L5, but not for me

[CliffR]

Yesterday I got my first opportunity to try a custom shop L5 CES. My current archtop, built by Jaen, is 15 inches wide and something like 2.5 inches deep, set up with light strings and super-low action. So I was keen to try this famous jazz box and see how it compares. Long story short: I did. not like it, not at all. It felt way too big and cumbersome. The neck felt huge, and it was a real struggle to play.

Of course, that's just like my opinion, man. Others no doubt will love it. If you're interested, it's hanging on a wall for £9999 at Guitar Guitar in Camden.

[Chris236]

Yesterday I got my first opportunity to try a custom shop L5 CES. My current archtop, built by Jaen, is 15 inches wide and something like 2.5 inches deep, set up with light strings and super-low action. So I was keen to try this famous jazz box and see how it compares. Long story short: I did. not like it, not at all. It felt way too big and cumbersome. The neck felt huge, and it was a real struggle to play.

Of course, that's just like my opinion, man. Others no doubt will love it. If you're interested, it's hanging on a wall for £9999 at Guitar Guitar in Camden.

it takes a minute to adjust but, once you do, feels as comfortable as anything else. In fact my L5C makes my shorter bodied 17x3” guitar feel ‘small’!

[Rob MacKillop]

Jaen is one of the best luthiers in Europe. I am not surprised you prefer it. And, it must be said, you are more familiar with it. We are fortunate to live in a time when so many great guitars are available.

[CliffR]

Glad to hear you're a fan of his, Rob. His prices are very reasonable, too.

[Archie]

It's just crazy to me that they people are wanting £10k for a non vintage L5CES. I'm currently in the market for one but I refuse to pay the same price they were new. Everything used is less than the new value by a factor of about 40% often 50%.

The reason they think it's worth £10K is imo being led astray, by reverb sellers and the commonly unrealistic prices they want for things, plus the idea that Gibson won't make them anymore. If that is genuinely the case then I can see the fever pitch pricing, although holding onto something for years just to sell it a fictitious price, you've invented seems like madness.
There are several Johnny Smiths and L5's at the moment that have been for sale for 2-3 years. Imagine how many Les Pauls you could have flipped in that time and the money you could have made.

This is when selling goes wrong imo.

As I've said to another guy selling one, I won't pay £10 because the moment Gibson start making them again, which could be at any moment, the person who bought a £10K L5 will lose £4K over night; It's not worth it.

imo a non vintage Gibson L5CE,S is worth £6.5 -7k. I'd pay £7.5k given the market but not a penny more.

Hence why I currently don't have one lol

[bluejaybill]

Funny, since I got my two arch tops, a 16 and a 17, my solid bodies feel uncomfortably small, at least for the first few minutes!

[ccroft]

That's me too Bill. I've been playing 16's for about 7 years. I played planks for 4 decades before that. I got the idea that I might like a LP again and my brother lent me one. Had it for a month but really didn't want to play it much. Felt really odd. I'm sure I could get used to it again if I had to. It was a fun experiment and killed my GAS for the time being.

[Tal_175]

It's just crazy to me that they people are wanting £10k for a non vintage L5CES. I'm currently in the market for one but I refuse to pay the same price they were new. Everything used is less than the new value by a factor of about 40% often 50%.

The reason they think it's worth £10K is imo being led astray, by reverb sellers and the commonly unrealistic prices they want for things, plus the idea that Gibson won't make them anymore. If that is genuinely the case then I can see the fever pitch pricing, although holding onto something for years just to sell it a fictitious price, you've invented seems like madness.
There are several Johnny Smiths and L5's at the moment that have been for sale for 2-3 years. Imagine how many Les Pauls you could have flipped in that time and the money you could have made.

This is when selling goes wrong imo.

As I've said to another guy selling one, I won't pay £10 because the moment Gibson start making them again, which could be at any moment, the person who bought a £10K L5 will lose £4K over night; It's not worth it.

imo a non vintage Gibson L5CE,S is worth £6.5 -7k. I'd pay £7.5k given the market but not a penny more.

Hence why I currently don't have one lol

I think it's because of the particular nature of the demand curve for such items. There are probably a large number of buyers like you who are always on the lookout for L5 offerings 20% or so below what typically sellers ask for. When a lower priced L5 becomes available, it's gone instantly.

[John A.]

