Gibson 1956 L-5 CES Natural - Alnico Staple Pickups - Fully Restored - Original Family-Owned

There are vintage guitars, and then there are guitars like this. Here is a 1956 Gibson L-5 CES in Natural finish, one of only 32 Natural examples shipped by Gibson that year. Widely regarded as one of the finest electric archtops ever produced, the L-5 CES represents the pinnacle of Gibson craftsmanship during the golden era of Kalamazoo production.

Interesting detail: 1956 was the final full year before the L-5 CES transitioned away from the Alnico "staple" pickup era. Many collectors consider 1955–1957 L-5 CES guitars among the most desirable electric archtops Gibson ever produced.

This guitar was purchased new in 1956 by a local musician and remained with him for the rest of his life. After his passing, the guitar was inherited by his nephew, who did not play guitar. It then spent the next 30 years untouched in its original case, the lid never opened.

While the guitar was protected from wear, decades of storage took a toll on the original acetate plastic parts, particularly the pickguard which had disintegrated almost completely. This is not uncommon among vintage Gibsons of this era. Recognizing the historical significance of the instrument, an extensive restoration was undertaken with a focus on preserving as much originality and authenticity as possible while returning the guitar to exceptional playing condition.

The beautiful Natural finish has been professionally cleaned and polished, bringing out the stunning flame maple throughout the body and neck. The flamed maple neck is particularly striking and is accented by a factory headstock stinger, waffle-back tuners, and the highly desirable flaming vase headstock inlay.

The restoration work was performed with extraordinary attention to detail. The original neck binding nibs were preserved during the refret process, requiring each new fret to be individually fitted between the nibs rather than removing them. The fret wire was carefully installed and dressed to maintain the guitar's original appearance while providing outstanding playability.

The electronics and wiring harness were meticulously cleaned and serviced. A new bone nut was crafted and installed. The original plastic pickup covers were cleaned and polished. A replacement ABR-1 Tune-o-Matic bridge and reproduction L-5 tailpiece were installed to replace components affected by age and deterioration.

Particularly impressive is the custom-made replacement pickguard. Using the original guard as a template, the exact outline and binding dimensions were measured and recreated. Multiple layers of graduated binding were laminated together to faithfully reproduce the classic multi-ply Gibson construction and appearance.

Also, the original parts that were removed during the restoration (minus the pickguard, which was too far gone to save), such as the original tailpiece, bridge, and other replaced components, have been retained and are included in the case. This allows the next owner to fully document the instrument's history and preserves its connection to its original configuration.

Today, this L-5 CES is nothing short of spectacular. It has the rich, warm, articulate voice that has made the model the choice of countless jazz legends while offering the reliability and playability expected of a professionally restored instrument.

Finding a 1950s L-5 CES is difficult enough. Finding a Natural-finish example with documented single-family ownership, a remarkable local history, and a restoration executed to this standard is exceedingly rare.

Includes the original hardshell case, along with the original parts removed during the restoration.