Gibson L-4 Model Arch Top Acoustic Guitar (1932), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 88963, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, maple back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black - red line hard shell case.
This L-4 dates to the early 1930's, a transitional time for the model from its original 1910's oval hole format to the F-hole form it would eventually take. This is a 16" archtop with a carved top and back, single bound, with a pearl Gibson logo but understated cosmetics overall. Around this time the L-4, which had been the second in line Gibson guitar (below the L-5) at $150 was downpriced to a $100 midline instrument, with the new F-hole L-10 taking its old place. The roundhole archtop generally is a bit of a hybrid instrument, with a sound that has some of the character of both flattop and archtop instruments. This is a very good sounding and playing guitar, with a lot of power and a well-modulated tone.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 16 1/4 in. (41.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/4 in. (8.3 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 good player's example of a fairly rare model; the neck has been reset (a clean but visible job with a repaired grain crack on the treble side of the fingerboard) and the pickguard is a high-quality reproduction. There are repaired cracks to the rim near the turn of the upper bass bout and a couple of resealed seams in that area. The top center seam has been resealed from bridge to tailblock but not finished over, so is solid but visible. Cosmetically the finish is in excellent shape overall with very little play wear (mostly on the neck) and the color is excellent. This is a very good sounding and playing guitar, not the cleanest but one of the better sounding of this model we have had. Includes a nice OHSC. Very Good + Condition.
