1956 Gibson LG-2 3/4, Sunburst, Ex-Martin Barre
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At a Glance
Model: LG-2 ¾
Year: 1956
Finish: Sunburst
Top: Spruce
Back & Sides: Mahogany
Neck: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Rosewood with pearl dot inlays
Scale Length: 22¾"
Lower Bout Width: 12¾"
Bracing: Ladder braced
Bridge: Rosewood with pearl dots
Pickguard: Tortoiseshell celluloid teardrop guard
Tuners: Replacement Kluson Deluxe
Neck Profile: Chunky rounded C profile
Repairs / Modifications:Headstock break repaired with associated finish work/non-factory stinger added; refret; replacement nut; replacement tuners.
Case: Original Gibson 'crocodile' card case
Nut Width: 39.3mm
Neck Depth: 1st fret - 22mm | 10th fret - 24.7mm
We are not box shifters, we take your packing and shipping very seriously..!
We have to. You're considering spending a lot of money with us and you would obviously like your valuable musical instrument to arrive at your door, without drama, fuss or damage.
We have many years (stretching way back in to the last century) of packing and shipping fragile musical items all over the world - in fact the number of sometimes priceless, vintage instruments we have shipped is in the thousands.
When you buy a vintage or second hand item from us, it will be hand packed by one or more of our specialist, in house staff and then shipped in our own custom made cardboard boxes (If applicable).
We normally ship via our preferred carriers UPS, DPD, Parcelforce and Royal Mail for smaller items such as straps and leads. Tracking numbers are always provided.
Shipping prices vary by item and by location, please see the individual products for details but as a guide, prices for a guitar is usually:
UK - £50
Mainland Europe - £75
USA - £200
Rest of World (rates can vary a lot depending on country) - £250
How can I pay?
All our base prices are in £GBP Sterling and exclude delivery.
Payments can be made by bank transfer (up to any amount) or credit/debit card through our website (up to £10,000.) Due to fraud risks we do not take payment by phone. We accept and use many online payment services that work by way of bank transfer and recommend Wise.com who will in generally offer far better exchange rates than banks.
Do your prices include VAT?
All prices include UK VAT but most used or vintage guitars are sold under the UK marginal scheme for secondhand goods which means you will not get an invoice with the VAT amount shown separately, neither will you be able to claim this VAT element back if you are VAT registered, and the VAT element cannot be deducted for export sales.
For new items such as some guitars, pedals, straps, cables etc 20% UK VAT is included and if you are in an export country, which since Brexit now includes Europe and of course the US, this 20% VAT will automatically be deducted at checkout for you. You may have to pay local taxes and duties when your goods arrive in your home country, we advise you to check with your local customs office to be sure.
Can I reserve or put an item on hold?
Yes you can. Items can be put on hold for a deposit payment of 10%. This will hold the item for up to 30 days but this deposit payment is non refundable in the event of the buyer failing to complete the sale.
A further 10% payment at the end of the initial 30 day period will extend this period for another 30 days and subject to individual approval, this arrangement can be extended at our discretion. ATB Guitars holds title to the goods until paid for in full and if the buyer should change his/her mind for any reason, a restocking fee equivalent to to 15% of the total purchase price will be deducted from any refund given.
Do you have a mailing list?
The best way to get on our mailing list is to submit the form at the bottom of every page on our website. Also follow us on Facebook and Instagram @ATBguitars as most new items are posted there as soon as we buy them and before they go on the website. If you are searching for a specific guitar then send us an email and we will attempt to alert you once one has been found.
1956 Gibson LG-2 3/4, Sunburst, Ex-Martin Barre
- Unit price
- / per
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1956 Gibson LG-2 3/4, Sunburst, Ex-Martin BarreDescription
A very cool 1956 Gibson LG-2 ¾, formerly owned by Martin Barre of Jethro Tull, complete with its original Gibson crocodile card case. Gibson’s three-quarter-size flat-tops are far less commonly seen than their full-size counterparts and offer a distinctive combination of vintage tone, compact feel and quirky mid-century Gibson design.
The LG-2 ¾ model was introduced in 1949 as a scaled-down version of Gibson’s popular LG flat-tops. Measuring approximately 12¾ inches across the lower bout with a 22¾" scale length, these guitars feature mahogany back and sides paired with a spruce top, producing a lively, woody response with plenty of boxy midrange character. Unlike the larger LG-2, the three-quarter model utilised ladder bracing, giving it a slightly more direct and punchy tonal character that suits fingerstyle playing particularly well.
This 1956 example is finished in Gibson’s classic sunburst. The body retains its original finish, which has aged attractively over the decades. The spruce top is fitted with the correct teardrop tortoiseshell pickguard, the mahogany back and sides are paired with a mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, giving the guitar the familiar Gibson LG look of the period.
