What I find bewildering from this period is the models and their price relationship then, and value now. In late 30s you have what, L4, L5, L7, L12, L50 And a number of other strange models? Some with unusual looking shapes? Wasn't there an L48?
@vibratingstring I used to have the catalogs from 1959 when my l-50 was made. The L-50 was the second-most economical model from the deluxe arch-top guitar line. The L-48 was the student model, a big step down with less carefully carved top and possibly different materials... my memory is vague and the book was stolen. The list price of the L-50 was $147 and the L-48 I think was just under $100.
The L-50 of '59 had crown inlays, but the l-48 had simple dots as the guitar in this video.
#1, no pickup, so you'd need to mic it....which drastically limits volume you can push through the PA.
#2. 99% of the places guitar players perform is full of drunks
You can not say the same for the concert halls where million dollar violins are commonly used. Its a class thing....I'd gladly perform with that guitar at Lincoln center, but are you really playing there very often?
@issofunky You can very easily buy an L-50 from that time period for less than 2000. Hell, you can find one in very good condition at Gruhn's for 2000 on the button. That's less than a new LP or Gretsch today. They're wonderful guitars, but they're definitely able to be gigged without any real fear of devalue unless they get smashed up or something. That's a risk you run with any guitar at any gig though.
That is as beautiful guitar... the neck is way too skinny for my tastes, but I wouldn't mind having one stashed away in a climate controlled room as an investment.
Anyhow, that is the petite-"F-hole" version. They used larger F-holes after '38. The '37s were made of especially good wood because Gibson was phasing out the 16" guitars for the 17" advanced body.
Don't use flatwounds -- the tension will flatten the arh in the top over time. A set of decent phosphor bronze mediums will work the best.
In decent shape with an original case and pickguard, you're looking at 15- 25- hundred bucks at a dealer.
I have a 54 Epiphone Zepher thats very much like your L 50. It's electric and missing the pickguard. It has a few details that set it apart from many other guitars. The way the neck and fingerboard do not touch the soundboard but hang above it, along with the original case, I bought it for $140.00 over 35yrs ago in a pawn shop. it has the date stamped on the tail block. Two weeks before I was born. It's a keeper.
Very nice L50. I have a younger one, a 1960, with a wide, flat neck, kind like an LP neck from the same year. Good to hear this. A great, underrated model.
yes, I know that's rude to say...but be honest...would you take this out on stage for more then one song? man....its an insult to the luthier that made that baby to let it collect dust or worse....please don't "modify" it...ug
Omg, you have found me out!! No, mister "full of it" i am not an angry person... i just get annoyed when I see arrogant fuckers like you come out and give out full-of-it responses.
now if you wanted to be "helpful" the way you should of said it: Use Flatwounds 13's instead of 10 roundwounds, and thats all you really had to say instead of insulting him... i sure hope one my instruments doesnt meet someone of likes of you. i would rather destory it, than give it to some damn elitist
as for the "arrogant fucker" comment...thank you. I'm glad that telling someone to change their gague of strings and ACTUALLY TRY to listen to the kind of music an instrument was INTENDED for, means, in your world, that I am an "elitist".
your judge of character is SO FUCKING FAR OFF!
This vid sucks.....Its not sort of half way there...it's painful, like a gradeschool musical, or 12 year olds with clarinets.
this guitar was intended for it play anything! if you do know your shit.. The only reason why it got the name Jazz Box or Jazz guitar was because at the time these guitars were built, Jazz guitarist prefer this type of guitar than the usual guitars that were offered then. The only Insecure Wimp here I see is: you making my simple comment blow up to this! Jesus how insecure are you in order to reply to a comment that you easily can shrug off?!
Luthier who made it? It'sa factory guitar! It's an L50, it ain't even an L5 and even they were factory instruments! Why wouldn't you gig it? Oh, too valuable?
Some guitar people are just anal. What good is it if you can't play it?
You think Joshua Bell leaves his multimillion dollar Stradivarius home when he plays fiddle concerts? Heck No!
I swear, guitar audiences need to become more discerning.
4 years ago I saw a young guy playing an L50 in a restaurant. That's what it's for.
Hay man I have the same guitar. My granfather bought it for me dad in the early forties it was used,from a friend that lived down the road. And my dad gave it to me a couple of years ago.But mine has a large pick gaurd on it.
nice guitar! Looks just like my es-125, except for the pickup (or lack thereof)
xtremeMitch 1 week ago
If it is from 1937 it is probably an L-30 and not an L-50.
