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1946 Gibson L-7
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Serial #: 99073, white oval label. Body size at lower bout: 17", Scale length: 25 1/2" Nut width: 1 11/16" Neck depth, 1st/10th frets: .89/1.00
Materials: Solid graduated fine grained Sitka spruce soundboard; solid carved quilted maple back; solid tiger flame maple neck and sides; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard; split-parallelogram mother of pearl fingerboard inlays and "crown" headstock inlay; prewar 'narrow script" Gibson peghead logo, triple-bound body, bound fingerboard and headstock.
Hardware: Original hardware includes nickel trapeze tailpiece with raised parallelogram crossbar, compensated adjustable rosewood bridge, nickel pickguard bracket, adjustable truss rod. Vintage nickel Kluson Deluxe tuners, vintage correct bound tortoise pickguard. Kent Armstrong Handwound 2D Ultraslim humbucking pickup with thumbwheel volume and tone controls, endpin jack.
Notes: Introduced in 1932, the Gibson L-7 was the firm's most popular professional sized archop, and remained in production until 1955, when the last noncutaway example left the factory. Identical in all but cosmetics to the costly L-5, the L-7 was highly prized by working players for it's warmth, projection and playability.
This veteran postwar example is one of the last guitars with the graceful "narrow-script" pearl peghead logo, as well as a bound tortoise pickguard, both signature features of prewar models. It's also one of the last with an original series Gibson label number, which ended in the next model year.
Graced with particularly vivid quilted maple in its back, the guitar shows handsome tiger flame neck and sides as well, with a closely graduated fine grained solid spruce soundboard. The multi-ply binding is all original and tight to the body, and at a mere 5lb 13oz, the guitar is exceptionally lightweight and well balanced, on the lap or the strap.
Original hardware includes the triple parallelogram trapeze tailpiece, compensated adjustable Brazilian rosewood bridge, pickguard bracket, and adjustable truss rod. An original set of 50's vintage Kluson Deluxe tuners is installed as well, along with a vintage correct bound dark swirl tortoise pickguard. The dark Cremona sunburst finish is all original as well, with no refin or overspray. The body is largely free of thumb or buckle wear, while the top shows a number of extended scratches in the original lacquer finish. Neck angle and bridge height are both excellent, with ample room for adjustment up or down. The neck profile is a full gentle C, with smooth, low action over original fretwork on a fresh high precision setup. The centerseams under the bridge and near the heel have been soundly resealed, and a short hairline crack under the pickguard has been professionally cleated.
The voice is particularly vibrant as well: fully open and resonant, with the bark and projection only decades of vigorous play can produce. And all amplified faithfully by the floating Armstrong pickup and controls, both mounted to the pickguard. A true acoustic cannon, and a fine example of our most popular full size Gibson archtop. Play this guitar, and you will be heard. One only, call now.
Setup: Trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation set; string slots at nut and bridge inspected and recut 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 phosphor 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. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.
Case: Deluxe TKL arched black plush lined hardshell case.
