Gibson L-5 1946
SKU: 1201-1F16373Here we have an impressive piece of Gibson history: the grandiose L-5 from 1946!
This archtop jazz guitar with top made of solid, carved spruce top and its well 43cm wide body already has a voluminous and warm sound acoustically. The absolute highlight, however, is the pickup: in the same year of production, Gibson launched the now legendary P-90 pickup. The very first P-90s did not yet have height-adjustable pole pieces. We believe that the pickup on this guitar is exactly such an incredibly early P-90. An absolute rarity that we have not seen a second time in the version without visible polepieces.
The L-5 was already the top-of-the-line model in Gibson’s catalog. Noble features like the Kluson Sealfast tuners, ebony fingerboard, elaborate “flowerpot” inlay on the headstock and multi-layered celluloid pickguard were of course obligatory.
This L-5 from 1946 is in very good original condition. Except for the screw that connects the pickguard to the sides, bushing and upper saddle, we assume the original condition. A break on the bushing was repaired a long time ago. Thanks to re-bundling, it plays fantastically. The usual playing marks of a 75+ year old guitar are present, but have no negative impact at all on the look, sound and playability. Rather the opposite!
Body | |
---|---|
Back and sides | Solid Figured Maple |
Top Wood | Solid Arched Spruce |
Neck | |
Neck Wood | 2-Piece Maple with Walnut Stringer |
Neck Dimension | 1st Fret 23mm – 10th Fret 24.8mm |
Fingerboard | Ebony |
Width at Nut | 45mm |
Nut material | Bone |
Number of Frets | 20 |
Inlays | Mother of Pearl Blocks |
Scale Length | 645.16mm / 25.4" |
Hardware | |
Tuners | Kluson Sealfast |
Bridge | Floating Rosewood |
Tailpiece | Original engraved "L-5" |
Electronics | |
Pickups | Gibson P-90 with non adjustable polepieces |
Miscellaneous | |
Color | Sunburst |
Condition | Very good |
Including | Original Lifton Case |
Weight | 3.15kg |
Year | 1946 |
Finish | Original |