Serial Number: 91774

Year shipped: 1935

FON: 1356

Headstock: Horizontal ‘The Gibson’ logo

Neck/fingerboard: 19 fret fingerboard with square end and wide pearl block inlays from the third fret

Body: Maple back and sides, kerfed top braces

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including regular tailpiece

Notes: Currently fitted with a set of reproduction tuners. Five of the original (open-back Grover 98G ‘Sta-tite’ tuners with butterbean keys) are stored in the case. The ebony bridge has the serial number hand-written on its underside and has a ‘turn-over’ saddle for Hawaiian playing. The pickguard is a replica

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Ebony bridge (above) – note the Serial Number written in white pencil on the underside of the bridge base. See more about bridges here

L-5 serial number 91774 appears to be part of a batch of five similar instruments that were produced in October of 1934. They are described in Gibson’s shipping ledgers as “thick top, old style” instruments.

The guitar was first shipped on the 16th of May 1935 to the Clark Music Company of Syracuse, New York with the notation “thick top, bronze strings.” Evidently it did not sell and was returned to the Gibson factory.  In a rather strange twist, the same guitar was then shipped again on the 19th of December 1935 to the Clark Music Company.

It was sent to Gibson for repairs in 1937 and returned to Bringe & Evans Music Store of Utica, New York on the 22nd July 1937.  The shipping ledgers do not indicate the nature of the repair.

Thanks to Joe Spann for the above information

This is one of 110 16-inch L-5s shipped in 1935