-
Hi, new to the forums, I joined specifically to ask this...
I have been saving pennies to get a Sadowsky LS17, then along comes a good deal on a 1990s L5 CES. I have a 2003 ES175 and a 1990s Les Paul Custom, so I was purposefully trying to stay away from Gibson with my next guitar purchase; I like my ES175, but have yet to find its unique voice, if it even has one...
So, question to you lucky L5 owners, compared to other Gibsons (and all other guitars, for that matter) you've owned, does your L5 have its own, distinctive, unique, voice?
i.e. do I buy the damn thing and never look back, or are there simply too many other great guitars on the market today at more reasonable prices?
-
07-12-2014 02:45 AM
-
> do I buy the damn thing
yes you do
-
I don't think you can really go wrong with an L5. That said, I love both my Sadowsky and my L5 for different reasons.
If it is a really good deal, I would buy it too.
-
What makes a guitar great is different for every musician. L5's and 175's are like the Jazz standard so if you found a deal and can afford it buy it, if it doesn't suit you there is always a market to sell it to someone else.
Remember you're what give a guitar its unique voice.
-
You might not like this response, but I'm going to give you my honest opinion.
If you have to ask whether or not you should buy an L5 . . then, you just don't understand what the guitar is and as such you probably aren't ready for it yet.
"Lemme 'splain". An L5, L5C or L5CES is a very special guitar . . as I'm sure you know. But, it's not special because it has the most wonderful musical voice of any other guitar out there. It's not special because it plays better than any other guitar out there. It's not special because it's made better than any other guitar out there. Truth be told . . it's not the best out there in any of those catagories. However, it's true that the really great L5s are definitely among the very best out there in all catagories mentioned.
There are other guitars that you can buy at a fraction of the price of what a really good L5 will cost . . and they will more than likely be just as good . . and in some cases even better.
But, here's what an L5 guitar is . . to many people, including myself;
An L5 guitar is an iconic jazz instrument with probably the best history of any other jazz guitar . . ever. It's a status symbol. It's a privilege. It's an investment that will almost never cost you money . . as most of it's original cost is almost always re-couped upon selling it. It's a statement to be made when one is seen playing it in public. It's an attitude. It's a sense of having arrived . . a sense of accomplishment. It's an indulgence. It's an object of self gratification. It's an object from which one derives a certain sense of pride of owning one. It's a guitar that those of us with huge egos can brag on. It's a work of art, to be consumed by one's eyes and enjoyed by one's ability to comprehend and appreciat the thought and planning that went into its developement and evolution.
If owning an L5 doesn't spark any of those sentiments within you . . then, you're probably not ready for one . . or you really don't need one . . because most any other quality guitar will give you the satisfaction you need.
-
You've hit the nail on the head, this is exactly the reason why I have not bought the guitar yet. The "privilege", "ego", "sense of having arrived", "sense of accomplishment", none of these things speak to me. The chance to coax something magical out of my first carved archtop, is closer to where my head is.
Originally Posted by Patrick2
Although, I wouldnt totally rule out a wicked little grin every time I popped the case open...
-
I "liked" Patrick's post because it resonates with me. But let's leave out "privilege" and "ego" for the moment, as those are somewhat non-musical, selfish words. An L-5 also inspires desire, joy, and cries "play me NOW." It is a sound that one doesn't get on any other guitar. But you have to be aware of that sound, and care about it, and seek it... otherwise it's a bit wasted on you. If you haven't discovered the voice of your ES-175, which also has a classic, terrific sound, then perhaps you're not quite there yet.
On the other hand, why bother spending all that hard-saved cash on an LS-17? I was not that impressed with them (vs. my L-5s) when I played them at Sadowsky's shop. They are very nice, but they cost over four thousand dollars, and they are made in Asia with a poly finish and you will lose $1K in resale value the moment you drive off the proverbial dealer's lot. An L-5 doesn't have that penalty if you stay within established market boundaries.
-
You buy the LS-17 if it plays better and sounds better--TO YOU.
L5's are awesome. But maybe something else is more awesome.
Im not into the "iconic" business, nor do I think you need to be "ready" for a guitar. Maybe you need to be ready for some judgemental guitar players who will look down on ya if you can't play well and own their fetish box. Haters. Screw 'em.
-
An L-5 is not a Rolex, it's not a Bentley, it's not a particularly expensive instrument. I haul a Super-400 around five or six nights a week to make a living ... it's just a tool. Patrick's post describes owners, not instruments. If it doesn't describe you, you're better off. Here's my question, are you a pro ... will you be writing the cost of the guitar off your taxes? If so, get the one that speaks to you musically. Unless you're wealthy, I wouldn't buy a guitar that can't be resold for a big percentage of the cost. ( BTW, of the two, I'd get an L-5. )
-
Contemplating an L5... is about as close as I'll ever get in this life.
