2009 Gibson L-5CES

[Llewlyn]

I have been gassing for an L5 and I see Gryphon having one.

2009 Gibson L-5CES Wes Montgomery Electric Archtop Guitar- Used – Gryphon Strings

This one is made in 2009 and seems to be in mint condition. The asking price is $8700.

1. I am no expert in L5 (except I love the tone). Could somebody illuminate me abour year 2009? (good/bad/inconsistent production, tone vs vintage etc., bad glue that leads to binding falling off <-- maybe some other company).
2. How would you consier $8700 as asking price? It's probably outside my range, but just to understand what would be fair market values.

Ll.

[213Cobra]

I think the asking price is entirely fair, especially from a primo retailer. You can probably shave it.

As for 2009 production, I can bracket you. That's a late-Hutchins-era guitar. I have a 2001 L-5CT Acoustic, a 2002 L-5 Wes, a 2003 L-4 CES (2 pickups) and a 2010 L-4 CES (neck p/u only). All have workmanship at the top of what Gibson could do, and same is true for tone and playability. I have seen and played also several other Gibson archtops from the aughts, and all made the same impression. Gibson archies from that period are among the best you'll find, qualitatively. I'd have no qualms about betting on a 2009 L-5, any version.

That one is quite likely worth finding the money for.

Phil

[garybaldy]

I have been gassing for an L5 and I see Gryphon having one.

2009 Gibson L-5CES Wes Montgomery Electric Archtop Guitar- Used – Gryphon Strings

This one is made in 2009 and seems to be in mint condition. The asking price is $8700.

1. I am no expert in L5 (except I love the tone). Could somebody illuminate me abour year 2009? (good/bad/inconsistent production, tone vs vintage etc., bad glue that leads to binding falling off <-- maybe some other company).
2. How would you consier $8700 as asking price? It's probably outside my range, but just to understand what would be fair market values.

Ll.

Can you try it? I've only played one wesmo. It was a 2016 but the two e strings slipped off the sides of the fingerboard. It was in the UK for £9999 last year.
My 2005 L5CES is perfect.

[vinnyv1k]

That guitar was bought new by me. A year or so later I sold it as the finish was developing these weird blisters. I popped one and moister came out. May be perfectly fine now. I know the second owner removed the pickguard so there is finish wear on the cutaway horn.
FYI I paid $4500 OTD for it in 2009.
I sold it to the second owner for $4K and then he had the nerve to try and sell it back to me for $9K a couple months ago.
Now it’s on commission at Gryphon.
I can say it had a very nice neck.

[deacon Mark]

It is black so not anything i could live with. Otherwise a decent thing to buy.

[ThatRhythmMan]

For what it’s worth….

2013 Gibson Crimson Custom L-5 Wes Montgomery - Sunburst | thatrhythmman


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[213Cobra]

For what it’s worth….

2013 Gibson Crimson Custom L-5 Wes Montgomery - Sunburst | thatrhythmman


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The OP can completely trust that 2013 Wes is an exceptional guitar, given ThatRhythmMan is offering it.

Phil

[Herbie]

Can you try it? I've only played one wesmo. It was a 2016 but the two e strings slipped off the sides of the fingerboard. It was in the UK for £9999 last year.
My 2005 L5CES is perfect.

Easy to fix by moving the bridge with its base a bit to north. Or if it has a wooden bridge, making a new slot for it.

[garybaldy]

Easy to fix by moving the bridge with its base a bit to north. Or if it has a wooden bridge, making a new slot for it.

It happened with both e strings. Moving the bridge would have made one side worse. It had a TOM so probably required new saddle slots and possibly new nut.
Not something one would expect to have to do with a Wesmo.

[Herbie]

It happened with both e strings. Moving the bridge would have made one side worse. It had a TOM so probably required new saddle slots and possibly new nut.
Not something one would expect to have to do with a Wesmo.

Uh oh! Two new slots… might need new string slot spacing. Not so easy anymore.

Definitely surprising thing in this price level.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Uh oh! Two new slots… might need new string slot spacing. Not so easy anymore. Definitely surprising thing in this price level.

Yep - this is very odd for so fine a guitar. Maybe the slot spacing was off on the original nut (unlikely), and maybe this is a poorly cut replacement. This problem can also happen if it was set up for heavier strings and someone put on a much lighter set. Some prefer to widen the string spacing a tiny bit with stiffer, heavier strings and can get away with it because stiff, heavy strings aren’t as easily stretched. Even a set of JS111s on a guitar set up for medium (13-56) Chromes could lead to this if the E to E spacing is a tiny bit wider than “normal”.

If you’re not precise with fretting, you can push a string well off its centerline while playing and not realize it. The thinner and less tense the strings are, the easier this is to do. I was startled to see how often and how far I pushed strings off axis during solos, when I started making videos of my playing. This realization made me focus much more on fretting perpendicular to the board and using only enough pressure to fret clean notes.

[garybaldy]

Yep - this is very odd for so fine a guitar. Maybe the slot spacing was off on the original nut (unlikely), and maybe this is a poorly cut replacement. This problem can also happen if it was set up for heavier strings and someone put on a much lighter set. Some prefer to widen the string spacing a tiny bit with stiffer, heavier strings and can get away with it because stiff, heavy strings aren’t as easily stretched. Even a set of JS111s on a guitar set up for medium (13-56) Chromes could lead to this if the E to E spacing is a tiny bit wider than “normal”.

