1927

The shipping dates listed below relate to the instrument’s serial number and are based on information provided in Spann’s Guide To Gibson by Joseph E. Spann

Note that the serial number indicates the date at which the instrument was shipped rather than its date of manufacture

All examples have maple back and sides unless otherwise indicated

If an instrument appears in one of our picture galleries this is noted beneath the serial number

Serial Number: 81000

Year shipped: 1927

FON: 

Source: www.mandolinarchive.com

Serial number 81271

Year shipped: 1927

FON 8657

Headstock: Diagonal ‘The Gibson’ logo

Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end, dot inlays from the fifth fret with double dots at the 12th and 17th frets

Body: Maple back and sides

Hardware: Silver-plated metal parts including wrap-over tailpiece and Waverly three-on-a-strip tuners with engraved base plate and pearl buttons, mounted so that the cog is positioned above the worm gear. Short bound pickguard

Notes: Some light overspray.

Source: Gruhn Guitars

Serial Number: 81273

Year shipped: 1927

FON: 8657

(See Type Two Gallery)

Headstock: Diagonal ‘The Gibson’ logo

Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end, dot inlays from the fifth fret with double dots at the 12th and 17th frets

Body: Maple back and sides

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including wrap-over tailpiece and Waverly three-on-a-strip tuners. Short bound pickguard

Notes: This guitar was purchased new directly from the Gibson Factory by musician Stanley Richards

Source: Stan Werbin of Elderly Instruments

Serial Number: 81314

Year shipped: 1927

FON:

(See Type Two Gallery)

Headstock: Diagonal ‘The Gibson’ logo

Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end, dot inlays from the fifth fret with double dots at the 12th and 17th frets

Body: Maple back and sides

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including wrap-over tailpiece and Waverly three-on-a-strip tuners. Short bound pickguard and ebony bridge

Source: Richard Ortiz

Serial Number: 81339

Year shipped: 1927

FON:

Body. There is a hairline crack above the bass side f-hole and the back binding may have been replaced.

Notes: The back and sides of the body and the neck have been refinished. Has original case

Source: www.mandolinarchive.com

Serial Number: 81629

Year shipped: 1927

FON:

(See Type Two Gallery)

Headstock: Diagonal ‘The Gibson’ logo, pearl nut

Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end, dot inlays from the fifth fret with double dots at the 12th and 17th frets. Fingerboard binding adjacent to the 18th and 19th frets has been replaced.

Body: Maple back and sides. Small top crack at the waist below the pickguard and centre seam repair

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including wrap-over tailpiece and backward facing Grover banjo tuners. Short bound pickguard has been notched for a pickup

Notes: Has Master Model label

Source: Folkway Music

Serial Number: 81707

Year shipped: 1927

FON: 8688

(See Type Two Gallery)

Headstock: Diagonal ‘The Gibson’ logo

Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end, dot inlays from the fifth fret with double dots at the 12th and 17th frets.

Body: Maple back and sides

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including wrap-over tailpiece and Waverly three-on-a-strip tuners. Short bound pickguard and ebony bridge

Source: Arlan Ettinger of Guernsey Auctions 

Serial Number: 81791

Year shipped: 1927

FON: 

(See Type Two Gallery)

Headstock: Diagonal ‘The Gibson’ logo

Neck/fingerboard: see notes below

Body: Maple back and sides

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including wrap-over tailpiece. Replica short bound pickguard

Notes: The ebony fingerboard is a replacement built by Cris Mirabella who also made the nut, pickguard and support bracket. The upper section of the bridge is a replica made by Cumberland Acoustics. Though the guitar is pictured in our Type Two Gallery with its original tuners these have since been replaced by gold-plated Waverlys

Source: Rod Mcdonald

Serial Number: 81808

Year shipped: 1927

FON: 8668

Headstock: Diagonal ‘The Gibson’ logo

Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end, dot inlays from the fifth fret with double dots at the 12th and 17th frets.

Body: Maple back and sides

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including wrap-over tailpiece and Waverly three-on-a-strip tuners with engraved baseplate and pearl buttons, mounted so that the cog is positioned below the worm gear. Short bound pickguard and ebony bridge

NotesGibson records indicate that L-5 serial number 81808 was returned to the factory in 1940 at which point it was refinished. This guitar is from the personal collection of vintage instrument authority, George Gruhn

Source: George Gruhn

Serial Number: 82433

Year shipped: 1928

FON:

Headstock: See Notes below

Neck/fingerboard: See Notes below

Body: Maple back and sides

Hardware: The tailpiece and tuners have been replaced and the pickguard is missing (the original tuners are in the case)

Notes: Master Model label.

The script ‘Gibson’ logo and 19 fret fingerboard with a square end are features that first appeared in the early 1930s leading us to suggest that L-5 serial number 82433 was re-necked in the mid 1930s. The guitar was likely refinished at the same time.

Source: Jeffrey Eaton