Gibson Console Grande Question

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 4 Sep 2006 5:47 pm

Were the legs on the Console Grande adjustable? and if not was this guitar made to be played sitting?

Patrick Newbery · Post by **Patrick Newbery** » 4 Sep 2006 6:22 pm

mine are adjustable. but I have never set it up for a standing player.

Blake Hawkins · Post by **Blake Hawkins** » 4 Sep 2006 7:24 pm

Both my CG's have adjustable legs and I frequently play standing.

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 4 Sep 2006 7:30 pm

Thanks guys, one more question what do the three controls do? I'm gonna guess volume and a tone for each neck???

Don Fox · Post by **Don Fox** » 5 Sep 2006 6:19 am

I have seen a price list/catalog page for the CG-520 from about'56. Could be ordered with adjustable or non-adjustable. Mine has adjustable, but have two early 50's Consolettes with non-adjustable. As far as controls, varies with age / type of CG. What year is yours?

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 5 Sep 2006 6:51 am

The older Console Grande's had three, non-adjustable legs and you just poked them in the hole and gave them a little turn, quite wobbly. The later Console Grande's had four legs and possibly adjustable.
As far as the controls go, one is volume and the other two are tone controls, one for treble and one for bass. Not one for each neck.[This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 05 September 2006 at 07:54 AM.]

Patrick Newbery · Post by **Patrick Newbery** » 5 Sep 2006 10:30 am

my knobs are wired as one volume per neck, one shared tone (at least that's how I interpret what I am hearing

)

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 5 Sep 2006 12:10 pm

I don't own one yet but am tryin to gather some info on them so I can make a better choice. I've seen a few lately and just can't help but think that they're really gonna go up in price like the Stringmasters have done.

Jay Yuskaitis · Post by **Jay Yuskaitis** » 5 Sep 2006 1:15 pm

Hi Andy,
My 1952 Console Grande originally had non adjustable legs that were quite wobbly, although, it was about as nice as could be, condition wise. I bought some adjustable legs and mounting flanges from George Piburn a while back, works just great.
Jay Y.

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William Clark · Post by **William Clark** » 11 Sep 2006 8:28 pm

I just bought a mint Console Grande from Gruhn Guitars in Nashville about 2 weeks ago. I also have a 1957 T-8 Stringmaster and Custom 8 Tripleneck Fender from 1950. The Console Grande is killer! Compared to the price of the Stringmasters, I think you get a lot of bang for your buck! I just wish it was 10 pounds lighter. The three knobs on mine are a master volume and two tone knobs. The four legs are ajustable and are tall.

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 11 Sep 2006 9:19 pm

William, what year is the Console Grande? and can you post a photo of it?

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 12 Sep 2006 5:14 pm

Got a little discouraged and leary after the eBay scam but finally found one I really like in super nice condtion even though I had to pay a little more for it. There were a few on ebay that looked good but weren't even close to the condition of the one I bought. I will post some pics of it when I get er![This message was edited by Andy Sandoval on 12 September 2006 at 06:15 PM.]

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 12 Sep 2006 6:12 pm

Great news Andy. If I was buying a non pedal that would be the one! Look forward to seeing pics.

Russ

George Rout · Post by **George Rout** » 12 Sep 2006 6:33 pm

My Console Grande weighs 60 lbs in it's original case, a lot of the weight of course is the telescopic steel legs. And the case has only one handle on it.......by the time you carry the guitar into the site, your arm is an inch longer, and your shoulder is out of joint. It's a beast to carry down stairs.
Mine hasn't been out of the house in years.
George

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 12 Sep 2006 6:46 pm

You know, I'm wonderin if anyone has replacement adjustable legs that'll work on these guitars. I'm positive the guitar I bought has the non adjustable legs.

Jim Harper · Post by **Jim Harper** » 12 Sep 2006 7:44 pm

I think Don Burrow,s in Ohio can make you some leg,s and he is real reasonable on them. They work great on my P-P==Jim Harper

William Clark · Post by **William Clark** » 12 Sep 2006 7:47 pm

The one I got from Gruhn's is a 1950. I will try to post some pics in the next couple of days.

William Clark · Post by **William Clark** » 12 Sep 2006 7:48 pm

Does anyone know if they were putting serial numbers on these instruments? I have not been able to find any on my instrument.

William Clark · Post by **William Clark** » 19 Sep 2006 8:20 pm

Andy:

Here are some pictures of my Console Grande.
http://photos.yahoo.com/53telecaster@sbcglobal.net

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 19 Sep 2006 11:18 pm

Beautiful guitar William I finally found one myself, same model only a 53'. I'll post some pics tomorrow.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 20 Sep 2006 7:03 am

My Console Grande was, I believe, a special order guitar. It's about a '39, I think. D-7 with the pointed end fretboards, two CC pickups with adjustable polepieces. The fretboard has GIANT pearl block inlays. The biggest pearl fretr markers I've ever seen. And the guitar is black, which of course sounds better! Another strange feature, there are only two long legs! It came with two big floor brackets, that have screwholes in them to fasten it either to the floor, or to a floorboard of some type. I have them fastened to a carpet-covered piece of plywood. Killer-sounding guitar, with just the right number of strings! Needs restoration though. As with many old guitars, it had a home-made string pulling device installed on the inner neck.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 20 Sep 2006 8:16 am

I have a sunburst Console Grande like the one pictures except it's older with only 3 legs.

I also have a blonde model.

One is 7 and 8 and the other is an 8 and 8.

I believe they're from around 1948.

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 20 Sep 2006 5:32 pm

Well at last! I finally found one I liked.

[This message was edited by Andy Sandoval on 20 September 2006 at 06:34 PM.]

George Rout · Post by **George Rout** » 20 Sep 2006 7:19 pm

Re the serial numbers, while it's a problem, I think mine has some hand-written number inside under the knob panel. I haven't had that off for almost 50 years. Geo

William Clark · Post by **William Clark** » 20 Sep 2006 8:52 pm

Andy, that is one good looking steel. The maple looks like it is on fire!