Unique Gibson L-5CT

[Marker]

Hi -

New member, here - hello to all.

I am looking forward to learning from the community here and wanted to share my guitar, a one-off 1997 L-5CT.

This unique L-5CT was made as a special order for Alan Rogan, who some may know as the guitar tech and tour manager for The Who, The Stones, George Harrison, etc. The list was long!

He custom ordered this guitar and a J185 (both in cherry red) from the Gibson Custom Shop for Ronnie Wood, but ended up keeping this L-5 as his personal guitar because he liked it so much. He kept it in an original Lifton L-5 case from the 1950s, in which the guitar still resides.

Anyway - a very cool and great-sounding L-5 that works surprisingly well for jazz!

[FourOnSix]

Anyway - a very cool and great-sounding L-5 that works surprisingly well for jazz!

Nice! But why surprisingly? I would expect no less.

[MarkL]

Beautiful guitar.

Surprisingly because the pickup is in bridge position? Because the bridge is a tune-o-matic bridge rather than compensated wood bridge?

[sgosnell]

A single pickup at the bridge is not something that would be desirable to me. But I'm not the entire world guitar market. Play on.

[jazzshrink]

Hi - New member, here - hello to all.

[bluejaybill]

Very nice!

BTW that case is worth quite a bit for someone with a '50's L5.

[Marker]

Nice! But why surprisingly? I would expect no less.

Simply b/c the pickup is in the bridge vs neck position but as you say maybe it’s not so surprising after all.

[deacon Mark]

I am looking for L5's that avoid the bridge pickup not something I use. However, still cool guitar nice wood like the red.

[jads57]

Just needs a neck pickup and good to go,Lol!

[FourOnSix]

Simply b/c the pickup is in the bridge vs neck position but as you say maybe it’s not so surprising after all.

I shouldn't check into the forum before my first cup of coffee. Didn't even notice the pickup in the bridge position!

[Hammertone]

Oooh... install a neck P-90, and a three-way toggle switch or pan pot. No additional pots/knobs beyond that.

[Stringswinger]

I would leave that guitar just as it is and preserve it's historic significance. A vintage Dearmond 1100 on a Monkey on a Stick can get you all the neck pickup warmth you need and the Dearmond will match the case, vintage wise.

[Woody Sound]

Oooh... install a neck P-90, and a three-way toggle switch or pan pot. No additional pots/knobs beyond that.

Or....

[Woody Sound]

It would make a nice duo with this:

[andrew]

Congrats and welcome! That guitar certainly caught my attention when it was on Reverb. As you can tell from my avatar, I'm a fan of P90 L5s. And I actually use the bridge pickup on mine! (I still wouldn't want to go without a neck pickup, though) I'm in the "leave it as is" camp. I bet it would be amazing for country and western swing.

[Marker]

It is amazing as is! I won’t be messing with it I wouldn’t destroy the history or uniqueness of it and it sounds too good in its current form.

Anyway, for a great neck pickup sound for jazz I have this - one of the best neck pickup tones I have heard from any guitar.

[Marker]

Or....

An original ES-350 is high on my list of wants.

[Hammertone]

Or....

Oooh, slice that baby down into a thinline and it's good to go!

[GuyBoden]

Welcome.

Nice guitar, so a 'Ronnie Wood' nearly owned.

[jads57]

I have to say no disrespect to Ron Woods,but who cares? Really folks things have really gotten so out of whack with buying and selling guitars.

Yes I know all about the intrinsic value for collectors. For me it’s all Bullshit, unless it was some iconic instrument that was used by a name player on some momentous event. And even then, what’s the point?

I dug Michael Bloomfield and his Sunburst Les Paul. But it doesn’t mean that guitar will make you as a player sound great. We need to get back to the Music and the Real Magic of the individual not the wand!

[FourOnSix]

I have to say no disrespect to Ron Woods,but who cares? Really folks things have really gotten so out of whack with buying and selling guitars.

Yes I know all about the intrinsic value for collectors. For me it’s all Bullshit, unless it was some iconic instrument that was used by a name player on some momentous event. And even then, what’s the point?

I dug Michael Bloomfield and his Sunburst Les Paul. But it doesn’t mean that guitar will make you as a player sound great. We need to get back to the Music and the Real Magic of the individual not the wand!

I agree. One small point, though, and I apologize in advance for the nitpick. "Intrinisic value" refers to the inherent quality of the instrument - how well it is crafted, the quality of the materials, etc. The collector's value assigned to its provenance is not part of its intrinsic value.

[jads57]

Thanks for the correction! And again no disrespect to Ron Woods or other artists. But that guitar is a fine guitar without any need of any further pedigree, Lol!

[bluejaybill]

I have to say no disrespect to Ron Woods,but who cares? Really folks things have really gotten so out of whack with buying and selling guitars.

Yes I know all about the intrinsic value for collectors. For me it’s all Bullshit, unless it was some iconic instrument that was used by a name player on some momentous event. And even then, what’s the point?

I dug Michael Bloomfield and his Sunburst Les Paul. But it doesn’t mean that guitar will make you as a player sound great. We need to get back to the Music and the Real Magic of the individual not the wand!

With all due respect, this is an argument we have heard many times before. Of course, it's the player and not the wand. But this is the gear forum, and we talk about gear here. Technique and skill are in the other forums.

Myself, having played quite a few vintage Les Pauls, I would take my chances with Bloomfield's LP. I suspect that it would make me sound great- or at least, greater than some lesser instrument. Though still not Bloomfield, who was one of my earliest guitar crushes.

[Marker]

I don’t see where I said or implied this guitar was better than any other or claimed it would make me sound or play better than on any other guitar?

The whole point of the post was to say ‘hello’, show a uniquely-spec’d L5 which I thought would be appreciated by other jazz players and give some background and history on the previous owners and conceivers of this unique guitar.

Alan Rogan was an interesting guy who not many people know about. I’m new here so I must have stepped into some previous and sensitive conversation?

[telephone]

Or....

Ha, that's my old guitar. I bought if from 12th Fret a few years ago. It was replaced by its sibling 350, from the same batch. Had both together long enough to snap some pics. That's it (A-6872) on the right. I still have A-6879.