1930
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: 85437
Year shipped: 1930
FON: 9418
(See Type Two Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo, backward-facing banjo tuners
Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end, dot inlays from the third fret
Body: Maple back and sides
Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including backward-facing banjo tuners and wrap-over tailpiece. Short bound pickguard
Source: George Gruhn
Serial Number: 85558
Year shipped: 1930
FON:
(See Type Two Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end, dot inlays from the third fret
Body: Maple back and sides
Hardware: Replacement tailpiece, tuners and pickguard. Originally had gold-plated wrap-over tailpiece, backward-facing banjo tuners and short bound pickguard
Notes: This is the L-5 that Maybelle Carter used with the Carter Family
Source: George Gruhn
Serial Number: 85568
Year shipped: 1930
FON:
(See Type Three Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘Gibson’ script logo
Neck/fingerboard: 19 fret fingerboard with square end and wide block inlays from the third fret
Body: Maple back and sides
Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including regular tailpiece and individual open-back Grover 98G ‘Sta-tite’ tuners with butterbean keys. Long bound pickguard
Notes: The body has a centre seam repair. Has original hardshell case
Source: Lowell Levinger, vintageinstruments.com
Serial Number: 85576
Year shipped: 1930
FON: 9458
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end and wide ‘pearloid’ block inlays from the third fret
Body: Maple back and sides. Has a Master Model label
Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including a regular trapeze tailpiece
Notes: The pickguard and tuners have been replaced.
The FON indicates that this L-5 was produced about mid-year 1929 but did not ship until January of the year 1930.
Source: Keith Dunnell
Serial Number: 85578
Year shipped: 1930
FON:
(See Type Three Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end and dot inlays from the fifth fret
Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts, tuners and trapeze tailpiece are vintage replacements and the pickguard is a repro. Ebony bridge
Notes: ‘Master Model’ label. An additional oval Gibson label stamped with the serial number, may be evidence that the guitar was returned to the Gibson factory in the 1930s. Has original hardshell case
Source: Joe Vinikow, archtop.com
Serial number: 85754
Year shipped: 1930
FON: 9418
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end and wide block inlays from the third fret
Body: Maple back and sides
Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including wrap-over tailpiece and individual open-back Grover 98G ‘Sta-tite’ tuners with butterbean keys. Short bound pickguard
Notes: The guitar appears to have been completely refinished
Source: Al Gareffa
Serial Number: 85755
Year shipped: 1930
FON: 9418
(See Type Two Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end, dot inlays from the third fret
Body: Maple back and sides
Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including wrap-over tailpiece. Replacement tuners. Short bound pickguard
Source: Jack Fields
Serial Number: 85758
Year shipped: 1930
FON:
(See Type Three Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end and wide ‘pearloid’ block inlays from the third fret
Body: Maple back and sides
Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including wrap-over tailpiece and Waverly three-on-a-strip tuners. Long bound pickguard
Source: Arlan Ettinger of Guernsey Auctions
Serial Number: 85970
Year shipped: 1930
FON:
Notes: The guitar was refinished by John D’Angelico, who also replaced thefingerboard. Master model label (replacement fingerboard has 20 frets)
Source: Matt Munisteri
Serial Number: 85978
Year shipped: 1930
FON:
Notes: Neck and fingerboard replaced in 1934 (replacement fingerboard has 19 frets)
Source: Matt Munisteri. Master model label
Serial Number: 86138
Model: L5-TG (tenor guitar)
Year shipped: 1930
FON: 9705
(See Type Two Gallery)
Headstock: Diagonal script ‘Gibson’ logo and three pearl inlays (no flowerpot)
Neck/fingerboard: 19 fret fingerboard with pointed end, dot inlays from the third fret with double dots at the 7th, 12th and 17th frets
Body: Maple back and sides
Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including backward facing banjo tuners with pearl buttons. Short bound pickguard. Replacement tailpiece
Notes: TG-L5 tenor guitar, ‘Master Model’ label
Source: www.mandolinarchive.com and Dan Biemborn
Serial Number: 86195
Year shipped: 1930
FON: 8698
(See Type Two Gallery)
Headstock/neck/fingerboard: See Notes below
Body: Maple back and sides
Hardware: See Notes below
Notes: 1930s 16-inch L-5 with a replacement top and a Johnny Smith neck and fingerboard. According to its current owner, the work was carried out at the Gibson factory in the 1970s. The original serial number is stamped on the back of the headstock. Like a Gibson Johnny Smith, the guitar now has a 25-inch scale length and the bridge has been re-positioned to accommodate this.
