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: 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