Gibson Console Grande - a couple of issues

Scott Rogers · From: Andalusia, AL

Howdy folks, proud new owner of a Gibson Console Grande! I'll make an official posting in the "GCG owners unite!" thread when I have a chance to take some good outdoor photos, it's a beauty. For now, I have a couple of issues you've probably dealt with already.

1. Some of the thinner gauged strings are fretting out on the magnet pole pieces...what's the best way to handle this? I've thought about filing down some of the pole pieces to get a little more clearance... see photos attached

2. The pots are smooth shaft and the knobs (apparently not original) are the splined type which are stripped out. What would have been the original knobs used and did they have a set screw? Figuring that's the style I need to go with. Appreciate any recommendations you could send my way.

3. One of the nuts appears to have a good amount of road rash while the other is really clean. Would anyone have a good nut I could buy, or know where to find one?

4. It's a three legged version with the oval pickups, I cannot find a date code anywhere, however there is a #706 stamped on the bottom side of the body,,,I've pulled all cavity covers other than the tuning heads, there's some markings in the pot cavity, but I can't make out what it says. I'll post more photos when I have a chance. I bought it from Carter's in Nashville... the guitar had a sales tag noting it as a '52, the OHSC had a sales tag noting it as a '51, so I'm not really sure they accurately knew either. It has the original three legs which are actually fine for me, however one of the legs was missing the original rubber foot, if anyone has a spare, I'd like to keep it with the original feet.

Thanks yall!

Noah Miller · From: Rocky Hill, CT

1. There are a few ways to increase the clearance, but irreparably altering the pickups is not a good way to go about it. I'd first shim the bridge(s) as necessary.

2. I'm pretty sure that this post-War model always used splined knobs, which means it always used splined shafts. Those appear to be replacement pots. You can either get new knobs or replace the pots again, though I'm not sure if you could still get those knobs to work with splined shafts.

4. I recall that the serials on these don't help with dating, so you either have to go by pot codes (which won't help if you have replacement pots) or overall features.

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

1) Your issue with strings hitting the polepieces is one I have run into in the process of rescuing two different white Ultratones that I purchased as basketcases. As Noah stated, I solved the problem by shimming the bottom of the bridge. I used multiple layers of StewMac adhesive-backed aluminum pickguard shielding foil.

https://www.stewmac.com/electronics/shielding/pickguard-shielding-foil/

Simply cut a dozen or so foil sections slightly oversized, attach one at a time to the bottom of the bridge, and trim the excess with an Xacto knife or single-edge razor blade as you go. It usually takes about six to ten layers, and they're nearly invisible to the naked eye. Voila! Problem solved.

2) Your knobs are indeed replacements. Originals would have been the plain gold (as opposed to black) Tenite Butyrate plastic, tall, unnumbered barrel knobs which were standard from about 1946 to 1949 on most Gibson models and are pretty much unobtainable nowadays. On each of the dozen or so white Ultratones and black Centurys that I've come across with their original electronics intact, the pots have all had plain, smooth splines, like those in your photo.

3) I make my own Gibsonesque nuts from 3/16" x 3/4" aluminum bar stock employing a small belt-disc sander and a homemade jig. A string spacing rule is handy; good quality gauged nut files are essential.

Scott Rogers · From: Andalusia, AL

Thanks guys for the tips!

Jack, I just used typical kitchen use aluminum foil to make a shim under the bridge as you instructed, works perfectly! I'll probably remember & use that trick the rest of my life, thank you! Also, if can provide a replacement nut in the GCG spec, I'd be a customer!

I'm posting a few photos of the pots... you guys tell me, are these not the original pots in this guitar? I can make out there's an IRC stamp and some production/date codes, can you decode the production dates? One of the caps is obviously a replacement.

Also another request if anyone has an original spare rubber foot, I'd like to get one... and of course original knobs if anyone has some, thank you!

Chris Clem · From: California, USA

The date codes on electronic parts were not require until 1951. Sometimes they will be on guitar before then but often the numbers on pots before 1951 are note date coded. Your pots do not have date codes. Also Never file or grind the magnets on a pickup...a big No No.

...and Yes those appear to be the original pots.

Chris Clem · From: California, USA

As far as the nut is concerned. You usually have extra tall nuts on a lap steel. You would just need to file the damage nut flat (match the shape to the good one) then re-notch the string slots for a nice clean look.

Let me say a few words about the solid shaft pots. You often see solid shaft pots with knobs that you would think should have spline type shafts. A good example of this is the original 1952 Les Pauls had solid shaft pots, also the first year Stratocasters (1954) also had solid shaft pots.

Your lap steel clearly has the original pots but not the original knobs.

David Rattray · From: Ontario, Canada

Clem has it right about the nut...take your time and it will work out fine...about 1/2 the thickness of your heaviest string usually does the trick...

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