1942 Gibson LG-1 Banner Logo X-Braced All-Mahogany Wartime Acoustic Guitar Walnut, Collector-Grade w/ Case

Up for sale, a 1942 Gibson Banner Logo LG-1 in absolutely stunning, collector-grade condition, complete with the original chipboard case. One of roughly 100 Banner LG-1s produced in '42 before the model was discontinued and reimagined after the War in '47, this LG is utterly unique in its feature set and presentation, distinct from any later example of the LG-1 model. Featuring a positively glossy original Walnut nitro lacquer finish, this guitar boasts all mahogany body construction, with an X-braced mahogany top and multi-ply purfling on the top, back, and soundhole rosette. Given the 80 year old nature of this LG-1 and the exceedingly limited quantities in which this guitar was produced, it's not a stretch to say this is likely the best preserved example on the planet.Ceaselessly warm and sweet-sounding, this LG-1 offers ample projection and a defined, muscly bass register. Trebles are articulate, round, and punchy, and thanks to the X-bracing (all later examples are ladder braced), the guitar simply has more richness and power on tap than its Post-War siblings. This LG-1 is featherweight at 3lbs 9oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with fresh 12-53 strings.The one-piece neck has a true '40s Gibson baseball bat C profile carve and is a substantial piece of Honduran mahogany which contributes greatly to the resonance of this instrument. The profile has tons of shoulder and heft, measuring .999" deep at the 1st fret and 1.025" at the 9th. The Brazilian rosewood fretboard retains the original perfect slender "banjo" fretwire, and the instrument plays easily up the 24 3/4" scale with a straight neck. The carved bone nut measures a full 1 3/4" in width. The headstock face retains the original nigh flawless Gibson script logo and Banner decals, and the guitar is fitted with a set of vintage Wartime Gibson strip tuners which have brand new black buttons. The guitar was at one time fitted with a different tuner set, as evidenced by the new metal drop-in tuner bushings and extremely faint outline of a different strip tuner set extending just beyond the footprint of the current gears.On the top, the original small footprint Brazilian rosewood bridge is flush with the mahogany top, fitted with a carved bone saddle that matches the fretboard radius. The neck was ostensibly (and invisibly) reset in the guitar's lifetime, as the neck meets the body at an ideal angle and action is well within spec all the way to the last fret. All braces have been meticulously inspected and are secure, and the original tortoise pickguard is intact, reseated so it's putting no undue tension on the top, with a tiny amount of guard shrinkage between the bridge and guard edge. The original nitro lacquer sprayed over the pickguard also shows some modest mottling. The factory order number is clean and bold, stamped on the neck heel and visible through the soundhole with an H suffix that dates to '42.The guitar is crack-free, and the original Walnut nitro lacquer finish is positively glossy in its presentation, with cosmetic wear limited to a few very minor dings and light finish scratches on the body as a whole. The gloss on the neck profile is practically perfect and free of palm wear.The original chipboard case is included, equally as well-kept as the guitar with the original handle and all functional latches.