1959 L-5C pickup installation "job"

**Woody Sound** · 03-17-2022, 08:39 AM

Too bad.

**gitman** · 03-17-2022, 09:02 AM

What a blockhead that must have been ....

**Filmosound 621** · 03-17-2022, 09:48 AM

same over here, same year even ...

19 hundred freaking 59 Gibson Murphy lab super 400 with recent ?? PU-conversion.

*link removed

**nevershouldhavesoldit** · 03-17-2022, 10:01 AM

“When your only tool is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”

**wintermoon** · 03-17-2022, 11:24 AM

I actually don't mind that Super mod but cutting off the cupids bow, sacrilege!

**AllanAllen** · 03-17-2022, 11:26 AM

Is everyone here oblivious to the decades when an old guitar was just, an old guitar?

**floatingpickup** · 03-17-2022, 11:32 AM

I think that L5C could easily be repaired. I’m sure a good luthier could glue in a small piece of ebony, shape the little point, and replace a small portion of the binding around the end of the fingerboard. It’s unfortunate that someone did this, but the guitar is not ruined IMO. The Super 400 with set-in humbucker, on the other hand, can not be returned to its original acoustic specs.
Keith

**Woody Sound** · 03-17-2022, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by floatingpickup

I think that L5C could easily be repaired. I’m sure a good luthier could glue in a small piece of ebony, shape the little point, and replace a small portion of the binding around the end of the fingerboard. It’s unfortunate that someone did this, but the guitar is not ruined IMO. The Super 400 with set-in humbucker, on the other hand, can not be returned to its original acoustic specs.
Keith

Yeah, at least it was done neatly.

**helios** · 03-17-2022, 12:17 PM

It's a little like replacing the 63' Corvette split-window coupe with one piece glass to look more like the new 64's!
Who could have known the consequences at the time? Now people cringe at the thought, but back in the day......

**floatingpickup** · 03-17-2022, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

Yeah, at least it was done neatly.

Looking at the Reverb pictures more closely, the pickup seems to be sitting right on the top, rather than floating. You can’t tell how it is attached in the photos. It may be fastened to the pickguard, but any potential buyer should make sure the top is not damaged. Also, FWIW, the bridge pickguard bracket are not original (the pickguard bracket looks like a cheap copy with an acorn nut).
Keith

**hotpepper01** · 03-17-2022, 01:46 PM

Yes, I was watching both. One in the UK and one in GER, Apperantly, back in the day the focus was on getting it amplified rather than keeping it reversible to original. Too bad indeed from nowadays perspective and it hurts in the eye and heart.

**zephyrregent** · 03-17-2022, 04:16 PM

I have an early 1970's Gibson L-5C that someone electrified, probably back in the 1970s when it was a common thing to do. They cut open the back, installed two pickups, the 4 control knobs are arranged at an angle instead of straight across and there is a second hole in the top just below the pickup selector switch for another switch, maybe a phase shifter? They did an okay job replacing the part of the back they cut out. Who knows what they did to the bracing. When I got it it was covered in black stuff and almost looked like it was in a fire. I cleaned it up with Virtuoso polish and got most of the gunk off it. It has a plain natural finish with a few big dings in it. I've never owned or played another L5 so I don't know how it compares to other ones but it still sounds great with that big fat tone.

**Hammertone** · 03-18-2022, 12:15 PM

I knew there was a reason I didn't use these for kindling.

**sgosnell** · 03-18-2022, 10:20 PM

Why was there a hole between the 17th and 18th frets in the one on the left?

**Hammertone** · 03-19-2022, 06:33 AM

Originally Posted by sgosnell

Why was there a hole between the 17th and 18th frets in the one on the left?

It's just as stain - that one needs to be cleaned, bigtime. Not sure what model it fits - it's very wide. And one of the L-5 boards is now attached to a guitar.

**gitman** · 03-19-2022, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by AllanAllen

Is everyone here oblivious to the decades when an old guitar was just, an old guitar?

Certainly not oblivious - back then in the 70's and 80's they were (rather) cheap and not yet regarded as a valuable piece of history or as an alternative to a stock-portfolio. I didn't have any money anyway .... now I look at that '59 Super and the price the seller asks for it and think : wow , in an un-modded condition this would be like 25 grand and look at how cheap it is now ! And foolishly trying to convince myself that since it surely sounds and plays great I will get my investment back in a couple of years .... I already own a great Super CES so I should just step away.

**icr** · 03-19-2022, 08:01 AM

Originally Posted by helios

It's a little like replacing the 63' Corvette split-window coupe with one piece glass to look more like the new 64's!
Who could have known the consequences at the time? Now people cringe at the thought, but back in the day......

Somewhat similar I have noticed people paying more for early Ferrari testarossas with the single high outside mirror and single bolt wheels. Too bad for the cars that were converted to two low mirrors and 5-bolt wheels.
I always liked the single high mirror, kind of like their answer to the periscope on the prototype Countach.