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1978 Ibanez L-5C, Model FA-800BS
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Serial #: F-785959, Tamura signed label
Body size at lower bout: 17" Scale length: 25" Nut width: 1 11/16" Body depth: 3 1/4"
Materials: Solid spruce top; three-piece solid maple neck with adjustable truss rod; solid figured maple back and sides; solid ebony fingerboard and compensated bridge; mother of pearl block fingerboard inlay and torch peghead inlay; 7-ply body binding, 5-ply bound fingerboard, bound f-holes.
Hardware: Original hardware includes gold trapeze loop tailpiece, gold sealed Ibanez Pat. Pend tuners. Gibson L-5 style 5-ply bound tortoise pickguard, adjustable compensated ebony bridge.
Notes: If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, consider this guitar a valentine to the Gibson Guitar Company. In the early 70's Ibanez set out to make high-precision replicas of Gibson's top-end instruments. So successful were they that Gibson sued to stop production, which was subsequently halted under court order. Since that time, these guitars have become legendary for their rarity, and their scrupulous faithfulness to the originals.
This model, labeled FA-800BS, is a very scarce example of the company's top-line acoustic archtop, and is crafted with a solid bookmatched spruce soundboard. The gold hardware is all original as well, with the addition of a recent Gibson L-5 style 5-ply bound tortoise pickguard and adjustable compensated ebony bridge.
Built with an arched birdseye maple back, the guitar bears on its label the signature of its builder, noted luthier Hiroshi Tamura. Binding is excellent and tight to the body, and the original sunburst finish is all original, with a bit of true nitro lacquer overspray on the top. A single grainline crack on top has been soundly resealed, along with another by one of the tuner screws.
With its smooth low action, effortless gentle D neck profile, and warm acoustic voice, the lawsuit L-5 is an all-time favorite of gigging pros, who prefer to leave their $10K+ originals at home. If you've been waiting for one, don't dawdle over this exceptional value: this guitar is the most faithful clone anyone's going to build, as long as Gibson has lawyers. One only: call now.
Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, crowned and polished as needed; 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 phosphor strings (.013-.056). 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 moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.
Case: Original deluxe black Ibanez arched plush lined hardshell case.