If you’re not precise with fretting, you can push a string well off its centerline while playing and not realize it. The thinner and less tense the strings are, the easier this is to do. I was startled to see how often and how far I pushed strings off axis during solos, when I started making videos of my playing. This realization made me focus much more on fretting perpendicular to the board and using only enough pressure to fret clean notes.

I have a 'substantial' number of guitars - a couple of high end models working down to very cheap. The only guitar I have that has that problem is a very nice 2004 LP Std. It doesn't happen very often. I use 10s on it. I honestly don't think it has anything to do with my technique.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I use 10s on it. I honestly don't think it has anything to do with my technique.

I’m not suggesting that it does. I’m just pointing out that if a guitar is set up for heavy strings (especially if the nut is slotted for slightly wider E to E spacing, which I’ve seen done on narrow necks to spread the strings a bit), dropping thinner and less tense strings on that nut can lead to Es that reach the edge of the board.

We don’t always fret perfectly perpendicular to the board. So it’s not surprising that we sometimes push strings a bit off their axis. This affects intonation but often goes unnoticed in faster single string playing.

I do it myself.

[FourOnSix]

Regarding the E strings slipping, I recently had an L-5 refretted because the frets were excessively beveled, causing the high E to fall off the end of the fretboard. A possible scenario to keep in mind.

[garybaldy]

Regarding the E strings slipping, I recently had an L-5 refretted because the frets were excessively beveled, causing the high E to fall off the end of the fretboard. A possible scenario to keep in mind.

Part of me wants to do away with the fret nibs on my Les Paul and have new frets extending to the outside edge of the binding. I think the nibs have shrunk back a bit.

[Archie]

Part of me wants to do away with the fret nibs on my Les Paul and have new frets extending to the outside edge of the binding. I think the nibs have shrunk back a bit.

Always a tough call. Hate not to see them on a Giby but happy not to see them on anything else.

My 2 pence on the L5. I don’t rate post 90’s Gibsons very highly unless I've seen them. 2020-2010 being by far the worst years I’ve seen, especially for Les Pauls.
Great bursts, maybe the best and some great sounding guitars (my Byrdland sounds spot on) but so many tedious QC issues. I would not buy unseen.

[garybaldy]

Always a tough call. Hate not to see them on a Giby but happy not to see them on anything else.

My 2 pence on the L5. I don’t rate post 90’s Gibsons very highly unless I've seen them. 2020-2010 being by far the worst years I’ve seen, especially for Les Pauls.
Great bursts, maybe the best and some great sounding guitars (my Byrdland sounds spot on) but so many tedious QC issues. I would not buy unseen.

I have 4 Gibsons, On none of which, am I inclined to make changes.
My Les Paul is a 2004 Gecko Burst standard with the BB Pros.(Bought unseen in 2010).
My SG is a 24 fret SGJ 2013 model with stripped down finish and 490r and 490t. Bought new and unseen(no Nibs!). - one of the few modern Gibsons that has gone up in value!
My 175 is a '63 with an odd bridge base and TOM. It sounds so good that even though I sourced an original 175 BRW bridge I not swapping it over atm.
My L5CES is a 2005. To me, a beautiful guitar.

[vinnyv1k]

These are all post 2010 Gibson’s and are all fantastic playing guitars with superb QC.

[Stringswinger]

@ Vinny: Guitar porn in the morning is a beautiful thing.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

@ Vinny: Guitar porn in the morning is a beautiful thing.

Yeah.....

I don't waste time wishing it were the past, and I don't want to go back 60 years. I love living in the 21st century. I'm very happy in my dotage, lucky to have made it this far as well as I have, and grateful for the life I've had. But looking at those pics really does make me more than a little wistful for the days when we could walk into almost any music store and find at least a few new top line Gibsons, Martins, Guilds, Fenders etc. There were archtops galore, fantastic flat tops, and amps that we took for granted at the time but are now grail. The shop owners and their staffs were generally knowledgeable at the least and often incredibly helpful. The guitars were generally excellent - even the lowly LG-1 that I got new in 1958 was flawlessly made and finished. CBS wasn't even a gleam in Fender's eye.

This was a major part of my life as a kid. So thanks to everyone for the pics and the memories.

[Woody Sound]

These are all post 2010 Gibson’s and are all fantastic playing guitars with superb QC.

That sunburst on that blanket hurts my eyes. Yet I can't look away...

[Archie]

[QUOTE=vinnyv1k;1412011]These are all post 2010 Gibson’s and are all fantastic playing guitars with superb QC.

/QUOTE]

Yeh I had you in mind Vinny when typing that comment. I know there are many happy campers but just talking from my experience.
I've always wrestled with the idea that the b stock gets sent abroad. After 20 years of collecting and having heard the stories from importers of said manufacturer, I think it could well be true.
I think the cream gets skimmed off the top and distributed to the top sellers in the US. It’s a sliding scale from there. The UK is a small market and shops often happy (historically) to just have stock.
Smaller defects are just let go because it’s way too much hassle to deal with them, once the guitar has been shipped outside the US.

P.s Do you think the Byrdland has the same outline shape as the L5?
I swear the rounded horn section on older L5’s used to be rounder and fatter. More like a super 400 roundness.
The modern (post 90’s) L5C and Byrdland shape seem to be a bit skinnier. Take your black L5 for example.

Look at these two examples. I know one is a ‘special’ but there are other examples too.

[Baldoza]

For what it’s worth….

2013 Gibson Crimson Custom L-5 Wes Montgomery - Sunburst | thatrhythmman


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Damn that´s a lovely guitar...