For Sale: 1936 Gibson L-75 Round Hole Archtop Mahogany/Spruce $old

[inc0herent]

Vintage 1936 Gibson Round Hole Archtop Acoustic Guitar

A extremely rare model, this guitar is in excellent and seemingly all original condition and includes the original case.

No Cracks or repairs. Fair amount of honest playwear and some buckle rash on the back. Fretboard, frets and neck are very clean with virtually no wear.

Please refer to the pictures for final determination on originality as I am not an expert but bridge, pickguard, tuners and tailpiece all seem to match and be consistent with photos of originals. Missing end pin.

Handcarved bookmatched solid spruce top; carved, arched mahogany back and sides, solid mahogany neck, back and sides, bound Brazilian rosewood fingerboard.

16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).

Action at the 12th fret is approx 8/64ths. I expect that this will need a neck set at some point in the future but it is nicely playable as is. I have factored this into my pricing.

Here is a demo of the same make/model/year that is a great representation although not this exact guitar.



Many older F hole archtops can seem underwhelming to the player who is used to the power and projection of a flat top guitar. This instrument is kind of a hybrid between and archtop and flat top and is really satisfying to play. Tons of that woody Gibson honk. This thing oozes character that you won't find in any other guitar.

Here is some of the history of this model taken from online:

"In 1932, as the Great Depression raged across the nation, Gibson released the L-75, a top-tier and very expensive guitar retailing at $75 and even brandishing the shocking amount in its model name. Like other guitar makers, Gibson had responded to the depression by making less expensive guitars (through subsidiary brands like Kalamazoo). But, Gibson also pushed forward with the development of high-end models, believing in the strength of the rich to persist. His gamble was wrong. The L-75 went out of active production in 1936 and was discontinued in 1939. The L-75 is by result one of Gibson’s rarest archtops."

" Though functionally similar to the 14 fret L-4 of the early 30's, the L-75 retained a solid carved mahogany body, unique in the Gibson line. The resulting design made it one of the lightest archtops ever produced, and lent the voice an appealing warmth and clarity. In addition, the later L-75 was finished with a distinctive lateral sunburst on the sides, a pattern very rarely seen on any Gibson guitar"

"This feather light construction is a clue to the extraordinary voice of this instrument. Clear, throaty and unusually transparent, the guitar simply thunders in the bass register, with an extremely 'wet' natural reverb in the treble range. It's the sort of wide open voice one associates with instruments that have been battered for a lifetime, all the more surprising in such a pristine example."

Combining the superior projection of the arched soundboard with the enhanced bass response and sustain of a flat top, this guitar is an extremely versatile instrument suitable for a wide variety of musical styles.

Economic hardship forces sale. $2500 Net. Probably not interested in trades unless it's something I can sell quickly.

[inc0herent]

Killer pre-war Gibson here.

[Guitars44me]

Wow, Seth

This is a beauty. Sure looks clean, especially for its age!!! It is way older than I am, and I am old! Hahaha

Best on the sales

Folks, buy with confidence as Seth is a swell guy, straight shooter, and takes excellent care of his guitars

Cheers

Paul