SOLD!!! 1959 Gibson TG-50 Tenor Guitar

Tenor guitars were built continuously from around 1927 to the 1970s, and were introduced as a way to allow banjo players to easily switch to guitar. Tenors are now most often found in Celtic and old-time music. The Gibson TG-50 was introduced in 1934, and is based on a standard archtop, F-hole body 'borrowed' from the Gibson L-50.

Featuring a solid spruce top and laminate maple back and sides, the Gibson TG-50 also uses mahogany for the neck and rosewood for the fingerboard and bridge. The tuning gears are Kluson Deluxe with creme buttons and there's a trapeze tailpiece. With a pickguard, sadly missing from this example, that's it for the hardware. A strap pin has been added near the heel.

These instruments, at least the ones built between 1952 and 1961, don't have serial numbers as such. However, at the beginning of the production process, they received a Factory Order Number or FON. Serial numbers and labels were assigned at the end of the production process. On this Gibon TG-50, the FON is S 1724 31, and the S dates it to 1959. The 1724 is the batch number, and the 31 is the rank in a run of 40 instruments. The FON system was discontinued in 1961.

This is a good-condition example of a 1959 Gibson TG-50. It plays well, and as is to be expected there is moderate fret wear in the lower position. The finish is worn in normal play positions, but there is no real damage. This is being sold without case, though cases can be obtained.