The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1
    hi everyone- there must be a clone for every model of guitar out there. i,m wondering if there is a clone for the gibson L5. a good one if you please!

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    What is your price range? That will help us to narrow the results.

    For starters a Peerless Monarch with a set humbucker, Peerless Imperial with set humbucker, Peerless Cremona(though this is not a spruce top), Eastman Jazz 17, Guild X500, Guild X150, the list goes on.

    Guitars 'n Jazz - Inventory Search Results
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    'Mike

  4. #3

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    ah-em . . .ah-em . . . . .

  5. #4

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    I am biased toward Sadowsky. From his website:


    "Designed for lovers of the classic "EL FIVE", the LS-17's appeal lies in its 17" wide body and 25 1/2" scale length giving the player a big, warm sound. The thinner 2 3/4" body makes the guitar much more comfortable to play and the 5-ply maple laminate construction helps reduce feedback.

    Designed for the working musician, the LS-17 is a roadworthy instrument, optimized for amplified playing and priced affordably when compared to its carved siblings.

    The Sadowsky LS-17. A jazz standard … redefined."

    SPECS:

    Specifications:

    17" Body
    2 3/4" Body Depth
    5-Ply Laminate Flame Maple Construction
    25 1/2" Scale, 1-Piece Maple Neck
    Ebony Fingerboard with 1 3/4" Nut Width
    Ebony Bridge, Pickguard and Tailpiece
    Ivoroid Binding
    Black Hardware
    Custom Wound Vintage PAF Style Pickup with Black Cover
    Hardshell Case
    $4175 including custom hardshell case


  6. #5

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  7. #6

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    Epi Broadway - in the Elite, and normal forms.

  8. #7

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    More info! More info! Tell us why you want an L-5 and why you can't buy one. Also useful: what kind of music do you like, what guitarists tone is your ideal, etc. We want to help!

  9. #8
    THE REASONt I POSTED THIS IS I HAVE A FRIEND WHO HAS AN ORIGINAL L5 AND IT IS BY FAR THE BEST INSTRUMENT I HAVE EVER PLAYED.HE IS A JAZZ/50S 60/ POP MUSIC PLAYER.THAT IS THE KIND OF MUSIC I LIKE AND WOULD LIKE TO GET INVOLVED WITH. THE PROBLEM IS AVAILABILITY AND PRICE FOR AN ORIGINAL SO I WANTED TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING OUT THERE AROUND 1500 THAT COULD GIVE ME A SATISFIED SOUND,ONE LIKE THE ORIGINAL.

  10. #9

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    Quit shouting at us.

  11. #10

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    Back in the 1970s Ibanez made clones of various Gibson models, among them the L5 and the ES175. They are generally considered at least as good (some say better) than Gibsons own offerings at that time (Gibson was at a low point quality wise back then). I believe the production of those pretty accurate copies ended with the headstock lawsuits. Those instruments now bring pretty high prices. Aria also made Gibson like instruments, though not so excact copies, at the same time, which were also very good.

  12. #11

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    How about a Heritage Eagle Classic?

  13. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
    How about a Heritage Eagle Classic?
    Yep!! There ya go. Of course, I couldn't post that because of my affiliation with Heritage, so I'm glad that you did. The Eagle Classic is about as close as you can get to an L5CES with similar quality and characteristics. However, it's an L5 type guitar with many similarities. Not a clone. The OP did say "clone" in which case, I agree that the law suit Ibanez "clones" more appropriately fits that designation.

  14. #13

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    Hey now I put a link t a Heritage Eagle...haha. I am not sure you can find those lawsuit Ibanez guitars for near that $1500 price tag though.

    There are lots of options. I would assume you want a spruce top with maple back and sides? Honestly if/when I was in your situation I would call Lou over at Guitarsnjazz. He will give you a pretty honest assessment of various models he thinks will fit your needs based on tone construction and price. Again I am not affiliated with Lou or Guitarsnjazz just a very happy customer. Lou is not just a salesmen he is a player who sells almost exclusively archtops. He actually talked me OUT OF a more expensive guitar...

