Gibson L-4

Although we see a lot of beautiful Gibsons, I must say that these guitars from the early years always provoke a certain emotion. The lutherie is so different, the finishes are so thin, the lines are so elegant. Dating a Gibson from this era is not always easy, the databases being very incomplete. The serial number corresponds to 1908 ( 8722 ) but the L-4 was introduced in 1912. The slanted mother-of-pearl logo and the rosette whose pattern is found on mandolins and mandolas from the first half of the 10s make me lean towards a manufacture around 1912-1914. The guitar sounds really good, the neck is very straight, the action low and the intonation just right. It has been partially restored, the fingerboard has been changed, the tailpiece and the bridge are more recent parts as well as the tuners. Note a repair of the top where glue was injected without cleats inside and the neck was repaired at the heel. It has been around the block a few times, but that does not take away its timeless character, it remains a rare guitar, particularly in its original black finish, and a fantastic instrument with a very distinctive tone. Comes in a 1950s cardboard case.