An All Original Example of one the Very First L-50's.

This 14 1/2-inch wide, 3 1/3 inch deep, dark sunburst "Dreadnaught family" arch-top, "flat-back" guitar weighs just 3.50 lbs. Slightly arched laminated spruce top with 'ladder' bracing and round sound hole with three (white/black/white) rings. Laminated maple back and sides, single-bound on the top. One-piece mahogany neck with a huge "V" profile, a wide nut width of 1 3/4 inches and a scale length of 25.00 inches. Brazilian rosewood fretboard with 19 original thin frets (neck joins the body at the 14th fret) and pearl dot position markers. Headstock with white screened "Gibson" logo. Single-layer bell-shaped black plastic truss-rod cover with two screws. Three-in-a-line Waverly open-back 'strip' tuners with oval white plastic buttons. Specific shaped tortoiseshell pickguard glued to top. Ebony bridge on height adjustable ebony base. Original nickel-plated trapeze tailpiece secured to body by three slot-head screws and white ivoroid strap button. Serial number "432" stamped in black on end of neck inside body. This is an all original example with a little wear to the first few original frets and a few surface marks/abrasions on the body due to nearly eighty years of playing. There is one small surface chip on the back treble edge of the body - this is purely cosmetic. The action at the 12th fret is a little high at 3/16 inch. Overall this earliest version L-50 is in excellent plus (8.75) condition. Housed in its original Gibson five-latch shaped black hardshell case with purple padded felt lining (8.75).

A truly amazing sounding guitar, this is one of the first generation L-50's which were only produced from 1932-1933. By 1934 the body length was extended from 18 inches to 19 1/4 inches, the pickguard was elevated and many of this model now had two 'f' holes instead of the single round soundhole. By 1935 the back was arched and the 'f' holes were standard. The L-50 was immensely popular and lasted for just under forty years until its demise in 1971.