‘34 Gibson L7 or L4?

**Flying Ashtray** · 01-31-2021, 10:44 AM

After many years of restoring and trading guitars, I’ve finally found the one to be buried with. I’d spent the last three years bringing a late forties L50 back from complete destruction, but at the end I was unsatisfied with the acoustic sound and ended up trading it and many other instruments for this gorgeous L7 (?) also in need of much work. It was sadly sent without the Dearmond FHC it was advertised with as well, but sounds so good I (almost) don’t care.

Which brings me to my main question- I’ve done some cursory looks around at ‘34 L7 listings and they all seem to have a different back piece. This one appears to be a 2 piece flamed maple sunburst. I recently found a single description online of the ‘34 L4 built with f-holes, and it actually sounds extremely like my guitar (Nick Lucas inlay, tortoise pickguard vs black with binding). I haven’t heard about f-hole L4’s really before, and wondered if anyone could help me properly identify this guitar since it’s serial has mostly faded away to my eye. The link to the L4 description is below as well.

1934 Gibson L-4

**swingitjack** · 02-02-2021, 10:54 AM

Looks like a great guitar! Was this an eBay find or a Guitar Center special?

**Dennis D** · 02-02-2021, 11:35 AM

I was a little confused about just exactly what you're asking.....Maybe others were as well.....Is that listing for your guitar or ' a ' guitar?

I'd agree with the Nick Lucas similarities ( inlays, size ) ..

So, that said, Is this what you're wanting to learn ? :

1. What exactly do I have here, or what could I have here ? ( an L-4 or a 16 in. L-7 )
2. Would spec's as built dictate the model ?

Common experiences on the forum have proven time and again that Gibson spec's can and do vary, and not all are / were written in stone back in the day.

Good luck with dialing in the model and enjoy your guitar!

**Flying Ashtray** · 02-02-2021, 02:01 PM

The OP is a bit confusing, sorry! I’d love to hear what people’s opinions are as to whether this is a 30’s L7 or L4. It was listed as an L7, but it’s body style and light weight made me think it might be an L4.

Also, it’d dropped to under 2 on Guitar Center so I thought at that price it’d be worth it in splinters with the dearmond pup... boy did I got what I asked for. Multiple pickguard drill holes on face, half of inlays filled w sawdust and glue, giant moat of titebond where back shrunk

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**omphalopsychos** · 02-02-2021, 02:51 PM

If that pickguard is original, then definitely L4. Otherwise the two models are pretty much indistinguishable.

**wintermoon** · 02-02-2021, 02:57 PM

Probably an L-4, all the other 30s 16" L-7s I've seen have brown stained back and sides. Nice looking maple on the back of that one.

**Cunamara** · 02-02-2021, 03:01 PM

So you bought it from guitar Center, they advertised it with a presumably vintage DeArmond pickup but it didn't come with the pickup? I hope you were able to contact them and get a partial refund for that.

**campusfive** · 02-02-2021, 03:23 PM

Yeah, based on the back being burst and not brown, I'd also vote for L-4, though I can't say that it's dispositive.

**Flying Ashtray** · 02-02-2021, 03:25 PM

Didn’t come w pickup, was supposed to ship in HSC but didn’t do that either and look at the box when it arrived. Called/messaged them about all of this and they told me it kept getting marked down bc they found out the pickup was “dead” and then they couldn’t find the case. Sure. He said they sold it at the lowest possible % already so no partial refund. My life is hell right now so I had to let it go and just focus on repairs

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**omphalopsychos** · 02-02-2021, 03:32 PM

L4 specs were notoriously all over the map. This is because L4 models just used available stock from other models that had been "upgraded". One possible explanation for that L4's back is that it came from a 16" L5. If it were 1935, then Gibson would have had some extra 16" L-5 bodies when it released its "Advanced" archtop line. That would explain how you got a sunburst back on an L4 body.

More importantly, I wouldn't let that Dearmond go, and they will lowball you if you ask for a partial refund. The market value has been going up as more people are appreciating how effing good they sound.

**deacon Mark** · 02-02-2021, 03:33 PM

This post has me confused completely in some sense. You bought a guitar and did not get what was advertised, and you are happy about the deal? No my friend they would give me the case and the pickup or get it back in a short order. Makes no difference what price you paid since you paid from the whole package deal. Why you would put up with that is beyond me. You don't have to be nasty to the seller but just demand you get what you bargained for. Also as much as you like the guitar there are others available that would be very comparable so you don't have end your search.

**omphalopsychos** · 02-02-2021, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by deacon Mark

This post has me confused completely in some sense. You bought a guitar and did not get what was advertised, and you are happy about the deal? No my friend they would give me the case and the pickup or get it back in a short order. Makes no difference what price you paid since you paid from the whole package deal. Why you would put up with that is beyond me. You don't have to be nasty to the seller but just demand you get what you bargained for. Also as much as you like the guitar there are others available that would be very comparable so you don't have end your search.

Or just call your credit card company to dispute the payment (send them photos of the listing and any email exchanges) and forcibly retract funds from the merchant equal to the value of the pickup and case. That way you can still keep the guitar.

