1948 Gibson LG2 sunburst
Description
1948 Gibson LG2 Acoustic Guitar: $4,200
Here we have a 1948 Gibson LG 2 with Sitka top, I just purchased 6 weeks ago from a Nashville touring musician who tours with a BIG name. I bought it so I had a small bodied guitar to play in my lap while I recovered from hip surgery. Now I’m up and about and back to my j45.
Five (5) months ago he had a genuine vintage 40’s piece of Brazilian Rosewood Bridge put on the guitar. I just had it set up and plays great. I have my eyes on a 55’ Gibson SJ which suits my needs and playing style better so thus the sale.
This LG2 is rare in the fact that it has a nice bottom end to it and fuller sound than the thinner sounding LG2’s you usually see. Comes with looks to be an almost now CrossRock upper scale case.
This guitar has the usual bumps and bruises for a 78 year old guitar. No top or back cracks or repairs. Looks to have had sometime in its life a very thin crack about a 4 or 5 inch on bottom side of the guitar. I see no light and can see the very light stain of the thin glue stain on inside when crack was repaired eons ago.
The 2026 VG Price Guide has these 46’-49’ Sitka top LG2s’s price range from $5k to $7k. This player gave me a super deal on it and I’ll pass that long as I promised him I would and pay it forward. Asking $4,200. Will ship UPS from South Carolina with Pirate Shipping, so figure east of the MI River about $60 +/-
Why the 1948 LG2?
The 1948 Gibson LG-2 represents a pivotal moment in American guitar manufacturing—the transition from wartime scarcity to post-war prosperity. These guitars emerged during Gibson's return to full production following World War II, when the company resumed using premium materials and refining construction techniques interrupted by the war effort.
What makes 1948 LG-2 guitars particularly significant:
Post-War Manufacturing Renaissance: By 1948, Gibson had fully transitioned back to civilian production, implementing improved construction methods and accessing materials unavailable during wartime rationing. The result was instruments that combined pre-war craftsmanship with post-war refinements.
The "Banner Era" Conclusion: 1948 represents the final year of Gibson's "banner" headstock logo—the "Only a Gibson Is Good Enough" slogan that appeared during 1943-1947. Some early 1948 examples retained this banner before transitioning to the standard logo, making them transitional pieces sought by collectors.
Working Musician's Guitar: Unlike Gibson's luxury models, the LG-2 was designed as an affordable, professional-grade instrument for working musicians. This philosophy resulted in straightforward, robust construction that has proven exceptionally durable over the past 75+ years.
Tonal Foundation: The 1948 LG-2's combination of mahogany back and sides with Adirondack or Sitka spruce top created a warm, focused tone that influenced countless recordings during the folk and early rock and roll eras. These guitars punch above their weight class sonically.
Here we have a 1948 Gibson LG 2 with Sitka top, I just purchased 6 weeks ago from a Nashville touring musician who tours with a BIG name. I bought it so I had a small bodied guitar to play in my lap while I recovered from hip surgery. Now I’m up and about and back to my j45.
Five (5) months ago he had a genuine vintage 40’s piece of Brazilian Rosewood Bridge put on the guitar. I just had it set up and plays great. I have my eyes on a 55’ Gibson SJ which suits my needs and playing style better so thus the sale.
This LG2 is rare in the fact that it has a nice bottom end to it and fuller sound than the thinner sounding LG2’s you usually see. Comes with looks to be an almost now CrossRock upper scale case.
This guitar has the usual bumps and bruises for a 78 year old guitar. No top or back cracks or repairs. Looks to have had sometime in its life a very thin crack about a 4 or 5 inch on bottom side of the guitar. I see no light and can see the very light stain of the thin glue stain on inside when crack was repaired eons ago.
The 2026 VG Price Guide has these 46’-49’ Sitka top LG2s’s price range from $5k to $7k. This player gave me a super deal on it and I’ll pass that long as I promised him I would and pay it forward. Asking $4,200. Will ship UPS from South Carolina with Pirate Shipping, so figure east of the MI River about $60 +/-
Why the 1948 LG2?
The 1948 Gibson LG-2 represents a pivotal moment in American guitar manufacturing—the transition from wartime scarcity to post-war prosperity. These guitars emerged during Gibson's return to full production following World War II, when the company resumed using premium materials and refining construction techniques interrupted by the war effort.
What makes 1948 LG-2 guitars particularly significant:
Post-War Manufacturing Renaissance: By 1948, Gibson had fully transitioned back to civilian production, implementing improved construction methods and accessing materials unavailable during wartime rationing. The result was instruments that combined pre-war craftsmanship with post-war refinements.
The "Banner Era" Conclusion: 1948 represents the final year of Gibson's "banner" headstock logo—the "Only a Gibson Is Good Enough" slogan that appeared during 1943-1947. Some early 1948 examples retained this banner before transitioning to the standard logo, making them transitional pieces sought by collectors.
Working Musician's Guitar: Unlike Gibson's luxury models, the LG-2 was designed as an affordable, professional-grade instrument for working musicians. This philosophy resulted in straightforward, robust construction that has proven exceptionally durable over the past 75+ years.
Tonal Foundation: The 1948 LG-2's combination of mahogany back and sides with Adirondack or Sitka spruce top created a warm, focused tone that influenced countless recordings during the folk and early rock and roll eras. These guitars punch above their weight class sonically.