Gibson L-1 Model Arch Top Acoustic Guitar (1912), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 17209, natural top, cherry stained back and sides finish, birch back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
The small-body L-1 was the lowest priced guitar in Gibson's early 1910s line, but still had the company's trademark fully carved top and back. Intended originally primarily as accompaniment for Mandolin orchestras, the early L-1 eventually saw use with early "Hillbilly" bands, vaudeville acts, and even a few primal jazz players before being re-designed as a flat-top instrument in 1926.
When this guitar was made the Gibson company was not quite 10 years old; they had achieved dominance in the mandolin market but the guitars definitely took a back seat until the later 1920s. The L-1 is built on a 13 3/4" wide birch body with a carved back and carved spruce top; the mahogany neck has a DEEP V profile and is topped with a bound, dot inlaid ebony fingerboard, the classic Gibson "open book headstock is topped with a pearl "The Gibson' script logo and carries the same Handel-made strip tuners as all period Gibson's. A carved ebony bridge, floating celluloid pickguard and oddball but typical period Gibson Pin-trapeze tailpiece complete the hardware.
At the time this L-1 was made most "good" guitars were still gut strung, steel strings being regarded as cheap and vulgar on a guitar! The early Gibson archtops were totally unique in their day, louder and punchier than most contemporaries if somewhat lacking in sweetness. This small-body model definitely leans in that direction, but has more depth to the sound than some we have had. Overall this is a fine playing and sounding example, a nice ragtime and early jazz guitar and slightly funky-but-chic cool early Gibson.
Overall length is 38 1/8 in. (96.8 cm.), 13 3/4 in. (34.9 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 5/16 in. (8.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 13/16 in. (46 mm.).
This 110+ year old guitar (10 years past its centennial!) has seen some wear and tear over the years but is solidly original and completely playable. It remains original and complete; even the fragile celluloid tailpiece block is intact. The finish has had a decent amount of wear with dings, dents and scrapes but overall there is not a lot of heavy play wear. The top has a few deeper dings and the back of the neck has a decent amount of finish rubbed away from play.
There are no notable repairs except the back/side seams have been slightly sloppily resealed long ago in several places, mostly on the upper bouts. There are no visible cracks. The tailpiece base has been repaired where it crosses the body, solidly but visibly. The original narrow frets are still in good-playing condition with some wear in the lower positions and the pre-truss rod neck is amazingly straight and true. This is a very cool old small-body carved guitar with a better sound than many of these; a genuine playable relic of Gibson's earliest days still in the original HSC. Excellent - Condition.
