just depends on the condition. And not being able to see it i can't really give you an accurate price.
I bought mine BECAUSE it was ladder braced. We would do well to stay away from labeling guitars better or worse, just different. I’ll refer you to Waterloo guitars. Contemporary guitar with ladder brace as an option.
X vs ladder is not a matter of better it’s a matter of taste it’s like say 00 martins are better than 000 martins. Guys talking down to people but hasn’t got a clue himself. As an owner of both ladder and x braced vintage guitars neither is better than the other they just do different things.
how much did Scott baxendale charge? i looked up on his website, and there weren't any prices listed. i am incredible interested in doing this and working with .
+Daniel Collins i'm pretty sure that the conversion only is about $900. They definitely do a phenomenal job and what they are especially good at is the take apart of the instrument. In this case, I did not want my Gibson to be cosmetically altered or damaged in the process, so the fact that he has done this on so many guitars and has perfected the disassembly process was definitely reassurance to me. He also put new binding on, because that is about the only thing that you cannot successfully take off without needing to replace. What specifically are you considering having converted?
+James Crowley a friend of mine has two 1952 Gibson lg2's that I am thinking about picking up, and they are both in pretty rough shape. One in particular is missing the Braces. Did they install the fish man as apart of the conversion? Loved this video man. The tone is truly superb. I've watched this video several times! Can't get the tone out of my head!
+Daniel Collins hey thanks man it was fun making the video and Sharing the experience with everyone. A few thoughts about your project: 1. I'm pretty sure that the LG2 is already x-braced. The one that is missing bracing pieces is a good candidate for Scott to take apart and put his all new bracing in. Even though the conversion sounds great I still think that an LG2 with original Bracing sounds even better. Often these 50s and 60s models need a neck reset at very minimum. 2. If you have an LG2 that has all bracing in tact, and is just in rough shape, then you can save quite a bit of money by just having the Nick reset and the fretboard planed and refretted. I'm not sure what area of the country live in, but here in East Tennessee where I live there are several qualified people that can do a Neck reset And re-fret . This should run you anywhere from four to $600. My cell number which is open to the public is 931-250-0764, feel free to call me if you have any questions or advice you would like.
+James Crowley I really appreciate it man. yea, i live in chattanooga. i was so excited when i heard that you mentioned this guy lived in Georgia. its always good to find another vintage guitar lover. ill keep you posted on what my decision is!
its a $1000 for a full conversion on a LGO, we also specialize in this process for a lot of Harmony and Kay models which are often fantastic when completed.
Do you know how much all of the other repairs were to the guitar (not including the conversion). I myself have recently picked up a Gibson LG-0 at a flea market for 150$ with a ton of issues. There is a bulge due to the ladder bracing and the strings being too tight, a small crack on the back, and I want all the nut, bridge, and bridge saddle to be repaired. Will this expensive to the point that there is no point of getting it repaired??? Thanks.
Hey Zach I don't know because I purchased a flat rate service that was the conversion but also included Fret work , neck reset, body crack repair, ect. I have heard though that you can get a neck reset for around three to $400 but be very selective with who you have do work like this. Scott Baxendale in Athens Georgia was well worth the 4 Hour Drive for me! If you can afford $900-$1000 get the conversion done and you will break even in terms of the value of the instrument East on you picking the guitar up for only $150. I hope that helps. James Crowley
baddbaxx I actually decided to do the repair myself. Its going well, I bought a new bridge and am currently going to glue the new bridge plate I made on soon. :D
x bracing doesnt sound better- it sounds different Its like saying a flattop guitar sounds better than an archtop And to say it is a design flaw is just nonsense. One- it was an entry level guitar=two ladder bracing sounds great fingerpicked or used for slide and delta blues
You're splitting hairs here. Ladder bracing was used to cut costs, and for most players, it gives a less-desirable sound. If you don't think old delta blues players wouldn't have traded their ladder-braced stellas for Martins I think you're quite mistaken. Now I for one think ladder braced guitars can be cool. They work well in the context of old-time folk and blues, but the reason they work is because they have poor sound quality. Using those guitars helps you achieve the sound of old Carter Family records. So it's silly to act as if they have the same quality of sound as x-braced Martins and Gibsons, because it's their lo-fi sound that makes them fit into those old-timey contexts.
I didn't do for value sake.. It was a sentimental gift from my wife. I wanted it to sound and play like a $2,000 guitar, and now it does. Pretty awesome guitar. I'd never sell it anyway.
