Vintage Gibson Acoustic Guitar

Collectors of fine musical instruments often seek out a vintage Gibson acoustic guitar to complete their collections. Musicians who want an instrument with rich tone and quality construction scour the shops and Internet to find guitars from the 1930s and 1940s. Because musicians in the first half of the 20th century understood how valuable the Gibson instrument was many of these fine guitars still exist.

However, the length of time that has passed and the normal use of guitars took their toll on instruments made 70 years ago or 80 years ago. This means that even the most treasured guitars become even more rare and hard to find as time passes. Musicians and collectors must now pay $2,000, $3,000 and much more for some acoustic guitars from top manufacturers. The most collectible examples of vintage Gibsons carry asking prices of $10,000 and up.

In the 1930s, the company was building as many high-quality mandolins as they were guitars and banjos. But the guitar grew in popularity in the 1930s and 1940s, because of the change in musical styles and the widespread use of electricity to amplify instruments. Many players chose the Gibson acoustic and amplified their guitar with a microphone set in front of and close to the sound hole.

The company began making more guitars in the World War II era and into the 1950s, gradually moving to the flat top design. The arch-top guitar with scrolled f-hole cuts (1930s) have become one of the highly sought examples of a vintage Gibson acoustic guitar.