Famous Gibson L-7 Players?

**Macky92** · 07-01-2014, 07:50 PM

Just curious as to which famous musicians played an L7. I think Barney Kessel played one at one point, but I don't know anyone else who did.

This is my first archtop, so I'm trying to find out about its history/players.

**Greentone** · 07-01-2014, 08:15 PM

Bill Haley

**Klatu** · 07-01-2014, 08:33 PM

Doug Raney, who inherited it from his father. A humbucker had been routed into the top when he received it. Although he had inherited several instruments, including a Hofner Atilla Zoller that he enjoyed a great deal, he seemed to prefer the Gibson L7. For what it's worth, I think the sound of his Gibson through a Polytone is glorious.

**Greentone** · 07-01-2014, 08:55 PM

Randy's L7/Polytone and playing sound great.

**rpguitar** · 07-01-2014, 09:09 PM

Grant Green played a non-cut L-7 with a McCarty pickguard/pickup arrangement.

Chris Flory plays a blonde non-cut L-7 with a DeArmond. He's an enjoyable traditionalist player still quietly making the rounds.

**Eddie Lang** · 07-02-2014, 12:11 AM

Originally Posted by rpguitar

Grant Green played a non-cut L-7 with a McCarty pickguard/pickup arrangement.

Chris Flory plays a blonde non-cut L-7 with a DeArmond. He's an enjoyable traditionalist player still quietly making the rounds.

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

**voxss** · 07-02-2014, 12:38 AM

just getting a coffee and settling down to enjoy the Show.....Awesome

**PMB** · 07-02-2014, 05:04 AM

Jack Wilkins recorded his seminal album, "Windows" on an L7.

**Scot63** · 07-02-2014, 07:23 AM

I've seen several references to Wes playing an L7 (Kenny Burrell's?) on The Wes Montgomery Trio recording from 1959. Would his solo on "Missile Blues" be the same without one?

**Klatu** · 07-02-2014, 10:11 AM

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

He must be a little guy because that guitar looks like a double bass on him.

**wintermoon** · 07-02-2014, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by Macky92

Just curious as to which famous musicians played an L7. I think Barney Kessel played one at one point, but I don't know anyone else who did.

This is my first archtop, so I'm trying to find out about its history/players.

never saw Barney w/ an L-7
his main guitar was a custom Gibson ES-350 w/CC pickup

**Klatu** · 07-02-2014, 10:17 AM

I don't know if you'd classify Jeff Barone as "famous", but he's fine player. Here he is with his l7.

**Klatu** · 07-02-2014, 10:28 AM

Here's another one for you . . . Jack Wilkins. He used the L7 before the adoption of his Benedetto. Personally, I prefer his L7 tone.

**rpguitar** · 07-02-2014, 10:54 AM

To be fair, though, Wilkins put a humbucker in his L-7C, making it effectively a poor man's L-5 WesMo (and a great sound!). Jeff Barone looks to be using an Armstrong "2D" floater on his L-7C, which keeps the acoustic tone much more plainly in focus.

Great videos, thanks for sharing them.

**Klatu** · 07-02-2014, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by rpguitar

To be fair, though, Wilkins put a humbucker in his L-7C, making it effectively a poor man's L-5 WesMo (and a great sound!). Jeff Barone looks to be using an Armstrong "2D" floater on his L-7C, which keeps the acoustic tone much more plainly in focus.

Great videos, thanks for sharing them.

You've got a point. In fact, Doug Raney's L7 also has a routed humbucker installed in the neck position.

What's your take on Jeff Barone's tone? I find it too bright for my taste.

As for Jack's playing, that video is about as well as I've heard him play.

**Patrick2** · 07-02-2014, 03:05 PM

Benny Goodman featuring Louis Stewart "Rose Room"&"Honeysuckle Rose" - YouTube

**rpguitar** · 07-02-2014, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by Klatu

What's your take on Jeff Barone's tone? I find it too bright for my taste.

I dug it in his hands. I think I would feel less enamored of it in my own. I think it takes a certain finesse to play with that tone in a small combo, and he does it well. I don't think that pickup is very rich sounding, though, and it shows all the flaws in one's picking/fretting, so that's why I compliment him on it. Nice to hear something different.

**Klatu** · 07-02-2014, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by Patrick2

Benny Goodman featuring Louis Stewart "Rose Room"&"Honeysuckle Rose" - YouTube

Louis Stewart = the most criminally under-recorded musician in jazz guitar history. I can't think of a single guitarist whose bebop playing outdoes his, and he's only got a handful of obscure records to his name. It goes to show that stardom in the music industry won't grow out of Dublin.

**Patrick2** · 07-02-2014, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by Klatu

Louis Stewart = the most criminally under-recorded musician in jazz guitar history. I can't think of a single guitarist whose bebop playing outdoes his, and he's only got a handful of obscure records to his name. It goes to show that stardom in the music industry won't grow out of Dublin.

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.

**Cunamara** · 07-03-2014, 10:12 PM

Louis has exquisite taste in his playing- never overplays in anything I have heard from him.

**jazzmankg** · 07-05-2014, 11:01 PM

Originally Posted by Klatu

Doug Raney, who inherited it from his father. A humbucker had been routed into the top when he received it. Although he had inherited several instruments, including a Hofner Atilla Zoller that he enjoyed a great deal, he seemed to prefer the Gibson L7. For what it's worth, I think the sound of his Gibson through a Polytone is glorious.

Where'd you get this information from? Doug bought that guitar from Carl Thompson. He took the finish off it. Which is why it looks the way it does. He didn't get it from Dad. Dad borrowed the guitar from Doug from Live in Tokyo

**oldane** · 07-06-2014, 02:56 AM

Originally Posted by jazzmankg

Where'd you get this information from?Doug bought that guitar from Carl Thompson. He took the finish off it. Which is why it looks the way it does. He didn't get it from Dad. Dad borrowed the guitar from Doug from Live in Tokyo

But it's long gone by now. This was the 1970s. I think it was an ES350 because in addition to the neck PU it had an empty PU hole near the bridge. At the end it was very roadworn. Yes, the finish was stripped (BTW, we also stripped the painting off old furniture at that time). For a short while he used a cats eyes Gretsch with a Shadow PU. He since had another L7/ES350 which first had an original CC, later a P90 which he used for some years. He got his fathers Hofner when he died. He was out of circulation for a number of years but is now gigging now and then in Copenhagen with an Ibanez Artcore.

**oldane** · 07-06-2014, 09:29 AM

The guitars I mentioned are the ones I have myself seen him use on gigs in Copenhagen through the years. He sounded great with them all.

**Patrick2** · 07-06-2014, 09:33 AM

Originally Posted by Klatu

I don't know if you'd classify Jeff Barone as "famous", but he's fine player. Here he is with his l7.

There must be some sort of a black light on them. Because, if you look at the sunburst shaded portion of the L7 . . that's the exact effect a black light has on an all original and untouched shading as it ages.

**Patrick2** · 07-06-2014, 09:54 AM

Given your lineage, I guess you'd know better than anyone about your brother's and your dad's guitars. But, to rpguitar's point . . why travel incognito? Your dad is revered as a legend around here. Why not just let the forum members know who you are, rather than to challenge someone's posts?