Gibson L-37 Model Arch Top Acoustic Guitar (1938), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, sunburst lacquer finish, maple back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black chipboard case.
Overall length is 39 3/4 in. (101 cm.), 14 7/8 in. (37.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.). This is a very nice, clean original guitar; unaltered and not heavily used over the past 80 years. The only major flaw is one long repaired top grain crack on the treble side of the tailpiece, running from the rim to just under the bridge, with a shorter crack (just under 3") just above it. These are very cleanly sealed but only lightly touched up, so are still visible. There is a small repaired chip on the treble side, on the curve of the bout right by the binding. The rest of the guitar has only small dings and chips; the original owner's social security number is neatly incised on the back of the headstock. An excellent player; good frets and neck and a nice chunky sound. One of the better-playing of these small-body Gibson archtops we have had, with a nice original purple-lined chipboard case in unusually good condition. Overall Excellent - Condition.
