Share your go-to recordings of the Gibson L-5

[jasguitar]

I'm looking for examples of recordings for a specific instrument, namely the Gibson L5 (all makes and models). Obviously I can listen to Wes, but who else? Any lesser-known players or videos out there?

[spencer096]

i love this clip, even if it's a lil too smooth jazz for my tastes...the playing is just absurdly good and he does things youd never expect from an L-5 (like play slide)...but my favorite thing is playing an L-5 with a floater thru a bunch of mesa boogie rectifiers that were made for metalheads. the outro solo sounds really, really good.

[nyc chaz]

i love this clip, even if it's a lil too smooth jazz for my tastes...the playing is just absurdly good and he does things youd never expect from an L-5 (like play slide)...but my favorite thing is playing an L-5 with a floater thru a bunch of mesa boogie rectifiers that were made for metalheads. the outro solo sounds really, really good.

If this is smooth jazz than count me in.I doubt any smooth jazz station today would play this to be honest.

[andrew]

Not typically the first thing that comes to mind when you think "L5", but it is indeed Scotty on a '55 L5-CES with Alnico V staple pickups.

[daveg]

Bireli Lagrene:

DG

[Doug B]

Didn't Kenny Burrell play an L5 for a while in the late 50's or so?

[Jonah]

Peter Bernstein played L5 before he came across his iconic Zeidler

[deacon Mark]

The number of L5 recordings of jazz guitar would be way to big really to get any reasonable answer. I go to the player and the recording before I think of the guitar that they used. Hank Garland would be my pick for the sound, but he used a thin version of the L5 till the Byrdland was made. Lee Retinour certainly one of the most accomplished players in history but he is a long way from the top of the list. His sound is bit to smooth a processed.

If you just want get to the real L5 player's, then you simply listen to most anything Wes did. My favorite Wes is Bésame Mucho in 3/4 time his sound and playing just swings and smokes. Hank Garland Cherokee, I not sure if you used the guitar on the cover but......

[ThatRhythmMan]

The number of L5 recordings of jazz guitar would be way to big really to get any reasonable answer. I go to the player and the recording before I think of the guitar that they used. Hank Garland would be my pick for the sound, but he used a thin version of the L5 till the Byrdland was made. Lee Retinour certainly one of the most accomplished players in history but he is a long way from the top of the list. His sound is bit to smooth a processed.

If you just want get to the real L5 player's, then you simply listen to most anything Wes did. My favorite Wes is Bésame Mucho in 3/4 time his sound and playing just swings and smokes. Hank Garland Cherokee, I not sure if you used the guitar on the cover but......

Hank played a Byrdland prototype that has an L-5 tailpiece. Did he also have a thinline L-5?


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[wintermoon]

Didn't Kenny Burrell play an L5 for a while in the late 50's or so?

2 actually

[wintermoon]

Hank played a Byrdland prototype that has an L-5 tailpiece. Did he also have a thinline L-5?


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I believe this is his thinline L-5, though I'm not certain it's not another Byrdie w/ L-5 t.p.
same one pictured on the Jazz Winds cover

[AllanAllen]

Probably the first L5 I saw or heard.

[wintermoon]

of course there's many recordings of acoustic L-5's through the years, especially in big bands or from a rhythm standpoint, but not a ton of electric L-5 recordings relatively speaking if you think about it, as opposed to say 175's, etc.

[FourOnSix]

Peter Leitch

[Minor Seven Flat Five]

[jasguitar]

of course there's many recordings of acoustic L-5's through the years, especially in big bands or from a rhythm standpoint, but not a ton of electric L-5 recordings relatively speaking if you think about it, as opposed to say 175's, etc.

Yeah, that's kind of what I'm realizing. It's truly an iconic instrument, and I want to hear more examples of it.

[deacon Mark]

Bruce Forman played an L5 for years recording of him for sure.

[Doug B]

2 actually

I've got that album too! I forgot. Like his singing too.

Doug

PS-Digging those Desmond/Hall records that I got from you. Thanks again for having them.

[ThatRhythmMan]

I believe this is his thinline L-5, though I'm not certain it's not another Byrdie w/ L-5 t.p.
same one pictured on the Jazz Winds cover

I didn’t realize one of the CC loaded guitars was a thinline. The one I was thinking of is one of the first three and is red.





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[Jonah]

Tuck Andress.

After all the equipment he has installed it is more like a box and neck from L5

[deacon Mark]

After all the equipment he has installed it is more like a box and neck from L5

I cannot listen to Tuck Andress for more than a minute then I have to turn it off. He would be the opposite of what I think is a fine L5 sound.

[andrew]

Couldn't help but share one more non-jazz example. The late, great Hollywood Fats tearing it up on a 50's L-5 CES.

[AllanAllen]

That Tuck Andress clip above was really nice. He has a lot of the Cornell Dupree sound in his playing. It was great to see him go from super serious concentration scowl to beaming smile at the end.

I'd like to hear him in front of an R&B band, I bet he would really shine there.

[Bop Head]

I cannot listen to Tuck Andress for more than a minute then I have to turn it off. He would be the opposite of what I think is a fine L5 sound.

I am always all ears every time I come across Tuck Andress and it's been like that since I heard him the first time on the radio around 1990 with Patty doing covers of Cindy Lauper and Jimi Hendrix.

He is always a guarantee for some very nice fingerstyle playing and he is someone who absolutely knows how to groove, no rubato-itis and ritardando-/accelerando-itis patient.

I do not go to music with an expectation of how it should sound, instead I listen to what I get.

[deacon Mark]

I am always all ears every time I come across Tuck Andress and it's been like that since I heard him the first time on the radio around 1990 with Patty doing covers of Cindy Lauper and Jimi Hendrix.

He is always a guarantee for some very nice fingerstyle playing and he is someone who absolutely knows how to groove, no rubato-itis and ritardando-/accelerando-itis patient.

I do not go to music with an expectation of how it should sound, instead I listen to what I get.

There is no doubt he is a monster player and has a voice. I just don't care for the sound or the style. I enjoy music and these days at my age I just listen to what I like and if things don't draw me, I move away. i don't make my living playing music at least anymore and so the need to stay up or relevant to all players and styles is not there for me. The thing is I sometimes just make blunt comments and if Tuck saw this, he probably would think I am jerk. But in reality, I am not good enough to carry his case, but I still find I can make judgements just on what I like to listen to.