1932
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: 88255
Year shipped: 1932
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: Gold-plated metal parts including wrap-over tailpiece and Waverly three-on-a-strip tuners. Ebony bridge and short bound pickguard with patent number
Notes: The top has been refinished (the remainder of the finish is original) and a three-inch section at the lower back edge has been re-glued. There is some evidence of shrinkage at the side and in an area of the upper bout. A two-inch crack on the back has not been repaired
Source: Kent Garcia, KJ Guitars and Spencer Penn
Serial Number: 88258
Year shipped: 1932
FON:
(See Type Three Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: 19 fret fingerboard with pointed end and block inlays from the third fret
Body: Maple back and sides
Hardware: Long pickguard and wrap-over tailpiece incorporating jack input
Notes: According to Andre Duchossoir, this guitar was fitted with an electro-static pickup glued under the soundboard
Source: This L-5 appears in the book Gibson Electrics The Classic Years by Andre Duchossoir, where it is incorrectly identified as having been shipped in 1929
Serial Number: 88259
Year shipped: 1932
FON:
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: Dot inlaid fingerboard
Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts, Waverly tuners with pearl buttons
Source: www.mandolinarchive.com
Serial Number: 88290
Year shipped: 1932
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 regular tailpiece and individual open-back Grover 98G ‘Sta-tite’ tuners with butterbean keys. Ebony bridge
Notes: The pickguard is missing
Source: Arlan Ettinger of Guernsey Auctions
Serial Number: 88300
Year shipped: 1932
FON:
(See Type Two Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end and dots from the third fret
Body: Maple back and sides
Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including wrap-over tailpiece. Ebony bridge
Notes: Replacement tuners and repro pickguard from Cumberland Acoustics. The back of this L-5 was removed at one point and it has two repaired back cracks in the lower bout. Has Barney Kessel’s name and Social Security number scratched into the finish on the back of the headstock
Source: Tony Marcus
Serial Number: 88325
Year shipped: 1932
FON:
(See Type Three Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: 19 fret fingerboard with pointed end and narrow block inlays from the third fret (see Notes below)
Body: Maple back and sides
Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including regular tailpiece. Original long bound pickguard and bridge
Notes: Restoration by Thomas Amberger includes several crack repairs, a refret and refinish of the entire guitar. The tuners have been replaced and a strap button added on treble side of heel. This guitar was re-worked at the Gibson factory in 1936, which may explain the narrow fingerboard inlays, which are similar to those seen on the 17-inch Advanced L-5. Has original hardshell case
Source: The Fellowship of Acoustics
Serial Number: 88368
Year shipped: 1932
FON: 201
(See Type Three Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: 19 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 individual open-back Grover 98G ‘Sta-tite’ tuners with butterbean keys. Long bound pickguard
Notes: According to Robb Lawrence, who currently owns this L-5, it was Eddie Lang’s guitar
Source: Robb Lawrence
Serial Number: 88383
Year shipped: 1932
FON:
Source: www.mandolinarchive.com
Serial Number: 88429
Year shipped: 1932
FON:
(See Type Three Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘Gibson’ script logo
Neck/fingerboard: 19 fret fingerboard with square end and wide pearloid block inlays from the first fret
Body: Maple back and sides. Solid tone bars
Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including regular tailpiece. Long bound pickguard
Notes: The neck has been reset, the tuners replaced and the fingerboard refretted
Source: Schoenberg Guitars (www.om28.com)
Serial Number: 88439
Year shipped: 1932
FON:
(See Type Three Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘Gibson’ script logo
Neck/fingerboard: 19 fret fingerboard with square end and wide block inlays from the first fret
Body: Maple back and sides. Solid tone bars
Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including regular tailpiece and individual open-back Grover 98G ‘Sta-tite’ tuners with butterbean keys (see Notes below). Long bound pickguard
Notes: Three of the tuners are replacements. Has original case
Source: Larry Wexer (wexerguitars.com)
Serial Number: 88484
Year shipped: 1932
FON:
(See Type Three Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: 19 fret fingerboard with square end and narrow block inlays from the first fret (see Notes)
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. Long bound pickguard
Notes: This guitar was an export model that was originally sold in Canada. It was from the collection of John Entwistle, bass player with The Who. It seems likely that the fingerboard is a replacement.
Source: Vintage and Rare Guitars
Serial number: 88617
Year shipped: 1931
FON: 258
(See Type Three Gallery)
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 regular tailpiece and individual open-back Grover 98G ‘Sta-tite’ tuners with butterbean keys. Long bound pickguard
Notes: Replacement tuners, bridge, tailpiece and pickguard. Has several repaired cracks on the top, back and sides. The entire guitar has been refinished and its neck has been reset (it may have been re-fretted as well.) A ¼-inch jack input hole drilled in the lower bass-side bout has since been filled. Has its original case with cover
Source: Guitar Works, Ltd.
Serial Number: 88783
Year shipped: 1932
FON: Illegible
(See Type Three Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: 19 fret fingerboard with square end and narrow block inlays from the first fret
Body: Maple back and sides
Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including regular tailpiece. Long bound pickguard
Notes: Replacement tuners. A screw has been added to the pickguard
Source: Chris Breezy
Serial Number: 88784
Year shipped: 1932
FON: illegible
(See Type Three Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: 19 fret fingerboard with square end and wide block inlays from the third fret
Body: Maple back and sides. Solid top braces
Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including regular tailpiece and individual open-back Grover 98G ‘Sta-tite’ tuners with butterbean keys
Notes: There is one repaired top crack on the upper treble side bout, the pickguard is missing and the fingerboard has been refretted
Source: Jonathan Stout
Serial Number: 88786
FON: Illegible
Year shipped: 1932
(See Type Three Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: 19 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. Long bound pickguard
Notes: This L-5 is from the personal collection of George Gruhn
Source: Gruhn Guitars
Serial Number: 88890
Year shipped: 1932
FON: n/a
(See Type Three Gallery)
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo, the name ‘Drowsy Waters’ is engraved on the truss rod cover
Neck/fingerboard: 19 fret fingerboard with square end and wide block inlays from the third fret (no inlay at the 17th fret)
Body: Maple back and sides
Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including regular tailpiece. Long bound pickguard and ebony bridge
Notes: Several hairline body cracks and a small crack across the neck heel, replacement tuners, white oval label
Source: Joe Vinikow, archtop.com
Serial Number: 88891
Year shipped: 1932
FON:
Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo
Neck/fingerboard: Block inlays
Source: www.mandolinarchive.com
Serial Number: 89209
Year shipped: 1932
FON:Source: www.mandolinarchive.com