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1968 Gibson Dove Vintage Dreadnought Guitar Cherry Sunburst w/ Case

$6,499.99

+ shipping

Up for sale, a 1968 Gibson Dove in excellent, crack-free condition and in perfect working order, complete with a hardshell case. 100% original save for an added pickup, this pre-Norlin era Dove offers X-braced square shoulder dreadnought muscle. The sound is bright yet full with good muscle and projection, emblematic of the body’s tonewood pairing and a top that’s had decades to open up. There’s a punchy quality to the wound strings, with a touch of bark and excellent headroom, while the trebles have a percussive sparkle. A stunner both visually and sonically, the Dove weighs 5lbs 8oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with fresh 12-53 strings, easy-playing action and accurate intonation.

The one-piece mahogany neck has a slender C-shaped profile carve, effortlessly navigable with just enough roundness in the shoulders, measuring .835" deep at the 1st fret and .950" at the 9th. The bound rosewood fretboard features pearl split parallelogram inlay, and the original medium jumbo frets have good meat, showing only light wear beneath the B and High E strings on frets 1-7. The guitar plays cleanly in every register with a straight neck and responsive, optimally adjusted truss rod. The scale length is a full 25 1/2", a feature that adds tension to the top and increases the treble response and sheer volume of the guitar, compared to Gibson's more common 24 3/4" scale. The nut measures 1 9/16" in width, and the headstock features original patent pending Grover Rotomatic tuning machines that turn very smoothly and hold pitch well. There is a small "2" above the serial number, noting a Factory Second for some small finish flaw, imperceptible after over half a century.

The original rosewood bridge sits flush with the top, inlaid with pearl doves on the feet, and fitted with the original chrome-plated ABR-1 bridge with nylon saddles. The neck set is ideal, and the bridge has room for future adjustment. A second rosewood insert and bone saddle is also included, slotting into the ABR-1 route with no modification, for players that prefer a more traditional saddle material. The pickguard shows no off-gassing, sitting flush with the top on all edges, and the Dove graphics and inlay are in excellent shape. A pickup has been installed, with a 1/4" endpin jack and small Volume thumbwheel mounted to the edge of the soundhole.

The finish is 100% original with no touch-up or overspray, and the Cherry Sunburst exhibits broad lacquer checking, particularly along the bass side of the top, with various small nicks and finish scratches consistent with light, careful use. There’s also a spot of light buckle wear on the upper bout of the back. The Cherry finish on the back and rims highlights curly figuring in the maple, and the gloss on the neck profile is nigh flawless, free of palm wear.

A modern hardshell case is included.