L5's feel too big and clumsy to me, too. The expression "all over me like a cheap suit comes to mind whenever I try a 17"-er. Back when they were a bargain I almost pulled the trigger on an L5 studio (which sounded and played incredible), but it just felt too weird. 16" is my limit (except maybe in thinner bodies, but I've never run into one). I play everything on a strap up fairly high, so smaller bodies usually don't bother me (and LP's sometimes tempt me).

[skiboyny]

There are so many great choices today. I owned a l-5 (several really) for at least 35 years. I find myself attracted to 16" guitars with shorter scale lengths. Laminates seem to be a current preference. L5s sound nice but they are tanks. I've found that the guitar that I enjoy playing most, sounds the best. L-5 just isn't it. I do like looking at them though

[QAman]

Jaen is one of the best luthiers in Europe. I am not surprised you prefer it. And, it must be said, you are more familiar with it. We are fortunate to live in a time when so many great guitars are available.

Hi Rob, I recently played a few Jaen Archtops at a local shop in NY and they were excellent sounding guitars. I felt they were a very good value when compared to other new Archtops on the market. I can see why they are highly regarded in Europe.

Sent from my SM-P610 using Tapatalk

[Spook410]

Ergonomics and sound may be related in guitars, but are still two separate things.

Many are comfortable with a 17" archtop with .012's. But if you aren't, you aren't. Shame you have to miss out on the great tones an L5 is capable of.

[floatingpickup]

I guess it all depends on what you have gotten used to. I grew up playing 16” and 17” archtops (ES-175’s, L5’s and L7’s) and they feel quite natural to me. I am curious….if you find an L5 too big, what about a dreadnought? I realize a dreadnought is not quite as wide as an L5, but it’s much deeper. Maybe people have different expectations when playing acoustic vs. electric.
Keith

[Archie]

I think it's because of the particular nature of the demand curve for such items. There are probably a large number of buyers like you who are always on the lookout for L5 offerings 20% or so below what typically sellers ask for. When a lower priced L5 becomes available, it's gone instantly.

I don't think that explains what’s going on. I’m actually happy to pay above the market value. The market has decided however that pricing L5’s so high they can’t sell them for years (literally), is what they want to do.

Either way it’s a tricky situation.

[Sleeko]

I guess it all depends on what you have gotten used to. I grew up playing 16” and 17” archtops (ES-175’s, L5’s and L7’s) and they feel quite natural to me. I am curious….if you find an L5 too big, what about a dreadnought? I realize a dreadnought is not quite as wide as an L5, but it’s much deeper. Maybe people have different expectations when playing acoustic vs. electric.
Keith

One other factor to consider is whether a person is playing seated or standing.

[6v6ster]

To me an L5 or other 17” archtop (and dreadnaughts) are super comfy and solid bodies are odd and hard to get used to after playing the big guys a while. It fits me just perfectly, and feels good to sort of wrap my arms around and have them supported. With a solid body, its less comfortable.

But I’m 5’11” with long arms, so I can see how it could super uncomfortable for shorter folks.

[CliffR]

I guess it all depends on what you have gotten used to. I grew up playing 16” and 17” archtops (ES-175’s, L5’s and L7’s) and they feel quite natural to me. I am curious….if you find an L5 too big, what about a dreadnought? I realize a dreadnought is not quite as wide as an L5, but it’s much deeper. Maybe people have different expectations when playing acoustic vs. electric.
Keith

Yeah, no doubt what you're used to is a big part of it. I don't much enjoy playing acoustics, either. Most of my guitars other than the Jaen are some variety of super strat.

[John A.]

I guess it all depends on what you have gotten used to. I grew up playing 16” and 17” archtops (ES-175’s, L5’s and L7’s) and they feel quite natural to me. I am curious….if you find an L5 too big, what about a dreadnought? I realize a dreadnought is not quite as wide as an L5, but it’s much deeper. Maybe people have different expectations when playing acoustic vs. electric.
Keith

I find dreadnoughts too big. I had one a very long time, and eventually stopped playing it. It took me some trial and error to get to where I wanted with an acoustic guitar (both size- and tone-wise) after that, but am happy now with a 15" x 4.25" body.

[CliffR]

That's cool! For me, it's not only the size that's off-putting, but also the typical higher action and thicker strings. What I laughingly describe to myself as my 'technique' involves a light touch and needs pretty low action.