Gibson L-00 Vintage owners

Hi guys,

I'm hoping to hear from Gibson L-00 Vintage owners. How are liking the guitar? Any positive or negative experiences? I'm GASsing for a new one that's for sale locally. Ultimately it's my decision but I would appreciate hearing from you. It would be the most money I've ever spent on a guitar.

Here a picture of the one I'm considering:

[Kerbie]

Doug, I'm not an owner, but it was a vintage L-00 that eventually led me to the Collings C-10. Great sound, great vibe. I found both different from anything I'd ever played and I liked it.

And that's a pretty one!

Isn't it, Kerbie? I'm riding the fence on this one right now. Tone and feel and specs are perfect but I need to go back to the shop and play it more. It will be my third time trying it out! It takes me time to decide on guitar gear.

[Kerbie]

Has quite an attitude to it, doesn't it?

Originally Posted by Kerbie

Has quite an attitude to it, doesn't it?

A real "stance", y'know.

[Silly Moustache]

I have played two old L-00s and the first one - rebuilt by a frind was magical and I think he had to pull it our of my hands. I know I offered to buy it straight away, but he put a lot of time and effort into the rebuild and now gigs it frequently.

On the day in November 2016 when i went to buy a new L-00 and came home with a Waterloo, They offered me an older model - which i tried but it didn't move me.

It's all very well for me to determine in advance what kind of, or spec my next guitar will be, but its often the guitar that decides.

I definitely get your point Andy. I have to be sure that the "fantasy" of this L-00 is matched by "reality". I have fooled myself in the past into buying the based on specs and not tone and feel. That's why I need to spend more time with it.

[Cameleye]

Over the years I've had a couple of the newer Gibson L-00s and I feel the newer ones I owned didn't hold a candle to the vintage ones.

I've played some vintage L-00s and been up close when others were being played. The vintage ones were better than the L-00 Standards I've played. Granted the vintage ones had 80 years of seasoning to their advantage. This L-00 Vintage seems to be a special one sonically. My wife upon hearing it called it "great", which for her is high praise. She's gently encouraging me to consider buying it but to be honest I have been talking about it a lot since I first tried it.

[thomasinaz]

I'm not a small guitar guy, but recently I bought a 2018 Standard L-00. It's a small guitar that sounds like a bigger guitar. Really puts out some nice sound when I pick it. It surprised me with it's easy playing and good volume. Not a J-45, with it's surrounding powerful presence, but close to it. Gibson knows how to get a lot of quality sound out of these little guitars.

There is also a NOS L-00 Standard on sale locally but I think this L-00 Vintage has the edge on it sound-wise. The Standard is about a third of the price of the Vintage though.

[blindboyjimi]

Originally Posted by J-Doug

...It would be the most money I've ever spent on a guitar.



Here a picture of the one I'm considering:

It looks beautiful. Can I ask what you have the L-1 tribute guitar for? You say it’s the most expensive guitar purchase you will ever make. The L-1 is similar to an L-00, but why have both when, if you like that size and tone profile you could have one outstanding guitar that will only rise in value and not decline. I’m talking selling the L-1 tribute and taking the money you would’ve spent on a L-00 tribute and buying a higher end “tribute” or real deal L-00.

There is no substitute for vintage but the high end luthier’s get way more Gibson tone than does a modern assembly line type of guitar that is built to spec. A beater but stable L-00 from the early thirties would go for about $3,000 and a stunning looking and playing L-00 from the same period would be $4,500-6,000.

I’ve had every model of current Gibson up until 10 or so years ago when I discovered the luthier built “copies” like Greven, Kopp, Fairbanks, Collings, etc. I finally got my 1935 L-00 and thought, geez, I’ve bought and sold 15 L-00 copies and all the old 6-8 Kalamazoos. What a waste of time but a good learning adventure and it was fun to try so many guitars but now I know that the real deal IS the real deal and one that has had its neck reset and braces checked will need no more work than any new guitar. Now I only recommend luthier built, Waterloos or great vintage examples.IMG_0259.jpg

Originally Posted by blindboyjimi

It looks beautiful. Can I ask what you have the L-1 tribute guitar for? You say it’s the most expensive guitar purchase you will ever make. The L-1 is similar to an L-00, but why have both when, if you like that size and tone profile you could have one outstanding guitar that will only rise in value and not decline. I’m talking selling the L-1 tribute and taking the money you would’ve spent on a L-00 tribute and buying a higher end “tribute” or real deal L-00.

There is no substitute for vintage but the high end luthier’s get way more Gibson tone than does a modern assembly line type of guitar that is built to spec. A beater but stable L-00 from the early thirties would go for about $3,000 and a stunning looking and playing L-00 from the same period would be $4,500-6,000.

I’ve had every model of current Gibson up until 10 or so years ago when I discovered the luthier built “copies” like Greven, Kopp, Fairbanks, Collings, etc. I finally got my 1935 L-00 and thought, geez, I’ve bought and sold 15 L-00 copies and all the old 6-8 Kalamazoos. What a waste of time but a good learning adventure and it was fun to try so many guitars but now I know that the real deal IS the real deal and one that has had its neck reset and braces checked will need no more work than any new guitar. Now I only recommend luthier built, Waterloos or great vintage examples.Attachment 26660

Thanks for the suggestions.

[jpd]

Doug...you're playing cries out for a vintage L-00 or a newer boutique build. You've traveled the Gibson Highway...might want to take that newer high end boutique exit

[BluesKing777]

Well, I would get over and try the one for sale! Only way to know.

Now my first Gibson acoustic was the Gibson Blues King L-00 in Bubinga and Sitka. I didn't really know what it was, well not like now. I was buying the 'image', I guess....Gibson ...L-00...famous for blues picking..supposedly though now that I think on it, I don't know any early blues players with L-00s.

But I still have it and love it and these days play it for what it is. One day there was all this banging on my door like the world was ending and I opened it to find a guitar mate - he wanted to play my Blues King again because he was going to see a man about a dog. Mine on right of photos - his on left:




But after reading forums, why, why, why?, we were told that you had to have a real deal vintage L-00 so the hunt began. Not one anywhere even near me for my whole life and the onliners were looking exxy. Then a clapped out 1937 L-0 appeared fro sale interstate from me and it sat for sale for-e-ver until I bought it to put the guy out of his misery. It was barely playable and the previous owner had 'decorated' it. And it came in the most awful smelling Martin thermo case.

I saved some pennies and had my luthier bring it up to playable - neck set, new ebony fretboard, ebony bridge and new bone saddle, new tuners, removed the crooked hand made decor and covered the holes with little lams of mahogany etc, etc, etc:



Now it is sensational PLUS!!!!!

But it cost a bomb and if Waterloo had their L-00s out would I have gone through all that. Nope!

Left is the Waterloo WL-14 X braced and right is my WL-14L ladder braced. Bill Collins NAILED the 30s sound of old Kalamazoos but made them incredibly playable:




BluesKing777.