Gibson L-1 Model Arch Top Acoustic Guitar (1917), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 38456, natural top, cherry stained back and sides finish, birch back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, black chipboard case.
The small-body L-1 was the lowest priced guitar in Gibson's 1910s line, but still had the company's trademark fully carved top and back. Intended originally primarily as accompaniment for Mandolin orchestras, some early L-1s eventually saw use with first-generation "Hillbilly" bands, vaudeville acts, and even a few primal jazz players before the model was re-designed as a flat-top instrument in 1926.
This guitar was made right at the end of 1916 and shipped out in early 1917. At the time the Gibson company was only about 15 years old; they had achieved dominance in the mandolin market but guitars took a back seat until later in the 1920s. The L-1 is built on a 13 3/4" wide birch body with a carved back and carved spruce top; the chunky mahogany neck has a soft V profile and is topped with a bound, dot inlaid ebony fingerboard. The classic Gibson "open book" headstock is topped with a slanted pearl "The Gibson" script logo and carries the same Handel-made strip tuners as all period Gibsons. An elaborate carved ebony bridge, floating celluloid pickguard and oddball 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 generally regarded as cheap and vulgar! Martin was only began to experiment with steel string Hawaiian guitars in 1916. 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 breadth and roundness to the sound than some we have had. Overall this is a very nicely preserved, good 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 nearly 110 year old guitar has seen some wear over the years but remains all original and quite playable. The fairly thin finish remains unaltered with a few tiny touchups. Overall the guitar shows general play wear including dings, dents and scrapes but really for more than a century along is not badly preserved. The top has a few deeper "case lid bites"; the back of the neck is lightly worn down in spots with one scrape along the spine behind the second fret.
A few spots on the back/side seams have been resealed long ago. There are two fairly long grain cracks to the back, sealed but not finished with just a bit of topical touchup. The top shows some slight puckering around the bridge feet but is fully solid, as is the fairly minimal internal bracing.
The hardware is all original and complete including the fragile celluloid tailpiece block, intact with the original pins, the oft-missing elevated pickguard with both brackets, the carved compensating ebony bridge and the Handel strip tuners. The original narrow frets are still in good condition with very light wear in the lower positions. This is a cool old small-body carved guitar with a better sound than many; a genuine playable relic of Gibson's early days. Overall Excellent - Condition.
