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1943 Gibson L-7
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Serial #: 97715, white oval label. FON: 8021H-6
Body size at lower bout: 17", Scale length: 25 1/2" Nut Width: 1 11/16"
Finish: Dark tobacco sunburst finish, nitrocellulose lacquer type.
Materials: Highly figured solid handcarved bubble flame maple back and sides; handcarved bookmatched solid spruce top; solid tiger flame maple neck; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, split-parallelogram variegated fingerboard inlays; small script pearl Gibson peghead logo with fleur-de-lis inlay; triple-bound body, bound fingerboard and headstock, original bone nut.
Hardware: Vintage correct hardware includes aged nickel Grover Sta-Tite open back tuners with tulip keys and 16X1 gearing, aged nickel trapeze tailpiece with raised parallelograms on crossbar, multi-bound tortoise pickguard. Original compensated adjustable Brazilian rosewood bridge, adjustable truss rod.
Notes: By 1943, in the depth of the Second World War, Gibson instrument production slowed to a trickle, as the firm devoted itself to strategic materiel. Only a skeleton crew was assigned to finish up back orders, making guitars from the war years the rarest of the 20th century. Materials were tightly rationed, so Gibson made creative use of its vast parts stock, making wartime instruments the most distinctive in design as well. Elegant inlays from the past were pressed into service, including the thin script logo, fleur-de-lis peghead, and 20's banjo fingerboard inlays, in the style of the very first L-7 models of the early 30's.
This gleaming instrument is one of the tiny few to leave the factory in this mid-war year. With a mere 145 serial-numbered instruments of all models produced in total, 1943 remains the lowest production year since the company's founding in 1902. She's in remarkably fine condition, with all original Cremona sunburst finish, and a bubble figure maple back. The instrument is notably free of pick, buckle or fingerboard wear: apart from some finish shrinkage along the back centerseam, and some honest thumbwear on the neck, the guitar shows few signs of age, with just a bit of lacquer overspray added to the back. The gentle C neck profile is full and rounded, with low, comfy action over original narrow fretwork.
At just over 6lb, the guitar is notably light in weight, with exceptional depth, resonance and clarity. The guitar has a wonderfully open, powerful voice, with warmth and projection that is simply phenomenal. A highly distinctive instrument from Gibson's rarest era, with the tone only decades of age and care can produce. Call now.
Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, recrowned and polished as required; 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; bridge wheels and tuners lubricated; fingerboard and bridge oiled; body and neck cleaned and hand polished.
This instrument is strung with medium gauge bronze strings (.013-.057). 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: Deluxe vintage Gibson logo black arched plush lined hardshell case.
