1942

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: 97384

Year shipped: 1942

FON:

Source: www.mandolinarchive.com

Serial Number: 97521

Year shipped: 1942

FON:

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

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

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including flat tailpiece with L-5 legend and Grover Imperial tuners. Rosewood bridge and long bound pickguard

Notes: About 12 inches of the body binding is missing, the pick guard has been cut to accommodate a pickup and there is some over spray on the neck

This guitar is one of 25 Natural finished Advanced L-5s shipped in 1942

Source: the Rago Arts and Auction Center

Serial number: 97649

Year shipped: 1942

FON: 7611H-7

Headstock: Horizontal ‘Gibson’ script logo (lacks a dot over the letter ‘i.’) The headstock inlay is the same as that found on the 1924 Gibson TB-5 trapdoor banjo. Original bone nut

Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end and narrow block inlays from the first fret. 25 ½-inch scale length and wide neck heel

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

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including Varitone tailpiece and engraved Grover Sta-Tite G-98 open back tuners. Rosewood bridge and long bound pickguard

Notes: The unusual headstock inlay, which is the same as that found on the 1924 Gibson TB-5 trapdoor banjo, can also be seen on L-5 serial number 89849 (shipped in 1933), L-5 serial number 91615 (shipped in 1935), which was built for guitarist Carl Kress and L-5 serial number 97670, which was owned by Roy Smeck (shipped in 1943). Similar gold-plated Grover G-98 Sta-Tite tuners with engraved  buttons were fitted to the earliest Super 400 model

This guitar is one of 20 Sunburst finished Advanced L-5s shipped in 1942

Source: Archtop.com

Serial Number: 97656

Year shipped: 1942

FON: 7014H-5

(See 17-inch 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. 25 ½-inch scale length and wide neck heel

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

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

Source: Arlan Ettinger of Guernsey Auctions