Gibson Vintage L5 C Custom Thin Body Archtop Jazz Guitar w pickup

Initially produced as an acoustic in 1922 under the direction of famed Gibson luthier Lloyd Loar, the L-5 was Gibson’s first guitar with f-holes. In the 1940s the model became the rhythm box of choice for big band players and later the standard guitar for Wes Montgomery, who would eventually receive a custom model. And it was already one of the world’s most popular guitars when Gibson first electrified the model in 1951. This Gibson has a similar history …………..

This guitar was owned by a collector who was very passionate about archtops and about jazz. His favorite archtops were vintage gibson L5’s and L4’s. So naturally he owned all the Gibson carved models Johnny Smith, Gibson L5 , Gibson L4 models. He also loved other Gibson models and had a Vision – His guitars had to be Gibsons and variations of these models because only jazz was going to be played with these models and he believed these were Gibsons best. He also favored thinner body guitars, and loved many of the other Gibsons models. Driven by his love for these two specific Gibson models all his guitars would be variations of these two models. he commissioned a talented Luthier to convert some of his many vintage Gibson L5s and L4s to the specs of the other Gibson models that are not traditionally Jazz Guitars and make a jazz version of other Gibson models. He would start with a vintage L5 or vintage L4 and design the guitars of his dreams. Every guitar was sent to his luthier with a specific description of his intentions, and he also required each guitar to be checked thoroughly first for any needed repairs so that it was structurally perfect and to his standards. The workmanship is excellent. Everything had to be the best possible.

If there was ever made an L5 Jazz version of a Byrdland archtop this is it. This Gibson was originally manufactured to be a full size 17″ acoustic L5.

To create a Byrdland it would have to be reduced to 2″ at the rims. Also a jazz version would also have a full size humbucker pickup, specifically a hand wound Kent Armstrong floating one. The scale would also have to be shortened by meticulously making a fast new Gibson neck with bound fret edges and a 24 3/4″ scale, 1 11/16″ nut 2.03″ at the 12th fret.
If you have ever dreamed of having a custom Gibson L5, or L4 we probably have one that fits your every desire. This is your chance to own one at a fraction of the cost to creating this guitar, and enjoy the wonderful version he had designed and modified that was much too costly for anyone to undertake. I know he loved these Gibson’s and we are making our best efforts to get them to players who will play and cherish them. One pro player commented that this guitar reminded him of the George Goebel L5 that he had owned years ago and wished he hd never sold.

Contact us if you are looking for your dream version of an original 17″ L5, or a 16″ L4. We have over 15 modified L5’s in our inventory currently, but they will go fast! These guitars have never previously been offered for sale.