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2018 Zimnicki Gobel Custom
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Serial #: 342
Body size at lower bout: 17" Body depth: 2 5/8" Scale length: 24 3/4" Nut: 1 3/4" Neck depth: .82/.92, 1st/10th fret
Finish: Vintage blonde finish, nitrocellulose lacquer type.
Materials: Solid bookmatched handcarved fine grain Sitka spruce top; solid handcarved bookmatched AAA tiger-flame maple back and sides; tiger flame maple neck with walnut centerstripe; solid ebony fingerboard with block mother of pearl inlays; abalone torch and headstock logo; 7-ply body binding; bound f-holes; solid bone nut.
Hardware: All original gold hardware includes engraved tailpiece with art-deco insert, Kluson Super Waffleback tuners, compensated adjustable rosewood bridge; 5-ply bound ebony pickguard; adjustable truss rod, floating Kent Armstrong 12 pole JS humbucking pickup with thumbwheel volume control and endpin jack.
Notes: Dwarfed by the bulk of his massive Gibson Super 400, the diminutive 50's TV star George Gobel asked the firm for a custom instrument better suited to his size. Trimming a standard L-5C to a slimmer depth, Gibson also X-braced the soundboard for a warmer acoustic voice, and presented it to Gobel live on his show in April of 1958.
Rushed into production the following year, the new model was designated the L-5CT. A costly top-shelf instrument, only 43 of the L-5CT guitars were recorded in Gibson ledgers in the model's brief official run between 1959 and 1961. With its comfy slimline body, the Gibson Gobel is one of the rarest Gibson archtops of all time, and has become an elusive prize for collectors and players alike to this day.
Less than two hours due east of the old Gibson plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan luthier Gary Zimnicki's shop is home to over three decades of meticulous craftsmanship. Hand graduated from dramatic AAA Bigleaf maple in the back, sides and neck, his Gobel Custom is a tribute to the legendary Gibson original, with a soundboard of exceptionally fine grained Sitka spruce, deeply interlaced with extensive crossgrain silk.
At a featherweight 5lb 5oz, the guitar is delightfully light in weight, and evenly balanced on the lap or the strap. The neck has a classic gentle D profile, with smooth low action over bright medium jumbo fretwork, and a fresh high-precision setup. Faithful to the specs of the 50's original, the Gobel Custom is built with the original fast 24 3/4" scale, tap-tuned X-braced soundboard, and the comfy slimmed depth 17" body. The 12 pole Armstrong floating humbucker offers enhanced adjustability for strings of all types, and is notably faithful to the warm resonance of the fully hollow body. The acoustic voice is clear and detailed, with an appealing warmth and woodiness reminiscent of an instrument far older than its years. And a special touch is the hand-inlaid gold tailpiece, with its art-deco pattern in lustrous mother of pearl.
Brand new with builder's warranty, the Gobel Custom is a rare find in a newly crafted classic. One only, call now.
Setup: This instrument is strung with medium gauge nickel strings (.012-.054). The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 4/64" to 5/64" at the 12th fret, with light relief. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.
Case: Deluxe black arched plush lined hardshell case.
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