Tailpiece is on this Gibson L5?

**Jim Soloway** · 02-11-2015, 01:00 PM

I was asked by a friend. Anyone know. TIA.

Tailpiece is on this Gibson L5?-screen-shot-2015-02-11-8-58-42-am-png

**wintermoon** · 02-11-2015, 01:02 PM

Ibanez.

but what's w/the maple top?

**docbop** · 02-11-2015, 01:06 PM

Yes, that looks like a Ibanez George Benson tailpiece. Also a Lollar humbucker sized P90?

**Patrick2** · 02-11-2015, 01:07 PM

Any way to get a full view of the guitar? How are you sure it's even an L5? That'
s definitely an Ibanez TP, as wintermoon mentioned. Could this be a variant of the Ibanez knock offs of the Gibson L5? To my knowledge, Gibson never made a maple top L5.

**Jim Soloway** · 02-11-2015, 01:13 PM

I'm not really knowledgeable about L5's and given who's playing, it could very well be an Ibanez.

**wintermoon** · 02-11-2015, 01:18 PM

the video link shows it to be an L-5 w/ a maple top.

essentially an ES-350 w/L-5 cosmetics [can't tell if it's ebony or rosewood board though...]

**Archie** · 02-11-2015, 01:19 PM

George benson model tail piece with adjustable tension.

Gibson L5 custom with maple top?

**Max405** · 02-11-2015, 02:21 PM

Pickups are wrong too.
We'll just call it an L5CES Frankenstein version..
JD

**GNAPPI** · 02-11-2015, 09:49 PM

Here's a screencap of the head

Tailpiece is on this Gibson L5?-custom_l5-jpg

**Patrick2** · 02-11-2015, 10:07 PM

That would have been quite a custom spec. The guy who ordered it must have had real pull with Gibson. Maybe he was a . . . Rep?? :-)

What about the possibility of a reneck using an L5 neck on a different maker's box??? Nahhh . . . probably not.

**GNAPPI** · 02-12-2015, 06:34 AM

Originally Posted by Patrick2

That would have been quite a custom spec. The guy who ordered it must have had real pull with Gibson. Maybe he was a . . . Rep?? :-)

What about the possibility of a reneck using an L5 neck on a different maker's box??? Nahhh . . . probably not.

Yeah, add to that the head inlay looks like a lotus blossom.

**Archie** · 02-12-2015, 07:13 AM

Originally Posted by GNAPPI

Yeah, add to that the head inlay looks like a lotus blossom.

If you look closely at the beginning you can see the Logo and flower pot.

**Greentone** · 02-12-2015, 08:48 AM

I have seen a few customized Gibsons in the past that had L5 necks, e.g., ES-345/355 w/L5 style neck. I don't know if Gibson's Memphis operation (custom shop) does this, too, but the guitar looks like a Memphis-type guitar.

FWIW, an L5 with a maple top could be an interesting idea...or even an L5 with a laminated body--for high-volume use on stage. Matsumoku (Aria Pro II, etc.) used to make the PE 180. Essentially, it was this guitar. It is a great stage guitar. I have one and really like it. I would prefer a Gibson, but Gibson doesn't offer an L5 with a lam-body.

**wintermoon** · 02-12-2015, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by Greentone

I have seen a few customized Gibsons in the past that had L5 necks, e.g., ES-345/355 w/L5 style neck. I don't know if Gibson's Memphis operation (custom shop) does this, too, but the guitar looks like a Memphis-type guitar.

FWIW, an L5 with a maple top could be an interesting idea...or even an L5 with a laminated body--for high-volume use on stage. Matsumoku (Aria Pro II, etc.) used to make the PE 180. Essentially, it was this guitar. It is a great stage guitar. I have one and really like it. I would prefer a Gibson, but Gibson doesn't offer an L5 with a lam-body.

the only basic non cosmetic difference between this guitar and an ES-350 is an ebony board vs. rosewood.

