16 inch body archtop with L5CES-ish tone?

[jim dandy]

Does anyone have any suggestions for a 16 inch body archtop with an L5CES like tone?

[3625]

Seriously - the L4CES. Sounds like an L5 except a little bit 'smaller' - mainly IMO due to the shorter scale length.

[Franz 1997]

+1

[Jabberwocky]

The L-4CES, especially the version with the mahogany back and rim.

[jim dandy]

Thanks all! I hadn't really considered the L-4CES because the last one I tried many years ago had the laminate maple back and sides and didn't really sound anything like an L-5. I haven't tried the newer version with the mahogany back and sides and will give them a look.

Any other suggestions?

[teleboli]

PM sent

[Jabberwocky]

A Heritage Sweet 16 with 3" rim depth at least, 25.5" scale length, inset humbuckers, spruce top and solid maple back and rim could come close.

[jads57]

Probably the closest would be a Gibson L-5 Signature model(discontinued). But I'm sure Mark Campellone or similar luthier could build one as well. I do think though the 17" body imparts a lot of that tone and the bottom end for sure will not be the same on a smaller body.

[Patrick2]

Does anyone have any suggestions for a 16 inch body archtop with an L5CES like tone?

Jim; Pretty much any 16" arch top that is built structurally and proportunately like an L5CES is going to give you an L5CES "like" tone. The question is . . just exactly how close to the L5CES tone do you need the tone to be? There will be similarities and dissimilarities. Also . . . only an L5CES . . . is an L5CES.

Is your main intent to get an arch top that is physically smaller that the L5CES? Or, less expensive than one? What is your price range? The answers to these questions will get you much better and possibly more appropriate suggestions.

[jzucker]

A Heritage Sweet 16 with 3" rim depth at least, 25.5" scale length, inset humbuckers, spruce top and solid maple back and rim could come close.

most of the sweet 16s are x braced so they'll sound quite a bit different from an L5

[iim7V7IM7]

Sweet 16 does sound a bit different in timbre. I had mine with both a floater and a built in HB. The Full HB was closer but still a bit different than an L5.

most of the sweet 16s are x braced so they'll sound quite a bit different from an L5

[jim dandy]

Thanks for all the replies! I've had a 17 inch L5WES with full depth body in the past. Great tone, but it was just too big for me to play comfortably, unfortunately. I get along with 16 inch sized bodies much better and was trying to see what I should look at to get as close to the L5CES tone in a 16 inch body size.

I've had a few guitars built for me in the past with mixed results, so I'm not really interested in doing this again. I've played a few Heritage Sweet 16s and they didn't have a L5 ish tone to my ears.

I just noticed that the new Gibson L5CES-CT has the 25.5 inch scale length. With the thinner body, it might work. Can anyone tell me how this sounds compared to the full depth version?

[jzucker]

I have the heritage version of the CT and it sounds very L5ish.

[Woody Sound]

I just noticed that the new Gibson L5CES-CT has the 25.5 inch scale length. With the thinner body, it might work. Can anyone tell me how this sounds compared to the full depth version?

I think someone here had one for sale (Lux?). Across the pond. But I don't know if it was sold or not.

[jim dandy]

Jack - Thanks for posting. Great playing and tone!

Woody Sound - Thanks for the heads up. I have been in touch with Lux about the guitar.

[Danny W.]

I do most of my gigging with a Gibson L-5 Signature, which is a 15.5" x 2.675" guitar that does a pretty good job of sounding like an L-5.



Danny W.

[jads57]

Danny W. I do believe you are the Devil himself sir! You have the nicest collection of newer Gibson archtops in the U.S.A. for sure!

[Danny W.]

Danny W. I do believe you are the Devil himself sir! You have the nicest collection of newer Gibson archtops in the U.S.A. for sure!

Not so much a collection these days as an accumulation.

Danny W.

[jim dandy]

Danny W. - Nice collection! Thank you for sharing. I'll look into the Signature model.

[fws6]

bit more expensive but basically a 15,5" L5CES: http://www.gbase.com/gear/gibson-lee...p-2001-sunburs

[jads57]

Danny W. the joke goes like this: The Banjo player left his banjo in his car while he went into the market to buy something. Sure enough when he came back out, the side window was smashed out. And now there were 2 banjos in his back seat! Nice problem to have!

[Danny W.]

Danny W. the joke goes like this: The Banjo player left his banjo in his car while he went into the market to buy something. Sure enough when he came back out, the side window was smashed out. And now there were 2 banjos in his back seat! Nice problem to have!

The way I tell it, the instrument is an accordion, and the car window was left open on purpose.

I'm not inclined to test it with any of my guitars, though.

Danny W. - Nice collection! Thank you for sharing. I'll look into the Signature model.

I haven't seen any new L-5 Signatures from Gibson recently, although they do still show the Ritenour version (which is acoustically braced with a floater) on the website.

Danny W.

[Hammertone]

The way I tell it, the instrument is an accordion, and the car window was left open on purpose. I'm not inclined to test it with any of my guitars, though. …[ ]...Danny W.

Reminds me of the late Dr. Jim Coleman, who was a well-loved and well-known guy in Nashville circles. He used to drive around town in his convertible with a couple of expensive guitars resting all casual-like in the backseat (like a '50's D-28 and an old Fender plank), just in case he needed to do some pickin' & grinnin' in a pinch (as opposed to "pickin & chagrining" - best thread title I've seen so far around here).

[jads57]

So how's a Banjo like an artillery shell? By the time you hear it it's too late!

[Woody Sound]

Reminds me of the late Dr. Jim Coleman, who was a well-loved and well-known guy in Nashville circles. He used to drive around town in his convertible with a couple of expensive guitars resting all casual-like in the backseat (like a '50's D-28 and an old Fender plank), just in case he needed to do some pickin' & grinnin' in a pinch (as opposed to "pickin & chagrining" - best thread title I've seen so far around here).

Like Hank?