During the World War II era, Gibson labeled their headstocks with the "Only a Gibson is Good Enough" banner, and the LG-2 was one of the streamlined models introduced for wartime production. The LG-2 was the first of the LG line, and while its small body looks similar to some prewar Gibsons, it has a wider waist and a wider upper bout, which give it a shape and geometry almost like a classical guitar. It also has a rounded heel and rounded neck profile, which was a modern advance from '30s Gibson L-00s that often had V-necks.
Most importantly for tone, the LG-2 combines graceful slope shoulders and wider body with X-bracing under the hood. This gives it a dynamic, responsive feel that balances perfectly with the throaty, Gibson thump you expect. Relative to postwar examples, the war-era LG-2s are lightly built, which translates to serious tone. With this lovely '45 in your hands, it only takes one chord to convince you that indeed "Only a Gibson is Good Enough."
This 1945 Banner LG-2 features a beautiful sunburst finish and an intriguing three-ply Maple neck. This is the type of neck that is typically seen on Gibson's fancy archtop guitars, like the L-5—but the L-5 wasn't made during the war years! Perhaps during wartime supply shortages, an extra L-5 neck was used on this LG-2 simply because it was available. Hard to say what brought it about, but combined with the authentic wear and character, the neck sets this LG-2 apart from any other Gibson small body we've seen. On top of that, the profile is big and chunky, which creates a unique playing experience.
This 1945 Gibson LG-2 finds us in very nice, playable condition. Like most vintage guitars that sound and plays like they should, this LG-2 has seen some repair along the way. There is one repaired crack on the back and a repaired pickguard crack in the top directly underneath the B string. There are three repaired cracks in the bass side and one in the treble side. The bridge is possibly a replacement, but if original, it has been sanded down. It appears that at one time the bridge was supported by two small bolts on each end (in addition to the factory bolts underneath the pearl dots), but those have been removed and filled. The bridge and bridge-plate are both properly seated, and the top bellying isn't as severe as other Banner Gibsons. Thanks to a new saddle, neck reset, and fret dressing, this LG-2 plays nicely with approachable low action.
Under the hood, the X-braces and tone bars are scalloped, as to be expected from many pre-'46 Gibsons. Because of that, this 1945 LG-2 produces a full, balanced sound that belies its smaller size. Each Banner guitar feels like a true individual, and the unique L-5 neck gives the LG-2 a vibe and character all its own. The wear and mojo only adds to the inspiration. Because of its nuanced sound, this is a guitar you'll want to pick up and play every day, and its manageable size and unique neck will make it hard to put down. This 1945 Gibson LG-2 includes a hardshell case.