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#16
09-18-2013, 10:52 PM
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A sensitively done thin re-finish does not really bother me. I consider it part of restoration and conservation.
HOWEVER, the patched up pickup rout in the top bothers me greatly. The braces almost would have been cut to accommodate it (probably a humbucker which didn't come about until 1957). The dark Norlin re-finish was chosen to cover up the patch. The loss of the L5 tailpiece bothers me too as does the mispositioned pickguard. A replacement vintage L5 tailpiece costs in the region of $300+ to $500+ dollars. Sometimes you get lucky and find one for lower. Just to pile it on, I took a look at the back and it appears that a fair bit has been sanded away. An L5 of this era should have an evenly blistered maple back, not one with bald patches. I have a 1947 L-12 and its back looks far more evenly "blistered" than this L5. It is probably a fine player and should be priced as a player. It has no collector's value so don't go paying a collector's price for it. I would pay no more than $2000 for it strictly as a player. A vintage L7 in great condition could be had for about $2500+. A used Bozeman Montana L-7C could be had for between $2700 and $3000. So, there is where I would place this poor baby with the re-finish and patched-up rout. It is just too bad that these vintage archtops fall into the wrong hands who have scant respect for them. But the butchery happened in the 60s or 70s probably when acoustic archtops were not fashionable and somebody at least tried to make it right in the 80s. I have seen unmolested vintage L-5Cs VSB selling for about $4500 to $5500. Even ones in Natural sell for about $6000 to $6500+ in the last two to three years. Look for an unmolested unbutchered vintage L-7C or L-12C if you're willing to pay $4000+. They are more likely to hold their value; they sound great and play great. Or look for a used 17" Mark Campellone Deluxe. P.S. I love how the seller describes the condition as Near Mint! A classic case of abuse of the Numismatic Grading System. P.P.S. I see those asking prices for L-5Cs on gbase. What a seller asks for is not necessarily what he is going to get. Last edited by Jabberwocky; 09-18-2013 at 11:18 PM. 
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#17
09-19-2013, 04:31 AM
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Nice to see you here, Jabber.
 I must have overlooked the repaired humbucker rout. I think I interpreted it as referring to the pickguard notch or something. If that's true, then yeah - the dark finish was intentional to make it less noticeable. I'd actually rather have had the humbucker in there, like Wes Montgomery's likely converted L-5C, then have it removed and patched (and refinished in a yucky burst). As a player it is probably a very fine guitar indeed. It just can't be priced at collector values.
__________________
Pre-War Guitar Co. Model D and OM-2018 1928 Gibson L-5
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#18
09-19-2013, 10:51 AM
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Likewise, Roger
Do tell about your 1928 L5, the real thing, when you have taken the full measure of the old gal  .
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#19
09-20-2013, 10:09 AM
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Quote:
My L-7c; thanks and yeah, I am totally not worthy of it. But it is a wonderful guitar to play - so forgiving to a non-jazz, jazz noodler like me.
__________________
An old Gibson and a couple of old Martins; a couple of homebrew Tele's
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