Gibson L-00 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar, c. 1943, made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, sunburst top, dark stained back and sides finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top, black tolex soft shell case.
An unusual and interesting wartime L-00, made just at the end of the run of the line of original small-bodied Gibson flattops. This guitar has the prewar-style body with firestripe pickguard and bright sunburst top, but the neck is a very substantial round-backed affair with no trussrod, as is typical in 1943-44 Gibsons.
The L-00's replacement, the more round-bodied LG-2, had already been introduced at this point, and this guitar is essentially a prewar L-00 with the same type neck as a wartime "banner" LG-2, but still with the old white script logo.
During WWII, Gibson was struggling to build any guitars at all, and features are based more on what was available than deliberate design! Some fantastic flat-tops come from this era despite the difficulties, as this guitar will attest.
For a player who covets the tone of a prewar L-00 but is not comfortable with the "V" profile neck typically found on those guitars, this is a spectacular find, with a strong ringing tone "accented" somewhat differently from either an older L-00 or the usual "banner" LG-2.
A great guitar for either finger or flatpicking styles.
Overall length is 39 3/4 in. (101 cm.), 14 3/4 in. (37.5 cm.) width, and 4 3/8 in. (11.1 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.).
Very nice overall with some repairs; there are several back cracks that have been closed up and polished over, one long top crack from the bridge to the base of the top, and a split at the endpin. All are fully closed up and stable.
Neck is in fantastic shape�dead straight after 60 years with no trussrod! Top finish is clean with some minor pickwear. Bridge has been lowered somewhat but still a healthy amount of saddle.
Overall a fine-playing and sounding example of a most unusual guitar. Excellent Condition.
