Originally Posted by
brm
I know this is an old thread but thought I would chime in.
I have an early (Feb.) 1949 L-7P. The 'P' is for premier, which is what the 1st year or so cutaway L-7 used instead of the more common L-7C. The L-5 did the same thing when the cutaway version 1st came out years earlier.
I know the L-7P has the top and back plates cut out with the cutaway shape before the carving is done. This is the prefered way to carve the top and back of an archtop guitar.
The later models will most likely have the top cut out without the cutaway (like a non-cutaway guitar shape) and then carved. After the carving is complete the cutaway portion is cut out of the top. This is why one will see a significantly wider section of binding in the area of the cutaway on many Gibson cutaway archtop guitars.
As a point of interest the reissued L-7, which is a cutaway model, the binding appears to be the same width all the way around but the guitar is actually produced the way the the later L model archtops were, with the cutaway done after the carve. If you look carefully at the cutaway section of a new L-7 you will see a small section of filler wood next to the binding. This was to make the binding look like an early L-7 without having to use the more labor intensive method of carving the top with the cutaway already in the shape of the top prior to the carve. The new L-7 also is a 24.75 scale length vs. 25.5 and is an X braced guitar. I do not know if the braces are kerfed.
This leads me to the point of kerfed braces used on all L-7's. Like so much of Gibson that is not necessarily the case. My L-7P has solid carved braces. I have looked inside and verified this. It is a paralleled braced guitar.
It is a nice guitar and I am thankful to have it.
The Guild Surfliner ... So much to like for so...
Today, 04:57 PM in Guitar, Amps & Gizmos