    'Mike

  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by Patrick2
    Yep!! There ya go. Of course, I couldn't post that because of my affiliation with Heritage, so I'm glad that you did. The Eagle Classic is about as close as you can get to an L5CES with similar quality and characteristics. However, it's an L5 type guitar with many similarities. Not a clone. The OP did say "clone" in which case, I agree that the law suit Ibanez "clones" more appropriately fits that designation.
    And to think that I didn't even mention the headstock

  16. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jazzman301
    Hey now I put a link t a Heritage Eagle...haha. I am not sure you can find those lawsuit Ibanez guitars for near that $1500 price tag though.

    There are lots of options. I would assume you want a spruce top with maple back and sides? Honestly if/when I was in your situation I would call Lou over at Guitarsnjazz. He will give you a pretty honest assessment of various models he thinks will fit your needs based on tone construction and price. Again I am not affiliated with Lou or Guitarsnjazz just a very happy customer. Lou is not just a salesmen he is a player who sells almost exclusively archtops. He actually talked me OUT OF a more expensive guitar...

    'Mike
    Actually, your link was to a Golden Eagle . . . which is a better match up to a plain vanilla L5C. The Eagle Classic is a better match up to the L5CES. So, you are correct, the Golden eagle is more in line with what the OP asked about.

  17. #16
    wow.what a response!! really appreciate the turnout. instead of answering all i will make one statement. i have checked into a lot of the suggestions and have found a couple of guitars that might fit the bill. i looked for the ibanez and couldn,t find anything in the older ones. the heritage golden eagle was about 6000.00 much to much for me. ther peerless and the eastmans where the closeset i could find that were in my price range. so- i found a peerless manhattan that i thought was beautiful and it wasn,t a thinline which i liked. don,t know much about it other than it looks like it would be right. the eastmanwas getting up there but looked like a great guitar. anybody familiar with those two??????

  18. #17

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    Personally, I feel that a guitar can be considered an "L5 clone" only if the materials and design are actually similar to an L5.

    That leaves out a guitar like the Sadowsky LS-17, because it is made of plywood. It also leavers out "solid wood" or pressed top guitars, because despite the manufacturer's attempt to deceive the unwary, these are actually a specialized form of plywood, and not a single layer of wood as is carved into shape on an L5.

    So, most "L5 clones" are actually more accurately ES-350 clones (which would include Gibson's Tal Farlow model). Which is not necessarily a bad thing if what you're really looking for is a 17 inch archtop with a 25 1/2 inch scale. Plywood has its own set of advantages.

    Patrick felt constrained to come right out and recommend Heritage until the ice was broken, but Heritage does offer an axe that can legitimately be described as an L5 clone at a substantially lower price than Gibsons fetch. Eastman builds some that qualify. Lots of boutique builders crank out guitars that are essentially L5s.

    But most of the guitars mentioned, including "law suit" Ibanez models, are only cosmetically L5 clones.

    Again, that's not necessarily a bad thing, because plywood has a lot to recommend it. If marketed to capitalize on "L5 mojo" however, then it ought to be considered that some fakery is going on. A "Rolecks" might be a decent watch...but it isn't a Rolex.

    An L5, for better or worse, is all about carved wood.

  19. #18
    cjm thanks for the input. i know that the laminated top has some things going for it and so does the one piece spruce. i am not sure about the effect each has on the tone.are you familiar with the sound of each of them?? my main thing is getting as close to the L5 sound and ease of playing as i can. i,m in unfamiliar territory here so i can use all the help i can get >

  20. #19

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    I would highly recomend a Peerless Monarch with the set humbucker as found at Guitarsnjazz. It does NOT have a 25.5" scale but the shorter 24 3/4"scale. BUT it is a great sounding and great playing L5 like guitar. At $1300 or so it is a great guitar for not a lot of money. If you can afford the Imperial with the set humbucker THAT is a fantastic instrument. But it is nearly twice as much as the Monarch.

