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1950 Gibson L-7C
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Serial #: A-4779, white oval label. FON: 2327-24 Body size at lower bout: 17". Scale length: 25 1/2" Nut Width: 1 11/16" Neck depth, 1st/10th frets: .88/.98
Materials: Solid carved Sitka spruce soundboard; solid carved bubble maple back; three-piece maple neck; solid Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with split-parallelogram mother of pearl inlays; solid bone nut.
Hardware: Original nickel hardware includes Gibson trapeze tailpiece, compensated adjustable rosewood bridge. Vintage correct Kluson style tuners, aged 5-ply pickguard with nickel bracket. Bill Lawrence A-400 floating humbucking pickup, with volume control and endpin jack.
Notes: The L-7C was produced between 1948 and 1972, and was constructed with the same body size, bracing and scale length to its costly cousin, the L-5C. One of 115 examples produced in just the second full year for the cutaway L-7, this guitar has Factory Order # 2327-29, indicating it was started in 1949, with a label # of A-4779, showing it actually shipped the following year.
A veteran player, the guitar shows no cracks, with a finely shaded Cremona sunburst finish, and original multi-ply binding, all tight to the body. At just 5lb 15oz, the guitar is nicely lightweight, and its closely graduated parallel braced soundboard produces a clear, vibrant acoustic voice, with powerful volume and projection. The back is carved of handsome bubble figure maple, a rare variety seldom seen today, and finished in a lustrous deep walnut lacquer.
Sporting immaculate highly polished pro fretwork on its light Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, the gentle C profile neck offers smooth low action over a fresh high precision setup. With its original nickel trapeze tailpiece and Brazilian rosewood bridge, the guitar is fitted with a vintage correct aged wide bevel 5-ply pickguard, and aged Kluson style tuners, one with a slotted post.
Neck angle and bridge height are both excellent, and playwear is confined mostly to some scattered lacquer nicks, spot retouched on the soundboard. A bit of typical thumbwear has been smoothed long ago, with a light dusting of added lacquer to the back of the neck as well. Of particular interest is the rare Bill Lawrence A-400 pickup, the first full-size floating humbucker offered as an aftermarket part. Having built custom models for both Wes Mongomery and Grant Green, and mentoring both Kent Armstrong and Larry DiMarzio, Lawrence eventually became head of pickup design at Gibson as well. This rare original series A-400 is a true player's prize, with its 12.5K output providing a notably warm, saturated tone, ideal for Wes style voicings.
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Setup: 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 nickel flatwound strings. The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 4/64" to 5/64" at the 12th fret, with light relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.
Case: Deluxe period black Harptone plush lined hardshell case.
