When Did Eddie Lang switch from the L4 to the L5

[L50EF15]

I’ve been listening again to Eddie Lang lately and was struck by the difference in sound on many of his recordings with Joe Venuti versus without. Is it accurate to say that he used the L4 on things like “The Wild Dog” and “Black and Blue Bottom” and the L5 on stuff like “Rainbow Dreams” and “Eddie’s Twister”? Does anyone know when he switched to the L5?

For the record, I like Lang’s sound in both contexts. The ulterior motive is gassing for another Gibson archtop. A ‘20s or ‘30s L5 is financially infeasible. A roundhole L4 I might be able to stretch to.

[upsidedown]

Originally Posted by L50EF15

I’ve been listening again to Eddie Lang lately and was struck by the difference in sound on many of his recordings with Joe Venuti versus without. Is it accurate to say that he used the L4 on things like “The Wild Dog” and “Black and Blue Bottom” and the L5 on stuff like “Rainbow Dreams” and “Eddie’s Twister”? Does anyone know when he switched to the L5?

For the record, I like Lang’s sound in both contexts. The ulterior motive is gassing for another Gibson archtop. A ‘20s or ‘30s L5 is financially infeasible. A roundhole L4 I might be able to stretch to.

Don’t know the answer, but I love the esoteric question! I wonder if it’s possible that instead of giving up one for the other, he played different Gibsons (L4 and L5) depending on the recording date. Again, haven’t made a study of it. Looks like an L5 in this clip:

https://youtu.be/0gjVf0GeDzE

[L50EF15]

Ah, I remember this clip! Yup, L5 here. Love the singing too.

[TyB]

As an L-4 owner, I'm also interested in this question, but I don't know the answer.

My question-inspired dip into Eddie Lang YouTube brought up this incredible video of Venuti and Lang playing together in color:



Amazing. Funny enough, my wife stopped by while watching it and said, "Was Eddie Lang a stage name? He looks Italian."

I was like, "I've never heard anything like that..."

...and, as usual, she's right. Way to pick it, Salvatore Massaro!

BTW, Wikipedia's representative photo of a 1917 Gibson L-4 is... bad.



Not just because it's grainy and pixelated and awful... also because of that price tag. Photo is from 2013, so don't grab your credit card just yet.