Early Gibson Archtop ID

[garybaldy]

Can anyone identify this guitar from the headstock please? The guitar is strung for a left handed player. Is it OK to just change the nut and and modify the bridge for a right handed player? Would it have been made differently as a left handed guitar? Thanks

[deacon Mark]

Need to see a picture of the whole guitar. Yes, all you do is change the nut and bridge the bracing is whatever it happens to be, that would not be a factor at least in the conversion. To me it looks like an old L4 or maybe L7 but clearly a smaller archtop.

[garybaldy]

Need to see a picture of the whole guitar. Yes, all you do is change the nut and bridge the bracing is whatever it happens to be, that would not be a factor at least in the conversion. To me it looks like an old L4 or maybe L7 but clearly a smaller archtop.

Thanks. Here's the front!
I've now seen a very similar one on YT as an L4!

[Sleeko]

If it's 17" in the lower bout I'd say L7, but 16" would probably be L4.

[garybaldy]

If it's 17" in the lower bout I'd say L7, but 16" would probably be L4.

Thanks. A very comprehensive website on early Gibson specs suggests that a '33/'34 L7 had no 1st fret marker whereas the L4 did.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I’m pretty sure that’s a ‘32-34 L4. They had 24 3/4” scales and 1 3/4” nuts and were were basically plainer versions of a 16” L5. IIRC, both the headstock inlay and fingerboard inlays (which did include one at the nut on the 7 but not the 4) were unique to this very limited run model and the L4s made in the same years. Those FB inlays are a bit fancier than those on a 16” L5 despite the otherwise lower trim level, and the 7 has 8 of them while the 4 has 6. I think they may have been used by Gibson on a Nick Lucas banjo too.

Here’s an L7 -



And here’s a ‘34 L4 (both were on archtop.com a while ago):

[garybaldy]

I’m pretty sure that’s a ‘32-34 L7. They had 24 3/4” scales and 1 3/4” nuts and were were basically plainer versions of a 16” L5. IIRC, both the headstock inlay and fingerboard inlays (which did include one at the nut on the 7 but not the 4) were unique to this very limited run model and the L4s made in the same years. Those FB inlays are a bit fancier than those on a 16” L5 despite the otherwise lower trim level, and the 7 has 8 of them while the 4 has 6.



Here’s a ‘34 L4 that was on archtop.com a while ago:

Thanks. Do you know what that went for?

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Thanks. Do you know what that went for?

No, I don’t - sorry. BTW, I corrected a few small errors in my post. I remembered the FB inlays backwards. The L4 has none between the nut & first fret and none between 16 & 17, so this one’s an L4 and not an L7.

I also added that those inlays were probably the same as or very similar to ones used on the Nick Lucas banjo. I think the Nick Lucas guitar also had them.

[garybaldy]

No, I don’t - sorry. BTW, I corrected a few small errors in my post. I remembered the FB inlays backwards. The L4 has none between the nut & first fret and none between 16 & 17, so this one’s an L4 and not an L7.

I also added that those inlays were probably the same as or very similar to ones used on the Nick Lucas banjo. I think the Nick Lucas guitar also had them.

This clip

suggests the L7 is the one that doesn't have the first fret marker. Guitarhq.com 'confirms' it as well.

[ThatRhythmMan]

The 16” f-hole L-7 and the early 16” f-hole L-4 are essentially the same guitar. When the L-7 became upsized to 17” in basically 1935, the L-4 went from being a round hole to an f-hole guitar and was for all intents and purposes the same guitar as the 16” L-7. Eventually it became a bit different with a flush fingerboard neck joint.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

This clip

suggests the L7 is the one that doesn't have the first fret marker. Guitarhq.com 'confirms' it as well.

There are several conflicting posts and videos out there. This one is about a ‘34 L4 and it has 8 fretboard markers:

Here’s a ‘34 L7 with 6 markers -

This one is about a ‘34 L4 with 6 markers.

Maybe there were 4s and 7s made with both boards - who knows? Gibson was clearly raiding parts bins from day 1. We don’t even know if these guitars are correctly identified, so nothing is certain. I think it makes sense that the 7 would have more or fancier trim that the 4. But we’ll never know.

The 8 marker boards look like they could be ebony, while the 6 marker boards appear lighter and more like RW. It’s another mystery!

[garybaldy]

There are several conflicting posts and videos out there. This one is about a ‘34 L4 and it has 8 fretboard markers:

Here’s a ‘34 L7 with 6 markers -

This one is about a ‘34 L4 with 6 markers.

Maybe there were 4s and 7s made with both boards - who knows? Gibson was clearly raiding parts bins from day 1. We don’t even know if these guitars are correctly identified, so nothing is certain. I think it makes sense that the 7 would have more or fancier trim that the 4. But we’ll never know.

The 8 marker boards look like they could be ebony, while the 6 marker boards appear lighter and more like RW. It’s another mystery!

I saw the Silly Moustache one. The Guitarhq website (to which I couldn't seem to link) is very specific about which has what. Don't know how reliable it is though but it has a lot of detailed info. Vintage Guitars Info - Gibson archtop vintage guitar collecting - Ah! it's worked now!

[garybaldy]

The 16” f-hole L-7 and the early 16” f-hole L-4 are essentially the same guitar. When the L-7 became upsized to 17” in basically 1935, the L-4 went from being a round hole to an f-hole guitar and was for all intents and purposes the same guitar as the 16” L-7. Eventually it became a bit different with a flush fingerboard neck joint.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks. Do you know what those early L4s and 7s go for please?

[ThatRhythmMan]

There are several conflicting posts and videos out there. This one is about a ‘34 L4 and it has 8 fretboard markers:

Here’s a ‘34 L7 with 6 markers -

This one is about a ‘34 L4 with 6 markers.

Maybe there were 4s and 7s made with both boards - who knows? Gibson was clearly raiding parts bins from day 1. We don’t even know if these guitars are correctly identified, so nothing is certain. I think it makes sense that the 7 would have more or fancier trim that the 4. But we’ll never know.

The 8 marker boards look like they could be ebony, while the 6 marker boards appear lighter and more like RW. It’s another mystery!

They are all almost certainly rosewood.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ThatRhythmMan]

Thanks. Do you know what those early L4s and 7s go for please?

Currently the 16” L-7 goes for probably 5-6k. For whatever reason if labeled L-4, they always seem to bring less.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk