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1949 Gibson L-4C
Status: SOLD For instruments now available, please visit our Instruments page here. To be notified of examples of this model or similar instruments as they arrive, please contact joev@archtop.com. Please be specific on which instrument(s) you're looking for, and we'll be happy to contact you as soon as they become available.
Serial #: A-4117, white Kalamazoo label.
Body size at lower bout: 16" Scale length: 24-3/4" Nut width: 1 11/16'
Materials: Handcarved bookmatched solid spruce top; figured slab-cut maple back; solid mahogany neck with adjustable truss rod; rosewood fingerboard and compensated bridge; mother of pearl parallellogram fingerboard inlay and thistle peghead inlay; 3-ply body binding, bound fingerboard, bone nut.
Hardware: Original raised parallellogram trapeze tailpiece and truss rod cover; correct nickel Kluson Deluxe style 16X1 tuners with single-ring tulip keys, rosewood adjustable compensated bridge and bound tortoise pickguard.
Notes: It's an ongoing mystery why the L-4C, with its solid carved bookmatched spruce top, has for years sold for substantially less than the all-plywood ES-175. One of the under-discovered treasures in the vintage Gibson line, the L-4C is comfortable to hold, and zippy on the fingerboard. And unlike the 175, the L4C is also a dandy acoustic box, and sounds terrific both with a floating pickup or unplugged in your living room.
If you've wanted a nice vintage example, this guitar is as vintage as they come. It's one of just 140 made in the very first year of production. This example is in excellent condition, without pick, buckle or thumbwear, and sporting a gently shaded tobacco sunburst finish with a minmum of random dings and checking. The nickel trapeze tailpiece is original, and the compensated rosewood bridge, single ring tuners and bound tortoise guard are all correct. The back has had a bit of finish touchup and a side crack on either side of the tailpiece has been solidly pro repaired. By all appearances, a pickup has never been attached to the guitar. The neck is a gentle C profile, and the tone is bright and appealing. A handsome and versatile instrument, and a great value in a true carved-top 40's vintage Gibson jazz box.
Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, crowned and polished; 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 heavy gauge nickel strings (.014-.059). The guitar will accommodate lighter 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.
