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Vintage 1952 Gibson L-7CNE Natural Electric Guitar With OHSC

Vintage 1952 Gibson L-7CNE Natural Electric Guitar With OHSC

SKU 80GIB147
by Gibson
$ 5000 - $ 5000
$ 5000
$ 5000 - $ 5000
$ 5000

Used And Vintage Electric Guitars

Have we got a truly amazing vintage guitar for you: a Gibson L-7CNE from 1952.  One of the finest archtop guitars ever made, the L-7 has obtained a legendary status over the years.  We were shocked (in a good way) when this guitar arrived.

 
This one is all original and even includes the original case.  One of just 17 pieces shipped in 1952, it has withstood the test of time for over 70 years, and appears to be ready to go for another 70.  This instrument is in great condition considering its age - and wow, has it aged gracefully.  The patina and finish checking is quite stunning - be sure to look at the photos closely.
 
This jazz box features a hand-carved bookmatched solid spruce top, solid maple back and sides, and a three-piece maple/mahogany neck.  The L-7 acoustically is resonant with an especially rich low end.  If you want a warm tone, this is how you get it.  With its original McCarty pickup you get thick sounds you'd expect from a big body archtop that really keeps the low end. This guitar is exceptionally musical.  It's also sublimely comfortable.  The neck shape features a thicker vintage profile than modern profiles, of course, but it's still easy to play.
 
After joining Gibson in 1948, Ted McCarty immediately sought to grow the electric guitar business, expanding the numbers of models.  He also came up with a number of ingenious innovations.  This included the pickup/pickguard assembly known now as the McCarty pickup, consisting of a very thin single-coil pickup with non-adjustable, flat pole pieces mounted into a laminated pickguard along with volume and tone controls and an input jack.  This is what supplies the "E" in an L-7CNE; the "C" signifies that it's a cutaway, and the "N" denotes that it's in Natural.
 
A total of just 47 L-7CENs were shipped between 1950 and 1954, with only 17 in 1952.   For those that know how special an L-7 is, this one is not to be missed.  For those that don't know, here is a way to find out.
 
FULL SPECS:
  • Serial # A-10309
  • Weight: 5.60 lbs
  • Nut width: 1 11/16:
  • Scale length: 25 1/2"
  • Body Width: 17"
  • Body Depth: 3 1/3" 
  • Solid spruce top
  • Tripe bound bound
  • Two unbound f holes
  • Two-piece solid maple back
  • Sold maple sides
  • Two-piece maple neck with mahogany center-strip
  • Brazilian rosewood fretboard
  • 20 frets
  • Pearl double-parallel inlays
  • Fretboard and headstock single bound
  • Inlaid pearl logo and crown on headstock
  • Single-ply black truss rod cover
  • Black laminate on back of headstock
  • Individual 'no-name' Kluson Deluxe tuners with single-ring Keystone plastic buttons (stamped on the underside "2356766 / Pat Appld."). 
  • Original Gibson 'McCarty' single-coil pickup (with an output of 4.79k) with non-adjustable, flat pole pieces 
  • 5-ply black  pickguard 
  • One volume and one tone control
  • Black plastic circular knobs
  • Height-adjustable rosewood bridge on rosewood base
  • Standard trapeze tailpiece with three raised parallelograms on cross-bar, secured to lower edge of body by three screws
  • Original oval white label inside the bass f-hole with the Style "L-7-C" written in black ink and the serial number "A-10309" stamped in black
  • Original case - not all the latches function (please be careful to not let it open from the bottom)