❌SOLD❌ Gibson TG-0 Tenor Guitar Natural Mahogany, 1963

The Gibson TG-0 tenor guitar was built during two periods and two forms, but was always a relatively simple Mahogany top 4-string acoustic. The first TG-0 was based on the L-0 from 1927 to 1933, and the second based on the LG-0 from 1960 to 1974.    

Here we’re looking at a second series Gibson TG-0 dating to 1963 at the Kalamazoo plant, and draws directly from the LG-0 model. These guitars use Mahogany for the top, back sides with Spruce bracing, and Mahogany for the neck but a Rosewood fingerboard. Until 1968 with a few exceptions for use of existing stocks, that meant Brazilian Rosewood. The bridge is a matching piece of Rosewood. The head plate is simply a black finish on the front of the head, with a gold Gibson decal logo. Position markers are Mother of Pearl dots. The pickguard at this point was fixed to the top with three small screws rather than glue. The finish is a light, originally gloss, clear nitrocellulose lacquer.   In 1962, Gibson shipped 328 TG-0 models. 

This Gibson TG-0 is in good working condition and comes with what’s probably its original Faux-Gator fiber case.  It’s presently tuned DGBE – the usual tuning for the top four of a six string guitar – rather than the traditional all-fifths CGDA tenor tuning.  Irish music players often tune in a lower range of fifths, to GDAE. 

The tenor guitar has its roots in the tenor banjo, and was part of the migration to the guitar for banjo players.   At first it was used for jazz, but by the late 1950s it took a place in the Folk world. Nick Reynolds used a Martin tenor guitar with the Kingston Trio and their popularity likely prompted Gibson to offer the TG-0.  Celtic music ensembles often include tenor guitars.   More recently,  the tenor guitar has moved out of the older genres and been used by Elvis Costello, Nico Case and Ani Difranco.   It fits in a particular sonic space, different from a regular guitar, mandolin or banjo.