"Under the Bed for Twenty-One Years"
A Spectacular Wine Red L-4 CES Built by the Late, Great James Hutchins

2001 Gibson L-4 CES Masterbuilt James Hutchins

Single Florentine (pointed) cutaway. This absolutely mint 16 inch-wide, 3 1/2 inch deep, single Florentine (pointed) cutaway archtop guitar weighs just 7.00 lbs. Solid carved spruce top, three-ply laminated maple back and sides, triple-bound on the top and single-bound on the back. One-piece mahogany neck with a nut width of just under 1 11/16 inches and very comfortable thin-to-medium neck profile. Headstock with inlaid pearl "Gibson" logo and pearl crown inlay. Individual 'double-line' Gibson [Kluson] Deluxe tuners with single-ring tulip-shaped Keystone plastic buttons. Two layer black over white plastic bell-shaped truss-rod cover with two screws. Ebony fretboard with 20 original medium-thin frets and inlaid pearl split-parallelogram markers. Multi-bound tortoiseshell pickguard secured to body with two screws. Two Gibson '57 Style  PAF 'humbucking' pickups, each with a small black rectangular label on the underside with "Patent Applied For" in gold.  Nashville ABR-1 'retainer' bridge with metal saddles on height-adjustable ebony base. L-5 style tailpiece and two-piece ebony over maple insert. All hardware gold-plated. Inside the bass 'f' hole is the oval orange Gibson Custom Nashville, Tennessee label with "L4 CES" and serial number "22951003" written in black ink. Inside the treble 'f' hole is the tan oval label which states: The top, back, tone-bars and air-chamber of this instrument were tested, tuned and the assembled instrument tried and approved "September 11 2001 James W. Hutchins" in black ink. The serial number is also stamped on the back of the headstock. Complete with the original Gibson Gold Warranty and Gibson Customer Care Guide leaflets, housed in its Gibson Art Historic, four-latch black hardshell case with padded wine plush lining (9.50). This guitar was purchased new and has hardly ever been out of its case.

This superb instrument was built under supervision, inspected and signed by the late Masterbuilder James Hutchins who spent over 45 years working at Gibson. The Gibson L-4 archtop became jazz’s greatest rhythm instrument in the hands of six-string innovators like the virtuoso Eddie Lang in the 1920s and assured the company’s dominance of the guitar market even before the outbreak of World War I. But the L-4’s story - how it evolved from an acoustic guitar to the dynamic L-4 CES Archtop of today - is perhaps the best illustration of Gibson’s historic dedication to endlessly refining and improving instruments that are already world class. This gorgeous 2001 Gibson L-4 CES still adheres to the classic design of its namesake. The comfortable 16" wide body was crafted using a solid carved spruce top and maple back and rims. Contributing much to the guitar’s silky, lush, deep tone is the one-piece mahogany neck. True to the model’s historic evolution, this L-4 CES has a 20 fret Ebony fretboard with pearl split parallelogram inlays and single ply white binding. It boasts the classic ES rounded profile and a headstock with vintage tulip shape tuners.

"Equipped with two humbuckers, ample binding and capable of deep, rich tone, the L-4 CES is truly a player's instrument. Add in numerous appointments such as traditional parallelogram inlays, gold hardware and a Florentine-style cuataway and the L-4 CES becomes an instrument to be cherished.: (2001 Gibson Custom catalog).

James "Hutch" Hutchins (1938-2010). James Hutchins was one of Gibson Guitar’s most accomplished and dedicated luthiers. Hutch’s career with the company spanned 45 years, two states, three changes of ownership, and thousands of guitars. He joined Gibson on March 25, 1963 in the original Kalamazoo, Michigan plant, making a name for himself there before transferring to Nashville in 1983. The company says he worked every job from maintenance to pattern making with an unflinching attention to detail and an abiding pride in the Gibson name. Gibson says he helped define its legacy, heritage and tradition through the many guitars and people he worked with. Hutch became the plant’s liaison for legendary artists who wanted custom guitars. He was integral to designing the Chet Atkins Country Gentleman, and became friends with Atkins in the process. Hutch retired March 31, 2008. “Hutch was a remarkable man, with a talent all his own,” said Henry Juszkiewicz, CEO and Chairman of Gibson Guitar. “His light will shine forever through every corner, every hall and with every team member of the company. His legacy will live on.”