Gibson (used, 1969) L5C

The amazingly beautiful and universally utilitarian 17” wide Gibson L-5C fully acoustic cutaway archtop guitar is carved by the Custom Shop out of solid woods, and usually comes into the world with no pickup.  Many professional jazz players, seeking to play amplified add or order from the factory a gold-plated Johnny Smith humbucking pickup, which attaches to the floating celluloid, bound, pickguard and when they do this it is not uncommon to have a volume control affixed to the lower treble quadrant of the pickguard.  This guitar has that highly sought-after pickup and that equally pleasant volume control.   This guitar comes to us with a black and white photocopy of the original purchaser’s receipt dated 9/18/69 from a music store in Denver. It says “Gibson Custom Guitar, L-5-C, #802153, Pd in Full - $919.80.”   Imagine that!  On the same photocopy is an image of the Gibson “quality Check List” which indicates that the reason this was “Custom” is because it has a “Spec. Neck.”  We believe that the special part is the 1 11/16^th nut width in a time that Gibson was making ultra-skinny necks that barely measured 1 10/16^th.”   The scale length is standard measuring nominally 25.4”.   The black plastic bell-shaped truss rod cover is wide-white bordered and has the word “Custom” in vertical white letters at its center. 

Although in solidly excellent shape, it shows deep and dramatic finish checking, mainly on the face, sides and on both sides of the headstock, chips, nicks, scratches, dings, dents scuffs and normal wear on the gold plating.   Thankfully, the fingerboard measures 1 11/16^th” at the nut.  The original pickguard, which resides in the case pocket, is deteriorating, as celluloid nitrate does over time.   Our shop will provide and install a new pickguard and re-attach the volume control to and the gold plated Johnny Smith pickup to said pickguard.   There is a small disruption of the finish on both sides of the lower fingerboard, a strap pin has been added to the “side of the cutaway” under the heel of the neck, in around the 15^th fret position where it will not interfere with the guitarists left hand.  Its twin lower case f-shaped soundholes are single-ply crème bound.  The top is bordered in six-plies of crème and black purfling, the headstock is 4-ply bordered with crème outermost, the sides of the ebony fingerboard (inlaid with large mother of pearl blocks at 8 positions) are crème-black while the fingerboard edges themselves are four-ply; the back and heel cap are 2-ply.   The bridge is rosewood and two-piece adjustable, the headstock is inlaid with large “block” postwar script “Gibson” logo with a large mother of pearl, etched, flower pot there under.   The tailpiece is the standard gold-plated right-angle with filigree and “L-5” etched thereupon.  Its tuners are large, sealed-back Klusons with gold tulip buttons, and each tuner has 2 concentric circles on the back.   The five-piece neck has some curl in the maple on the two extremes, being comprise of three sections of maple with two stripes of what might be ebony.  The back of the headstock is finished in black and the black section forms a point (some say a birdie’s beak) at the center, terminating behind the second fret.  The back and sides have a modest amount of curl showing through the gorgeous sunburst shaded finish.   This guitar, is, on the whole, a stunning creature of jazz capability. 

Our workshop has ascertained that all parts and the finish are original and the pickup works properly.  The frets are, however, worn and we are presently in the process of performing a refret.   The truss rod is fully loosened at present but with the refret the neck will be dead straight and the frets will be high, round, level and even.  It will feel, when it comes up from the shop, like the best and easiest playing Gibson L-5C you will have ever, in your musical lifetime, had the pleasure of playing.     Finding Gibson L-5C archtop guitars from the an exceptionally good period of production is no easy task.  They just don’t turn up for sale.   We checked Gibson shipment totals and found that only 70 were made in 1969, and an extremely modest total of 273 in the decade from 1961 to 1970.   That’s probably why they almost never turn up for sale.   We are happy to have this to offer you, and you will be even happier to own it and revel in its excellence and brilliance.