Younger guitarists are discovering the joys of having a jazz box. Good!

[AllanAllen]

He says as he plays an L5 valued at or over $10k today.

I love Wes and I'm kidding, but only a little.

It was a different world then. Gigs everywhere, people had money to leave their house and enjoy life...

[chris32895]

It was a different world then. Gigs everywhere, people had money to leave their house and enjoy life...

Very true, it's just funny viewing that quote from today's lens given the jazz box market today, especially vintage Gibson's. However, I do have a hard time believing an L5 was an inexpensive instrument at the time. Didn't he also have a custom L5 with the abalone heart where his hand would rest?

[wintermoon]

Very true, it's just funny viewing that quote from today's lens given the jazz box market today, especially vintage Gibson's. However, I do have a hard time believing an L5 was an inexpensive instrument at the time. Didn't he also have a custom L5 with the abalone heart where his hand would rest?

in '64 an L-5CES was around $800, approx 8K today.
by the time Wes got his 2 custom L-5's he was a Gibson endorser and didn't pay for them.