Serial Number: 94640

Year shipped: 1937

FON:

Headstock: Horizontal ‘Gibson’ script logo

Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end and narrow block inlays from the first fret. Wide neck heel

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

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including hinged tailpiece with silver centre insert and three engraved diamonds

Notes: The pickguard is missing and the tuners have been replaced

“I worked as personal luthier for André Duchossoir for years,” says Matt Rouvé. “André passed away few years ago and wrote the best books about vintage guitars!

“I recently found these old photos. They show a 1937 L-5 that was Les Paul’s personal guitar. Les played it from 1937 to 1941. The guitar was poorly re-fretted and around 10 years ago, André asked me to do a new fret job.

“Cheers from Paris!”

This guitar is one of 212 Sunburst Advanced L-5s shipped in 1937

Images courtesy of Matt Rouvé