Serial Number: 95122 Allan Reuss

Year Shipped: 1938

FON: 672 C-2

Headstock: Horizontal ‘Gibson’ script logo. Has the initial ‘A R’ engraved on the truss rod cover

Neck/fingerboard: 20 fret fingerboard with pointed end and narrow block inlays from the first fret. Wide neck heel. Gibson ledger indicates ‘Long Scale’

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

Hardware: Gold-plated metal parts including hinged tailpiece with silver centre insert and three engraved diamonds that is engraved with Allan Reuss’ name and individual Grover Imperial tuners. Long bound pickguard

Notes:

Andre Duchossoir told us: “Although the Natural option was not formally offered until ’39, the very first L-5swith a Natural finish were delivered in ’37. The earliest registered examples were 94095 and 94096. Which were shipped on January 22, 1937 to Wallace Caldwell (Gibson’s New England rep), presumably for Gibson endorsers. Indeed the other blonde L-5s shipped in 1937 include guitars built for the likes of Dick McDonough or Allan Reuss.”

“A total of 20 Natural finish L-5s were shipped prior to the official launch in 1939, seven in 1937 and 13 in 1938 checked.

“The Alan Reuss guitar has a 1937 FON, the shipping date is January 8, 1938. The ledger shows a pair of L-5s, 95120 and 95122, both with 606 cases. They are bracketed together with the words ‘NY Band Long Scale’.”

This L-5 belonged to guitarist Allan Reuss, whose initials appear on both the truss rod cover and endpin

This guitar is one of 13 Natural finish Advanced L-5s shipped in 1938