Serial number: 86885 12 Fret Neck
Year shipped: 1931
FON: 9879
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 short wrap-over tailpiece and Waverly three-on-a-strip tuners with engraved base plate and pearl buttons, mounted so that the cog is positioned below the worm gear. Short bound pickguard and ebony bridge
Notes: This unusual L-5 has a 12-fret neck and was likely a special custom order item (label marked “SPC L-5).

Images courtesy of Arlan Ettinger of Guernsey Auctions and photographer Paul Schraub