Ncharlestun 1 month ago
very nice guitar and very good guitar playing.Thank you for posting the vid.
johnnyredgrave 1 month ago
A guy from Melbourne Left his 1930's Gibson Accustic on a train and never seen again.He bought it for $4.000 back in the 1980's.
TheGrunge619 1 month ago
6 People are on crack. Some wicked tones came out of that guitar!
MattDJ2 1 month ago
*_*
theFLIGHT84 2 months ago
lol at this guys guitar center shreds on a 1937 gibson..
grgbnntt11 2 months ago 4
perfect for country music lol
Jimreeves20 3 months ago
how does it feel? is it more like a used piece of wood or is it perfect?
yojoe71 8 months ago
It would be nice to see the headstock and tail piece for identification purposes as I have one like it and it's difficult to ascertain the age.
Flopsydoodle 11 months ago
I dont understand why anyone is putting this instrument down, its Beautiful, gibson or not.
TheLennonLad 1 year ago
Nice guitar and nice guitar playing,thank's for posting the vid.
johnnyredgrave 1 year ago
bad
777tofu 1 year ago
What I find bewildering from this period is the models and their price relationship then, and value now. In late 30s you have what, L4, L5, L7, L12, L50 And a number of other strange models? Some with unusual looking shapes? Wasn't there an L48?
vibratingstring 1 year ago
@vibratingstring I used to have the catalogs from 1959 when my l-50 was made. The L-50 was the second-most economical model from the deluxe arch-top guitar line. The L-48 was the student model, a big step down with less carefully carved top and possibly different materials... my memory is vague and the book was stolen. The list price of the L-50 was $147 and the L-48 I think was just under $100.
The L-50 of '59 had crown inlays, but the l-48 had simple dots as the guitar in this video.
sushimoustache 11 months ago
two reasons....neither of them are "anal"
#1, no pickup, so you'd need to mic it....which drastically limits volume you can push through the PA.
#2. 99% of the places guitar players perform is full of drunks
You can not say the same for the concert halls where million dollar violins are commonly used. Its a class thing....I'd gladly perform with that guitar at Lincoln center, but are you really playing there very often?
issofunky 1 year ago
@issofunky
LOL about drunks.
vibratingstring 1 year ago
@issofunky You can very easily buy an L-50 from that time period for less than 2000. Hell, you can find one in very good condition at Gruhn's for 2000 on the button. That's less than a new LP or Gretsch today. They're wonderful guitars, but they're definitely able to be gigged without any real fear of devalue unless they get smashed up or something. That's a risk you run with any guitar at any gig though.
Aceguitar11 10 months ago
That is as beautiful guitar... the neck is way too skinny for my tastes, but I wouldn't mind having one stashed away in a climate controlled room as an investment.
Hoopermazing 1 year ago
Sounds great. The best archtop sound i've ever heard.
Juicefani11 1 year ago
Ok,well, I think it's sounds very good actually. It's often not easy to get these videos to reflect the actual sound of a guitar,
So, commenting on what needs to be done with strings n such is out of the question.
All that being said, it sounds quite good, and very punchy. Also very full sounding for a F hole model. Thaks for the video!
BadChizzle 2 years ago
Anyhow, that is the petite-"F-hole" version. They used larger F-holes after '38. The '37s were made of especially good wood because Gibson was phasing out the 16" guitars for the 17" advanced body.
Don't use flatwounds -- the tension will flatten the arh in the top over time. A set of decent phosphor bronze mediums will work the best.
In decent shape with an original case and pickguard, you're looking at 15- 25- hundred bucks at a dealer.
BlindTom61 2 years ago
hi i have one exactly like this (same year and all) and would llike to know if you knew how much it was worth?
thnks
isaac89321 2 years ago
I have a 54 Epiphone Zepher thats very much like your L 50. It's electric and missing the pickguard. It has a few details that set it apart from many other guitars. The way the neck and fingerboard do not touch the soundboard but hang above it, along with the original case, I bought it for $140.00 over 35yrs ago in a pawn shop. it has the date stamped on the tail block. Two weeks before I was born. It's a keeper.
coal4life 2 years ago
What is a Guitrar like that worth
flymypl 2 years ago
What is a Guitar like that worth
flymypl 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Wow, You do not have the skills to be worthy of that guitar. i didn't think is was possible but you made it sound bad.
