THE FORTY SEVEN

When they were introduced in 1942, the LG models were Gibson’s entry-level acoustics. As was typical of Gibson’s student models, they may have been less adorned but that didn’t mean they were lesser instruments than the pricier J-45, J-200 and so forth.

It doesn’t seem that long since LGs were a relatively cheap and extremely cheerful entry point into the world of vintage Gibson acoustics. Sadly, that’s no longer the case. Thankfully, there’s an affordable alternative made in the English city of Canterbury rather than Kalamazoo, Michigan.

We tested Atkin’s The Forty Three in 2017 and awarded it a rare perfect 10. That