1948 Gibson L-5

First introduced in 1923 under the direction of acoustic engineer Lloyd Loar, the L-5 has always been considered Gibson's premier archtop guitar. In 1934, its size was increased to the 17" Advanced size, which made the L-5 the ideal guitar for the Big Band era.  Although the L-5 was not built during the war years, the post-war L-5 picked up right it where the model left off in 1941. In the late-'40s, its specs were virtually identical to later prewar examples, but in 1951 the model was pushed electric and was never the same. The original 17" acoustic archtops produce a sound like no other—bright, bold, and cutting, but also delicate and rich in detail.  This 1948 is an impressive beast in so many ways. Aesthetically, it is high end and dressed to the nines—full-body sunburst, elaborate purfling, pearl block inlays, Art Deco tailpiece, and of course the iconic flowerpot inlay on the peghead. Functionally, this L-5 is the culmination of Gibson's acoustic archtop design: 17" Advanced body