-
I feel the same way regarding my dream guitar a Gibson Tal Farlow which is not even as desirable for most people.
Thing is I don't consider myself a jazz player or even having the chops and earning a living playing music.
However the ONLY reason I don't yet own one is strictly monetary and not judgemental based...like previously said, a guitar is a tool and not something you deserve or not...simply something you can or not afford!
If you like the L5 and can afford one...well get it
Someday the stars will also be aligned for me and I will satisfy my crave
-
Personally I've never asked a large group of people - known to me or anonymous - whether or not to purchase an object of significance. I'd have to surmise that a person who does so is really seeking approval, or at least seeking to confirm if his/her desires are valid by the rather unscientific show-of-hands method.
I mean really, who gives a shit what other people think? (Well, at least you asked a bunch of archtop nuts.)
Get the L-5 if you want it bad and it calls to you. Screw the internet and its fickle opinions as represented herein, or anywhere else for that matter.
-
Yeah, obviously its all going to come down to how it feels in my hands and whether or not I feel a connection to the instrument.
Knowing the history of the L5, I was more interested in hearing from L5 owners if the guitar lived up to its legendary status; beyond the shallow stuff (famous players, how it looks, etc).
I might have given the wrong impression of my ES175. Its an absolute work horse, very steady, very consistence, I know what I'm going to get every time I pick it up. But its got some annoying cosmetic stuff, annoying because of the price of the guitar and the seeming lack of quality control at Gibson. Coming from a classical background, I've very leary of new guitars and always buy used, money is always a concern, so an instrument thats been alive for a while gives me more piece of mind. Character and individuality, in instruments, is critical to me.
-
You heard the true meaning and the true intent of my words, and you were not offended by them. Good on you!! Originally Posted by Phiberopttic
However, I did leave one very important word out of my post . . and Roger (rpguitar) picked up on it. Inspired. You too picked up on it by saying that you want to coax something beautiful out of it. You'll need to, or want to be inspired by what ever arch top you choose to buy, in order to coax your best "something magical" out of it. I also agree with Roger's comments that if you can't find the "magic" in an ES 175 . . then you ain't gonna find it in an L5 either. I was going to say that in my first reply to you . . . but, I was already concerned that it's bluntness might be taken the wrong way even as it was written even without pointing that out.
Some of the posts, or at least some of the words within the posts, chiding some of my sentiments speak to exactly why one shouldn't single out a very expensive L5 from all of the other great options out there for less money.
rpguitar wants to leave the words privilege and ego out of the equation. I do not. Because, that's part of it for more people than it's not. I've heard Roger play. Roger can "coax" beautiful music out of many other arch tops. It doesn't really "need" to be an L5, or an L5C, or an L5CES. Yet, he has . . or had one or more of each. There's a reason for that. Roger may choose to use different words . . but, what ever words one chooses to use . . the underlying meaning is usually the same. As Roger points out . . an L5 does indeed have its own unique and distinct voice. But, you'd need dog like hearing to discern that voice from similar ones of similar and less expensive guitars. That was proven here on this forum by a player who posted samples of various L5s, Golden Eagles, an L4 and one or two others, if I remember correctly.
Jeff . (Mr. B) . . indicates he's not into the iconic aspect of it. But, something tells me that if he owned one he'd cherish it [almost] as if it were one of his own children.
SuperFour00 has been lugging a Super 400 around to gigs 4 or 5 nights a week for God knows how long. Why is that? It certainly isn't because that's the only tool he can use in his trade . . . or because he can't get a good enough jazz tone to please himself, the band members or the audience, out of any other big jazz box. He can't believe that he needs a Super 400 to do his job . . and no other arch top will do. That would be kinda/sorta like saying . . "I wear a Rolex because I need to know what time it is" . . or . . "I drive a Bentley because I need it for transportation". No, he chose to buy and use the Super 400 because that's the guitar that pleases him the most. (indulgence? privilege? ego gratification?) There's no doubt in my mind, that some of the reasons I mentioned in my first post on this thread factor into him being willing to lug that big ass monster around. And . . really . . who can blame him? He worked his ass off to be jazz guitar gig capable. That in and of itself entitles him to spread his tail feathers in pride every time he's seen in public playing it. I know I would!
