For sale we have a gorgeous 1946 Gibson L-5 Archtop in Sunburst finish with original tweed hardshell case.
An iconic post-war American archtop, this 1946 Gibson L-5 represents one of the finest achievements in guitar craftsmanship. Originally designed by legendary luthier Lloyd Loar in the 1920s, the L-5 set the standard for professional jazz guitars and remained Gibson’s premier acoustic archtop throughout the swing era and beyond. Built in Kalamazoo, MI, USA, this L-5 showcases the elegant craftsmanship, rich acoustic voice and timeless aesthetics that have made the L-5 one of the most desirable and sought-after vintage guitars in the world.

This particular example is In very good condition overall showing moderate cosmetic wear throughout. The body shows honest play wear with small scuffs, scratches, dings and dents scattered around the top, back and sides. The neck is in great condition and also shows a bit of cosmetic wear with just a handful of small dings scattered sparsely along the backside but nothing that can really be felt while playing. The original medium frets are present and show some play wear but are in good shape overall with good life left. There is a small hump in the neck at about the 8th fret that does affect a handful of notes at the 7th fret with some slight buzzing. The B note on the high E string is the most affected spot. The finish on both the body and neck show fine lacquer checking throughout. Structurally sound, the instrument is crack-free and does not appear to have had any repair work done. The guitar is all-original to the very best of our knowledge.
Specs:

- 25 1/2” scale length

- fully hollow archtop body with f-holes and 17” wide lower bout

- solid carved Maple top with rich hand-sprayed 3-Tone Sunburst nitrocellulose lacquer finish

- Curly Maple back and sides

- multi-ply binding along top and back

- bound celluloid tortoise shell pickguard

- adjustable floating Rosewood bridge

- engraved trapeze tailpiece

- 3-piece flame Maple neck with full round C-shape profile measuring .890” deep at the first fret and .980” deep at the ninth fret

- bound Rosewood fingerboard features a 12” radius, pearl block inlaid fret markers and 20 medium sized frets

- headstock sports inlaid Gibson and flower pot logos, multi-ply binding and gold Kluson Sealfast tuning machines

- overall weight: 6 lbs. 7.5 oz.

The guitar will be properly packed with care prior to shipment. In-store trades only. Please reach out with any further questions. Thanks for taking a look!