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2003 Gibson L-7C

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Serial #: 019330212 Signed: Ren Ferguson 6/16/03

Body size at lower bout: 17". Scale length: 24 3/4" Nut Width: 1 3/4"

Materials: Handcarved X-braced bookmatched solid spruce top; solid flame maple back and sides; solid mahogany neck; solid rosewood fingerboard; split parallelogram mother of pearl fingerboard inlay and thistle peghead inlay; bound fingerboard and peghead; triple bound body; solid bone nut.

Hardware: All-original nickel hardware includes Gibson Deluxe single ring tuners, triple parallelogram trapeze tailpiece, compensated ebony bridge with inlaid feet, beveled 5-ply pickguard. Kent Armstrong Ultraslim Humbucking pickup installed, with volume and tone controls.

Notes: Introduced in 1948, the L-7C was the cutaway version of the ever-popular Gibson L-7, and was produced until 1972. Identical in dimensions and materials to the L-5, the L-7C differs principally in its ornamentation and plating. After some three decades of absence, this beloved model was re-created in very limited numbers by the superlative artisans of Gibson's Montana division. Originally staffed with veterans of the renowned Flatiron Mandolin Co., these meticulous builders single handedly revived the quality of the company's hand crafted mandos and premium flat tops.

Faithful in dimensions to the original design, the Montana L-7C adds a prewar style X-braced soundboard, and a deep Cremona sunburst finish to the back and sides, in place of the solid dark walnut stain of the originals. The boys from Bozeman clearly know their way around a chisel: at just 5 lb 6oz. this guitar is substantially lighter than any archtops from the Nashville or Memphis plants. Together with the X-braced soundboard, this ultralight construction produces volume, brilliance and sustain unheard in Gibson archtops since the 1950's.

One of the earliest examples in this series, this guitar is hand signed and dated by Montana shop foreman Ren Ferguson on the inside back. This guitar has exceptional tiger flame maple in the back and sides, and is in virtually unplayed condition, with all original hardware, including an L-5 style inlaid ebony bridge.A special plus is the Kent Armstrong Ultraslim Humbucking pickup, which is installed with volume and tone controls, a $400 plus value.

The Montana L-7C is proof positive that Gibson can still build the guitars that made them famous. All they have to do is keep the shop warm, and get out of the way.

Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, recrowned and polished as needed; trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation set; string slots at nut and bridge inspected and recut as necessary; bridge foot contour inspected and fit to top as necessary; bridge radius inspected and recurved as necessary; bridgewheels and tuners lubricated; fingerboard and bridge oiled; body and neck cleaned and hand polished.

This instrument is strung with medium gauge nickel strings (.013-.054). The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 5/64" to 6/64" at the 12th fret, with moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.

Case: Original Gibson logo black deluxe plushlined hardshell case.