1952 Gibson L-50 Carved-Top Archtop Guitar

Clearly, this gallant old Gibson L-50 was a much-loved instrument judging by the pickwear on the upper bout. It sounds like a loved instrument, too, as it has that saucy, lower-mids-full, chunky, velvety, 16" Gibson archtop tone to a T. I think of this sound best used for chord-chopping in trad-jazz or swing style, but it also makes a nice old-time or countrified-picking guitar, too.

Like a lot of old '40s and '50s Gibson carved-tops, the top has settled down a hair over time and so the bridge is adjusted on the higher side, but it's not extreme like some I've had in. Gibson used "kerfed" (ie, cut in slits) tonebar bracing for a long time and the stuff just sags a bit as it ages -- it's nothing to worry about. The lighter-cut the top, the more the sagging, and the lighter-cut the top, the juicier the tone.

There was evidence of some older repairs on this guitar but it truly didn't need a lot to get going -- mostly seams work and a glorified setup. Now that it's back to rights it plays the biz and sounds it, too. I was having a lot of fun zipping chords and melody work out on this after finishing it.

Per the usual for an early-'50s L-50, the top is solid, carved spruce while the back is press-arched ply maple. The sides are probably solid maple. It has the slick trapezoid inlays in the neck and all of the original hardware is extant save the tuner buttons -- someone put Waverly-style ivoroid buttons on it at some point.

Repairs included: various top/back seam repairs, minor binding reglue jobs, a fret level/dress, cleaning, and setup.

Top wood: solid spruce (carved)

Back & sides wood: ply maple (pressed back)

Bracing type: tonebar (kerfed)

Bridge: rosewood adjustable

Fretboard: rosewood

Neck wood: mahogany

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

Neck shape: medium C

Board radius: ~12"

Truss rod: adjustable

Neck relief: straight

Fret style: medium

Scale length: 24 3/4"

Nut width: 1 11/16"

Body width: 16"

Body depth: 3 1/4" + arching

Weight: 4 lbs 9 oz

Condition notes: there's one hairline crack (about ~3") on the upper-bout bass-side top, repaired. There's pickwear to either side of the fretboard extension and various other scratches and small nicks and dings throughout the guitar. There's also the usual Gibson-style "weather check" throughout. Overall, though, it's handsome. The seams may be slightly mismatched here and there from previous reglue attempts or reglue of ply-veneer separations on the back, but it's all not obvious or worrying -- it's all glued pat.

It comes with: a nice hard case.