1977 Gibson L-5CESN

Gibson introduced the L-5CESN in 1951. The long model name translates into C for cutaway; ES for Electric Spanish, which was Gibson lingo for a non-Hawaiian style guitar (back then they were selling as many Hawaiian electrics as they were standard electric guitars); and N for natural or blond finish. The first L-5-CESs, sunburst and natural, were fitted with P-90s but in 1957 they got humbuckers. In the 1960s Gibson started making L-5CES’s with laminated backs and sharp, Florentine cutaways. The laminated backs helped cut down on feedback but they also gave the guitars a slightly, brighter, more brittle tone so in 1969 they switched back to a solid, carved back and a rounded, Venetian cutaway. From then on, Gibson pretty much stopped monkeying around with “improving” the L-5CES and left it pretty much alone. Which is why this particular guitar, which was made in 1977 is actually something of a sleeper. Many of the guitars Gibson made in the 1970s were frankly pretty awful, but for some reason the L-5CES’s maintained their quality. In fact, I would say they are superior to the ones Gibson made in the 1960s, which are routinely priced at thousands of dollars more. This particular example is priced at $8500, which I think is a very fair price fro such a nice instrument. If you’d like to make this guitar your own, make your wishes known to the fine folks at Retrofret and they will be happy to make you happy.

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