Type One

Type One L-5s were made from 1923 to December 1924

L-5s built prior to December 1924 have both Gibson ‘Master Model’ and Lloyd Loar signature labels, the latter signed and dated by Loar himself (for more on Lloyd Loar, click here). Typical features include a single bound 20 fret fingerboard with a pointed end and pearl dot inlays, a diagonal The Gibson logo, silver-plated hardware, a tailpiece in which the strings pass through and over the crossbar, a birch back with maple sides (a few examples featured maple back and sides – see Serial Number 76478) and a Virzi tone producer suspended within the body.

Please bear in mind that the date assigned to each instrument is based on its Serial Number. This was added just before the instrument was shipped and therefore does NOT necessarily correspond to its date of production, or indeed the date on which Loar signed its label. Sometimes production and shipment dates diverge by as much as four years. FONs (Factory Work Order Numbers) for Loar instruments are not available due to the fact that Gibson glued Lloyd Loar’s hand signed paper labels over them.

Contact us: if you have one of these guitars or one that’s not yet here, we’d love to hear from you. Let’s add to the knowledge about Pre-war Gibson L-5s.