17" Archtop Replacement for an L-5

[mad dog]

Not an L5, rather different, but what this guitar is works so well for me. 1961 Guild X-175:



It is 17" wide at the lower bout. A bit shallower than the L5. Single coil p/us. In terms of price, far less than a vintage or modern L5.

As with all vintage guitars, some are just OK, some are much more. I got lucky. This Guild - now with new frets from Rob Engel - is one fine sounding and playing guitar.

[Woody Sound]

Maybe a Gibson “Solid Formed” if you can find a used one.

[Christian Miller]

Maybe a Gibson “Solid Formed” if you can find a used one.

It’s tough to want to buy a guitar whose name sounds like a medical euphemism

otoh I like the look of those

[jaymen]

Depending on the L-5 model, there are many possible substitutes. For a 16 inch acoustic, the L-50 is a good and affordable choice. When it comes to the L-5 CES, the list is long, and it depends on your preferences as to scale length, neck radius, nut width, type of pick-ups, marquetry, tone woods, finish, and price.

I once played a blonde L-5 CES that was gorgeous; it had exquisite figuring in the maple and the spruce top was tight grained with medullary stripes in it...but it was acoustically dead. In all fairness, it probably had a top that was not carved inside. With archies that have the top routed for a couple humbuckers, acoustic tone is not the main focus. That is why there are so many other suitable L-5 CES copies out there that can often be upgraded by using different pickups.

My L-5 substitute is a an Epi Emperor Regent which plays well un-plugged or amplified. I play country and folk/blue grass on my 54 L-50 with bronze 80/20 12s.