Gibson MK-53 1977 - Natural

1977 Gibson MK-53 Mark Series – Vintage Kalamazoo Acoustic

Beautiful and unusual 1977 Gibson MK-53 from Gibson’s short-lived Mark Series. These guitars represented an ambitious departure from traditional Gibson acoustic construction, incorporating the Michael Kasha and Richard Schneider design with its distinctive asymmetrical bridge and unconventional internal bracing.

This guitar has a particularly beautiful vintage voice. It is strong and mid-forward, with excellent presence and note definition. The sound is warm, woody and mature, but also focused, with plenty of character without becoming overly boomy. It has the dry, developed tone you hope to hear from an almost 50-year-old acoustic, while the unusual Mark Series construction gives it a personality quite different from a conventional Gibson dreadnought.

The guitar presents beautifully for its age. The natural spruce top has developed a rich amber color, and the maple back and sides are especially attractive. There are scattered small dings, scratches and signs of normal use consistent with a vintage instrument, but overall it has been very well preserved. Please see the photos for condition.

This guitar came to me through a longtime friend, whose former wife originally owned it in Japan. It appears to have seen relatively light use over the years, which is reflected in its overall condition. I would keep the guitar for myself, but I’m lefty! Check out my YouTube video for a backwards demo.

It has recently been cleaned and set up with a fresh set of .012 light-gauge acoustic strings. The frets were cleaned and polished and the fingerboard conditioned. Neck relief is excellent, and current action at the 12th fret measures approximately .070” on the high E and .105” on the low E, with plenty of saddle remaining. It plays comfortably and cleanly up the neck.

There is a very narrow grain-line separation/check in the spruce top adjacent to the bridge. My local luthier examined the area and considered it stable. As an additional precaution, the guitar was humidified and the separation was stabilized with Titebond Original wood glue and internally cleated for long-term stability. Inspection from inside the guitar did not reveal an obvious open crack extending through the soundboard. I want to disclose this clearly so there are no surprises. The area is stable and does not affect the guitar’s playability or tone.

The MK-53 represents one of the more interesting chapters in Gibson acoustic history. Produced only briefly during the 1970s, the Mark Series never became a mainstream Gibson design, and surviving examples are considerably less common today than Gibson’s traditional acoustic models. This is a great opportunity for someone looking for an unusual vintage American-made Gibson with real character, an interesting history and a wonderful vintage sound.

Made in USA
Serial #06177985