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I'm looking to pick a brain or two here regarding old Gibsons, and ask for confirmation of a semi-restoration plan that I'm formulating.

A colleague's wife recently dug an old LGO out of the closet, and has asked me to get it back 'playable'. The bridge is rectangular rosewood, which if I'm reading correctly, dates it to 1958-61 (Ser. 20625). The bridge was split the whole length, right down the pin-hole (and bolt) line - the front of the bridge had shifted forward 1/8". When I removed the strings and pins, the bridge practically fell off. So 1) it needs a new bridge - no problem. Underneath, surprise!... the bridge plate is destroyed around the pin-holes, b/c it's made of spruce (!!!?). 2) I'm thinking I'll patch it with a piece of rosewood (over the old bridge plate), just wide enough (3/4" or so) to redrill the pin holes, and to protect it from the ball ends. 3) What I'd "like" to do (after plugging the old holes) is drill the new pin holes on the same angle as the saddle slot (instead of straight across), which I prefer, and which can help protect it from splitting. And 4), as I do on my own guitars, I will probably slot and ramp the bridge pin holes. 5) To make it look more 'original', I'll at least put a couple of 1/4" MOP dots on the bridge, and I guess I should drill and install the original little bolts as well (though I'd prefer NOT to do so).

The owner doesn't want to spend a lot of money on the guitar, so a neck reset and re-fret (both of which it kinda needs, but can do without for now) are beyond her budget. I can't see this owner worrying about resale value. Given that, is any part of my tentative plan UNadvisable?

Thanks for any ideas, suggestions, etc.,
Ken

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Ken Mitchell
Durham, NC

Hey Ken,

Sounds like you have a good plan, but you might want to look into doing the bridge plate repair using this tool - BridgeSaver. I've used this on several guitars, and it works like a dream, though with a spruce bridge plate, well, not sure about that one!

Best,

-Mark

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Wow, that is one cool tool! Thanks for the heads-up, Mark. I'll keep that in mind for future repairs.

However, this bridge plate is about 4 times as destroyed as the one in Dan E's video... plus, yes, it's spruce (E-gad!). So I don't think the plugs would really have a very good area to seat and glue to.

On a historical note, was it common for Gibson to use spruce for bridge plates back in the 50's-60's? Everything about that plate is wrong.. it's spruce (I can chip it with a fingernail), it's quartered, and it's laying in there with the grain lines running perpendicular, right along the string line - it's a perfect recipe for destruction! I know that this was one of their entry-level guitars, but come on - a piece of maple, how many pennies would that cost in 1960?

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Ken Mitchell
Durham, NC

I would pull the old bridge plate and replace it with maple or rosewood. Make a new bridge that is identical to the old one. The revisions you spoke of are not justifiable and will affect value.

I agree with Barry's notes, but if you replace the plate wholly, go all the way side to side, or you may get bad-looking humps at the plate ends.

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The LGO was an entry level guitar. I repaired a friend's LGO (still have it to refinish). Since I had to take the back off, I replaced the bridge plate. For my 2 cents, there won't be significant value in the guitar one way or the other regarding the bridge replacement strategy. Later models of the LGO use a plastic bridge. Left out of its cardboard case, it is a good porch guitar. Good for kids due to its short scale.

Danny R. Little

After considering the options, and talking to the owner, I'm going ahead with my ideas. These guitars cost $85 new, the workmanship is 'minimal / bare bones', and they aren't really ever going to be collectibles... I'm going to make it playable, with a couple of improvements, the way I would if it were my house, car, etc.

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Ken Mitchell
Durham, NC

I'd replace the bridge plate with a maple one. It's not much harder than patching it. At least your friends didn't have the plastic bridge. This is from a 1964 LGO.

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Makes sense to me. Your labor is part of the education journey and confidence development. It will be good.

Danny R. Little