Hardware includes the correct rosewood bridge with pearl dots, fitted with a fixed saddle and white bridge pins with black dots. The headstock carries the traditional Gibson silkscreen logo, the tuners are replacement Kluson Deluxe. As is often the case with well-played vintage acoustics, this guitar shows signs of honest maintenance and repair during its lifetime. The headstock features a non-factory 'stinger' having suffered a break in the past. The repair is good and the finish work is limited to the stinger area only. The guitar has been refretted, the nut replaced, and there is visible play wear on the back. Structurally the guitar is solid and presents as a lively and usable vintage instrument.
The neck itself is quite distinctive, with a relatively slim nut width but a chunky, rounded profile, giving it a comfortable and substantial feel in the hand despite the smaller overall dimensions of the instrument.
This guitar has a wonderfully intimate voice, the ladder-bracing, and tonewoods offer a particularly charming vintage tone that is dry, woody and responsive, with a strong harmonic fundamental, punchy midrange and sweet highs that works beautifully for blues, folk and fingerstyle playing.
Overall this is a very cool, rare and unusual vintage Gibson that offers both historical interest and plenty of musical character, not to mention the artist owned provenance. Comes complete with the correct 'croc' case.
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At a Glance
Model: LG-2 ¾
Year: 1956
Finish: Sunburst
Top: Spruce
Back & Sides: Mahogany
Neck: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Rosewood with pearl dot inlays
Scale Length: 22¾"
Lower Bout Width: 12¾"
Bracing: Ladder braced
Bridge: Rosewood with pearl dots
Pickguard: Tortoiseshell celluloid teardrop guard
Tuners: Replacement Kluson Deluxe
Neck Profile: Chunky rounded C profile
Repairs / Modifications:Headstock break repaired with associated finish work/non-factory stinger added; refret; replacement nut; replacement tuners.
Case: Original Gibson 'crocodile' card case
Nut Width: 39.3mm
Neck Depth: 1st fret - 22mm | 10th fret - 24.7mm
We are not box shifters, we take your packing and shipping very seriously..!
We have to. You're considering spending a lot of money with us and you would obviously like your valuable musical instrument to arrive at your door, without drama, fuss or damage.
We have many years (stretching way back in to the last century) of packing and shipping fragile musical items all over the world - in fact the number of sometimes priceless, vintage instruments we have shipped is in the thousands.
When you buy a vintage or second hand item from us, it will be hand packed by one or more of our specialist, in house staff and then shipped in our own custom made cardboard boxes (If applicable).
We normally ship via our preferred carriers UPS, DPD, Parcelforce and Royal Mail for smaller items such as straps and leads. Tracking numbers are always provided.
Shipping prices vary by item and by location, please see the individual products for details but as a guide, prices for a guitar is usually:
UK - £50
Mainland Europe - £75
USA - £200
Rest of World (rates can vary a lot depending on country) - £250
How can I pay?
All our base prices are in £GBP Sterling and exclude delivery.
Payments can be made by bank transfer (up to any amount) or credit/debit card through our website (up to £10,000.) Due to fraud risks we do not take payment by phone. We accept and use many online payment services that work by way of bank transfer and recommend Wise.com who will in generally offer far better exchange rates than banks.
Do your prices include VAT?
All prices include UK VAT but most used or vintage guitars are sold under the UK marginal scheme for secondhand goods which means you will not get an invoice with the VAT amount shown separately, neither will you be able to claim this VAT element back if you are VAT registered, and the VAT element cannot be deducted for export sales.
For new items such as some guitars, pedals, straps, cables etc 20% UK VAT is included and if you are in an export country, which since Brexit now includes Europe and of course the US, this 20% VAT will automatically be deducted at checkout for you. You may have to pay local taxes and duties when your goods arrive in your home country, we advise you to check with your local customs office to be sure.
Can I reserve or put an item on hold?
Yes you can. Items can be put on hold for a deposit payment of 10%. This will hold the item for up to 30 days but this deposit payment is non refundable in the event of the buyer failing to complete the sale.
A further 10% payment at the end of the initial 30 day period will extend this period for another 30 days and subject to individual approval, this arrangement can be extended at our discretion. ATB Guitars holds title to the goods until paid for in full and if the buyer should change his/her mind for any reason, a restocking fee equivalent to to 15% of the total purchase price will be deducted from any refund given.
Do you have a mailing list?
The best way to get on our mailing list is to submit the form at the bottom of every page on our website. Also follow us on Facebook and Instagram @ATBguitars as most new items are posted there as soon as we buy them and before they go on the website. If you are searching for a specific guitar then send us an email and we will attempt to alert you once one has been found.
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