Gibson L-5 1946

Here 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!