1961 Southern Jumbo Restoration Ptl

Can this early 60s Gibson Southern Jumbo be saved or has it gone belly up?

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Vintage dealers often place guitars into broad categories that correspond to their condition, rarity and originality, as well as the customers they attract.

At the top end of the market, museum or collector-grade guitars may include highly original examples in outstanding condition or those that are exceptionally rare due to low production numbers or unique finishes. There are also those associated with famous players that command huge prices irrespective of modifications or refinishes. At the other end of the market, we encounter vintage guitars euphemistically described as 'player grade'. These might include Stratocasters that once had locking vibratos, Telecasters with added pickups, and Juniors with tune-o-matic bridge conversions. With every pickup, bridge and parts replacement the value drops accordingly, and as a rule of thumb a refinish will be worth about half as much as an equivalent guitar with a factory finish.

So how can we categorise this 1961 Gibson Southern Jumbo? It's obviously not 'collector grade', and some might even say it barely qualifies as 'player grade', but looks can deceive. Vintage guitars in this sort of condition are a bit like houses that need updating. Not everybody is willing or able to see the potential, but if you can, there's joy to be had in turning a basket case into a thing of beauty.

Making The Grade

Any restoration project should begin with a detailed appraisal of the instrument. Gibson made the last of the slope-shouldered Southern Jumbos in 1962, after which the company introduced the square-shouldered body and, for a short time, the infamous plastic bridge.