1946 Gibson L-5 - Questions About Finish and Parts

**Dashiello22** · 06-17-2025, 10:09 PM

Greetings Everyone

This is my first post on this Jazz Guitar Forum, I'd like to ask some questions about a guitar that was recently offered to me for $8000 usd.

The guitar is a 1946 sunburst Gibson L-5.

Attached are pictures of the guitar and I was talking to a friend of mine about the guitar and he pointed out some things about it.

I'm asking if what he has said about the guitar is correct and if the value (asking price) is correct as well based on this.

Thank you

He basically pointed out that the fret inlays look a little strange, the tailpiece looks refinished, the guitar itself looks refinished he said, and the inside paper logo looks strange haha. He also thinks the pickguard could have been replaced as well.

1946 Gibson L-5 - Questions About Finish and Parts-messenger_creation_c0f4b5cf-ae4c-4eba-a01f-880b86a89c5d1-jpeg

1946 Gibson L-5 - Questions About Finish and Parts-messenger_creation_c0f4b5cf-ae4c-4eba-a01f-880b86a89c5d1-jpeg

1946 Gibson L-5 - Questions About Finish and Parts-messenger_creation_a2b626f9-3936-436a-917b-0cec9a7b6e1c-jpeg

1946 Gibson L-5 - Questions About Finish and Parts-messenger_creation_31483774-7602-4701-b7ca-5d3cf5f95daf-jpeg

1946 Gibson L-5 - Questions About Finish and Parts-messenger_creation_548f6c9f-51e7-4cf3-8141-82ad1de2993e-jpeg

1946 Gibson L-5 - Questions About Finish and Parts-messenger_creation_60829ef2-3ff3-4292-9048-d4aca93bc311-jpeg

1946 Gibson L-5 - Questions About Finish and Parts-messenger_creation_57bf73d1-d139-4056-a30f-4d1020349761-jpeg

1946 Gibson L-5 - Questions About Finish and Parts-messenger_creation_11ccacb8-d787-4ef6-aaf5-ed887336dbe1-jpeg

1946 Gibson L-5 - Questions About Finish and Parts-messenger_creation_9f385701-c7f4-49b1-9d31-6c3fb61471e1-jpeg

1946 Gibson L-5 - Questions About Finish and Parts-messenger_creation_8b5dca5f-3cc7-4e08-be6e-6983811f0c8a-jpeg

**213Cobra** · 06-18-2025, 06:21 AM

I defer to experts like @thatrhythmman on the details and value, but I can't see what your friend cites about a refinished tailpiece, and IMO you don't really want a 1946 gassed-out pickguard on the guitar, so it's not at all unusual to have a replaced pickguard on that vintage Gibson.

Phil

**gitman** · 06-18-2025, 09:11 AM

I don't see anything strange or unusual in or on this guitar, looks absolutely fine. The price is a little on the high side but other than that ....

**garybaldy** · 06-18-2025, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by gitman

I don't see anything strange or unusual in or on this guitar, looks absolutely fine. The price is a little on the high side but other than that ....

One would expect to pay quite a lot more than that for a vintage L5 in the UK.

**deacon Mark** · 06-18-2025, 11:20 AM

Just looking the tailpiece looks normal they tend to have plating get bad at times and the guitar is almost 80 years old. The tailpiece is not refinished sometimes they are replated, but this one looks quite normal.

The first inlay looks like it may be sanded down quite a bit at some point. The guitar probably has had a refret from what I can tell but that really has no effect on value as long as it plays good. It would be nice to see the back of the neck for wear. The finish looks quite nice and very little wear by the photos and could suggest it was over-sprayed but the general sunburst finish looks very normal Gibson stuff. The tuners are original no real question on that to me. The label inside ok not sure on that has what appears to be some water markings or the overspray, but that is just a guess. Pickguard probably replacement but that does not matter many are if not most.

All in all it looks quite like my 1938 L5 and it could be quite nice. The price is around the ballpark, but I am not sure just because as desirable as these are the real market for them is not so large. Younger players tend to want the CES models and the price on all of them I see are higher than this one mostly but none of those high-priced ones are selling.

**Woody Sound** · 06-18-2025, 11:37 AM

I think your friend has it backwards. The faults he mentions look like normal aging. (Except MAYBE for the pg, but that looks old too.)

**wintermoon** · 06-18-2025, 01:28 PM

Aside from the strap button looks all straight to me including the guard. Judging by the label, t.p. and case it might have spent some time in a damp basement.

**ThatRhythmMan** · 06-18-2025, 04:21 PM

I agree with Wintermoon, based on what I can see here it looks pretty legit.

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**Archie** · 06-18-2025, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by garybaldy

One would expect to pay quite a lot more than that for a vintage L5 in the UK.

Hmm not a non cutaway.

**Dashiello22** · 06-18-2025, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

Aside from the strap button looks all straight to me including the guard. Judging by the label, t.p. and case it might have spent some time in a damp basement.

heres some more pictures I forgot to add, especially a close up on the headstock decal. It looks a bit off center, did L5s from this time sometimes look different from each other. I get these guitars were still being semi handmade and such so its understandable. Thanks

1946 Gibson L-5 - Questions About Finish and Parts-messenger_creation_5abe4664-55bf-453a-af1f-982075736d0b-jpeg

**Dashiello22** · 06-18-2025, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by deacon Mark

Just looking the tailpiece looks normal they tend to have plating get bad at times and the guitar is almost 80 years old. The tailpiece is not refinished sometimes they are replated, but this one looks quite normal.

The first inlay looks like it may be sanded down quite a bit at some point. The guitar probably has had a refret from what I can tell but that really has no effect on value as long as it plays good. It would be nice to see the back of the neck for wear. The finish looks quite nice and very little wear by the photos and could suggest it was over-sprayed but the general sunburst finish looks very normal Gibson stuff. The tuners are original no real question on that to me. The label inside ok not sure on that has what appears to be some water markings or the overspray, but that is just a guess. Pickguard probably replacement but that does not matter many are if not most.

All in all it looks quite like my 1938 L5 and it could be quite nice. The price is around the ballpark, but I am not sure just because as desirable as these are the real market for them is not so large. Younger players tend to want the CES models and the price on all of them I see are higher than this one mostly but none of those high-priced ones are selling.

with an overspray, does that mean it was refinished, or that it was probably over sprayed in 1946 when they were applying the sunburst? Thanks

My main concern really with the guitar is if its refinished or not, since that brings down the value alot as you may know of course, but im no expert hahah.

**ThatRhythmMan** · 06-18-2025, 10:16 PM

I’m just going to add that I just figured out who is selling it and my only message at this point is caveat emptor.

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**Dashiello22** · 06-18-2025, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by ThatRhythmMan

I’m just going to add that I just figured out who is selling it and my only message at this point is caveat emptor.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hmmm, ok. What do you mean if I may ask, my friend who told me about all these maybe issues with the guitar to begin with also stated this.

**garybaldy** · 06-23-2025, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by Archie

Hmm not a non cutaway.

I'm I thinking of the ones from the 30s?

**kamlapati** · 06-23-2025, 10:52 AM

I have a '46 L-5 that I consider to be in great condition, but it's no better than that one. Very nice. Perhaps a little high priced, but, you know, inflation and all, so I consider it not unreasonable.