The Gibson L-1 was first introduced in 1902 as an archtop guitar , it had a single bound top and back , bound soundhole , ebony fingerboard with dotinlays, orange natural top finish, dark mahogany back and sides (see pic) , during the 20s they started making them in brown finishes . Discontinued in 1926 .
Vintage guitar price value for 2009 :
1902-1925 > $1400 to $1600
( seen some 13.5 " wide L1 guitars sell at $2500 )
Avg Upward Trend Of 3% a Year since 2000Gibson L-1 Flat top ( 1926-1937 )
In 1926 Gibson reintroduced the L-1 guitar as a flat top , worth about $50 at the time , in 1926-27 they were made with maple wood back and sides , 25" scale length , had 3 rings around the soundhole , and were made in sheraton brown finishes .
From 1927 and on they were made with mahogany wood , one ring around the unbound soundhole , and were made in sunburst finishes . In 1932 a tortoise pickguard was added . The L-1 was discontinued in 1937 and reintroduced in 1991 to 1995 .
This guitar is the guitar that the great bluesman robert johnson played with , the style and tone of these L-1 guitars in particular helped invent what we call the american blues .
Vintage guitar price value for 2009 :
1926 - 1937 > $4000 to $4500
Avg Upward Trend Of 5% a Year since 2000View all used & vintage Gibson L-1 Guitars For Sale on ebay , if your lucky you can get a great deal however they don't have them all the time .
Gibson L-1 Robert Johnson Acoustic ( present )
In the late 90s or early 2000s , gibson introduced the L-1 robert johnson acoustic guitar model , the guitar features the historic small L-series body design (25" scale length) , ebony bridge with carved pyramid wings, 3 3/4-inch soundhole diameter , and a Robert Johnson signature inlay at the end of the fingerboard.The body is like the original Gibson L-1, has mahogany back and sides with a spruce top, guitar has the same warm tone sound but is built more sturdy with the robert johnson signature inlaid in the fingerboard . Still In production .
Buying advice for new Gibson L-1 Guitars
( compare prices )
1. Gibson L-1 guitars for sale at Musicians Friend
2. Gibson L-1 guitars for sale at Guitar Center
3. Gibson L-1 guitars for sale at Music123
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I have a blonde L1, probably 1913ish, restored. It is SO beautiful, I keep admiring the undulating curves - just like a fit woman's belly! It's quite easy to play, but sadly it doesn't sound quite as good as it looks. I like it though - it's loud but a little flat and rough, which I like. USELESS for slide - sounds awful.
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Thaddy
@JEFF You are very wrong! If you play period music like me, an L1 sounds way more authentic than contemporary gear. I own an l1 (1917 ish) I bought in NY and it is by modern standards unplayable due to its fat neck, but it sounds like haeven when you play it. You CAN hear the difference compared to the stuff from Sears, although that's fun too :-)
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caroline48642
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Scott
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boxcarro
ARKANSAW-SLIM. I purchased an IMMACULATE L-1 w/ ORIG. cOFFIN CASE @ "REAL GUITARS" in San Francisco, CA Circa 1988, for $500.00. IT HAD A BEAUTIFUL TONE, WAS LOUD & PERFECT INTONATION, I carried it CROSS COUNTRY, into CANADA on the FREIGHT TRAINS, it went to PRISON with me, and finally was STOLEN by a Hippie Punk Faggit from BERKELEY. You people that gripe or say it sounds bad: YOU ARE NO TALENT CREEPS. Play for 50 years, then you can make ANYTHING sound good.
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I own a 1929 Gibson L1 and I just love the sound it makes. I am making two replicas of it and I noticed that the scale length is exactly 24.25" not 25" as stated in this article. This makes a big difference to the way this guitar sounds and feels. The strings bend more easily (which is why it is a great blues guitar) because a smaller scale length means less string tension. The body is very thin and the top even more so. The weight is 1.2 KGs with strings on!
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I got my 1918 L-1 from my grandfather in 1967 after it sit in an attic for 35 years. I agree that it TOTALLY captures the sound of that period. Every time I open the case it smells like an antique shop. The V-neck makes it interesting to play and I played it a lot in the last 60's. True, it's not a really collectible Gibson, but it's fun to look at as it hangs on the wall
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Whom ever thought L meant learner is way off. It either means long scale, 25", 24" was very common back then, or lute/luthrie. Although this is an American guitar I think there was a lot of influence from Europe. At the time these came out the trade guilds in Europe had been going round about who could make what. Cabinet makers were making guitars, and the Luthrie guild was not happy, but the agreed to let cabinet workers do flat top guitars, and luthiers did arch top bowed instruments. This fight was mainly present around Germany. I have a couple old German parlor guitars, and the look and play fantastic. One has flame back and sides to die for.
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I am looking at a decent L-1 and bid 1500 on it, but I though I was bidding on an L-4. It is a 1918 13.5" wide lower bout, and has the pick guard clips, but no pick guard. I think I have a template for that pick guard. Aside from that it has some scuffs on the back, the top looks quite clean, and there are no cracks.The nut needs to be glued back on, but I can do the in my sleep. I bid 1500 and won, but since it was misrepresented I have the option to opt out, or I can have it delivered, and probably still opt out. I bid on an L-4 not an L-1, but is it worth $1600 with shipping. No original case, but all other stuff is original. Any advice? I am wanting to wash my hands of the deal, but if I can resell it and just make $70 or $80 for my trouble.
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As for sound. These sound like what they are, and they can sound divine with the right touch, and choice of music genre. It is not a bid dreadnought folk box, nor a nylon string classical. The bass strings are a little odd sounding on some, and more so on others, but they have a cool percussive effect, and go with finger style rag, and blues tunes. I came into a set of instruments from a family that played in the 20s. They are all black tops but one sunburst L4. The model 0 is really weird, and there is a 10 string mandola or cittern. I have barely got time to glue on loose nuts, and fix other stuff on other instruments. But calling a sound cheap, or poor is unfair. Sometimes a sound like the one that is being criticized fits into a song like a piece in a jig saw puzzle, just make sure it is the right piece from the right puzzle. Remember Dan Electro? Those could sound decent for some stuff, and I have an old plywood and masonite guitar that is a great rhythm guitar. It cuts right through the mix without being either overpowering or muddy. After playing for 37 years I am a lot less critical. Instead I look for something new in the mess of SOS ou t there. I apprenticed for 7 1/2 years as a luthier, and saw many people come in and spend 3 or 4 times what their guitar was worth to fix it, and when you handed them the guitar you understood why. I can fix the L-1 if it is not in need of having major parts re made from scratch. My shop space is way way too small. That is why I concentrate on amps. I am too spoiled to work as a luthier without all the large wood working equipment, and dust control, jigs templates etc. I just have no room for it all. We lost our shop to the bank. Our landlord was a crook, and took rent, but failed to pay the mortgage. We just showed up, and there was a sign on the door. GET OUT.
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Borsa
thanx for this blog and please let me take a copy to my site
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I am going to build a '30s flat top Gibson L-1 copy. I am picking out my wood right now. Does anyone have a dimensioned drawing of these? I have been unable to locate an L-1 design, anywhere on line. If necessary, I would love to have an accurate tracing of the body, and some dimensions of the hole location, diameter, neck dimensions including head stock and angle. I want to be as accurate as possible. The real ones are too expensive.
Can anyone help me? Thank you.
stc1954@cox.net
I really love this guitar!!