Gibson L-5 Arch Top Acoustic Guitar (1948)
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Item # 4624
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Gibson L-5 Model Arch Top Acoustic Guitar (1948), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, sunburst lacquer finish, maple back and sides, spruce top; maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original tweed hard shell case.
This lovely L-5 is an early-post WWII guitar, one of 49 sunburst L-5's listed as shipped in 1948. Gibson had not built any of these fancy top-line orchestra guitars during the war years, and likely faced a backlog of orders as production was re-started in 1946-7. Guitars from this era feature a mix of older and newer characteristics as Gibson used up the last leftover prewar parts and began re-tooling their instruments. This mid-1948 L-5 features the very last style of script "Gibson" logo, discontinued that year in favor of the new block-lettered version.
The tuners are gold-plated Kluson Sealfasts with translucent celluloid "keystone" buttons, as seen from around 1940. The fingerboard is Brazilian rosewood, a feature seen only on L-5's from this specific time when Gibson apparently suffered a shortage of ebony. This guitar's sunburst is deep, rich and unfaded and all binding is a light amber hue. This is a very fine player's guitar, with a very powerful sound. Includes an original pre-war style tweed case.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 17 in. (43.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.). A very nice clean L-5; bridge is replaced and pickguard is a very well done reproduction by Mirabella. Appears to have had a top-notch pro refret, with a new bone nut. Original tuners and tailpiece (with the tension adjustor removed); finish is very good overall with some minor area of wear. An excellent player. Overall Excellent Condition.
This lovely L-5 is an early-post WWII guitar, one of 49 sunburst L-5's listed as shipped in 1948. Gibson had not built any of these fancy top-line orchestra guitars during the war years, and likely faced a backlog of orders as production was re-started in 1946-7. Guitars from this era feature a mix of older and newer characteristics as Gibson used up the last leftover prewar parts and began re-tooling their instruments. This mid-1948 L-5 features the very last style of script "Gibson" logo, discontinued that year in favor of the new block-lettered version.
The tuners are gold-plated Kluson Sealfasts with translucent celluloid "keystone" buttons, as seen from around 1940. The fingerboard is Brazilian rosewood, a feature seen only on L-5's from this specific time when Gibson apparently suffered a shortage of ebony. This guitar's sunburst is deep, rich and unfaded and all binding is a light amber hue. This is a very fine player's guitar, with a very powerful sound. Includes an original pre-war style tweed case.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 17 in. (43.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.). A very nice clean L-5; bridge is replaced and pickguard is a very well done reproduction by Mirabella. Appears to have had a top-notch pro refret, with a new bone nut. Original tuners and tailpiece (with the tension adjustor removed); finish is very good overall with some minor area of wear. An excellent player. Overall Excellent Condition.