Home / Instruments /Accessories / Ordering / Tips / Friends
archtop.com
1944 Gibson L-7
Price and Status: For pricing and hold status of this instrument, please check here. If this instrument does not appear on the Instruments page it has been sold. To be notified of examples of this or any other model in the future, please email your specific requests to info@archtop.com.
Body size at lower bout: 17", Scale length: 25 1/2" Nut Width: 1 11/16"
Finish: Dark tobacco sunburst finish, nitrocellulose lacquer type.
Materials: Highly figured solid handcarved bubble flame maple back and sides; handcarved bookmatched solid spruce top; solid tiger flame maple neck; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, split-parallelogram mother of pearl fingerboard inlays and "crown" headstock inlay; small script pearl Gibson peghead logo, triple-bound body, bound fingerboard and headstock.
Hardware: Original wartime trapeze tailpiece with Brazilian rosewood crossbar; original Brazilian rosewood bridge; vintage correct hand antiqued Grover Sta-Tite 18x1 open back tuners; vintage correct single bound tortoise pickguard.
Notes: A fine example from the depth of the war years, this guitar shows a dark rich sunburst with handsome bubble figure in the solid maple back and sides. This example is without cracks, and has original sunburst finish remarkably free of pick and buckle wear, with only some normal checking, a few scattered finish dings, and a bit of finish wear on the back of the neck.
The guitar also has the rare original wartime Brazilian rosewood trapeze tailpiece. The neck profile is a gentle "C" profile, full but not clubby, with a deep, open voice, and smooth low action, over recent pro fretwork. A highly versatile instrument from Gibson's rarest production years.
Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, recrowned and polished as required; 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 hardshell case.
