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).

Label says: “L-5 SPC”

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