Peter Bernstein on Gibson L-5

**jzjazz** · 01-05-2017, 04:51 AM

Hi guys,

I'm currently listening to the great record Freedom in the Groove by Joshua Redman with Peter Bernstein on guitar and I really dig Peter's sound (and playing - of course)! Hard to find online which guitar he was using for that record but there are some videos from that time where he's playing an L-5 (probably Wes model? It's got one pickup) and sounds amazing:

For me - better than on his Zeidler (e.g. on "Let Loose"), which has some outstanding midrange frequencies which make it sound unique and still very good, but not as good as an good old L-5 :-)

Hope you disagree? :-)

**jorgemg1984** · 01-05-2017, 06:32 AM

My favorite Pete's sound was always on "Signs of Life" and "Somethin's Burnin'", both recorded with the L-5. You can't beat a good Gibson for amplified tone... one thing about the Zeidler is how it feels when you play it, I bet it beats the L-5 on that regard - and guitar feel is very important, imo.

**konstantine** · 01-05-2017, 02:18 PM

I might be the minority here, but I prefer his sound with the Zeidler, truly a unique voice! But, Peter is always great anyway.

**bmw2002** · 01-05-2017, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by konstantine

I might be the minority here, but I prefer his sound with the Zeidler, truly a unique voice! But, Peter is always great anyway.

I am a huge PB fan .. see him play live whenever I can, etc. I made a comment to my guitar teacher the other day (also a big PB fan) that I did prefer the actual sound of the L5 he played on his very earliest albums to the Zeidler. I find the Zeidler to be a bit bright and percussive compared to the L5, but obviously still a fantastic instrument. After a lively discussion, we had to agree to disagree -- and my teacher plays an beautiful early 60's L5.

But I think konstantine makes an excellent point, that the association of that Zeidler with PB really is the "voice" he's chosen to express his mastery of the genre. I've also heard that he only owns two guitars -- I find that inspirational (if it's true) in a world where guitar heroes often seem to have warehouses full of un-played instruments.

**wintermoon** · 01-05-2017, 03:01 PM

After playing his 175 for yrs, and then the Wes for awhile, Pete settled on the Zeidler.
The Zeidler may sound bright [it's a floating pu guitar, so a bit hard to compare to a built in pu]
I spoke to him about this, he really didn't like the L-5 at all.

But he loves the Zeidler, it's really been his only guitar for the last 15 yrs or so.
John really wanted to make him a new one since the one he had was one of the first if not the first John made and he felt his new guitars were much better [what luthier doesn't think this?], and iirc was about to make him one, but alas it wasn't to be...

**goldenwave77** · 01-05-2017, 03:14 PM

I love the sound of an L5, but I think when you hear one, there's no doubt what you're hearing. It's such a big, rich sound that it can maybe overshadow the nuances of someone's playing.

I think a Strat and a Les Paul are like this. With a Strat, different players sound more different than they would on a Les Paul.

A 175 is less rich, cleaner with fewer overtones. Sometimes less is more--as far as allowing us to hear individuality. Kind of like a Hammond B-3 vs. an acoustic piano, or a Fender bass v. an upright.

I always thought George B. moved away from the L5 thing, and sought a cleaner, more upper range sound, because superficially his playing is a bit like Wes M. : Heavy groove, and lots of slides.

**jordanklemons** · 01-05-2017, 03:30 PM

If I had to pick, I'd say I prefer the Zeidler as well. Partially just because of my own personal preferences, and partially because I read somewhere (I think it was an interview with Pete) where he said that with the Zeidler, it was "love at first strum." I like to hear an artist when they're really coming through and expressing with the voice they're most happy with.

Either way... killin' video... nice find man, I hadn't seen that one yet!! Thanks for sharing it!

**David B** · 01-05-2017, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by jordanklemons

Either way... killin' video... nice find man, I hadn't seen that one yet!! Thanks for sharing it!

