Specifications

• Born: 1964 Kalamazoo, Michigan
• Serial No: 222007
• Cost: $5.00
• Where: Rummage Sale
• When: 25 Years Ago
• Why: It's a Gibson!

I purchased this guitar at a rummage sale for $5.00. I'm aware that a well maintained LG1 could sell for about $1500.00. Believe me when I say, however, I would not have paid much more than $5.00 for this one. The neck on this little beauty had migrated in toward the sound hole. The action was so bad, even with only a few loosely strung strings on the guitar, at the 12th fret the strings were 5/8 of an inch away from the fret board. This neck migration also pushed the neck into the shoulders of the body. One other suspicion, was that it appeared as though the neck had previously been removed, possibly to attempt the repair. My guess is that when this individual reassembled it, he found it to still be unplayable. This I believe is because the neck cleat should have also been removed and repositioned. In an attempt to get it in playing condition, he then decided to cut grooves in the saddle to lower the string action. This, of course is akin to putting lipstick on a pig.

The guitar sat idle in my closet for many years. I finally decided to display it in the studio and placed it in a guitar stand. I think I was secretly hoping that maybe by moving it out of the shadows and into the light, I may be prodded into attempting "The Fix". Players would occasionally pick it up and then quickly return it to the stand as if scolded by the guitar gods. This guitar repair remained on my bucket list for 25 years. I finally came to the conclusion that "IT WAS TIME"... I wasn't getting any younger! If I screw it up, I'll quietly place it out to the curb on trash day.