1932 Gibson Nick Lucas Special

Rare 13-Fret Rosewood • Original Floating-Bridge Configuration • Excellent Condition

Serial No. 88513 • FON 169

Few vintage Gibson guitars capture a more fascinating moment in the development of the American flat-top than this 1932 Gibson Nick Lucas Special.

A rare transitional configuration, this instrument combines a 13-fret neck, rosewood back and sides, deep-body construction, X-bracing, original floating/adjustable bridge and original trapeze tailpiece — features that place it among the most historically interesting versions of Gibson's celebrated Nick Lucas Special.

Original bridge, frets, nut and saddle • No neck reset • Original lacquer finish

A Rare 13-Fret Nick Lucas

The Nick Lucas Special evolved rapidly during the late 1920s and early 1930s as Gibson experimented with the ideal architecture for its premium flat-top guitars.

The earliest examples were 12-fret instruments. Gibson subsequently developed a short-lived 13-fret configuration, before moving to the 14-fret design that would become standard on later guitars.

The 13-fret models are particularly interesting because they combine several experimental features:

• Rosewood back and sides
• Deep body
• X-braced spruce top
• Floating/adjustable bridge
• Trapeze tailpiece
• 13-fret neck

This guitar retains that complete historical configuration.

Specialist documentation of surviving 13-fret Nick Lucas instruments confirms the importance of this combination of features and its place in Gibson's development of the flat-top guitar.

Original Floating Bridge

One of the most important features of this 1932 Gibson Nick Lucas Special is its original floating/adjustable bridge and trapeze tailpiece.

Unlike the conventional fixed pin bridge used on later Gibson flat-tops, the floating bridge is supported by the top while the strings terminate at the tailpiece.

This is an important survivor of Gibson's archtop-influenced approach to flat-top construction.

The guitar has never been converted to a conventional pin bridge, preserving one of the most distinctive features of this transitional Nick Lucas design.

X-Braced Deep-Body Construction

The guitar's deep body and X-braced spruce top are fundamental to both its historical significance and acoustic architecture.

The large body provides substantial internal air volume, while the X-bracing reflects Gibson's developing approach to steel-string flat-top construction.

The combination of:

deep body + X-bracing + floating bridge + rosewood construction

is quite different from the later, more conventional 14-fret Gibson flat-tops.

The internal structure is documented by video of the guitar's body interior, allowing prospective purchasers to examine the original bracing and construction in detail.

Serial No. 88513 • FON 169

The guitar carries serial number 88513 detailed on the original interior label and Factory Order Number 169 stamped on the neck block.

The FON places it within a documented Gibson production group containing other surviving Nick Lucas examples in the same serial-number range.

This provides an additional historical connection between surviving instruments from this particularly interesting period of Gibson production.

How Rare Is the 13-Fret Nick Lucas?

Gibson's surviving factory records do not provide a definitive production total for every Nick Lucas configuration.

Based on surviving instruments and specialist historical research, a research-based estimate is that perhaps 50–100 examples may originally have been produced combining the particularly unusual:

13-fret + rosewood + floating-bridge/trapeze-tailpiece configuration.

The exact number of surviving examples today is unknown.

The estimate should therefore be regarded as an informed historical approximation rather than an official Gibson production figure.

Originality & Condition

For a guitar approaching its centenary, this Nick Lucas retains an exceptional level of originality.

Original components include:

• Floating/adjustable bridge
• Frets
• Nut
• Saddle
• Trapeze tailpiece
• Original lacquer finish

The guitar has also never required a neck reset.

As would be expected of a nearly 100-year-old instrument, there are minor historical internal repairs consistent with its age and musical history:

• Two front braces have required re-securing
• A small center-seam separation has been stabilized with a cleat

These are conservation repairs rather than modifications to the guitar's original design.

The guitar is accompanied by a period-correct hard case.

Inspection Documentation
The instrument is documented with:

• UVA/black-light photography
• Internal structural video
• Detailed exterior photography
• Serial-number and FON references

The UVA photographs provide additional information when assessing the finish, while the internal video gives prospective buyers an unusually clear view of the guitar's body structure and bracing.

Why This Guitar Matters

The significance of this instrument lies in the combination of its features.

It is a:

1932 Gibson Nick Lucas Special

with:

13-fret neck

Rosewood back and sides

Deep body

X-braced spruce top

Original floating/adjustable bridge

Original trapeze tailpiece

Original lacquer

Original frets, nut and saddle

No neck reset

FON 169

Serial 88513

Together, these characteristics preserve a remarkably specific moment in Gibson's history — when the company was moving from its archtop-influenced design tradition toward the modern steel-string flat-top.

A Guitar to Collect — and Play

Despite its historical importance, this is ultimately a musical instrument.

The deep body, X-braced top and floating-bridge architecture give the Nick Lucas a distinctive acoustic character, while the 13-fret neck places it within one of the most unusual configurations Gibson produced.

It is equally compelling as a pre-war Gibson collectible, a piece of American guitar history and a serious playing instrument.

For the collector who values originality, rarity, historical design and musical character, this Nick Lucas offers all four in a single instrument.

Pure Effect Music Shipping & Return Policy

Shipping

We take great pride in ensuring your guitar arrives safely and promptly.

International Shipping:
We ship worldwide via DHL Express or FedEx International. Customs duties and taxes are the buyer’s responsibility. These costs are not included in your order and will be billed to you by the transporter during the customs clearance process or upon delivery.

Time:
Orders are shipped within 1–2 business days after payment is received and cleared.

All instruments are meticulously inspected, photographed, and securely packaged prior to shipment.

Returns

This item is sold As-Described and cannot be returned unless it arrives in a condition different from how it was described or photographed. Items must be returned to Pure Effect Music within 48 hours of delivery in original, as-shipped condition with all original packaging.

Return Window:
You may return the guitar if the above conditions are met within 48 hours of delivery for a refund, less shipping costs and restocking fee.

Condition:
Guitar must be returned in the exact condition it was received. Any damage, alterations, or signs of wear may result in a reduced refund.

Restocking Fee:
A 15% restocking fee will be applied to all returns. This covers international customs fees, handling, inspection, and potential loss of sales.

Return Shipping:
Buyer is responsible for fully insured return shipping using a trackable carrier. Please pack with care—including original packaging.

Non-Returnable Items

• Custom orders or modified instruments
• Items sold as-is or listed as non-returnable in the product description

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