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1936 Gibson L-4

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Factory Order #: B-58, stamped on neck block.

Body size at lower bout: 16". Scale length: 24 3/4" Nut Width: 1 3/4"

Materials: Handcarved bookmatched solid spruce top; solid bookmatched tiger flame maple back and sides; solid one piece mahogany neck; solid rosewood fingerboard; mother of pearl script peghead logo and fingerboard inlay; bound fingerboard, body, peghead and pickguard.

Hardware: Original hardware includes nickel Pat # trapeze tailpiece, thick dark tortoise pickguard and adjustable compensated ebony bridge; vintage correct antiqued nickel Grover Stat-Tite open back tuners with butterbean keys and 18X1 gears.

Notes: Many of our correspondents own fine acoustic guitars, and we are often asked to recommend an archtop that has some of the bass response characteristic of the better vintage flat tops. Enter the venerable Gibson L-4. Introduced in 1912, the L-4 was Gibson's top-of-the line guitar until the advent of the L-5 a decade later. The oldest model still produced by the Gibson company, the L-4 is still in the catalog over 90 years later, now gussied up with pickups and a cutaway.

The L-4 model was unique in another respect as well. Beginning in 1934, the model was converted to f- type soundholes, but the classic round hole version still had its fans. So Gibson continued to offer the classic version shown here as late as 1937 on special order, though not pictured in the catalog. This wonderful example from early 1936 is the latest round hole L-4 we have seen to date, and is surely one of very few produced at the very end of the run.

The 16" body and 24 3/4" scale are identical to the 20's L-5, as is the slightly veed neck profile. With it's generous 1 3/4" nut, the L-4 is particularly well suited to fingerstyle play, and positively barks under a good stiff pick. Light as a feather, the finely carved top is supported with knife-edge braces, to achieve projection most flat tops could only dream of. At the same time, the round port produces a uniquely mellow and resonant tone, with bass and lower midrange response virtually unknown in conventional f-hole guitars. Small wonder builders from Epiphone to D'Angelico all produced round hole models, a tradition that continues among finer makers to this day.

Well played and well loved, this sweet old guitar has the deeply resonant voice of a superbly played-in instrument. At just 4lb 5oz, the guitar is almost impossibly light in weight, and hugely vibrant. The lustrous deep Cremona finish is all original, and shows typical playwear of an instrument of its vintage: a number of dings and nicks are visible in the lacquer, but no cracks that extend through the wood. The guitar has a perfectly preserved thick tortoise pickguard, original Patent stamp tailpiece and ebony bridge, along with a handsome set of vintage correct hand antiqued Grover butterbean tuners. A strap pin has been moved long ago from the back of the peghead to a more contemporary location at the neck heel. Smooth low action over fine older frets, very comfy light V neck profile, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard.

Best of all, the guitar has simply huge acoustic volume and cutting power, with particularly open bass response and deep, clear sustain. A particularly versatile instrument, the guitar is a delight to play, and the perfect instrument to resurrect those sweet Lonnie Johnson/Eddie Lang duets.

Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, recrowned and polished as necessary; trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation set; string slots at nut and bridge inspected and recut as necessary; bridge foot contour inspected and fit to top as necessary; bridge radius inspected and recurved as necessary; bridge wheels and tuners lubricated; fingerboard and bridge oiled; body and neck cleaned and hand polished.

This instrument is strung with medium gauge bronze strings (.013-.057). The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 5/64" to 6/64" at the 12th fret, with moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.

Case: Plush lined black fitted hardshell case..

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