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1941 Gibson L-7
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Serial #: 96665
Body size at lower bout: 17". Scale length: 25.4" Nut Width: 1 11/16"
Finish: Sunburst finish, nitrocellulose lacquer type.
Materials: Carved solid quartersawn bookmatched spruce top; solid flame maple back and sides; three-piece chevron maple neck; compensated adjustable Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with split-parallelogram mother of pearl inlays; solid bone nut.
Hardware: Original hardware includes nickel triple diamond trapeze tailpiece, compensated adjustable Brazilian rosewood bridge. Vintage correct bound tortoise pickguard, nickel Grover style butterbean tuners.
Notes: Introduced in 1932, the Gibson L-7 was Gibson's most popular professional sized archop. The last noncutaway example rolled off the line in 1955. Identical in all but cosmetics to the costly L-5, the L-7 was highly prized by working players for it's warmth, projection and playability. This guitar from early 1941 is from the last year before regular production was suspended during the Second World War, and shows prewar appointments like the fat script Gibson headstock logo, and the 30's style triple diamond trapeze tailpiece. A notable touch is the extra wide factory headstock and body binding, a feature we've seen only on this rare example.
The back of this remarkable guitar is carved of solid flame maple of unusual breadth and intensity. Well played and lovingly maintained in exceptionally fine condition, the guitar shows all original Cremona sunburst finish, and but for a single irregular scratch on the back, and a single short tightly resesaled crack on the back, is remarkably free play wear altogether. The neck is carved of brilliantly bookmatched chevron flame maple, whose dramatic figure is revealed exposed by a patch of smooth thumbwear. With a comfy, gently rounded C profile, the neck has with smooth low action over freshly dressed original style fretwork.
The voice is even and powerful with exceptional warmth and headroom. Complete with its original black 'red line' arched hardshell case, this guitar is an outstanding example of Gibson's best loved big band boomer, and a true time-capsule classic.
Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, recrowned 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.
Case: Original Gibson black 'red line' arched hardshell case.
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