Gibson L-5 Arch Top Acoustic Guitar (1949)
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Item # 12240
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Gibson L-5 Model Arch Top Acoustic Guitar (1949), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # A-2674, natural lacquer finish, Flame maple back, sides and neck, spruce top, ebony fingerboard, original brown hard shell case.
This beautiful and stunningly well preserved postwar carved-top Gibson is one of only 29 sunburst L-5s shipped in 1949; it remains superbly original and exceptionally well preserved now 75 years on. The headstock still features the old 1930's script logo that had recently been discontinued by Gibson, replaced by the then-new, now-familiar block logo. This is likely one of the very last old stock pre-WWII headstock veneers getting used up! The early "A" artist serial number on the white label in this guitar indicates the instrument was shipped out around early January 1949, so this guitar would have actually been assembled in mid-late 1948.
The multi-bound, pearl-block inlaid fingerboard is ebony; some L-5's from this period used Brazilian rosewood instead, apparently around 1948-9 Gibson suffered an ebony shortage. The multi-bound top and flame maple back feature a beautiful shaded sunburst finish that has aged nicely over the binding to a lovely amber hue. The tuners are gold-plated Kluson Sealfasts with translucent celluloid "keystone" buttons, a feature in place since 1940. In this period the L-5 was placed second to the 18" Super 400 in Gibson's line, but many players preferred the easier to handle 17" body and it was always considered a top professional choice.
The top on this example is carved somewhat thinner than many period L-5's making for a very lively sound with plenty of power and projection. This is a truly splendid example of a late swing-era L-5, an excellent playing and sounding guitar and simply as classy as it gets. It is housed in the original 17" Geib case with the original sales contract still in the pocket. The guitar was bought from Jenkins music in Kansas City, Mo. (A major Gibson Dealer) on July 5th, 1950 for $375 plus $39.75 for the Faultless case. With a $200 deposit a customer from Topeka took this beautiful L-5 home, finally paying off the last installment in November. We love this material when it survives; it provides a human element to the story, and the original owner of this guitar obviously treated it like a prized possession to have come down through the decades in such fine shape.
Overall length is 41 3/4 in. (106 cm.), 17 in. (43.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 7/16 in. (8.7 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This guitar remains in exceptionally fine condition both structurally and cosmetically with no major repair or alteration. The original pickguard has a small patched in spot on the upper binding edge from a pickup fitting but all else appears original. There is some light broad checking to the finish and scattered scuffing, small dings, dents and scrapes, but really this is a very clean guitar for being over 70 years old. The back of the neck has some minor wear through the finish in the lower positions just on the bass side.
The gold plating is mostly relatively clean, the silver-plated center section on the tailpiece has tarnished noticeably. The original thin frets and fingerboard show some light wear but the guitar simply does not appear too much played. This guitar has a big, incisive sound but retains plenty of warmth underneath -- a true swing-era classic. In the original case is the above mentioned complete sales contract, and in a smaller envelope the Allen wrench for tightening the tension adjustor on the tailpiece, which fortunately does not appear to have ever been used! Overall Excellent Condition.
This beautiful and stunningly well preserved postwar carved-top Gibson is one of only 29 sunburst L-5s shipped in 1949; it remains superbly original and exceptionally well preserved now 75 years on. The headstock still features the old 1930's script logo that had recently been discontinued by Gibson, replaced by the then-new, now-familiar block logo. This is likely one of the very last old stock pre-WWII headstock veneers getting used up! The early "A" artist serial number on the white label in this guitar indicates the instrument was shipped out around early January 1949, so this guitar would have actually been assembled in mid-late 1948.
The multi-bound, pearl-block inlaid fingerboard is ebony; some L-5's from this period used Brazilian rosewood instead, apparently around 1948-9 Gibson suffered an ebony shortage. The multi-bound top and flame maple back feature a beautiful shaded sunburst finish that has aged nicely over the binding to a lovely amber hue. The tuners are gold-plated Kluson Sealfasts with translucent celluloid "keystone" buttons, a feature in place since 1940. In this period the L-5 was placed second to the 18" Super 400 in Gibson's line, but many players preferred the easier to handle 17" body and it was always considered a top professional choice.
The top on this example is carved somewhat thinner than many period L-5's making for a very lively sound with plenty of power and projection. This is a truly splendid example of a late swing-era L-5, an excellent playing and sounding guitar and simply as classy as it gets. It is housed in the original 17" Geib case with the original sales contract still in the pocket. The guitar was bought from Jenkins music in Kansas City, Mo. (A major Gibson Dealer) on July 5th, 1950 for $375 plus $39.75 for the Faultless case. With a $200 deposit a customer from Topeka took this beautiful L-5 home, finally paying off the last installment in November. We love this material when it survives; it provides a human element to the story, and the original owner of this guitar obviously treated it like a prized possession to have come down through the decades in such fine shape.
Overall length is 41 3/4 in. (106 cm.), 17 in. (43.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 7/16 in. (8.7 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This guitar remains in exceptionally fine condition both structurally and cosmetically with no major repair or alteration. The original pickguard has a small patched in spot on the upper binding edge from a pickup fitting but all else appears original. There is some light broad checking to the finish and scattered scuffing, small dings, dents and scrapes, but really this is a very clean guitar for being over 70 years old. The back of the neck has some minor wear through the finish in the lower positions just on the bass side.
The gold plating is mostly relatively clean, the silver-plated center section on the tailpiece has tarnished noticeably. The original thin frets and fingerboard show some light wear but the guitar simply does not appear too much played. This guitar has a big, incisive sound but retains plenty of warmth underneath -- a true swing-era classic. In the original case is the above mentioned complete sales contract, and in a smaller envelope the Allen wrench for tightening the tension adjustor on the tailpiece, which fortunately does not appear to have ever been used! Overall Excellent Condition.