Description
This Gibson L-4 CES is one of the most respected carved-top archtops ever built, especially with the Maple back & sides which transforms the L-4 CES into the ultimate articulate jazz machine. Beautiful unamplified tone and of course when plugged into an amp one will get that classic Gibson archtop tone!!
Gibson introduced this instrument as an oval hole archtop back in 1911. That makes the L-4 the oldest model name in the Gibson catalog. The company’s top-of-the line guitar until the L-5 debuted in 1922 when the L-4 was redesigned with f-holes in 1935. It’s comfy 16″ body has always been popular with players reluctant to wrestle a huge guitar, and its fast 24 3/4″ scale rewards the hand with effortless stretch chords and lightning arpeggios. The Gibson L-4 archtop became jazz’s greatest rhythm instrument in the hands of six-string innovators like the virtuoso Eddie Lang in the 1920s and assured the company’s dominance of the guitar market even before the outbreak of World War I.
This rare Maple Back L‑4 CES offers quite different tonal traits compared to the mahogany version. The attack is sharp, percussive, and defined. The tone projects with slightly more “sparkle,” especially in high-mids and treble. The sustainis clear, focused, less overtone bloom and is perfect for jazz comping where note clarity and string separation matter; also excellent for recording because it cuts through a mix. Her overall impression compared the the warmer Mahogany version is bright, snappy, and articulate. She has been played but still is in very good condition. She’s currently at our luthiers workbench for a fretjob.
More info coming soon.