**Flying Ashtray** · 02-02-2021, 03:51 PM

I love the guitar, I wish they’d have sent the pickup, but after a week of phone calls and two of emails without any progress, I moved on. Guitar Center is the worst, I go into any purchase there with that expectation so I’m *rarely* surprised or disappointed. This being that rare exception.

I could’ve returned it for the refund, but since I paid for it entirely by trading in a few instruments, I decided I needed a quality acoustic more than I needed that amount of money. I still think I came out fine if it’s an L4 with a 20’s style L5 body. If not, still sounds great.

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**guildmann** · 02-02-2021, 03:55 PM

I came close to buying this guitar from Guitar Center. There was damage on the lower bout that was repared. they were going to include the DeArmond. I would call them and ask them to mail it to you. it has value working or not... Rob

**Flying Ashtray** · 02-02-2021, 05:03 PM

I’ll be honest, Deacon’s comment got me really angry again so I called them one more time.

I usually talk to the manger from whatever California store actually sold/shipped it to me, but today I called the repair department again. I’ve tried them a ton before, but for a week and a half straight they just told me the guy who repaired it wasn’t in and to handle the problem through my stores manager. Today I called, the repairman was in, he said he remembered my exact guitar and that he still had the pickup!!! He gave me lots of useful information on the repairs he did and I felt generally bad for him because he seemed overworked. He had really hung onto the pup because it was dead, but I guess I’ll get to see if it’s the winding or cable/pot and go from there.

Long story short, they’re sending the FHC Dearmond pickup to me now! So, so so excited.

Thank you all very much for the good advice, I seriously feel like someone just took a backpack off my shoulders I’m so relieved. I was getting a little hurt reading some comments thinking I’d already done everything I could, but that extra push was just what I needed! As far as first posts go, this one was very nice. Thanks again

**omphalopsychos** · 02-02-2021, 05:32 PM

The DeArmond FHC is my favorite guitar pickup of all of them. You're going to love it. Very happy to hear that you were able to get it worked out.

**Woody Sound** · 02-02-2021, 05:54 PM

That's an awesome flamed back. I am always amazed at how inside labels can get so obscured by stains of some kind or another.

**omphalopsychos** · 02-02-2021, 06:48 PM

Ashtray, do you know the factory order number for this guitar? Chances are that it is faded and hard to read just like the Serial Number, but maybe it's still readable. Look inside the treble side f-hole and see if there's a number printed on the inside of the guitar's back. If it's still there, you can look up when the guitar was built using this guide.

**Flying Ashtray** · 02-02-2021, 09:37 PM

Sadly faded out- I can see one red number, but the rest is unintelligible

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**icr** · 02-02-2021, 09:52 PM

it’d dropped to under 2 on Guitar Center so I thought at that price

Thread is a little hard to follow but I picked up on this above. Guitars like this don't crop up that often under $2000. Well worth fixing it if there was any shipping damage. I'd not send it back. Getting the pickup will be good. Most all pickups can be rewound or repaired.

Gutar looks in good shape. Seems to have original tuners, and even the original slotted head screws on the truss rod cover.

**deacon Mark** · 02-03-2021, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by Flying Ashtray

I’ll be honest, Deacon’s comment got me really angry again so I called them one more time.

I usually talk to the manger from whatever California store actually sold/shipped it to me, but today I called the repair department again. I’ve tried them a ton before, but for a week and a half straight they just told me the guy who repaired it wasn’t in and to handle the problem through my stores manager. Today I called, the repairman was in, he said he remembered my exact guitar and that he still had the pickup!!! He gave me lots of useful information on the repairs he did and I felt generally bad for him because he seemed overworked. He had really hung onto the pup because it was dead, but I guess I’ll get to see if it’s the winding or cable/pot and go from there.

Long story short, they’re sending the FHC Dearmond pickup to me now! So, so so excited.

Thank you all very much for the good advice, I seriously feel like someone just took a backpack off my shoulders I’m so relieved. I was getting a little hurt reading some comments thinking I’d already done everything I could, but that extra push was just what I needed! As far as first posts go, this one was very nice. Thanks again

The pickup is worth at least 200-300 working or close. If it is dead call Kent Anderson and asked him if he would repair the pickup. He does that in addition to making his own pickups. It might cost $100 or so but worth on a pickup like that. I am sure others can chime in if they know how/who to go to for a dead dearmond.

**skykomishone** · 02-03-2021, 04:23 PM

Great thread. I love these stories that seem to somehow resolve into some relatively happy Karma. Way to go! Really great to see another person willing appreciate these old relics, bumps and all! Vintage Gibson's are very cool!
Congratulations Flying Ashtray!

**Bluesbreaker** · 02-03-2021, 06:39 PM

Wow, that looks like a beauty. Glad it all worked out and you got the pickup in the end! I would definitely spend a bit of money and get it repaired, they sound fantastic.

I'm wondering if you could try to wipe some of the gunk off the label with a cotton bud and some cleaning stuff (what's best to use I have no idea) to reveal the number underneath? There's a guy on YouTube, Mathew Scott who does this with old strats and les pauls etc, he's managed to reveal quite a few body dates that at first were not visible.