Gibson L Series Guitars
- Mark Valentine
- Dec 27, 2024
- 2 min read
We got a lot of reactions on a beautiful 1929 Gibson L-Series Guitar that was featured in Every Guitar Has A Story. Many reactions were filled with information or requests for information and , of course, some misinformation. “Help me identify the date’ was a common theme.
1902 L-1 introduction (acoustic archtop): single bound round soundhole with 2 rope pattern wood rings, single bound top, ebony fingerboard, dot fingerboard inlays, orange top finish, dark mahogany back and sides, 2 sizes.
1908 L-1 specs: 13.5" wide, narrower waist, trapeze tailpiece with pins anchored in tortoise celluloid plate, elavated pickguard, 13 frets clear of the body, bound fingerboard, slated "The Gibson."
1912 L-1 specs: No pickguard.
1914 L-1 specs: Pickguard added again.
1918 L-1 specs: Sheraton brown finish.
1920 L-1 specs: Double 5 ply soundhole rings.
1925 Discontinued.
1926 Re-introduced as a flattop. The L-2…tada
The L-3 was still the archtop.
The L-4 was introduced in 1911. It had an oval sound hole until 1928. The sound hole became rounded it went from 12 frets to 14 frets. In 1935, the round sound hole was swapped for f-holes.
In 1949, the L-4 was made electric and became the ES-175.
Gibson still makes the L-4 CES.
Good luck with old Gibson serial numbers. They have changed the system over the years, so you have to identify the specs of the guitar to get the right date from the system Gibson used during that time. The specs above should help, but one big clue is the Gibson logo.
“The Gibson” slanted across the headstock is the earliest version. That lasted into the late 1920s. Then “The Gibson” lost its slant. In mid 1930s, it became “Gibson.” Late 1930, “Gibson” got fatter. Mid-1940s, “Gibson” got the slant back. Later in the 1940s, the modern Gibson appears with the dot on the “I” touching the “G.” Late 1960s, the dot over the “I” disappears.
Hopefully this helps verify the age for your Gibson.
Please reply with any corrections.
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