2003 Gibson L-5CESN

**Stringswinger** · 09-08-2019, 02:04 AM

Originally Posted by Fred Archtop

Congrats Stringswinger. Very nice story. Everything comes one day or another to the righteous.

Cheers.

Thanks! This guitar sure is righteous.....me, I always do my best and keep my word. So far it has worked out quite well.

**Rob MacKillop** · 09-08-2019, 02:14 AM

Looks great, SS, and it is, I imagine, happy to find itself in good hands. Have fun together.

**Stringswinger** · 09-08-2019, 03:06 AM

Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop

Looks great, SS, and it is, I imagine, happy to find itself in good hands. Have fun together.

Thanks Rob! I think we are well suited. It seems that I get along quite well with Gibson L-5's.

**silverfoxx** · 09-08-2019, 04:07 AM

Its all been said already SS, it is a great acquisition and forumites
in their numbers have declared so, you will cherish that guitar for
sure. Have many years of enjoyment with it

Best 007

**Cincy2** · 09-08-2019, 05:29 AM

So glad she went to a good home. Best of luck!

Cincy

**Mark M.** · 09-08-2019, 07:53 AM

It’s a beauty! Congrats!

**Tal_175** · 09-08-2019, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by Stringswinger

I have a 1996 WESMO and I have to say, I prefer the CES. Less feedback and a slightly warmer and thicker tone. Every player will have to answer that debate for themselves.

I wonder if there is a construction difference between WesMo's and CES's other than having or not having the bridge pickup. I've at times removed the bridge pickup from my archtops, it may affect the feedback resistance but it doesn't change the amplified tone very much. Without the bridge pickup, sound gets slightly more open and less compressed, but it doesn't get brighter and thinner. WesMo's are built with thinner top and braces perhaps.

**73Fender** · 09-08-2019, 09:32 AM

That's a beauty. Another model I'd like to try but maybe I shouldn't with my GAS hstory.

I'm kind of new here but after reading a lot of the OP's posts I'm glad it wound up with him if that makes sense. Also glad it stayed here in family.

Big congrats!!

**Max405** · 09-08-2019, 09:54 AM

Marco, you can make a book of matches sound great. I’m sure this guitar is gonna make a lot of people smile.
You have picked the greatest guitars of all time to make your own. The connection between L5’s and DA’s is undeniable. You must walk into your guitar room every night and feel proud of the things you’ve accomplished and life you have lived. You made great moves Marco. Always a kind word and you even set people back into their place in a gentlemanly way.
You deserve everything you got.
Enjoy this guitar and many others to come. You are not done. Not by a long shot.
Joe D

**Midnight Blues** · 09-08-2019, 12:02 PM

Just lovely Ss! Congrats, HNGD

and play her in good health!

**Stringswinger** · 09-08-2019, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by silverfoxx

Its all been said already SS, it is a great acquisition and forumites
in their numbers have declared so, you will cherish that guitar for
sure. Have many years of enjoyment with it

Best 007

Thanks 007. Your past comments about the superior tone of the CES vs. the WESMO were, IMO, correct. And to be sure, the WESMO is a great guitar (as is the Super 400CES, which I also have in my collection), but for an electric archtop, the Gibson L-5CES is "King of the hill".

**Stringswinger** · 09-08-2019, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by Cincy2

So glad she went to a good home. Best of luck!

Cincy

Thanks again Cincy. Keeping these great archtops in the JGF family is a wonderful thing!

**Stringswinger** · 09-08-2019, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by Mark M.

It’s a beauty! Congrats!

Thank you sir!

**Stringswinger** · 09-08-2019, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by Tal_175

I wonder if there is a construction difference between WesMo's and CES's other than having or not having the bridge pickup. I've at times removed the bridge pickup from my archtops, it may affect the feedback resistance but it doesn't change the amplified tone very much. Without the bridge pickup, sound gets slightly more open and less compressed, but it doesn't get brighter and thinner. WesMo's are built with thinner top and braces perhaps.

I believe the WESMO has one less brace in addition to the one less pickup. I think that additional brace adds to the warm and thick tone of the CES. I love my WESMO and will be keeping her as well, but the CES is the better guitar and being more feedback resistant is also the more "useful" guitar.

**Stringswinger** · 09-08-2019, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by 73Fender

That's a beauty. Another model I'd like to try but maybe I shouldn't with my GAS hstory.

I'm kind of new here but after reading a lot of the OP's posts I'm glad it wound up with him if that makes sense. Also glad it stayed here in family.

Big congrats!!

Thanks! IMO, it makes perfect sense that it wound up with me.

Now I know how lottery winners feel.

**Stringswinger** · 09-08-2019, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by Max405

Marco, you can make a book of matches sound great. I’m sure this guitar is gonna make a lot of people smile.
You have picked the greatest guitars of all time to make your own. The connection between L5’s and DA’s is undeniable. You must walk into your guitar room every night and feel proud of the things you’ve accomplished and life you have lived. You made great moves Marco. Always a kind word and you even set people back into their place in a gentlemanly way.
You deserve everything you got.
Enjoy this guitar and many others to come. You are not done. Not by a long shot.
Joe D

Thanks JD. As I approach my 62nd birthday (3 months away), I look back on a life well lived, but indeed I am not done. There is more music to be played. Having the gift to play music well carries a responsibility, namely to use that gift. I am still out about 4 nights each week making the music happen. I am back up to 10 archtops (two of which once belonged to you) and all say either Gibson or D'Angelico on the headstock. These are the guitars that inspire my playing. Every player must find the right instrument(s) to make their journey a success. So far, so good here.

**Stringswinger** · 09-08-2019, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by Midnight Blues

Just lovely Ss! Congrats, HNGD

and play her in good health!

Thank you sir!

**M-ster** · 09-08-2019, 01:44 PM

Beautiful! Enjoy.

**Stringswinger** · 09-08-2019, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by M-ster

Beautiful! Enjoy.

Thank you!

**D'Aquisto Fan** · 09-08-2019, 05:46 PM

Beautiful guitar in very capable hands! Enjoy!!

**lawson-stone** · 09-08-2019, 08:34 PM

My L5ces is indeed a very inspiring guitar to play. Hard to quantify, but it's there. Also for some reason my VOS1959 ES175 inspires me. I seem to play at my best on those two instruments. I get to CA every few years, so next time I'm headed that way, I want to hear that beauty.

**Stringswinger** · 09-08-2019, 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by D'Aquisto Fan

Beautiful guitar in very capable hands! Enjoy!!

Thanks! It is a good thing that a real D'Aquisto never made it on to my bucket list. I would have to give up being a musician and go back to practicing law to cross one of those off my list.

**Stringswinger** · 09-08-2019, 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

My L5ces is indeed a very inspiring guitar to play. Hard to quantify, but it's there. Also for some reason my VOS1959 ES175 inspires me. I seem to play at my best on those two instruments. I get to CA every few years, so next time I'm headed that way, I want to hear that beauty.

Looking forward to it Lawson! And I have guitars for you to play, including a VOS 1959 ES-175.

**lawson-stone** · 09-09-2019, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by Stringswinger

Looking forward to it Lawson! And I have guitars for you to play, including a VOS 1959 ES-175.

I imagine anything in your harem would be splendid musical company during a visit. I have sporadic speaking engagements in CA near San Jose, and friends in Santa Barbara, so somehow it's got to happen.