Gibson L12

[kayakman]

Looking for another archtop,currently I have a Campellone Deluxe,all acoustic, great instrument,saw a Gibson L12 16" @ Gryhon, $5500.00. It`s in very nice condition sans the pick guard,no big deal, can have one made by Leroy Aiello.Second spoke to Jim Triggs about a build 16" in the pre war style L5, he can give me everything I want basically for about 4600.00.Gibson or Triggs? anyone want to chime in,would like some comments...Thanks folks.

[MC5C]

The 1935 L12 at Gryphon looks stunning and they have a high reputation for selling the instruments "right". Triggs would, I am sure, make you an equally stunning instrument. The main differences that I would anticipate (purely my opinion) is as simple as the L12 is 82 years old and the Triggs is new. There is a lot to read into that. The L12 was a pro level instrument (basically an L5 with a touch less bling) aimed at journeymen pro players playing acoustically in big bands, country bands, etc. It will sound "old", with that thunky chunky archtop sound from a design suited to high action, heavy strings, hit hard to cut through and be heard. If you see interior shots of the bracing from those days, it's heavy and overdone from a modern perspective. The Triggs will probably be a modern aesthetic archtop, lighter, more delicate, and a whole lot easier to coax great tone out of acoustically. In my opinion the greatest era of the archtop is right now, makers have evolved the instrument to make it suit a modern player who maybe doesn't want to work quite as hard and has a microphone if he wants to be a bit louder. Which would I get? I love old guitars and collect them - at least they keep showing up and hanging on my wall... I have a 1946 Epiphone that I love. I make modern archtops in a modern style, and they sound completely different. I love them too...

Here is an interesting article on a 1936 L7 (one model down from the L12, I think) with the best view possible of the kind of bracing that they did in that day. https://www.premierguitar.com/articl...d--s-gibson-l-

[kayakman]

Great input MC5C, would the L12 have kerfed bracing, or carved? It sound`s like you are leaning towards the Triggs?Question for you MC,did you happen to see the Duff archtop@ Carter vintage?It`s 10K!Also the L5 style that Cunningham builds are also very expensive,what`s the big jump in cost????Brian.

[MC5C]

Linings (the bits around the edges that the top and back get glued to) are kerfed, not the braces. In the attached article I posted you can see the X-braces of what looks like 1/2" wide square spruce, with the cross braces at the upper and lower bout. A modern guitar will have longer, lighter, more finessed X-braces with no need for the additional heavy cross braces (although some luthiers do experiment with other styles of bracing, l usually do something odd - but light).

What would I buy? You already have a modern archtop, so buying the L12 makes somewhat of a set - bookends of the genre, so to speak. If you like the Campellone and want a similar guitar, get the custom Tripp. Something to be said for a bespoke guitar. What's the big jump in cost? Archtops usually take a long time to make and are very labor intensive. That part of it. They also have a bit of a magic mojo secret sauce deal going on, and that is part of it. They often get decorated to a high standard, and finish and fitting out is a great part of the expense. At the end of the day, people who are in business to support their livelihood sell things for what they can get. $10K is low-mid range for a custom made archtop from a top builder. $30K to the sky is the upper range.

[kayakman]

Thanks MC for your knowledge.

[campusfive]

So the 1935 L12 is 16", and not an "advanced" 17" guitar like the 1936 L-7 you're comparing it to. It wouldn't have X-bracing, and sorry, but the braces are likely kerfed. That said, you should ask Gryphon to verify.

I neglected to play that guitar when I dropped by there last year, but my friend had checked the guitar out before and said it was pretty good.

As to you original question: new or old? For me it comes to down to two issues: 1) old guitars have 80 years of aged wood tone, but also 80 years of problems, so you really have to play them, or at least get an approval period if you have it shipped out.
2) aesthetics - you look with your eyes first, and I've just never dug the aesthetics of a Triggs guitar myself, but it isn't going to look like a 30's Gibson either way. So if that's cool with you, there you go.

[kayakman]

Thanks Johnathan,PS love you style!