An Iconic Vintage Jazz Guitar
The L-5 is a monolithic presence in the history of Gibson. Designed by the legendary Lloyd Loar, it debuted in 1923 and was the world’s first guitar design to feature f-holes. Though it began life as an acoustic instrument, the L-5 was electrified in the 1940s. The L-5 CES came along in 1951 and quickly became iconic, with a who’s who of jazz musicians soon getting hip to its warm, articulate, and dynamic tones.
Having resided for many years alongside other coveted vintage instruments in the Gibson Vault, this beautiful 1978 L-5 CES is finished in Wine Red and features a Venetian cutaway and a custom-inlaid headstock with a floral design. In addition to a solid carved spruce top, other specifications include a two-piece maple back, a three-piece figured maple neck, and an ebony fingerboard with mother of pearl block inlays.
Availability Date: The purchased instrument will be available for pickup at the Gibson Garage in Nashville, or shipment to an address in the US, starting March 30, 2023.
Specifications
Body Specs
Body Specs
Back Maple
Binding 5-ply Top and Headstock, 3-ply Back
Body Finish Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Body Material Maple
Body Shape L-5 CES
Body Styles Archtop
Side Maple
Top Carved Solid Spruce
Neck Specs
Neck Specs
Fingerboard Material Ebony
Fingerboard Radius 304.8mm / 12.0in
Fret Count 20
Frets Original Frets, Medium Jumbo
Inlays Mother of Pearl Block
Joint Glued In, Set Neck
Neck Material 3-piece Figured Maple
Nut Material Corian
Nut Width 42.93mm / 1.69in
Profile SlimTaper
Scale Length 647.7mm / 25.5in
Electronics Specs
Electronics Specs
Bridge Pickup Patent Number Stamped Humbucker 75k
Controls 2 Volume, 2 Tone; CTS Potentiometers
Neck Pickup Patent Number Stamped Humbucker 75k
Output Jack 1/4"
Pickup Selector 3-way Toggle
Hardware Specs
Hardware Specs
Bridge Floating
Control Knobs Black Witch Hats with Gold Inserts
finish Gold
Mounting Rings Black
Pickguard 5-ply Bound Tortoise Celluloid
Pickup Covers Gold
Plastic Parts Black
Saddle Material Ebony
Strap Buttons 1 - Posi-Lok, at Heel
Switch Tip White
Switchwasher Rubber Donut Style
Tailpiece L5 Trapeze
Truss Rod Adjustable
Truss Rod Cover 2-ply Bell; Custom L5 Engraving
Tuner Plating Gold
Tuning Machines Kluson Sealfast with Metal Tulip Buttons
Misc Specs
Misc Specs
Accessories Certificate of Authenticity, Limited Lifetime Warranty, Signed Letter of Appraisal
Model: GCVP0006
Case 90s-era Brown Gibson Hardshell
Headstock Inlay Gibson Logo and Flowerpot in Mother of Pearl
Gibson Certified Vintage 1978 Custom L-5 CES, Wine Red
Gibson Certified Vintage 1978 Custom L-5 CES, Wine Red
Sorry, the Gibson Certified Vintage 1978 Custom L-5 CES, Wine Red is no longer available. We've left this page up for reference only.
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An Iconic Vintage Jazz Guitar
The L-5 is a monolithic presence in the history of Gibson. Designed by the legendary Lloyd Loar, it debuted in 1923 and was the world’s first guitar design to feature f-holes. Though it began life as an acoustic instrument, the L-5 was electrified in the 1940s. The L-5 CES came along in 1951 and quickly became iconic, with a who’s who of jazz musicians soon getting hip to its warm, articulate, and dynamic tones.
Having resided for many years alongside other coveted vintage instruments in the Gibson Vault, this beautiful 1978 L-5 CES is finished in Wine Red and features a Venetian cutaway and a custom-inlaid headstock with a floral design. In addition to a solid carved spruce top, other specifications include a two-piece maple back, a three-piece figured maple neck, and an ebony fingerboard with mother of pearl block inlays.
Availability Date: The purchased instrument will be available for pickup at the Gibson Garage in Nashville, or shipment to an address in the US, starting March 30, 2023.
Specifications
Body Specs
Body Specs
Back Maple
Binding 5-ply Top and Headstock, 3-ply Back
Body Finish Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Body Material Maple
Body Shape L-5 CES
Body Styles Archtop
Side Maple
Top Carved Solid Spruce
Neck Specs
Neck Specs
Fingerboard Material Ebony
Fingerboard Radius 304.8mm / 12.0in
Fret Count 20
Frets Original Frets, Medium Jumbo
Inlays Mother of Pearl Block
Joint Glued In, Set Neck
Neck Material 3-piece Figured Maple
Nut Material Corian
Nut Width 42.93mm / 1.69in
Profile SlimTaper
Scale Length 647.7mm / 25.5in
Electronics Specs
Electronics Specs
Bridge Pickup Patent Number Stamped Humbucker 75k
Controls 2 Volume, 2 Tone; CTS Potentiometers
Neck Pickup Patent Number Stamped Humbucker 75k
Output Jack 1/4"
Pickup Selector 3-way Toggle
Hardware Specs
Hardware Specs
Bridge Floating
Control Knobs Black Witch Hats with Gold Inserts
finish Gold
Mounting Rings Black
Pickguard 5-ply Bound Tortoise Celluloid
Pickup Covers Gold
Plastic Parts Black
Saddle Material Ebony
Strap Buttons 1 - Posi-Lok, at Heel
Switch Tip White
Switchwasher Rubber Donut Style
Tailpiece L5 Trapeze
Truss Rod Adjustable
Truss Rod Cover 2-ply Bell; Custom L5 Engraving
Tuner Plating Gold
Tuning Machines Kluson Sealfast with Metal Tulip Buttons
Misc Specs
Misc Specs
Accessories Certificate of Authenticity, Limited Lifetime Warranty, Signed Letter of Appraisal
Model: GCVP0006
Case 90s-era Brown Gibson Hardshell
Headstock Inlay Gibson Logo and Flowerpot in Mother of Pearl
