Gibson Vintage L7 Carved Archtop

Product Description

*S O L D*

The 1930s and 40s were a true golden era for Gibson’s archtop line; a period that produced some of the most sought after and famed instruments. Choice maple and spruce was abundant, and this guitar is built with stunning pieces of both. World War II brought production in Kalamazoo, MI to a halt; but it was in 1946 Gibson ramped up production and built an incredible line of guitars to make up. This L-7 is a standing testament to the quality and enchantment of the era.

The passing of time has done wonders for this guitar, mellowing the overall tone while adding a certain depth and dynamic quality not found in new production instruments. It is unbelievably loud and projecting, perfect for Freddie Green big band rhythm – easily cutting through a 12-piece brass band unamplified. Because the fingerboard is raised above the soundboard, the entire top is able to vibrate and respond freely. Eddie Lang style leads are crisp, defined, and well-rounded throughout the entire register, while backing rhythm chords are powerful and clear from note to note. The neck profile is rounded and fat; resting well in the hand and consistently comfortable up and down the fingerboard.

Introduced in 1932, the Gibson L-7 was Gibson’s most popular acoustic archtop ever. Identical in all but cosmetics to the L-5, it remains the outstanding value in a true pro-sized all-carved Gibson archtop. The natural finish is much more rare than the sunburst counterparts.

This guitar has all of the normal wear you would expect for a vintage guitar of this age. The finish is nicely checked, there are numerous dings and dents, a few minor gaps in the binding and some grooves in the fingerboard. There are some patched repairs on the body. The neck has been reset, which is common for this age, and the tuners have been replaced with Kluson No-Lines. We have tried to capture all of the above in the detail photographs. Hardshell case included.

Specifications:

Year: 1951
Model: L-7
Top: Spruce
Back and Sides: Flamed Birdseye Maple
Serial: A-1103
Nut Width: 1 11/16″
Scale Length: 25.4″
Lower Bout Width: 17″
Inlays: Dual Parallelogram
Trapeze tailpiece with 3 raised parallelograms
White Bound Black Pickguard
Total Length: 42 1/2″
Body Length: 20 7/8″
Lower Bout Width: 17″
Waist: 10 1/4″
Upper Bout Width: 12 1/2″
Depth: 3 1/4″
Hardshell case included

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