1989 Gibson L-5 CES Vintage Archtop Electric Guitar Tobacco Sunburst w/ohc, Tag
$7,999.99
$7,999.99
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Up for sale, a 1989 Gibson L-5 CES vintage archtop electric guitar in excellent condition and in perfect working order, 100% original aside from a new tortoise pickguard furnished by Fox Guitars and complete with the original hardshell case. Produced when L-5 demand was at low ebb, this L-5 CES is a premium example and one of very few produced when Gibson was regaining their foothold as *the* preeminent archtop builder in the post-Norlin years. Hand-dated and signed by Gibson luminary James "Hutch" Hutchins, this Gibson shows exacting craftsmanship and detail in every dimension of the build. With a tenure at Gibson that began in 1963 and spanned 45 years, Hutch worked closely with archtop Jazz giants like Chet Atkins, Howard Roberts, Johnny Smith, Wes Montgomery, and Herb Ellis to name a few.
Upon its introduction in 1951 as the electrified version of Gibson's L-5C, the "CES" L-5 has been the gold standard for Gibson archtops, with solid carved tone woods used throughout. Boasting a full 17" lower bout with a carved, tight-grain premium spruce top, maple sides, and a highly figured bookmatched carved maple back, the size of this archtop yields rich textured tones with a distinct woody quality and complex midrange character. Naturally, the solid ebony bridge and fretboard impart a glassy note attack and superior articulation integral in round, present tonalities in every register and the kind of note separation essential to complex Jazz chord voicings. The pickups are among the very first 490R and 490T humbuckers which still have patent # baseplates, and these medium output Gibson humbuckers are wound with a slightly accentuated midrange. The bridge pickup is warm and smooth, with enough top end cut and midrange clarity to satisfy Jazz purists, and the neck position humbucker is even rounder and fatter, perfect for lead work that requires some meat and mellowness. The instrument weighs 8lbs 8oz and has been dialed in with flatwound 12-52 strings and low, comfortable action (string gauge and roundwound/flatwound preference can be adjusted at the buyer's request).
The five-ply figured flame maple neck is reinforced by two slender strips of walnut, and the profile has a notably slender C-shaped carve at the nut, offering more roundness and shoulder up the neck while still providing a quick-feeling profile for fleet fingered fretwork, measuring .795" deep at the 1st fret and graduating to .965" at the 9th, where the profile begins to transition into the heel. The ebony fretboard features multi-ply binding and pearl block inlay, and the original frets retain their full factory height with virtually no wear and well-rounded crowns, playing effortlessly up the 25 1/2" scale. The nut measures a full 1 11/16" in width, and the guitar retains its original compliment of gold-plated Gibson-branded tuners with metal tulip buttons. The torch headstock inlay and "Custom L-5" truss rod cover is also present.
All of the original electronics function as intended, with untouched solder on the gold covers. The ebony bridge features clean pearl inlays on the feet, and the hardware includes the original quartet of amber bonnet knobs as well as the original gold-plated tailpiece with its central carved ebony insert and "L-5" pearl inlay. The pickguard is a new exact replacement furnished by Fox Guitars, featuring thick, dark transparent tortoise and multi-ply binding. Visible through the soundhole, this L-5 has a unique slender label, hand-dated to July 18th, 1989 and signed by James Hutchins.
The original high gloss two-tone Tobacco Sunburst nitro lacquer finish shows no touchup or overspray, with a few spots of isolated lacquer checking on the top extending from the F holes. There are a few small pinhead-sized marks on the bass side of the top as well, and central to the back there are finish scratches in the gloss running vertically from the waist to the edge of the maple near the rear strap button. There are additionally only a couple minor marks on the back in the two-tone nitro gloss. The neck features a touch of broad flame figuring on the profile which is nigh flawless to the touch, showing only a couple microscopic marks central to the profile behind frets 5-6 and no palm wear. This Gibson L-5 CES is everything that an L-5 purports to be, with impressive nuanced tones both acoustically and plugged in.
The original Gibson brown tolex hardshell case is included, along with the original quality control hangtag.
Upon its introduction in 1951 as the electrified version of Gibson's L-5C, the "CES" L-5 has been the gold standard for Gibson archtops, with solid carved tone woods used throughout. Boasting a full 17" lower bout with a carved, tight-grain premium spruce top, maple sides, and a highly figured bookmatched carved maple back, the size of this archtop yields rich textured tones with a distinct woody quality and complex midrange character. Naturally, the solid ebony bridge and fretboard impart a glassy note attack and superior articulation integral in round, present tonalities in every register and the kind of note separation essential to complex Jazz chord voicings. The pickups are among the very first 490R and 490T humbuckers which still have patent # baseplates, and these medium output Gibson humbuckers are wound with a slightly accentuated midrange. The bridge pickup is warm and smooth, with enough top end cut and midrange clarity to satisfy Jazz purists, and the neck position humbucker is even rounder and fatter, perfect for lead work that requires some meat and mellowness. The instrument weighs 8lbs 8oz and has been dialed in with flatwound 12-52 strings and low, comfortable action (string gauge and roundwound/flatwound preference can be adjusted at the buyer's request).
The five-ply figured flame maple neck is reinforced by two slender strips of walnut, and the profile has a notably slender C-shaped carve at the nut, offering more roundness and shoulder up the neck while still providing a quick-feeling profile for fleet fingered fretwork, measuring .795" deep at the 1st fret and graduating to .965" at the 9th, where the profile begins to transition into the heel. The ebony fretboard features multi-ply binding and pearl block inlay, and the original frets retain their full factory height with virtually no wear and well-rounded crowns, playing effortlessly up the 25 1/2" scale. The nut measures a full 1 11/16" in width, and the guitar retains its original compliment of gold-plated Gibson-branded tuners with metal tulip buttons. The torch headstock inlay and "Custom L-5" truss rod cover is also present.
All of the original electronics function as intended, with untouched solder on the gold covers. The ebony bridge features clean pearl inlays on the feet, and the hardware includes the original quartet of amber bonnet knobs as well as the original gold-plated tailpiece with its central carved ebony insert and "L-5" pearl inlay. The pickguard is a new exact replacement furnished by Fox Guitars, featuring thick, dark transparent tortoise and multi-ply binding. Visible through the soundhole, this L-5 has a unique slender label, hand-dated to July 18th, 1989 and signed by James Hutchins.
The original high gloss two-tone Tobacco Sunburst nitro lacquer finish shows no touchup or overspray, with a few spots of isolated lacquer checking on the top extending from the F holes. There are a few small pinhead-sized marks on the bass side of the top as well, and central to the back there are finish scratches in the gloss running vertically from the waist to the edge of the maple near the rear strap button. There are additionally only a couple minor marks on the back in the two-tone nitro gloss. The neck features a touch of broad flame figuring on the profile which is nigh flawless to the touch, showing only a couple microscopic marks central to the profile behind frets 5-6 and no palm wear. This Gibson L-5 CES is everything that an L-5 purports to be, with impressive nuanced tones both acoustically and plugged in.
The original Gibson brown tolex hardshell case is included, along with the original quality control hangtag.
