Famous Gibson L-7 Players?

**jazzmankg** · 07-06-2014, 10:14 AM

I just thought when I said Dad, it was obvious enough. I don't mean to be icognito but in truth I have had some bad experiences on boards. it can get to be soap opera-ish and becomes a bit of an obsession. I post here and there now and again- I think it was this board that was about counterpoint or something? I sometimes mix up which boards I'm on.

No one needs to convince me how great Doug is that's for sure. In fact I realize it now and again when I listen to everyone else and I realize how difficult it is be a great guitar player. His timing the way he sounds like he's blowing rather than picking, that great sound he gets that just explodes from his fingers. Those lines that everyone knows but only he seems to really speak. The way he works his him amp and tone controls ceaselessly on gigs - I think that is something he learned from Dad.

Was listening to I Remember You with Chet yesterday.

I only had the privilege of playing with him between 1993-1998. It was really wonderful. So those of you that are Danes and have experienced his comeback in 2013 - I can only say I wish I were there with you.

Anyway Peace

Jon

Also-- Since I am not a guitar player, that is often a reason not to post too much because in reality I often get questions about string gauge, and real guitar details that frankly didn't ask them too many questions about (probably a mistake in retrospect). On my site I try to address the overall history - which is what I know most about. Still working on it.

**oldane** · 07-06-2014, 10:35 AM

Peace. I don't think you'll find anyone on this forum who doesn't hold both your Dad and Doug in very high esteem. I certainly do.

Yes, we are very lucky having your brother in Denmark. I have heard him many times over the years. Always a pleasure.

We have had a lot of great musicians here. In my youth we could go and hear Oscar Pettiford, Stuff Smith, Ben Webster and Dexter Gordon regularly. Gordon stayed here for more than 10 years and was a tremendous inspiration for everyone on the Danish jazz scene. Johnny Griffin also played here for long periods. Duke Jordan and Horace Parlan has lived here for many years. We also had Stan Getz in Copenhagen for about a year, but that was before I was old enough to go to Jazzhouse Montmatre in St. Regnegade.

Yes, we have truly been blessed in Denmark.

**disco~juice** · 12-16-2014, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by Eddie Lang

I LOVE Chris Flory's playing. I have all his albums as a leader, the ones he made with Duke Robillard, as well as a bunch with Scott Hamilton and also as a sideman.

Here is the aforementioned L-7

I just found about Chris Flory and I am amazed. He is just awesome!
Lovely playing.

**Greentone** · 12-16-2014, 03:37 PM

Grant Green played a '30s L7. Here he is live at Newport in 1966:
Famous Gibson L-7 Players?-grant-green-live-newport-1966-jpg

**Greentone** · 12-16-2014, 03:38 PM

This is a couple of years before he transferred his McCarty pickup/pickguard to his blonde Epiphone Deluxe.

**wintermoon** · 12-16-2014, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by Greentone

This is a couple of years before he transferred his McCarty pickup/pickguard to his blonde Epiphone Deluxe.

Epiphone Emperor

**wintermoon** · 12-16-2014, 04:32 PM

yeah, he kept getting bigger ones.
I think it went ES-330, L-7, Emperor, D'Aquisto NYer

**Groyniad** · 12-16-2014, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by Patrick2

I couldn't agree with you more. I really do wish he had recorded more of his works. He's definitely on a very short list of the best ever . . (IMO) For my taste, his style is where it's at. If I had to choose one and only one bop jazz guitarist whose style I would like to emulate . . . it would be Louis Stewart.

damn damn damn - i wanted to be the first to jump up and down about the really incredible louis stewart

i've seen him in tiny club gigs in edinburgh - what a player what a player

i saw him play with jack wilkins and some other famous cat in a gig at the end of a residential workshop thing - it was really almost embarrassing how much better he played than the famous guys there - and even more obvious - how much better he SOUNDED

i have an album of his - the guy on bass is the grandfather of edinburgh jazz - ronnie ray

best bop guitarist i've ever encountered in the flesh by a mile

**Yesterdaysman** · 10-04-2019, 08:13 AM

I have a '61 Gibson L7C which I bought at a general (not musical instrument) secondhand shop in London in 1969. It had been fitted with 4 Burns Trisonic pickups, a switching panel for these had been cut in the upper bout, and it had a Bigsby. Over the years I have restored it to its original condition and it has an Armstrong jazz humbucker fitted. It plays and sounds great and is my main guitar. However, I have always wondered who in the 1960s would have bought this guitar, made these modifications, and then sold it. Of course, it may have been other than a jazz player, bearing in mind the nature of the modifications.

