FYI: Gibson L-4 HSL4 Light Cherry Burst, 2022

[Birddog]

This just posted on Reverb today. It’s listed as brand new and I believe the serial number dates it 2024. The last pic is a spec sheet stating the fretboard is ebony but the photos look like rosewood to me. Also, no pictures of the COA. Kinda suspicious for a guitar in that price range.

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[Bluedawg]

This just posted on Reverb today. It’s listed as brand new and I believe the serial number dates it 2024. The last pic is a spec sheet stating the fretboard is ebony but the photos look like rosewood to me. Also, no pictures of the COA. Kinda suspicious for a guitar in that price range.

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House of Guitars has had a few new Gibson archtops in the last few months. It's probably for real.

They have a new L5CES as well.

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[Archie]

This just posted on Reverb today. It’s listed as brand new and I believe the serial number dates it 2024. The last pic is a spec sheet stating the fretboard is ebony but the photos look like rosewood to me. Also, no pictures of the COA. Kinda suspicious for a guitar in that price range.

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Is the back carved and if so, why didn’t they book match it?

[Birddog]

Is the back carved and if so, why didn’t they book match it?

I just picked up a 2014 L4CES which is solid carved mahogany back and sides, but stained darker than natural. I’m assuming they stained it to hide the bookmatch with mahogany. Not sure about these newer ones.


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[Hammertone]

Called Gibson today. (Not having 10 minutes to get on a call the rest of the week was not a joke, but glad some people got amusement out of it).
Gibson confirmed it's a 2002 and authentic. It's still overpriced IMO. Hope whoever buys it puts it in a glass case on display to convince themselves it's worth that much.

All in good fun, of course.

[Hammertone]

I like Gibson's carved CES models. Nobody makes guitars in that particular style that I know of (heavily built, carved, high end electric archtops). So if you like CES style guitars, you have to go with Gibson. But when it comes to their more acoustic designs like L4C, Johnny Smith or Le Grand etc, I think there are better options in their price range (or lower).

I don't have 15 more seconds to post on this thread. Mark Campellone has built a few archtops exactly like what you describe - heavily built, carved, high end CES-style electric archtops. Heritage as well. Pay Mark money and he would be happy to build more of them. I'm sure various other builders can and will do the same.

Not sure what planet Heritage is on this week, but I have a Heritage that fits the bill, and the current Eagle Classic looks like it does so as well.

I am not sure I agree with this.

Mark Campellone built the V1K custom for Vinny after Vinny requested a Gibson Wesmo build. It has a thicker top and a built in pickup. But compared to my Gibson WESMO (the V1K Custom is now mine), the Campellone is still very much an acoustic guitar (The Gibson Wesmo is very much an electric guitar). My Campellone has a thinner top than does my Wesmo and the Campy has the same bracing pattern as an L-5C (and all of the other Campellones). I suspect the CES (and Wesmo) builds are something that is mostly only done by Gibson.

How close they are is an interesting question. I'll grab a few measurements from one of the three CES-style Campellones (w/P-90s, below) and a 2016 CES-style Heritage (Florentine, below) in the near future and post some results. My guess is that the Campellone will be less tank-like compared to the Gibson L-5CES, and that the Heritage will be similarly tank-like compared to the Gibson. But one never knows.

[lawson-stone]

The drool from looking at those pictures just shorted out my key-board. Wow, what fantastic instruments!

[floatingpickup]

I read it, but I'm not entirely convinced. This was posted on the Gibson Brands forums last week:

Hello All, hoping to get some commentary on a guitar we have received for consignment, what would be a reissue of an L-4C. We handle more than a few guitars of all ages and types, this one is presenting questions I'd like to answer accurately. The guitar in question has a label reading ‘L-4’ as the model, but is otherwise an L-4C in a light cherry burst, with pickguard mounted pickup. The COA, unlike the label, lists the model as HSL4, which I assume means ‘Historic Series L-4’. The serial number is 20412001, which seems to suggest 2022 construction (Feb 10 2022). Would this be correct, were these available in 2022 and is this model still offered? The very light wear and finish condition do support that year and light to moderate professional use. Also, is there any general information about the Historic Series, if that’s the correct name? Web searches mostly return Les Paul models, and the Gibson site does not really mention traditional archtops anymore. Best Regards! Any light shed is greatly appreciated.

Interestingly, this post received no replies. Also, there's no mention of this model on the Gibson website.

It was not made in 2022. I actually had that guitar at my home in 2008 and took some photos of it (see below). It was for sale at my brother’s store at the time (Murch Music in Cambridge ON). Fortunately, I am able to zoom in on one of the photos and read the serial number, which confirms it is the same guitar.
Keith

[Stringswinger]

How close they are is an interesting question. I'll grab a few measurements from one of the three CES-style Campellones (w/P-90s, below) and a 2016 CES-style Heritage (Florentine, below) in the near future and post some results. My guess is that the Campellone will be less tank-like compared to the Gibson L-5CES, and that the Heritage will be similarly tank-like compared to the Gibson. But one never knows.

I suspect that neither the Campy nor the Heritage will be as overbuilt as the Gibson.

[Max405]

It was not made in 2022. I actually had that guitar at my home in 2008 and took some photos of it (see below). It was for sale at my brother’s store at the time (Murch Music in Cambridge ON). Fortunately, I am able to zoom in on one of the photos and read the serial number, which confirms it is the same guitar.
Keith

That is really great Keith. It’s amazing you remembered that. You guys had some real beauties come through that store. I remember talking to your brother a while back about a beautiful Heritage JS that had been in your store but long since sold.

I wish that, A: that guitar was more reasonably priced and
B: it was for sale in the fall of this year..
C: the volume knob wasn’t so “ in the way” on the pickguard.
Because I think my final guitar will be an L4. And that guitar would definitely warrant consideration.
JD