Type Two

Type Two L-5s were made from 1925 to the early 1930s

Master Model instruments built after Loar’s departure no longer carried his signature, though in most other respects they remained more or less the same. Cosmetic features from this period include a triple bound fingerboard with a black line along the side and gold plated hardware. By 1925, both the back and sides of the body were constructed from maple. Post-Loar L-5s were rarely fitted with a Virzi tone producer, though there are some exceptions (for example, L-5 Serial Number 80585, which was shipped in 1926, is fitted with a Virzi). 1927 was the last year for the ‘Master Model’ label and from this point both diagonal and horizontal headstock logos can be found. Some examples from the late 1920s were fitted with backward facing banjo style tuners.

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. Sometimes production and shipment dates  diverge by as much as four years. A combination of construction features and the FON can be used to pinpoint the actual date of production (for a comprehensive list of Pre-War Gibson Serial Numbers and FONs, see Spann’s Guide To Gibson by Joseph E. Spann, published by Centerstream).

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