Gibson L-00 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1933)
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Item # 13416
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Gibson L-00 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1933), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 762, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
The L-00 has remained one of Gibson's most popular Depression-era guitars, then and now. While this model was at the bottom of the flat-top line in the early/mid-1930s, it offered great value in sound for a comparatively affordable package. This is a very early 14-fret example built in 1933 (when the list price was at an all-time low of $27.50, without the case) and has far less play wear than many, surviving in played but nicely original condition.
The finish on the spruce top is a very dark sunburst with a small deep-hued center, typical of earlier-1930s guitars. There is single-ply white celluloid binding around the top edge while the back is unbound. The top is also ornamented with a "firestripe" tortoise celluloid pickguard and a three-ply sound hole ring. The top on this one exhibits an unusual depression-era expediency, as it is made of three pieces of neatly joined spruce instead of the usual two. The seams are visible on either side of the soundhole running the length of the top, the treble side join having been resealed cleanly. The wood itself is very fine tight-grain spruce; one can see how Gibson didn't want these nice but narrow pieces to go to waste!
The back and sides are finished in very dark mahogany, as is the mahogany neck with an unbound rosewood fingerboard. This neck has less pronounced "V" contouring than some examples, just a bit more rounded without the sharp spine that some players find uncomfortable. The headstock carries a white stenciled "Gibson" logo on the face and simple openback unplated strip tuners. The original rosewood bridge does not have the reinforcing bolts with their pearl dot caps added a couple of years later.
This model was a working-class standard of the day, a professional grade guitar affordable to blues players, Hillbilly string bands, and many other itinerant musicians as well as Gibson's intended student customers. Each one has its own character and this example is great-sounding both finger- and flat-picked, with a powerful ringing tone that never gets harsh. This is a very nice example; many of these pre-war Gibson flat-tops have been heavily worn and often amateurishly repaired, while this L-00 has seen some use and repair it maintains its original character and offers a very big sound.
Overall length is 39 5/8 in. (100.6 cm.), 14 3/4 in. (37.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 23/32 in. (44 mm.).
Overall this is a solidly preserved early L-00, showing some serious play wear but structurally excellent, surviving better than many of these working class wonders, especially the early '30s ones which are harder to find. The finish is nicely original overall with no alteration; it shows typical checking to the lacquer with numerous dings, dents and scrapes over the entire instrument. The top has dings and dents scattered all around, wear to the wood on the top edge and pick scrapes in the usual spots. Many of these are into but not through the finish but the lower edge of the soundhole rim is well worn through into the wood.
There is wear down to the wood along the edges of the back as is typical when this area is not bound, and a large spot of belt buckling to the center of the back. The back of the neck is worn to the wood over much of its length, with some small dinks and dents but no heavy capo wear or deep gouges. The headstock shows some typical wear, and there is a small decal with the initials "BRS." added below the Gibson logo. The tuners are original and work fine.
There are no visible cracks, which is pretty amazing for such a lightly built instrument 90+ years along that saw as much use as this one did. The original rosewood bridge maintains its full height; the saddle has been lowered somewhat. The small maple bridge plate is original and in solid shape; the interior of the guitar remains unaltered with several braces having been reglued and one cracked finger brace repaired. There has never been a neck re-set, which also unusual and delightful. The original frets have had a light grind and polish with hardly any wear since, there is some old divoting to the fingerboard in the lower positions. Even with the wear this is a lovely playing and great sounding guitar, well used but a delightful "real relic" example of this much-loved pre-war Gibson classic in a modern HSC. Overall Very Good + Condition.
The L-00 has remained one of Gibson's most popular Depression-era guitars, then and now. While this model was at the bottom of the flat-top line in the early/mid-1930s, it offered great value in sound for a comparatively affordable package. This is a very early 14-fret example built in 1933 (when the list price was at an all-time low of $27.50, without the case) and has far less play wear than many, surviving in played but nicely original condition.
The finish on the spruce top is a very dark sunburst with a small deep-hued center, typical of earlier-1930s guitars. There is single-ply white celluloid binding around the top edge while the back is unbound. The top is also ornamented with a "firestripe" tortoise celluloid pickguard and a three-ply sound hole ring. The top on this one exhibits an unusual depression-era expediency, as it is made of three pieces of neatly joined spruce instead of the usual two. The seams are visible on either side of the soundhole running the length of the top, the treble side join having been resealed cleanly. The wood itself is very fine tight-grain spruce; one can see how Gibson didn't want these nice but narrow pieces to go to waste!
The back and sides are finished in very dark mahogany, as is the mahogany neck with an unbound rosewood fingerboard. This neck has less pronounced "V" contouring than some examples, just a bit more rounded without the sharp spine that some players find uncomfortable. The headstock carries a white stenciled "Gibson" logo on the face and simple openback unplated strip tuners. The original rosewood bridge does not have the reinforcing bolts with their pearl dot caps added a couple of years later.
This model was a working-class standard of the day, a professional grade guitar affordable to blues players, Hillbilly string bands, and many other itinerant musicians as well as Gibson's intended student customers. Each one has its own character and this example is great-sounding both finger- and flat-picked, with a powerful ringing tone that never gets harsh. This is a very nice example; many of these pre-war Gibson flat-tops have been heavily worn and often amateurishly repaired, while this L-00 has seen some use and repair it maintains its original character and offers a very big sound.
Overall length is 39 5/8 in. (100.6 cm.), 14 3/4 in. (37.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 23/32 in. (44 mm.).
Overall this is a solidly preserved early L-00, showing some serious play wear but structurally excellent, surviving better than many of these working class wonders, especially the early '30s ones which are harder to find. The finish is nicely original overall with no alteration; it shows typical checking to the lacquer with numerous dings, dents and scrapes over the entire instrument. The top has dings and dents scattered all around, wear to the wood on the top edge and pick scrapes in the usual spots. Many of these are into but not through the finish but the lower edge of the soundhole rim is well worn through into the wood.
There is wear down to the wood along the edges of the back as is typical when this area is not bound, and a large spot of belt buckling to the center of the back. The back of the neck is worn to the wood over much of its length, with some small dinks and dents but no heavy capo wear or deep gouges. The headstock shows some typical wear, and there is a small decal with the initials "BRS." added below the Gibson logo. The tuners are original and work fine.
There are no visible cracks, which is pretty amazing for such a lightly built instrument 90+ years along that saw as much use as this one did. The original rosewood bridge maintains its full height; the saddle has been lowered somewhat. The small maple bridge plate is original and in solid shape; the interior of the guitar remains unaltered with several braces having been reglued and one cracked finger brace repaired. There has never been a neck re-set, which also unusual and delightful. The original frets have had a light grind and polish with hardly any wear since, there is some old divoting to the fingerboard in the lower positions. Even with the wear this is a lovely playing and great sounding guitar, well used but a delightful "real relic" example of this much-loved pre-war Gibson classic in a modern HSC. Overall Very Good + Condition.