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Gibson | L-5 CES
Be still my heart. LOL
Anyone have $10K lying around?
Says this is a new old stock body and neck from 1981.
A little gaudy, but I'd love to add this to my collection.
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04-26-2023 05:50 PM
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Specs as described by Gibson suggest it's an old L-5 Studio body.
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Should have finished that in ‘81 when Stray Cat Strut was on the air.
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With an ‘81 L-5 neck put on it then, presumably.
Originally Posted by Hammertone
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Originally Posted by Hammertone
Or studio "style" hardware on a CES body ... If it's really an '81 neck and body
not sure there would be any real difference ... not that I really know
I don't remember there being any studio L5s or even studio Les Pauls back in '81.
That was still the days of Norlin.
The "mod-shop" is always selling older stock that's been modified and/or refinished to cover up blemishes and mistakes. There's often no rhyme or reason to their hardware or finish choices, other than fun and whimsy. Knowing them they probably considered putting Firebird pickups and a Bigsby on it.
More fun than just stamping "second" on the headstock IMHO.
This is the oldest NOS guitar I've seen on there if it really is a 1981 body.
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No, there was no L-5 Studio in 1981, but I would guess they had a neck stamped with a 1981 serial number and paired it with a later Studio body. This body appears to have a single black layer of binding like a Studio, rather than the multi-ply binding of a regular L-5. That might explain the “Martial Sparkle” color name they gave it since the last run of Studios were in “Army Green” and “Cartridge Brass” for colors. Originally Posted by Bluedawg
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If it's a more recent L5 Studio body, I don't think it would be the first time the mod shop listed something incorrectly.
They have also been known to redo the binding on the guitars they sell.
So ... hmmmm
I really like what the mod shop does. This is as close as they have come to tempting me, but I have other things I would prefer to do with $10K at the moment.
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10K???
I thought studio models was the budget line.
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Here is a closer look at the binding on the front.
Could they have just painted the binding black and left the finish on, no scraping it off?
The site used to have a feature that gave you a magnified view of their pictures, but it doesn't seem to be working now.
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They have chosen not to describe the back as "carved maple," which, in Gibsonspeak, means that it is laminated. That, plus the absence of ornate binding, and no visible f-hole binding, led me to suggest that it's an old L-5 Studio body, perhaps mated to a 1981 L-5 neck. The original version of the L-5 Studio was made from 1996-2000, IIRC.
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This is probably the Archtop run that Gibson guy on strat-talk was talking about.
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Wow….having owned (3) different L-5’s over the years, all sunburst, helps me forget that I ever saw this thing! But to each his own. I can see how a die hard collector would have a desire for it and how it would be a conversation piece at a guitar show.
Tom
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10K. They should've labeled it "One of a kind" to catch the eye of the reflexive collector. There's been a history of clever marketing and masking strategies to entice collectors. Often, not always to cover up a lack of figure, or mask some undesirable "feature" of the wood that wouldn't survive the scrutiny of a finish where you could actually see the wood. This was the original presentation of the L-5 studio of which this one seems to share a lot of DNA.
Sparkles. Good one. Well that certainly precludes the use of figured, straight grained or multiple bindings. And just so you don't have to say "seconds wood with masking finish" you give it one of a kind caché, charge $10k and get a good photographer.
Brilliant.
I remember when Brazilian rosewood was getting really rare, Martin could no longer make bookmatched 2 pc braz backs. Somebody at Martin said "We can make three piece backs!" but nobody in their right mind would have anything to do with any such abomination. Then Marketing stepped in. "Let's make it a special edition: 3 pieces for only a little more than the price of 2!" and for an upcharge you could get the highly desirable 3 piece back guitar."
Yes. It was a huge hit.
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Ah yes the “triple back”! I remember, and it was indeed pitched as “very special”. Originally Posted by Jimmy blue note
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As I understand things, the Gibson mod shop is essentially a salvage operation.
Gibson | Explore The Explore The Mod™ Collection
They do their "magic" with guitars that would be seconds in the past, guitars that were returned by dealers, and other misfits that Gibson is unable to sell as is. Sometimes the guitars are several years old, like this L5, and may have been in storage.
Every guitar they put out has something unique. Sometimes it's something minor and sometimes it's a major rework. Often, they are unique finishes that you won't find on other Gibsons. Or maybe it's an unusual mix of hardware, like Firebird pickups on a Les Paul or an SG Custom vibrato on a 335.
Sometimes they do something amazing and other times you wonder what the heck they were thinking. LOL
Odds are there is something going on under the finish of this L5 that would be a hard sell in a more traditional finish. While the chances of it being a Studio body seem high it's very hard to tell what's going on in the photos.Last edited by Bluedawg; 04-27-2023 at 03:04 AM.
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A beautiful crumpled aluminum foil burst.
The most gorgeous paint jobs like that still look (and sound) like butt without goad hardware.
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Not an L5 Studio neck. They are spartan with dots and square at the bottom.
What does the truss rod cover say?
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Originally Posted by Spook410
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The volute places the neck to 70's - early 80's as stated.
DG
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RxBHRZpIdg Originally Posted by AllanAllen
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Yikes
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Nope!!
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You can always trust Gibson to not be trusted
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Sloppy miter joints on the headstock binding and no fret nibs so a refret.
I can’t imagine showing up to a jazz gig with that.
All the sudden that army green L-5 Studio looks much better to me.
I finally saw a L-5 that I would hate to own.
$10k…..LOL with that.
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Now you know that under that glitter finish, which, admit it, is the lacquer equivalent of a primer/stucco wall that can make a wall of bullet holes go away, can be anything. So I think we're on to something here:
Make a 17" laminate, like a low end Tal Farlow, but let's use only the scraps of laminates that are full of knots and checks, and put this gem into production.
Put this in the hands of a well known artist and really play it up with an ad campaign and ads, posters, TV ads and Capital One collaborations, offer a limited edition relic'ed series signed by the artist with a certificate of authentication and a photo op with the artist, maybe even a Gibson provided glass cabinet with an exclusive CD of the artist playing YOUR guitar, and sell the package for $22,000. Only 10 of these extremely collectable guitars will be issued.
BUT the rest of us can get the stock production model for the collectors out there for only $15,000 during the one year limited and custom order ahead via waiting list only. Fully $35,000 less than a signature Benedetto.
Once the year is done, instant historical classic guaranteed to become a collectable. No more will EVER be made. Call it the LEGACY L-5 made all the rarer because Gibson just doesn't build archtops any more.
C'mon Gibson. Get with it!
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