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1936 Gibson 'Advanced Model' L-10

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Serial #: 9(3)438 FON#: 511B-2

Body size at lower bout: 17". Scale length: 24 3/4" Nut Width: 1 3/4" Neck depth: .87/1.08, 1st/10th frets

Materials: Handcarved bookmatched solid spruce top, solid maple back and sides, solid mahogany neck, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, mother of pearl inlay fingerboard and peghead inlay, 5-ply bound fingerboard and peghead, checkerboard body binding, original endpin and solid bone nut.

Hardware: All original chrome hardware includes Grover Stat-Tite tuners and trapeze tailpiece, bound tortoise pickguard, compensated adjustable Brazilian rosewood bridge, adjustable truss rod. Vintage DeArmond FHC floating pickup with rod, volume control, and cable.

Notes: Hmmm...it's the Great Depression. We got too many models, and not enough customers. Let's make one kinda different...

The Gibson L-10 is the firm's rarest prewar archtop, built in very limited numbers for a little over a decade. Though examples have been dated as early as 1928, the L-10 did not appear in Gibson's catalog until 1931, and was the first and only alternative to the L-5 for some years. Like its upscale counterpart, the 16" L-10 had a parallel braced top, but was finished in a solid ebony lacquer. (Though $100 less than the L-5, the L-10 was still priced higher than Martin's most costly model, the ornate OM-45.)

Upsized to an X-braced 17" body in 1935, the 'Advanced Model' L-10 was distinguished with ornamentation utterly unique in the Gibson line. With its distinctive split-arrow fingerboard inlay, checkerboard body binding, and three-tone cherry sunburst, the L-10 was also fitted with gleaming all-chrome hardware, unseen on other Gibsons until the mid-60's. While the later L-7 and L-12 models survived well into the prewar era, the Advanced L-10 was discontinued by 1939 after a scant four years of production.

This bandstand veteran is from the second year for the Advanced body, and has all original hardware, right down to its lovely bound tortoise pickguard, 20's style trapeze tailpiece, and Waverly open back tuners. At just 5lb 11oz, the instrument is particularly light in weight for a 17" guitar, and balances easily on the lap. The neck on this rare bird is noteworthy in itself: its generous 1 3/4" nut is unusual for 17" Gibsons, and its comfy 7" fretboard radius is similar in feel to an early '50s Tele.

The neck has a solid, gentle C profile, neither clubby nor veed, with smooth low action over fine recent fretwork, and a fresh high-precision setup. The voice has the depth and sustain the X-braced body is renowned for, with wonderful clarity and detail. The three tone sunburst top finish is all original and shows typical scattered pick wear for a working instrument of its vintage, but no apparent cracks. The back, sides and neck are free of buckle, thumb or knee wear, with original dark finish under some older nitro lacquer overspray.

The voice is woody and rich, with the enhanced bass response and sustain these X-braced prewar Gibsons are renowned for. In over three decades, this great old player is only the fourth Advanced L-10 we've ever had. A special plus is the genuine vintage DeArmond FHC floating pickup with rod, volume control, and cable, all included in the case.

An eyecatching treasure from Gibson's greatest era, and one of the scarcest models the company ever created. One only: call now.

Case: Deluxe brown alligator arched plush lined hardshell case.

Setup: Trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation set; string slots at nut and bridge inspected and recut as necessary; bridgewheels and tuners lubricated; fingerboard and bridge oiled; body and neck cleaned and hand polished. This instrument is strung with medium gauge bronze strings (.013-.056). 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 moderate relief for acoustic playing. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.

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