1941

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

From 1939 the L-5 was offered – as the L-5P (Premier) – with a single rounded ‘Venetian’ style cutaway. Examples with a cutaway and Natural finish were designated L-5PN

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

Serial Number: 96581

Year shipped: 1941

FON: 1486 F

(See 17-inch Premier Gallery)

Headstock: Horizontal ‘Gibson’ script logo

Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end and narrow block inlays from the first fret. Wide neck heel

Body: 17-inch body with maple back and sides, Venetian Cutaway, Natural finish and large bound f-holes 

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including Varitone tailpiece and Kluson Sealfast tuners with Catalin buttons. Bound pickguard and rosewood bridge

Notes: Has original tweed hardshell case

Source: Gary’s Classic Guitars (garysguitars.com)

Serial Number: 96617

Year shipped: 1941

FON: 

(See 17-inch Premier Gallery)

Headstock: Horizontal ‘Gibson’ script logo

Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end and narrow block inlays from the first fret

Body: 17-inch body with maple back and sides, Venetian cutaway and large bound f-holes 

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including Varitone tailpiece and Kluson Sealfast tuners with Catalin buttons. Bound pickguard

Source: The Chinery Collection

Serial Number: 96697

Year shipped: 1941

FON: 

Source: www.mandolinarchive.com

Serial Number: 96751

Year shipped: 1941

FON: 1083F

(See 17-inch Advanced Gallery)

Headstock: Horizontal ‘Gibson’ script logo

Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end and narrow block inlays from the first fret. Wide neck heel

Body: 17-inch body with maple back and sides, Natural finish and large bound f-holes 

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including Varitone tailpiece and Kluson Sealfast tuners with Catalin buttons. Long bound pickguard

Notes: A DeArmond pickup has been installed. Shipped only once, on March 19th 1941 to Sherman Clay & Company in a #600 case

Source: Kevin Siggins (gibson-prewar.com)

Serial Number: 96881

Year shipped: 1941

FON:

Body: 17-inch body

Notes: ‘Natural L-5 Electric Spanish’ shipped to Les Paul 13/05/41

‘L-5 Natural Electric’ shipped 02/09/43

Serial Number: 96893

Year shipped: 1941

FON: 

Notes: ‘Electric Spanish L-5’ shipped to Geo Rose, Loan 18/08/41

‘L-5 Natural Electric’ shipped 06/12/43 to Grinnell Bros.

Serial Number: 96970

Year shipped: 1941

FON:

Body: Natural finish

Source: www.mandolinarchive.com

Serial number: 96978 Allan Reuss

Year shipped: 1941

FON:

(See 17-inch Electric Gallery)

Model L-5E (listed in ledger as ‘L-5P with ES-300 Pickup’)

Headstock: Horizontal ‘Gibson’ script logo

Neck/fingerboard: 20-fret fingerboard with pointed end and narrow block inlays from the first fret

Body: 17-inch cutaway body with Natural finish and large bound f-holes

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including Varitone tailpiece. Rosewood bridge.

Electronics: ES-300 short diagonal pickup, two knobs on treble side below the bridge

Notes: The pickguard is missing. The guitar’s interior label reads: ‘Style L-5E’

Source: Paul Fox

Serial Number: 96978

Year shipped: 1941

FON:

Headstock: Horizontal Gibson script logo

Neck/fingerboard: 20-fret fingerboard with pointed end and narrow block inlays from the first fret

Body: 17-inch cutaway body with Natural finish

Hardware: Gold-plated including Varitone tailpiece. Rosewood bridge. The pickguard is missing

Electronics: ES-300 short diagonal pickup, two knobs on treble side below the bridge

Notes: This L-5P was sent to Alan Reuss along with an EH-185 amplifier serial number 16213. The guitar’s interior label reads: ‘Style L-5E’. Reuss returned the instrument to Gibson a few months after receiving it.

28/05/41 ‘L-5P with ES-300 pickup and EH-185 Amplifier serial no 16213’ shipped to Allan Reuss

Serial Number: 96979

Year shipped: 1941

FON: 

Source: www.mandolinarchive.com

Serial number: 97172

Year shipped: 1941 

FON:  4159G

Headstock: Horizontal ‘Gibson’ script logo (lacks a dot over the letter ‘i.’). 

Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end and narrow block inlays from the first fret. Wide neck heel

Body: 17-inch body with maple back and sides, Natural finish and large bound f-holes 

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including Varitone tailpiece and Kluson Sealfast tuners with plastic buttons. Rosewood bridge

Notes: The body has been refinished. The words ‘Bill 1941’ are pencilled on the inside back just above the label. Has original hardshell case

This guitar is one of 41 Natural finished Advanced L-5s shipped in 1941

Source: Alan Pritchard

Serial number: 97173

Year shipped: 1941

FON: 4159G

(See 17-inch Advanced Gallery)

Headstock: Horizontal ‘Gibson’ script logo (lacks a dot over the letter ‘i.’). Truss rod cover engraved with the name ‘Bud’

Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end and narrow block inlays from the first fret. Wide neck heel

Body: 17-inch body with maple back and sides, Natural finish and large bound f-holes 

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including Varitone tailpiece and Kluson Sealfast tuners with Catalin buttons. Rosewood bridge with pearl inlays

Notes: Missing pickguard. This guitar was originally shipped on 26th September 1941 to Lyon & Healy in Chicago, Illinois

Source: Don Belter

Serial Number: 97176

Year shipped: 1941

FON: 35276 (may be 3527-G)

Source: www.mandolinarchive.com

Serial Number: 97230

Year shipped: 1941

FON: 

Source: www.mandolinarchive.com

Serial number: 97291

Year shipped: 1941 

FON:

(See Advanced gallery)

Headstock: Horizontal ‘Gibson’ script logo (lacks a dot over the letter ‘i.’)

Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end and narrow block inlays from the first fret. Wide neck heel

Body: 17-inch body with maple back and sides, Natural finish and large bound f-holes 

Hardware:

Notes: The fingerboard has been rebound and refretted and the headstock face has been refinished. The sections of timber on either side of the end-block are part of an earlier repair

This guitar is one of 41 Natural finished Advanced L-5s shipped in 1941 

Source: Lynn Wheelwright

Serial Number: 97295

Year shipped: 1941

FON:

Headstock: Horizontal ‘Gibson’ script logo

Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret rosewood fingerboard with pointed end and narrow blocks from the first fret. 25 ½ inch scale length and 1 11/16-inch nut width

Body: 17-inch ‘Advanced’ body with bound f-holes, refinished and re-fretted

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts, Varitone tailpiece, non-original Kluson ‘Sealfast’ tuners, later pickguard, rosewood bridge

Notes: This guitar has been refinished and though it currently has a Natural finish it may have been shipped with a Sunburst finish

Source: Fretted Americana

Serial number: 97659

Year shipped: 1941 

FON:

Body: 17-inch body with maple back and sides, Natural finish

This guitar is one of 41 Natural finished Advanced L-5s shipped in 1941 

Source: Gibson ledgers – not known if this guitar still existing

Serial number: 97660

Year shipped: 1941 

FON:

Body: 17-inch body with maple back and sides, Natural finish

This guitar is one of 41 Natural finished Advanced L-5s shipped in 1941 

Source: Gibson ledgers – not known if this guitar still existing