Hi guys. Here's the full set:

**jorgemg1984** · 01-05-2017, 05:12 PM

This is a great example of his early Gibson sound - and a good excuse to hear a very young Brad Mehldau.

**goldenwave77** · 01-05-2017, 05:20 PM

That's the real deal.

**bmw2002** · 01-05-2017, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

This is a great example of his early Gibson sound - and a good excuse to hear a very young Brad Mehldau.

A couple of years ago I got to see Peter, Mehldau, Christian McBride and Greg Hutchinson at Dizzy's near Lincoln Center. Fantastic show.

**jorgemg1984** · 01-05-2017, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by bmw2002

A couple of years ago I got to see Peter, Mehldau, Christian McBride and Greg Hutchinson at Dizzy's near Lincoln Center. Fantastic show.

Wow, that's the group from "Signs of Life". Would have loved to see that show...

**feral guitar** · 01-05-2017, 06:48 PM

i hear his Grant Green influence with that guitar

**Cunamara** · 01-05-2017, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by konstantine

I might be the minority here, but I prefer his sound with the Zeidler, truly a unique voice! But, Peter is always great anyway.

He's recognizably himself on any axe, as far as I can tell. But I prefer his sound with the Zeidler.

**kevmoga** · 01-05-2017, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

This is a great example of his early Gibson sound - and a good excuse to hear a very young Brad Mehldau.

So when you say "early Gibson sound" - is this clip the 175 or L5? Whichever, I like!

**jzjazz** · 01-06-2017, 05:24 AM

Originally Posted by kevmoga

So when you say "early Gibson sound" - is this clip the 175 or L5? Whichever, I like!

I don't know but it can be either a L-5 or the best-sounding-175 I've ever heard ;-)

**kris** · 01-06-2017, 06:03 AM

I prefer his sound with the Zeidler.

**jorgemg1984** · 01-06-2017, 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by kevmoga

So when you say "early Gibson sound" - is this clip the 175 or L5? Whichever, I like!

Well, to be honest, I think it's a Gibson Wes Montgomery and not an L5 - and I believe that's what he used to record all his early records... It doesn't sound like a 175 AT ALL.

**kris** · 01-06-2017, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

Well, to be honest I think it's a Gibson Wes Montgomery and not an L5 - and I believe that's what he used to record all his records.. It doesn't sound like an 175 AT ALL.

Gibson Wes Montgomery...:-)...on this Gibson Wes sounds completly different...different right hand technique.

**jorgemg1984** · 01-06-2017, 08:39 AM

What do you mean? I don't hear any right hand difference, just two very different instruments.

**ESCC** · 01-06-2017, 12:40 PM

PB looks much more comfortable playing the Zeidler over the L-5

**yebdox** · 01-06-2017, 10:54 PM

I can't find this on YouTube anymore, (so I just posted it) but it's an average (sound quality, not playing) recording of Peter on his 175 with Larry Goldings from the early 90's. I was under the impression that he played the 175 longer than the L5. He sounded great when he played in town with Diana Krall and had his L5 then, but he swore to me later that he didn't have it then, when I took a lesson with him a few years back. But, I know an L5 when I see one (I have one) and, it being the very first time I had heard Peter, it made a definite impression on me.

I would say that at least a few of his early albums are the 175.

Enjoy.

**kris** · 01-07-2017, 06:37 AM

Originally Posted by yebdox

I can't find this on YouTube anymore, (so I just posted it) but it's an average (sound quality, not playing) recording of Peter on his 175 with Larry Goldings from the early 90's. I was under the impression that he played the 175 longer than the L5. He sounded great when he played in town with Diana Krall and had his L5 then, but he swore to me later that he didn't have it then, when I took a lesson with him a few years back. But, I know an L5 when I see one (I have one) and, it being the very first time I had heard Peter, it made a definite impression on me.

I would say that at least a few of his early albums are the 175.

Enjoy.

I like PB sound on the 175 very much.
Thanks for the video.
Best
Kris