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hi

could really use some advice please,
just bought a Gibson lg-0 cheap but it needs a lot of work, this will be my first repair

things wrong-
-back split and fragile
-top split and sinking around soundhole
- 2 bottom rear braces missing
- 2 bottom top braces missing
- couple of awful paychecks repairs on side and back
- body appears to of been covered in thick varnish
-neck lacquer is really rough around 9th fret upwards, could live with it i guess

so I know it could just be binned, but want to give it a go


how would you all go about the repairs etc
would you remove the back to do the repairs? if so how

thanks



Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Hey CP!

This will have to be a labor of love and will suck a lot of time and not have much value once completed compared to the hours and hours that will be required to bring this one back. But some here don't care and do this stuff for fun and I appreciate that.

Here is a link that may be helpful to you at some point. The plastic bridge is crap and needs to be replaced. It's our considerable experience with these that a proper wooden bridge and bone saddle can be a tonal improvement (subjective I know...) because of the reduction in mass. Remove all the hardware store metal crap too.

Hope this helps : https://youtu.be/HgkcA9ikHFQ

I had the opportunity to replace the plastic bridge on a LG-1 not too long ago and started a little thread that might be helpful. The owner told me it was a J45 so that is what I titled the thread, when I actually got into the guitar I realized it was and LG-0 or 1, which apparently were fairly inexpensive ladder braced "student" models. Here is the thread

viewtopic.php?f=10137&t=51212

Normally on really old guitars I try to take the least invasive methods I can - I don't like to screw around with finish and I try to use materials and methods that fit the era of the guitar. In you case the guitar is pretty much a basket case and as Hesh said not worth much to start with so it would make a good learning experience. There are also a bunch of potential issues that you didn't mention in your list - I'm going to assume that the neck angle and frets are both bad.

If it was my guitar I would pull the neck, then remove the back. Do all the structural repairs including a new bridge plate, cleat the cracks. Put the back back on, strip the finish and refinish with lacquer (neck and body). Set the neck, refret it, make or buy a wood bridge (like I did). Replace tuners.

You will probably loose the Gibson logo (decals are available). The one that I worked on had a nice punchy sound, certainly not "complex" but kind of a funky bluesy sound - probably because of the ladder bracing. Good luck, post pictures of the progress.

That backwards bridge can't be original, can it? I know they came with that adjustable saddle (which should soon find the bottom of the waste basket), so my guess is someone refinished it and just plain didn't know how the bridge went. as was said, this will be a "learning experience".

_________________
"Real guitars are for old people, Mr. Marsh."

Eric Cartman

Bill

Just google images for "hummingbird guitar bridge" and you will see that most of that model had the upside bridge on them. Gibson had their own take on many things.

I think for an amateur this is a great project because you can't ruin the value and you just might end up with wonderful guitar

Ed

the back is off. the 2x top braces need replacing and the top needs flattening as it's pretty warped,
what's best way to flatten the top ?

ps the plate is Also now removed

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

The top will straighten out when you get the new braces installed. Best replace that UTB while your in there, it has a crack too.

Have you seen this thread? http://luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10137&t=46629