{"product_id":"gibson-l-00-flat-top-acoustic-guitar-1938-10550","title":"Gibson L-00 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1938)","description":"Gibson L-00 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1938), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # DG-5594, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is a nicely preserved example of a sunburst L-00, easily one of the cleaner ones we have had lately. This model was Gibson's most popular Depression era flat top, from the 1930's up through today. While the L-00 stood near the bottom of the company's guitar line in the mid\/late 1930s, it was very well-designed and offered great value in sound. This example was built in mid-late 1938 (when the list price was $30.00, without the case) and it has less wear than many, surviving in overall nicely original condition. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe top finish is a nicely blended sunburst with a deeper orangey center, somewhat larger than the years before as is typical of later 1930s guitars. There is single-ply white celluloid binding around the top edge, which is ornamented with a tortoise celluloid pickguard and a three-ply sound hole ring. The pickguard on this particular guitar has a more orangey hue and more mottled pattern than some. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe back and sides are finished in dark mahogany, as is the neck. This has a slimmer \"V\" profile than many earlier examples with an unbound rosewood fingerboard. The headstock carries a white stenciled \"Gibson\" logo on the face and very early Kluson strip tuners that are higher grade than many received. The original rosewood bridge does not have the reinforcing bolts with their pearl dot caps added soon after.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis model was a working-class standard of the day, a \"ginuine Gibson\" professional grade guitar at a price affordable to traveling blues players, Hillbilly string bands, and many other itinerant musicians as well as the company's intended student customers. Each one of these guitars has its own character and this one is just a honey; great-sounding both finger- and flat-picked, with a powerful ringing tone that never gets harsh. This is fine example, showing some wear and repair but nothing too serious. Many of these pre-war Gibson flat-tops have been heavily used and often amateurishly repaired while this one has sailed through more than eight decades without serious incident!\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eOverall length is 39 5\/8 in. (100.6 cm.), 14 3\/4 in. (37.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 7\/16 in. (11.3 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3\/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11\/16 in. (43 mm.). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis L-00 lovely to look at and a delight to play or even just hear. The original finish has some checking, dings and dents but overall still shines like it did when FDR was in office with no large areas of play wear. The back shows the most of these small spots (some have old touchup but nothing major). The top has a couple of deeper scrapes (the largest on the lower bout bottom edge) and ones small spot of pickwear into the wood on the lower rim of the soundhole above the pickguard. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere are several old repairs but no ongoing issues. There is a long crack on the treble side rim running from the waist across the lower bout, well sealed but visible. The back has a couple of mahogany grain cracks near the heel, again well sealed but not finished over. Other than these the instrument is crack free, a happy situation on these notoriously thin-topped pre-war Gibsons. The top has only the gentle arching it was built with, not the bellying that many have suffered over the decades. Internally the main X appears to have been reglued in a couple of spots and is completely solid; the original small maple bridgeplate is fully intact. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNearly everything on the instrument is original, including the bridgepins and endpin. The original Kluson tuner plates are still shiny, and the machines work very well. The neck has been very neatly reset to the original bridge, which does not appear to have been lowered although it is not as tall as some. There is a new bone saddle, the ebony nut also appears to be a nicely done repro. The fingerboard appears to have been trued; this would indicate a refret but if so it is about the cleanest and most period accurate we have seen! The action is very comfortable and this is a fine playing and sounding instrument, a lovely example of the L-00 at its best. It includes a modern HSC. Overall Excellent - Condition.","brand":"Gibson","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46853400690828,"sku":"10550","price":7500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/8702\/3756\/files\/01_bfb0e4c3-cd7a-41cc-9a75-c708c70b641f.jpg?v=1774337504","url":"https:\/\/retrofret.com\/products\/gibson-l-00-flat-top-acoustic-guitar-1938-10550","provider":"RetroFret","version":"1.0","type":"link"}