Serial Number: 86949 Bob Bain

Year shipped: 1931

FON:

Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo

Neck/fingerboard: 19 fret fingerboard with pointed end and wide block inlays from the third fret (in the case of a serial number this early, it’s possible that the guitar left the factory with a dot inlaid fingerboard).

Body: Maple back and sides

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including regular 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. Long bound pickguard

Notes: This guitar belonged to Bob Bain who played with – amongst others –  Tommy Dorsey, Bob Crosby, Buddy Rich, Harry James, Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme, and Peggy Lee. Bob’s name is engraved on a ‘Mono-Plak’ metal truss rod cover (this is not a Gibson part and was a present from Tiny Timbrell.)

Discover more about Bob Bain here

The ‘Mono-Plak’ truss rod cover, which is engraved with Bob’s name, was a present from session guitarist Tiny Timbrell.

Bob Bain with the L-5 featured, above

Images courtesy of Scotty Moore