**citizenk74** · 10-04-2019, 08:51 AM

Tommy Tedesco, as the guitar player for Mother's house band in his multiple appearances in season 1 of Peter Gunn.

**dot75** · 10-04-2019, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by Groyniad

damn damn damn - i wanted to be the first to jump up and down about the really incredible louis stewart

i've seen him in tiny club gigs in edinburgh - what a player what a player

i saw him play with jack wilkins and some other famous cat in a gig at the end of a residential workshop thing - it was really almost embarrassing how much better he played than the famous guys there - and even more obvious - how much better he SOUNDED

Great player, I only got to see him live a few times, in the house band at Ronnie Scott's & then out on his own (intended). hired at first hearing by Benny Goodman when Goodman already had Bucky Pizzarelli in the band...

With Mundell Lowe

**Dennis D** · 10-04-2019, 10:24 AM

...And don't forget these good ol' boys...... Famous Gibson L-7 Players?-l_p_l-7s-jpg

In case someone didn't know, that's Les Paul on the left, don't know the bass player, and I believe Jim Atkins ( Chet's half-brother ) at the mic.

**Greentone** · 10-04-2019, 10:53 AM

Way back in this thread I mentioned Bill Haley. I wasn't being flippant. Haley was actually a quite accomplished rhythm guitarist and could play "chunka" jazz stuff well--even though he specialized in "shake, rattle, and roll."

He once observed that the L7 is the greatest rhythm guitar ever built. The guitar evolved over its production cycle, but from the 30s onward it remained a powerfully good rhythm instrument, to be sure. The 30s 17" examples are particularly outstanding IMO.

**nopedals** · 10-04-2019, 12:16 PM

**Greentone** · 10-04-2019, 01:02 PM

That guitarist playing the picture frame L7 is Norman Brown. He replaced John Mills Jr., one of the four Mills Brothers, who died young. The "brother" seated on the front right is actually John Mills Sr., the Mills Bothers' father.

**daverepair** · 10-04-2019, 10:17 PM

Regarding Les Paul & his L-7: Premier Guitar ran an interesting article about the restoration of his L-7(at Gibson), with interesting pictures, with the back off, of the x-bracing. I'll see if I can track it down.

**AKA** · 10-09-2019, 09:38 AM

I believe the late great Billy Rogers played an L7. At a tribute to Rogers a number of years ago the instrument was in the hands of LA guitarist Rick Zunnigar. AKA

**Dennis D** · 10-09-2019, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by daverepair

Regarding Les Paul & his L-7: Premier Guitar ran an interesting article about the restoration of his L-7(at Gibson), with interesting pictures, with the back off, of the x-bracing. I'll see if I can track it down.

......Man, that'd be interesting !! I wonder what the repair, if any, may have been, over and above the restoration.....

Hope you can track down that article !

**KirkP** · 10-09-2019, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by daverepair

Regarding Les Paul & his L-7: Premier Guitar ran an interesting article about the restoration of his L-7(at Gibson), with interesting pictures, with the back off, of the x-bracing. I'll see if I can track it down.

I found it.
Les Paul’s Historic Gibson

**DMgolf66** · 12-27-2019, 02:26 PM

Does anyone recall seeing any L-7s with a routed Humbucker in their travels over the last few years?

Asking for a friend

**Hammertone** · 12-27-2019, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by DMgolf66

Does anyone recall seeing any L-7s with a routed Humbucker in their travels over the last few years? Asking for a friend

Here are a few:

**DMgolf66** · 12-27-2019, 06:37 PM

Dang, no cutaways!!!

Thanks for posting though, Hammer!

**Hammertone** · 05-25-2023, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by DMgolf66

Dang, no cutaways!!! Thanks for posting though, Hammer!

You asked about L-7 guitars. If you want pix of L-7C and L-7P guitars modified with routed-in humbuckers, those can easily be found.
-Jack Wilkins' guitar with a single added humbucker;
-'58 L-7C converted to CES style;
-'69 L-7C converted to CES style.

**Hammertone** · 05-25-2023, 06:00 PM

And, of course, the one for sale on this very forum, by our very own Mccolalx:

**skykomishone** · 05-26-2023, 11:27 AM

I will no longer refer to an L7 as a 'Poor man's L5'. Anyone who owns an L7 cannot be assumed poor. If mine were the only guitar that I owned, regardless of the size of my bank account, I would not consider myself worse off not having instead an L5.

If I were a wealthy man, I would still cherish my '44 L7 more than my L5! It's value cannot be measured in dollars to me!