    'Mike

  21. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by richard vandyne
    cjm thanks for the input. i know that the laminated top has some things going for it and so does the one piece spruce. i am not sure about the effect each has on the tone.are you familiar with the sound of each of them?? my main thing is getting as close to the L5 sound and ease of playing as i can. i,m in unfamiliar territory here so i can use all the help i can get >

    Just a word here, that you might be going about this all wrong. You say you want to get close to the L5 sound. Which L5 sound is that? Is it the L5C, The L5 Wes Montgomery, with a single mounted pup? The L5CES with 2 mounted pups? Is it the L5 sound that Wes had? Is it the L5 sound that Tuck Andress has? The point is, there are MANY L5 sounds. You can get relatively close to each of them with any similar type guitar, whether it's a laminate (plywood . . . welcome back cjm) or carved top. You really should be trying many different types of full holllow body jazz guitars in your price range (if you can) and make your choices based upon what you hear from the guitars as your own fingers tickle the strings.

  22. #21
    patrick, good advise i am never going to know until i can try some and see for myself. i was trying to narrow it down to a manageable state because as you can see there is a lot to chose from. the trouble is,these places are all across the usa so finding a good place may not be very easy. such is life!

  23. #22

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    Quote Originally Posted by richard vandyne
    cjm thanks for the input. i know that the laminated top has some things going for it and so does the one piece spruce. i am not sure about the effect each has on the tone.are you familiar with the sound of each of them?? my main thing is getting as close to the L5 sound and ease of playing as i can. i,m in unfamiliar territory here so i can use all the help i can get >
    I guessing that you are actually looking at an L5CES clone, rather than an actual L5 clone.

    In other words, your're looking for an electric guitar, right?

    You mentioned ease of playing. That's not something that Gibson has a lock on with the L5 family. Besides, you can find an "L5" with just about any neck profile, fretboard width, etc., that you can think of...they're all L5s but they vary a great deal. If you don't find a big guitar uncomfortable, most of that is going to come from a good setup and a competent luthier can make that happen for you with a cheap guitar.

    The carved wood of an L5 is essential to the sound in my opinion if we're talking about an acoustic L5 played without so much as a clamp on Dearmond pickup. But if we're talking about an electric...particularly with set in pickup(s)...not so much.

    On the bandstand, playing through an amplifier, you as the guitarist will experience a bit different response from a carved L5CES (or a legitimate "clone") than you will from a plywood ES-350 (or clone). There's a lot of variation between individual guitars of the same model, but in general, the L5CES should be a bit louder acoustically with a bit more sudden attack and rapid decay than the ES-350 type. The difference is often pretty subtle...but it is there. Generally the L5 will be more susceptible to amplifier feedback, but that's usually manageable unless you get carried away with cranking the volume too high.

    In the audience however, most people -- including most guitarists -- aren't going to hear any difference unless they can see the guitar. They're going to hear the amp and in either case the guitar's quiet contribution to the overall sound is usually too minimal to make any real difference. Pickups, strings, setup and technique are far more important than carved versus plywood....except that the carved guitar's increased propensity to feedback can make for some nasty sounds from time to time before the feedback ever gets to the point of squealing.

    So, in my opinion, if we're talking about an electric guitar, it's a matter of the response you feel from the guitar and the effect that has on your playing. If it's just a matter of the tone you present to your listeners, or ease of playing, then I suggest forgetting about the L5 or clones and focus on a plywood axe that feels good to you.

  24. #23

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    So I guess my Monarch with a single set HB is really an ES350 clone...hmm never thought about it that way.

    'Mike

  25. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jazzman301
    So I guess my Monarch with a single set HB is really an ES350 clone...hmm never thought about it that way.

    'Mike
    Pretty much. I suspect Tal Farlow would have preferred it to an L5CES.

  26. #25
    hi cjm:now you see why i am asking these questions. i really didn,t know which model i shoulkd be asking for and now you have narrowed it down to an L5ces? that would be with a laminate top.correct. if so. what about the peerless manhattan? or the eastman 7 series. also there is a peerless cremora used for sale in perfect condition that is a steal.???????????