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Hi all,
Trying to answer some questions for myself about the Gibson L7 my father left me. I've had the guitar for about 15 years and I know he bought it in the late 70s or early 80s but there are some spec questions I've never really known the answer to.
Serial number on the label visible through the f hole reads 91888 which seems like it would point to 1934. But some time before my dad bought it the guitar picked up some pickups. Any thoughts on what these pickups might be or if I'm misunderstanding the guitar's past? Based on my skimpy research it's an acoustic L7 that got pickups added to it way back in the day. Any info would be much appreciated!
Great feeling and sounding guitar that, if I could confirm that it started life as an acoustic, I'd consider returning to that state. I'm primarily a classical guitarist and lutenist (I teach in Norway and online), but I definitely appreciate the instrument and it will certainly be staying with me for those days when my music making leaves the classical. VERY fun for playing the early plectrum repertoire.
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10-09-2025 11:32 AM
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It was an acoustic originally. Returning to that state will require a new top.
Go for it. Good luck.
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That would be a bit extreme for my taste. Was more wondering about how substantial the holes for the pickups would have been since they seem to sit more or less on the top and I thought it possible that it might just be screw holes and wiring holes.
Originally Posted by 58flame
This old top is beautiful and isn't going anywhere. I'd rather keep it as is.
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I'm also very curious about what type of pickups these might be. Looks like adjustable pole pieces but I can't pretend to be much of a pickup expert.
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D'Armond pickups
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Take them off and see, loosen the strings so they can rest on the sides of the fingerboard, pull them off the nut to do this and they'll flop over the side. Then slowly and carefully take those Phillips head screws out and peek around. When you put it back together just tighten them to snug, so you don't strip out the holes. Originally Posted by wkmandeville
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just put an inspection mirror in the f hole and shine a light. you'll be able to see if the top was cut open for the pickups or if they just sit on top.
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That's a neat old 1934 L-7. Just before Gibson went to the Advanced Model design. It absolutely started out as an acoustic guitar. It still is an acoustic guitar, just a bit less so.
Those are two Dearmond Model 55 pickups. Read all about them here:
DeArmond Numbered Products | musicpickups.com
Most likely, they sit right on the top, attached with two small screws, with a small hole for the pickup wire to pass through the top to the controls. They were designed to be mounted on flattop and archtop guitars without the need to cut through the top. Excellent pickups, worth a bit of money.
If you want to restore the guitar to a purely acoustic condition, simply remove all the electric bits. You'll have a guitar that has small screw holes where the pickups were attached, two small holes where the pickup wires passed into the body, three holes where the pots were (unfortunately) mounted through the top, and a hole in the rim where the output jack was located.
If you want the guitar to look pretty as an acoustic instrument, any decent guitar or violin shop can fill in the holes with spruce and touch up the finish with some artfully applied colour-matched nitrocellulose lacquer. The hole locations will still be visible, but far less so. All it takes is money, and not too much of it - this is standard restoration work.
You could go the extra step, spend more money, and have the entire top refinished, but I wouldn't recommend that. The very old, dry finish contributes positively to the acoustic sound of the guitar.
Add a repro non-cutaway pickguard (Allparts sells them), and ... presto!
It would like quite similar to this, once restored:Last edited by Hammertone; 10-09-2025 at 04:16 PM.
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Hammer if spot on. Fill the holes and be done with this guitar. My guess it really did no hurt the acoustic sound of the guitar once it goes back to its natural state. The holes and such will be visible by nothing drastic it is after all a guitar 91 years old. Doing it in the shop I would carefully fill the holes and get it smooth. Then a drop fill on top and hit it with brush of shellac, then if need a drop of clear lacquer after it dries. Frankly I might stop at shellac if it seemed good enough
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Apologies, a bit off topic here...but wow, if that chair could talk!!!! Originally Posted by Hammertone
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If it was mine, I'd put on a pickguard and play it as it is. Originally Posted by wkmandeville
You like the sound now. Your father had the work done. Take 'yes' for an answer!
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That gets my vote Originally Posted by Sam Sherry
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If my dad left me a work of art, I don’t think I would try to improve it.
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Same here. If I liked it how it played and sounded I’d leave it as-is unless there something driving restoration. Originally Posted by Sam Sherry
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Thanks for all the information. I won’t be doing anything to the guitar in the immediate future since it is a great instrument in its current state. I can tell there’s a lot more acoustic tone hiding in that top though!
A bit of background, the pickups were already on it when my dad bought it around 1980 (he bought it in spite of them and definitely wouldn’t have been able to afford it if it was more pristine). I heard him say more than once that if he had the money he’d like to get it back to its full glory as an acoustic instrument. So any moves to return it to how it was built certainly wouldn’t be displeasing to him.
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Oh, forgot to mention that I do still have the pickguard. I’ve always preferred the look and feel of archtops without one, but I certainly would never have let this one get lost.
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I don't think you'll hear a big difference w out the pickups.
Just make sure the guard isn't offgassing if you put it back on.
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+1 for no changes, or max. returning the pickguard. Three plugged holes on the top would be unsightly. Your father's comments and your emotions toward him do matter. However, for the owner after you, the guitar likely has more value as it is now. A 100-year old L-7 with working, vintage DeArmonds(?) will be a treasure for someone.
Last edited by Gitterbug; 10-10-2025 at 02:38 PM.
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For some reason Harmony chose to cut large-ish holes for the Dearmonds on the Meteor. Probably to get the harness in. Ofcourse, in the 70s, I chose to enlarge one further for the installation of a T Top! Originally Posted by Hammertone
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Originally Posted by wkmandeville
That's another bit of good luck ! So it's safe to say it was sold with a pickguard and won't look out of place at all if it's re-attached, although this may very well require some routing where each pickup lines up - ' meets ' the p/g. And make sure the p/g hasn't started off-gassing. If it has, authentic replacement p/g's are available, some routed.
Then - if you have a photo of your Dad playing it - as modified - then it's an heirloom and should absolutely remain as is. That will always be the magic of it.
Good luck with your decision and thanks - that is a good story !Last edited by Dennis D; 10-11-2025 at 07:48 PM.
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I'd just replace the knobs, replicas like these are out there. Keep the pickups.
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I really love the sound of DeArmomd pickups. I think you really leave it alone,even if it’s just played acoustically.
The only thing I kind of remember about those pickups,were you might need to modify the ring to adjust their height? Can’t quite remember on one in an old Partscaster Tele I once owned.
But Lovely Tone!
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