1944 Gibson LG-2 Banner – Exceptional Player-Grade Wartime Gibson

For sale is my 1944 Gibson LG-2 Banner, a wonderful-sounding wartime Gibson that has had extensive professional work over its 80+ years and is being offered as an exceptional player’s guitar rather than a collector-grade example.

This is one of the wartime LG-2s with the substantial “baseball bat” neck and no adjustable truss rod. It has the wonderful dry, woody, immediate character that makes the best Banner-era Gibsons so special.

The guitar has seen considerable work during its life, including a replacement bridge and replacement tuners, along with other repairs/restoration. I don’t want to represent this as an untouched or highly original vintage instrument—it isn’t. The important thing is that the work has been done to a very high standard, and the guitar is stable, plays beautifully and sounds exceptional.

Most recently, the guitar was in the hands of Dale Fairbanks of Fairbanks Guitars. Dale installed Waverly tuners and a K&K pickup. He also gave it a new bridge/saddle set up. It is currently a terrific playing and performing instrument.

The appeal here is not collector originality. It’s the opportunity to own and actually use a genuine wartime Banner Gibson LG-2 without paying the premium commanded by pristine, highly original examples.

It has the sound these guitars are famous for: dry and woody, quick and responsive, with remarkable character and a huge amount of music in a small body.

Highlights

• 1944 Gibson LG-2
• Original wartime “Only a Gibson Is Good Enough” Banner-era instrument
• Mahogany back and sides
• Large wartime “baseball bat” neck
• No adjustable truss rod
• Replacement bridge
• Newer Waverly tuners installed by Dale Fairbanks
• K&K pickup installed by Dale Fairbank
• Extensive repair/restoration history
• Excellent current playing condition
• Outstanding player-grade vintage Gibson

Please understand that this is not being represented as an all-original collector’s instrument. It is an extensively worked-on, beautifully maintained 1944 Gibson intended for someone who values the sound, feel and history of a great Banner-era guitar and wants to actually play it.