Source: Dutch Archtop Museum
Serial Number: 86289
Model: TGL-5 (tenor guitar)
Year shipped: 1930
FON: 8698
(See Type Three Gallery)
Notes: This guitar was converted fat the Gibson factory from a tenor guitar to a regular six string. Its new fingerboard has position marker at the 10th fret
Source: Howard Emerson
Serial Number: 86333
Year shipped: 1930
FON:
(See Type Two Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: Replacement fingerboard (see Notes below for details)
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 owned by repairman Milt Owens who installed a new ebony fingerboard and bridge
Source: Larry van de Leensel
Serial Number: 86342
Year shipped: 1930
FON: 9688
(See Type Two Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end and dot inlays from the third fret (the 9th fret inlay has been moved to the 10th fret). Non-original pearl custom truss rod cover
Body: Maple back and sides
Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including wrap-over tailpiece and Waverly three-on-a-strip tuners. Short bound pickguard, ebony bridge
Notes: Belonged to collector/dealer Harry West
Source: Tony Marcus
Serial Number: 86343
Year shipped: 1930
FON:
(See Type Three Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: One-piece neck with replacement dot inlaid fingerboard
Body: Maple back and sides, body refinished, small repaired top crack
Hardware: Repro tuners, non-original trapeze tailpiece. New ebony bridge (original in case) and long pickguard
Notes: Owner Tony Marcus says: “This guitar was refinished by Gibson in the 1930s. For some reason, they gave it the colour and shading of the Recording King archtops that they were building at the time. As was often the case, the factory also replaced the original Master Model label with a newer one with the same serial number.”
Source: thunderroadguitars and Tony Marcus
Serial Number: 86383
FON:
Year shipped: 1930
Source: www.mandolinarchive.com
Serial Number: 86512
Year shipped: 1930
FON: 9688
(See Type Two Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end and dot inlays from the third fret
Body: Maple back and sides
Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including wrap-over tailpiece and Waverly three-on-a-strip tuners. Ebony bridge. Pickguard is missing.
Notes: Belonged to guitarists George M. Smith and Barney Kessel
Source: Tony Marcus
Serial Number: 86536
FON:
Year shipped: 1930
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret ebony fingerboard with pointed end and dots from the third fret
Hardware: Silver-plated wrap over tailpiece (may not be original to the guitar)
Source: Jan Koivunen.
Serial number: 86622
Year shipped: 1930
FON:
(See Type Three Gallery)
Headstock: See Notes
Neck/fingerboard: See Notes
Body: Maple back and sides. Has white oval ‘Guaranteed’ label
Hardware: See Notes
Notes: The presence of the centre-dip headstock, wide neck heel, narrow block fingerboard inlays, Grover 98G ‘Sta-tite’ tuners and flat L-5 tailpiece engraved with ‘L-5’ legend, suggest that this instrument was re-necked and re-fitted at the Gibson factory at some point in the mid to late 30s. The finish has been touched up in a few areas and a pair of cracks near the tailpiece have been cleated and resealed. Has a repro pickguard
Source: Joe Vinikow, archtop.com
Serial Number: 86624
Year shipped: 1930
FON: 9771
(See Type Two Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret ebony fingerboard with pointed end and dot inlays from the third fret
Body: Maple back and sides, refinished top
Hardware: Replaced with parts from late 1920s L-3.
Source: Jim Garber
Serial Number: 86626
Year shipped: 1930
FON: 9771
Source: www.mandolinarchive.com