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Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
1950 Gibson L-50 Restoration
This L-50 was made in 1950. The owner wanted a complete restoration done on his family heirloom. It was his fathers. The bridge, frets, fretboard, nut and inside bracing, top plate cracks all had to be done. The neck was twisted and required a plane job. The bracing on the inside had let go. The hide glue had just dried out after years of storage and the bracing was ready to fall off. The nut was shimmed up with cardboard. The bridge was replaced with a bridge that was the wrong size and glued into place with something. It had fallen forward in the slot wrecking it and the slot had to be cut over. So I cut a new slot, fitted a new hand carved bone bridge, planed the neck, fretted it, glued the cracks, refinished the cracks, added a new hand carved nut, new set of tuners acid etched and reliced to look the part, and glued all of the bracing back into place. When it was done it became a tone monster. You cannot beat the wood that they used in those days. It just sounds incredible.
1950 GIBSON L-50 RESTORATION
Special Goop hard at work.
This bridge removal took years off of my life and it was this close to becoming kindling.
1950 GIBSON L-50 RESTORATION
Well Played.
You know someone just loved to play this guitar.
1950 GIBSON L-50 RESTORATION
Bracing.
That is the internal brace hanging off.
1950 GIBSON L-50 RESTORATION
Bridge Angle
This bridge was the wrong size and was glued into place. It fell forward and totaled off the bridge slot in the bridge saddle.
Specialty Goop.
This is a organic glue that also works to loosen up the junk that was used to glue in the bridge.
Finally.
Took a bunch of steam but it finally let go. You can see a paper shim.
Nut Removal.
Even more cardboard spacing. Having this on the bridge and the nut definitely was dampening the sustain.
Top Plate Cracks.
There was a bunch of these all over this.
Dressed Nut Slot.
Cut in perfecly flat ready to accept the new nut.
New Bone Nut.
Fitting the new hand carved bone nut.
New Tuners.
Exact replacement tuners where used but did not look right.
Acid Etched Relic.
Now they look the part and work like new.
1950 GIBSON L-50 RESTORATION
Routing a new bridge slot in the saddle.
Don't try this at home folks. One bad move and you have destroyed your fathers 1950 J-50.
1950 GIBSON L-50 RESTORATION
Bone Bridge fitted.
Tight as tight gets. Full contact with the bridge saddle for maximum sustain.
1950 GIBSON L-50 RESTORATION
Fret Job.
I was able to leave some of the divots on the neck and still get it planed perfectly flat for the frets to locate. This was important to the customer as it was his fathers guitar and he wanted to be able to feel where his father had worn the fret board .
1950 GIBSON L-50 RESTORATION
Finished Fret Job.
Looks like it belongs to the instrument but plays better than it did new.
1950 GIBSON L-50 RESTORATION
Internal Ribs.
Gluing the internal ribs with a scissor jack.
enjoy the show
The 1950 Gibson L-50
This guitar sounded fantastic when it was done. The owner could not believe it. I was lucky enough to be able to play it for a week before he picked it up and I was happy/sad to see it go. You put a lot of your heart and sole into a restoration like this. You always want to do the original owner justice and make it the way they would have wanted it if they were still here. It is important to me to get the families approval after the job is done.
The entire project is below. Enjoy.
Rsm