Gibson L-5 Model Arch Top Acoustic Guitar, c. 1929, made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Cremona Brown Sunburst varnish finish, spruce top, maple sides and neck, birch back, ebony fingerboard, original black - red line hard shell case.
This 1929 L-5 is both a very interesting guitar historically and an extremely fine-playing instrument. Debuting in 1923-4, the L-5 was the first modern f-hole archtop guitar; at the time this one was built, it was still the ONLY such f-hole carved top guitar in existence. As orchestra banjoists were beginning to convert to guitar for at least part of their repertoire, the L-5, along with Gibson's oval-hole 16" L-4, rapidly proved to be the only really useful guitars in this setting.
Eddie Lang, the most influential guitarist of the era, went from an L-4 to a dot-neck L-5 (probably 1927) to a block neck L-5 in 1929, setting the trend for many other guitarists and banjoists-turned-guitarists to follow. While several other companies brought archtop instruments to market beginning in 1929, it was not until the 1931 introduction of the Epiphone Masterbilt line that another truly comparable guitar was available. The L-5 ruled the roost for professional orchestra guitars, and gave Gibson a dominance that the company never really lost.
That said, these early L-5's are still very rare guitars. Retailing at $275.00 (plus case!), the L-5 was the most expensive guitar in the world by a fair margin�even a top-of-the-line Martin pearl-trimmed Style 45 retailed around $100.00 less. Only the top professional users could afford the indulgence of such an instrument.
Most pre-1930's L-5's were used extensively for many years, some owners preferring them to any later guitars�these 16" L-5's are still often seen in the hands of recording specialists well into the 1960's. As working guitars, they have often been modified, refitted, or refinished�to find a an early L-5 in such original condition is a rare treat!
This guitar has a mix of 'old' and 'new' features specific to 1929, and an analysis of the serial numbers of this period show it to be almost certainly one of the earliest block-marker L-5's made. The laminated curly maple neck has a prominent "V" spine, but a rounder profile overall than some examples. The tuners are the early pearl button engraved Waverly strip style, but the nut is bone instead of pearl. The inlaid blocks in the ebony fingerboard are real pearl, not the ambered pearloid which is usually seen.
The neck has the older side-line binding, but no point at the fingerboard's end. The gold-plated tailpiece is the 'newer' style, the strings feeding under the bar, and the triple-bound pickguard is the longer type, screwed to the top instead of pinned to the side of the neck. The pearl inlaid flowerpot in the headstock and straight across "The Gibson" logo are typical of the later 1920's.
This particular guitar has a spectacular sound typical of the best early L-5's; it is simultaneously warm and incisive with plenty of volume and depth. These guitars are also among the most responsive of archtops, and this one sounds quite good fingerstyle!
The serial number of this instrument is less than 200 numbers away from the iconic block-neck L-5 that Eddie Lang received from Gibson in 1929 (#88368), which he is reported to have described as the best-sounding guitar he ever owned. While we can't be sure what Eddie would have thought of this one, we think this is one of the finest L-5's we have heard, and a truly spectacular find.
Overall length is 41 1/4 in. (104.8 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/4 in. (8.2 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.).
Extremely fine condition overall�one of the nicest early L-5's we have ever seen. Appears to have been expertly refretted some time ago and possibly had some very light overspray to the top. The bridge is a more recent reproduction, but all other hardware is original. There are small nicks and dings, but overall the finish is very well-preserved.
Simply a fantastic playing and sounding guitar and a superb example of the world's first great archtop. Excellent + Condition.