**Archie** · 02-12-2015, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by Greentone

I have seen a few customized Gibsons in the past that had L5 necks, e.g., ES-345/355 w/L5 style neck. I don't know if Gibson's Memphis operation (custom shop) does this, too, but the guitar looks like a Memphis-type guitar.

FWIW, an L5 with a maple top could be an interesting idea...or even an L5 with a laminated body--for high-volume use on stage. Matsumoku (Aria Pro II, etc.) used to make the PE 180. Essentially, it was this guitar. It is a great stage guitar. I have one and really like it. I would prefer a Gibson, but Gibson doesn't offer an L5 with a lam-body.

Well they have a new 'Formed' guitar coming that should be just that.

**Greentone** · 02-12-2015, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

the only basic non cosmetic difference between this guitar and an ES-350 is an ebony board vs. rosewood.

Yes...some sonic differences, but not much. The full-scale 350 sounds GREAT.

**mr quick** · 02-12-2015, 05:29 PM

GB10 Tailpiece, to be specific.

**Archie** · 02-12-2015, 07:39 PM

Originally Posted by Marwin Moody

GB10 Tailpiece, to be specific.

And 15 and 20.

**jads57** · 02-12-2015, 10:00 PM

This guitar construction maple top L-5CES brings up some interesting points of discussion. Patrick please chime in here, but doesn't Heritage actually carve the maple tops like spruce tops on some of their archtop guitars? If they do indeed hand carve a maple top (A HARD JOB) how would they translate tonally different than an equivilent spruce hand carved top? I have seen that Dale Unger makes some very high end archtops this way as well as his lower priced laminate models as well.

**mr quick** · 02-13-2015, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven

And 15 and 20.

Are they still in production?

**Woody Sound** · 02-13-2015, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by jads57

This guitar construction maple top L-5CES brings up some interesting points of discussion. Patrick please chime in here, but doesn't Heritage actually carve the maple tops like spruce tops on some of their archtop guitars? If they do indeed hand carve a maple top (A HARD JOB) how would they translate tonally different than an equivilent spruce hand carved top? I have seen that Dale Unger makes some very high end archtops this way as well as his lower priced laminate models as well.

To my ear the maple has a pronounced upper midrange clang, whereas the spruce is more evenly full. But the difference is more noticeable acoustically than electrically. JME

**Patrick2** · 02-13-2015, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by jads57

This guitar construction maple top L-5CES brings up some interesting points of discussion. Patrick please chime in here, but doesn't Heritage actually carve the maple tops like spruce tops on some of their archtop guitars? If they do indeed hand carve a maple top (A HARD JOB) how would they translate tonally different than an equivilent spruce hand carved top? I have seen that Dale Unger makes some very high end archtops this way as well as his lower priced laminate models as well.

Yes . . Heritage does offer solid carved maple tops. But regarding the difficulty of the carving, it's not a hand carved top. The carve is started with a pin router . . much like a pantograph. The is *some* hand carving done, but not too much. It's then finished on a slack bely sander.

Regarding the tone; let's just say, it's different than spruce. ;-)

**mr. beaumont** · 02-13-2015, 11:22 AM

Yeah, I have a maple topped 575. It's not very loud, but the tone unplugged is pleasantly mellow and good for unplugged couch practice. The top is pretty thick.

Plugged in it's...different than a laminated top...it doesn't thunk like a 175, it's a more even tone, a bit more sustain. Not better, just different. I would think the idea of a carved maple top would be to have a guitar that is pretty feedback resistant (as maple is a good deal more rigid than spruce) that retains more of the character of a solid topped guitar plugged in, but doesn't supply much acoustic volume (sometimes that blend of acoustic and electric is nice, but sometimes you just want that plugged in tone)

**2bornot2bop** · 02-13-2015, 02:17 PM

It's not a Gibson but the Napolitano Jazz Box, a 17" by Arthur Napolitano, has a full maple body. I'm assuming it's fully carved.

1998 Napolitano Jazz Box