1940 Gibson L-5N formerly owned by Dave Barbour

**cgratham** · 01-05-2018, 03:06 PM

That's fantastic Fred Archtop!

I love your playing, your guitars, and how rock that scarf

**hotpepper01** · 01-05-2018, 03:16 PM

That is a wonderfull guitar in very capable hands. Congratulations and enjoy her many years in good health.

**pilotony** · 01-05-2018, 03:38 PM

Incredible find, Fred. That guitar has definitely found a good home with an excellent guitarist.

Tony D.

**citizenk74** · 01-05-2018, 03:51 PM

That guitar has a beautiful voice, and you know how to bring it forth. Congratulations, and play it in good health!

**wintermoon** · 01-05-2018, 04:29 PM

cool guitar, I wonder how it found it's way overseas.
has the optional metal button Klusons that were only available circa '39-41.
somewhere along the line it got a more modern L-5 tailpiece.
congrats, enjoy that one Fred!

**johnnyjazz** · 01-05-2018, 04:35 PM

Faaaaaaantastic, thought i was listening to Howard Alden, thank you very much for that, i smiled all the way through it. Big congrats.

**QAman** · 01-05-2018, 05:05 PM

Fred Archtop,
What a fantastic instrument with great provenance. The advanced size L5’s are great instruments ....and when broken-in exude that responsiveness and magic for which they are known.

That’s a real beauty- and if the wood could talk I’m sure there are many great stories hidden in that soul.

Wishing you many years of enjoyment !

**Bluedawg** · 01-05-2018, 05:59 PM

Awesome!

**sgosnell** · 01-05-2018, 06:14 PM

The tailpiece appears to be the same as in the picture of Peggy and Dave above, so if it was replaced, it would have had to be very soon after purchase. I don't know the date of the picture, but it's clearly in the 40s. And the stuff (can't tell what it is exactly - rubber, felt, something) threaded between the strings in front of the tailpiece to stop ringing looks familiar. I do that with some guitars.

**wintermoon** · 01-05-2018, 07:59 PM

it's postwar L-5 tailpiece, just like on Fred's '50s L-5C.
a circa 1940 L-5 t.p. would have a rectangular engraved wriggle pattern around the perimeter of the crossbar and stamped patent applied for on the mounting plate.
late 40's and onward t.p.'s had 3 horizontal engraved lines in the center of the crossbar, just like they do today..

**lawson-stone** · 01-05-2018, 10:48 PM

Just stunning, both the guitar and the playing.

**WillMbCdn5** · 01-05-2018, 10:57 PM

Lovely playing!!!!! - you and that guitar were meant to find each other

)

Will

**Burrellesque** · 01-06-2018, 05:26 AM

Wow! Congratulations Fred, that is an amazing guitar!

What is even more incredible is that we have probably all heard that guitar many times throughout our lives on numerous recordings. It's a piece of jazz history in itself.

Enjoy your 'new' guitar!

**bananafist** · 01-06-2018, 06:37 AM

I saw that on RF Charles website and thought I hope it goes to someone who'll play it, and happily it did. Wonderful guitar and such great provenance. Very happy for you.

**Drifter** · 01-06-2018, 09:22 AM

Phew, wonderful story and beautiful playing, as always. Sounds superb! I am sure that lady is just as thrilled about her new caretaker. Congrats & enjoy!

**Fred Archtop** · 01-06-2018, 02:17 PM

Hey jazzers,

Thanks for being part of the trip with me.

Now, just her.

Cheers.

**Easy2grasp** · 01-06-2018, 02:18 PM

Congrats on joining the Jazz Forum Conservators Club. That is a beautiful guitar with boatloads of provenance. It sounds incredible, too. Your have a nice feel to your playing and it jives with that guitar's voice so well. If that guitar is a magnet for blondes like Peggy Lee, then I would be gigging every night.

**nopedals** · 01-06-2018, 03:08 PM

If you look at some other Barbour videos, you see him playing a cutaway guitar with a single (CC? dogear P90?) pickup, block inlays, and a plain tailpiece.

Maybe I am missing something obvious, but I'm not recognizing a model with those specs, which indicates that he was tinkering around a bit with stock Gibsons.

BTW, guys with guitar collections like Fred's don't have to put pickups on acoustic guitars.

**Fred Archtop** · 01-06-2018, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by nopedals

If you look at some other Barbour videos, you see him playing a cutaway guitar with a single (CC? dogear P90?) pickup, block inlays, and a plain tailpiece.

Thanks for the great video. This is his Gibson ES-5, a special order with a P90 if I recall correctly. This guitar is still around in a collection but it had its genuine P90 changed for another P90 in white color.

Cheers.

**wintermoon** · 01-06-2018, 04:16 PM

It's a circa '47 custom P90 equipped ES-350 w/block inlay and plain trapeze. I wonder why he didn't like the stock 350 t.p.

**Fred Archtop** · 01-06-2018, 04:45 PM

I've Found this :

It is a Gibson ES-5, custom ordered in 1949 with only one pickup. Now the property of Robb Lawrence, who bought it years ago from Peggy Lee. The Van Eps string damper (which was made by George's dad, Fred Van Eps, BTW) is still in the case pocket About the most figured flame blond Gibson I have ever seen.

From

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!to...zz/krzfIwPJ7rM

Anyway, ES-5 and ES-350 are pretty close...

**wintermoon** · 01-06-2018, 05:00 PM

He could've just ordered a 350, but I guess he wanted an ebony board w blocks.
Besides the plain t.p. that's about the only difference between them except maybe more binding on the ES-5

**Burrellesque** · 01-06-2018, 09:59 PM

?

Somewhere in between early ES-350P and ES-5..... seen here with the white P90 and L-5 tailpiece.

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**DMgolf66** · 07-31-2020, 12:37 PM

Just watching the Peggy Lee bio "Fever: the music of Peggy Lee".
So great. Cool to see that guitar footage of Dave Barbour and his guitars, too.

**ronjazz** · 08-03-2020, 07:47 PM

Awesome, I remember hearing that guitar on recordings as I was just starting to play, and Barber was a masterful player for sure! It sounds really fine in your hands as well.