1950 National 1135 (Gibson L-7 Body) Carved-Top Archtop Guitar

Update 2021: The owner's swapping-out parts of his collection so this nice old 1135 is back in the shop. I've updated the post with a new video, new photos, and small updates to the description. Now back to it...

I was the brief owner of the last killer National 1135 that came in the shop. The owner of this 1135 got hooked from seeing that one pass through the premises -- and not taking the plunge back then. Fortune works in odd ways, though, and the slightly-more-relaxed sound of this guitar fits his picking style more than the last one would have -- so all is well!

The story is the same with this guitar as with the last one -- the body is a carved-top/carved-back Gibson L-7 body that was sold to National. National then installed one of their bolt-on/angle-adjustable "Stylist" necks and finished it to taste. This one is mostly original but has a replacement bridge and pickguard -- though the pickguard is appropriate. Because it's a 1950 and not a 1951, the neck is slightly slimmer front-to-back, the inlays are a hair different, and it has the more-thin, low-profile cover at the heel area for the adjustable angle mechanism.

Sound-wise it's punchy, loud, wide-sounding, and rumbly. I absolutely love the tone of these guitars. Still, for me -- that 17" body width is what made me sell the last one. If I was taller, I think something like this would be it as far as guitar-searching is concerned. They sound glorious and are adaptable to all sorts of styles.

Repairs included: (previously) a fret level/dress, seam repairs, and setup -- and recently, more seam and crack repairs (both the center seam on top and on back and a couple of smaller hairline cracks near the tailpiece on top). It's good to go and plays beautifully.

Made by: Gibson (body) National (neck)

Model: 1135 (L-7 body)

Made in: Kalamazoo, MI, USA and Chicago, IL, USA

Serial number: V26713

Top wood: solid spruce

Back & sides wood: solid maple

Bracing type: tonebar

Bridge: rosewood

Fretboard: rosewood

Neck wood: mahogany w/magnesium core

Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on, and adjustable)
String gauges: 54w-12 lights

Neck shape: medium C

Board radius: ~10"

Truss rod: non-adjustable

Neck relief: straight

Fret style: medium-small

Scale length: 24 3/4"

Nut width: 1 11/16"

Body length: 21"

Body width: 16 7/8"

Body depth: 3 1/2" +arching

Weight: 5 lb 14 oz

Condition notes: plenty of mild-to-medium wear-and-tear in scratches and whatnot throughout, replacement bridge and pickguard, repaired back and top seams and two repaired small top cracks, otherwise original.

It comes with: a funky old hard case.