Mark Stutman of Canada’s Folkway Music is one of the world’s foremost authorities on vintage Gibson acoustic guitars and their repair. He’s been featured in the Fretboard Journal numerous times; appeared at our Fretboard Summit; and is a frequent guest on our Fretboard Journal Podcast.

For his #FJFest submission, Stutman gives us a peek at his personal collection and shows off his three favorite vintage Gibson acoustics. Included are a well-played 1948/1949 Gibson LG-2 that’s missing a lower face brace; a 1932 Gibson L-00; and a 1933 Gibson L-00. In addition to talk about each guitar’s merits (and quirks), we see firsthand why Gibson’s braces often come loose, learn how to (partially) date an old L-00; hear why certain years of Gibsons sound so different from others and much more. It’s a mini-master class on vintage small-bodied Gibson flattops.

Follow Folkway Music via their site or Instagram.

#FJFest is the Fretboard Journal‘s way of staying connected during these difficult times: Expect to see never-before-seen shop tours from guitarmakers, unique music performances and a ton of beautiful instruments on a daily basis throughout March 2020 and beyond.

See all of our #FJFest posts here.

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