Internetsurfer09 2 years ago
beautiful sound,...beautiful instrument
(i play a 1951 Gibson L-4 C)
ruotze 3 years ago 2
yeah....thats a jazz guitar
thejazzman8 3 years ago
Very nice L50. I have a younger one, a 1960, with a wide, flat neck, kind like an LP neck from the same year. Good to hear this. A great, underrated model.
rudypyatt 3 years ago
Great shape! Missing pick guard? Full size dreadnought has such a bright tone! You might try full bronze strings to warm it up a bit...
Birdog225 3 years ago
Wrong set of strings
sounds like 10's Roundwounds
nickle steel I'll bet...
sounds as brittle and useless
as a Taylor flat top.
Flatwound 13's would improve the tone,
and the volume
Sell that historic landmark to
someone who lives inside the history.
yes, I know that's rude to say...but be honest...would you take this out on stage for more then one song? man....its an insult to the luthier that made that baby to let it collect dust or worse....please don't "modify" it...ug
issofunky 3 years ago
jesus, shut the fuck up... thats all i can say
brundontfreeze000 3 years ago
LOL!!!! you're one of those angry people....LOL!
the world treats you the way you treat it.
and....I was trying to be helpful...to respond to that with anger and aggression....well...."sad" is all I can say.
issofunky 3 years ago
Omg, you have found me out!! No, mister "full of it" i am not an angry person... i just get annoyed when I see arrogant fuckers like you come out and give out full-of-it responses.
now if you wanted to be "helpful" the way you should of said it: Use Flatwounds 13's instead of 10 roundwounds, and thats all you really had to say instead of insulting him... i sure hope one my instruments doesnt meet someone of likes of you. i would rather destory it, than give it to some damn elitist
brundontfreeze000 3 years ago
spoken like a truly insecure wimp.
look....buddy....tough shit, ok
as for the "arrogant fucker" comment...thank you. I'm glad that telling someone to change their gague of strings and ACTUALLY TRY to listen to the kind of music an instrument was INTENDED for, means, in your world, that I am an "elitist".
your judge of character is SO FUCKING FAR OFF!
This vid sucks.....Its not sort of half way there...it's painful, like a gradeschool musical, or 12 year olds with clarinets.
issofunky 3 years ago
this guitar was intended for it play anything! if you do know your shit.. The only reason why it got the name Jazz Box or Jazz guitar was because at the time these guitars were built, Jazz guitarist prefer this type of guitar than the usual guitars that were offered then. The only Insecure Wimp here I see is: you making my simple comment blow up to this! Jesus how insecure are you in order to reply to a comment that you easily can shrug off?!
brundontfreeze000 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
but if I just shrug it off, I miss out on the sadistic glee of watching you get all bent out of shape when someone offers you a helping hand.
these guitars were NOT meant to play anything....I can't imagine Metallica taking that axe out on the road...DUH!
guitars are a TOOL....you wouldn't use a hammer to drive a screw home...would you?
you wouldn't try to play death metal drums on an old slingerland...you wouldn't try to play blues on a kazoo?
you're an idiot...and this is fun.
issofunky 3 years ago
sweet jesus i forgot about you... um... yea, fuck you!
yea!
take that!
there! ha!
blues on a kazoo?? i have never though of that!
thank you for the thought! now im going to go play blues on a kazoo.. it's so strange it will be something fresh and new!
brundontfreeze000 3 years ago
You guys are goofy. But Issofunky you sound like an idiot.
Gtarman100 2 years ago
@issofunky
Luthier who made it? It'sa factory guitar! It's an L50, it ain't even an L5 and even they were factory instruments! Why wouldn't you gig it? Oh, too valuable?
Some guitar people are just anal. What good is it if you can't play it?
You think Joshua Bell leaves his multimillion dollar Stradivarius home when he plays fiddle concerts? Heck No!
I swear, guitar audiences need to become more discerning.
4 years ago I saw a young guy playing an L50 in a restaurant. That's what it's for.
vibratingstring 1 year ago
Looks like it's in quite good shape. What kind of strings you use on it, to be able to bend the heck out of it? Good playing.
YofterMofter 3 years ago
Hay man I have the same guitar. My granfather bought it for me dad in the early forties it was used,from a friend that lived down the road. And my dad gave it to me a couple of years ago.But mine has a large pick gaurd on it.
flymypl 3 years ago