I agree with SuperFour00 that my comments describe owners and not instruments. I specifically worded them to be interpretted that way. That's why I used such words as ego, privilege, indulgence, brag, self gratification. If none of those things are important to you . . you really don't "need" to own an L5 . . any more than SuperFour00 "needs" to own a Super 400. You don't go out and buy an L5 or a Super 400 because you "need" that specific guitar . . unless you are playing a character roll of either Wes or Kenny Burrell. Then, you'll "need" that specific guitar . . just like an actor playing the roll of Jimi or Stevie would "need" a strat. No . . you buy an L5 or a Super 400 purely because you "want" that specific guitar. That . . my friends . . is called self gratification, or an indulgence, or an ego gratification.
If getting a guitar that's inspirational to you is what's mostly important to you . . then, my advice to you would be to go out there and sample as many arch tops as you possibly can . . including L5s and Super 400s. Play all that you can until you find the one that you can't put down . . the one that you would fight Mike Tyson to keep him from taking it from you . . the one that gives you a hard-on everytime you pick it up. Then . . and only then, look up at the head stock and see what brand it is.
Make no mistake about it. Regardless of what anyone might believe or say . . buying a a Gibson L5, L5C, L5 Wes or L5CES is indeed an unnecessary indulgence . . . and one that I couldn't be without.
-
When you pick up a used L-5 and play it, you feel and hear everything it has to offer musically. What secrets will we reveal that a test drive wouldn't? Originally Posted by Phiberopttic
"How it looks" is shallow, so you want something in addition to your 175, because it has some "annoying cosmetic stuff?"
I think you want "peace of mind", maybe not.
-
Oh, you bet I'd cherish it. Im just sayimg I have no lust for an L5 because its an L5.
I lust for a guitar because I can imagine loving playing it.
And yes, I can certainly imagine loving playing an L5.
-
Yeah . . and that's exactly what I meant when I said "ready" for the guitar. I certainly wasn't referencing ready in a sense of meaning playing ability. I that were the only criteria, I'd never deserve one. You said it all when you said "I have no lust for an L5 because it's an L5". That's exactly my point. That's pretty much why most people target buying one . . . "because it's an L5". Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
-
Oh my, so seeking options from L5 owners on this forum was probably a bad idea. Originally Posted by SuperFour00
-
I thought you were seeking "opinions", maybe not. Originally Posted by Phiberopttic
-
An excellent answer...I'd buy even if you are not ready for it. Mature into it. Originally Posted by Patrick2
-
I know of a sweetheart 92 Blonde Guild Artist Award that's looking for a new lover-compares to a L-5C with a floating JS type pickup very well...and you won't find a L-5C for my asking price. Sorry, couldn't resist my sales pitch
-
It's only a bad idea, if you were seeking only answers which you wanted to hear in the first place. Did you need input from those of us forumites? Or, did you need affirmation? Originally Posted by Phiberopttic
It's only a bad idea, if you do not take every bit of sage advice that all who replied generously offered you . . and the filter it all through your own individual wants and needs . . and come to a conclusion based purely upon what pleases you and you alone.
-
Yeah . . but then . . you're the kinda guy who just bought 3 Super Eagles for no other reason than . . you just had to have them. lolol Boy-o-boy . . can I ever relate to THAT feeling!! Originally Posted by peterbright
-
Not exactly... I just didn't want the OP to fixate only on those words, as if they alone were the driving reason to own an L-5. I agree with you that such a guitar makes one proud, and at least gives one the chance of proving one's good taste. Originally Posted by Patrick2
Originally Posted by Phiberopttic
Are you kidding?! You won't find a more passionate bunch of wackos to talk with about that subject. Come on in, the water's fine! Just make sure you can swim!
Everyone is unique in our priorities, inspirations, and influences. I will readily admit that certain brands and models of guitar inspire me simply because they are what they are. I am like that in general. I own a vintage sports car, cool old bikes that I've restored, and other special bits of history/nostalgia. My newest Gibson archtop is 15 years old - the rest are between 40 and 85! I know that Patrick shares this sensibility, so he and I are coming at you from a similar perspective.
Put another way, and simply: A Gibson L-5 is an iconic guitar, and is not just a tool. (I also own a Super 400 BTW, and neither is that a tool!) If such things inspire you, perhaps you'll enjoy owning and PLAYING one. If you have other priorities, then perhaps you should not worry too much about the "deal" you've discovered, and stay your course towards the Sadowsky.
-
It's a tool for me ... not as attractive as a handmade, especially an old D'Angelico, but it gets the job done, pays my bills. It's the 3/4 ton pick-up that gets used on the farm and gets mud on the fenders. Wash the mud off, it's a shiny tool. Originally Posted by rpguitar
Reply With Quote
Recommandations for Hollowbodies for $600 and under?
Today, 05:20 AM in Guitar, Amps & Gizmos