Gibson L-5 CES Natural + Polytone Minibrute

**Fred Archtop** · 12-27-2020, 03:29 PM

Dear Jazzers,

Here is a new demo of a magic combo: L5 CES + Polytone. I love more and more this tone.

I wish you a safe and great Xmas break.

Cheers.

**Max405** · 12-27-2020, 04:00 PM

An L5, a Polytone and a great player.. what can be better?
Fred, I love your playing. You lay back and let the tension build and then let loose in a very controlled manner.
There is nothing better than a beautiful L5 in a great players hands.
Thank you Freddy..
Joe D

Originally Posted by Fred Archtop

Dear Jazzers,

Here is a new demo of a magic combo: L5 CES + Polytone. I love more and more this tone.

I wish you a safe and great Xmas break.

Cheers.

**citizenk74** · 12-27-2020, 05:41 PM

The estimable Joe D. nails it. You put all the right notes in just the right places, Fred. You do your fine instruments justice. Well done!

**FredH** · 12-27-2020, 06:13 PM

Great playing as always, Fred. Wonderful sound for certain. But the magic is in the hands of the player. No doubt a great guitar and amp, but you could make a broken cigar box guitar sound elegant. Bravo!

**QAman** · 12-27-2020, 06:15 PM

Fred Archtop,
Very fine playing and awesome tone ! For that pure jazz tone - nothing seems to compares to the L5CES. Perhaps it’s that bridge pickup which stiffens / brightens up the softness/ darkness of the neck pickup.

The notes just roll of the fingerboard - and it provides that added bit of inspiration that helps us reach our full potential.

Thanks for sharing.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**Max405** · 12-27-2020, 06:42 PM

Steve, that is so well put. With an L5, notes ROLL off the fingerboard.
That is so right.
The L5 would inspire the “uninspireable”. But put it in the hands of someone who has the talent, the sky is the limit. That’s what we see here.
JD

**QAman** · 12-27-2020, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by Max405

Steve, that is so well put. With an L5, notes ROLL off the fingerboard.
That is so right.
The L5 would inspire the “uninspireable”. But put it in the hands of someone who has the talent, the sky is the limit. That’s what we see here.
JD

Joe,
It’s true - the notes roll off the board, it’s the continuity of sound energy and it makes our playing sound so good because of the ease at which we can create lines.
I’m not an electric player as you know, but when I plug in an L5, I can play stuff that’s not possible on an acoustic Archtop.

The L5 is revered for good reason.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**skykomishone** · 12-27-2020, 07:39 PM

That's very nice! Thank you Fred! Hearing your playing helped make my day. The combination sounds fantastic, with your playing! Just like making wine. Can't make great wine with poor fruit, but you can make poor wine from great fruit. Your equipment is great, but it doesn't play itself, and that's where the magic happens. You're making a great sound with it!

**silverfoxx** · 12-27-2020, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by QAman

Fred Archtop,
Very fine playing and awesome tone ! For that pure jazz tone - nothing seems to compares to the L5CES. Perhaps it’s that bridge pickup which stiffens / brightens up the softness/ darkness of the neck pickup.

The notes just roll of the fingerboard - and it provides that added bit of inspiration that helps us reach our full potential.

Thanks for sharing.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Steve,
Your analysis is spot on , i maintained that the 2 pickups on an L5CES provide a different tone to
the L5 one pickup model, that is why i badly missed my own ,which was identical to Fred Archtop's
The mass of the bridge pickup seems to damp down the top of he guitar giving the unique tone
that almost every player strives for. Having had both Crimson custom models, that is my opinion.
I am aware of conflicting opinions of this , but the Campellone , which I love and a Wesmo do
produce a different tone to the L5CES, even with the bridge pickup turned off.

**QAman** · 12-27-2020, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by silverfoxx

Steve,
Your analysis is spot on , i maintained that the 2 pickups on an L5CES provide a different tone to
the L5 one pickup model, that is why i badly missed my own ,which was identical to Fred Archtop's
The mass of the bridge pickup seems to damp down the top of he guitar giving the unique tone
that almost every player strives for. Having had both Crimson custom models, that is my opinion.
I am aware of conflicting opinions of this , but the Campellone , which I love and a Wesmo do
produce a different tone to the L5CES, even with the bridge pickup turned off.

Alan,
Bill Comins spoke about liking the two pickup design over the single pickup as well.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**jazzkritter** · 12-27-2020, 10:48 PM

Fred nice playing !
Can’t do clear and clean harmonic soloing without the bridge pickup, ala Tal Farlow.
Course Wes or Ellis or JP didn’t employ that trick.... so a neck pup suited those styles just fine.
oh, can’t do Lenny Breau harmonic chords either without the bridge pup.
So... glad my 89 CESN has ‘em)))

**Max405** · 12-28-2020, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by QAman

Alan,
Bill Comins spoke about liking the two pickup design over the single pickup as well.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When I bought my 1st VSB Wes L5 from Patrick I asked him why he wasn't selling the 2 pickup CES. He said, "I just like the 2 Pickup L5 better..".

**lawson-stone** · 12-28-2020, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by Fred Archtop

Dear Jazzers,

Here is a new demo of a magic combo: L5 CES + Polytone. I love more and more this tone.

I wish you a safe and great Xmas break.

Cheers.

Fantastic! The tone reminds me of Joshua Breakstone, Which is a complement to both of you!

**vinnyv1k** · 12-28-2020, 05:06 PM

Fred you certainly have everything covered in the archtop tone department. Bravo !

**Fred Archtop** · 12-28-2020, 06:20 PM

Dear friends archtopers (but nothing wrong with solid bodies...),

Thank you for your kind comments. I must say that this guitar makes me hesitating on what's the best possible tone to me. You may know my dedication to guitars equipped with Charlie Christian PU, but man, an L5 CES with humbuckers is divine.

Cheers.

**lawson-stone** · 12-28-2020, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by Fred Archtop

Dear friends archtopers (but nothing wrong with solid bodies...),

Thank you for your kind comments. I must say that this guitar makes me hesitating on what's the best possible tone to me. You may know my dedication to guitars equipped with Charlie Christian PU, but man, an L5 CES with humbuckers is divine.

Cheers.

What is so inspiring to me about this is that I have both the L5ces and the Polytone... not the chops or good taste... but still this inspires me to work on the tone quality of my playing with these two very central, fundamental tools of this music.

What I often lack is inspiration, and you've given me solid boost of inspiration here!

You're posts are always helpful and positive, you put great music out there and spread a lot of joy. Thank you.

**rrbasic** · 12-28-2020, 08:26 PM

Wonderful.

**Max405** · 12-28-2020, 09:18 PM

Lawson, May Freddie’s playing inspire your playing for years to come. (Sorry SS, I couldn’t help myself). You have the talent, the most beautiful L5CES and at least 30 or 40 Polytones. Whip up some stuff for us.

Joe D

**lawson-stone** · 12-29-2020, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by Max405

Lawson, May Freddie’s playing inspire your playing for years to come. (Sorry SS, I couldn’t help myself). You have the talent, the most beautiful L5CES and at least 30 or 40 Polytones. Whip up some stuff for us.

Joe D

Alas... I have only 2 Polytones left, the best of a large herd I've had, deep end of the gene pool as it were. I keep them for breeding purposes.

Thanks for the kind words. I might take a break from all my excursions into Fender amps and spend some time re-connecting with the Brutes.