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#1
08-09-2023, 06:03 PM
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Gibson L-4 - F hole (194build, 1935 rough price guide.
I have a Gibson L4 (virtually identical to an L7) which I bought rfom Archtop.co in 2011. I paid £278o including shipping and taxes, and as the had filed the frets flt to t bard I had a full, and excellent reftret done almost instantly. It has a minor impact crack on the back upper bout and a catch on the front left bout only visible in a certain light.
A very talented young guitarist visited me today and kinda fell in love with it. I'm proud of it but not in love an he deserves it more than I. Trouble is I have NO idea what today's value might be. Without commitment I'd love an informed opinion or two please. this might help :
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Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom! Last edited by Silly Moustache; 08-09-2023 at 06:08 PM. 
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#2
08-10-2023, 02:09 AM
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scroll down for price guides, like most reverb sale listings, the current sale prices are quite higher than what they typically sell for...
https://reverb.com/p/gibson-l-4-arch...34#price-guide https://reverb.com/p/gibson-l-4-archtop-1935-1956
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#3
08-10-2023, 03:42 AM
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Quote:
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Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom!
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#4
08-10-2023, 08:42 AM
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Too many variables to be precise about pricing--US/UK markets, specific dealers/sellers, along with the variations in condition, voice, and playability. But the range is probably $3-5K, which seems to have been stable for a while. Then there's the 16-vs-17-inch spec, which matters to some players. (Not to me--I have both sizes.)
FWIW, I was recently able to play some pre-Advanced Body Gibsons--a '29 L-5 and a '34 L-12--and they were extraordinay instruments. On the other hand, they had been restored (and retained as personal instruments) by probably the best restoration guy in NYC, so that might account for their high quality. In the NYC market, I'd expect either of these to go for seriously big money. (Especially the L-5, of course.) FWIW Part Deux: Michael Horowitz at Djangobooks recently sold a '35 L-4. No price on his demo page, but a nice description and playing demo: https://www.djangobooks.com/Item/1935-gibson-l4
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#5
08-10-2023, 11:07 AM
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Quote:
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#6
08-11-2023, 08:31 AM
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Oooohhh,
A 1930s 16" f hole Gibson archtop. Oh I'd love something like that for old time country guitar back-up!!!! But WAY beyond my buying powers 
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I'm learning to flatpick and fingerpick guitar to accompany songs. I've played and studied traditional noter/drone mountain dulcimer for many years. And I used to play dobro in a bluegrass band.
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#7
08-11-2023, 08:42 AM
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Quote:
It isn't a figure that folk would spend on a whim. I still have the guitar (and it's tatty but serviceable OHSC, and am not anxious to sell it, in fact I'd rather hold onto it until the young friend feels he might be able to take it. I also polished it up and replaced the D'addario NB strings - oh, what a tonal and loudness difference!
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Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom!
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#8
08-11-2023, 08:52 AM
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Guitar HQ says :
1935 L-4 specs: "F" holes, raised diamond on trapeze tailpiece, single bound pickguard, varied pattern fingerboard inlays starting at 1st fret, single bound peghead, fleur-de-lis peghead inlay, sunburst finish. (Mine doesn't have the raised diamond tailpiece bar or the bound pickguard which I know to be a replacement). The 1933 L-7 is almost identical : 1933 L-7 introduction specs: 16" wide, trapeze tailpiece, single bound top, back, rosewood fingerboard, varied pattern fingerboard inlays starting at 3rd fret, single bound peghead, fleur-de-lis peghead inlay, nickel plated parts, sunburst finish. If anyone can give me more detail, I'd be grateful.
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Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom!
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#9
08-11-2023, 09:30 AM
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My very strong suspicion (based on conversations with an experienced restoration artist) is that F-hole L4-L7 distinctions for given periods would be matters of cosmetics/appointments--as would also apply to, say, L10 and L12 models. Which doesn't mean that individual examples won't sound quite different from each other, or that back/sides woods might vary, as is the case with some Epiphones (walnut vs maple Broadways). So if the materials/build formula specs line up, we're looking at the individual-to-individual differences that apply to pretty much any production-line guitar. (Even to single-builder situations, as I've discovered.)
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