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The 2015 Gibson L-00 Red Spruce Limited - How Is It?


mking

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I think the 12 fretter is the stumbling block. I have the 32 L00 RI with the red spruce but it's a 14 fretter. The only 12 fretters I have are the Jackson Browne walnut , Stage Deluxe hog, Stage Deluxe RW and a Nick Lucas RW.

The 32 L00 RI is a very nice guitar. Deep V neck, very light build (3.2 lb) and very lively. The luthier I use is a L00 enthusiast and has an original and was very impressed with the RI. He said Gibson nailed it and the only thing that will make it better is a lot of playing and some aging. I have not had my hands on one of the fried tops. Some of our members have the L00 Legend. They may chime in.

Good luck

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A 12-fret L-OO would be similar to a first or second year L-OO (around 1932), before they went to 14 frets. Probably not much feedback here because relatively few were built. I have an L-OO Legend, but that's a 14-fret red spruce guitar. It is hands down my favorite guitar for fingerpicking. Good note separation, well balanced, surprisingly loud for a small-bodied guitar. The neck on mine is a fairly large V-neck, but very playable, with 1 3/4" nut.

 

Not sure how that would be altered by the 12-fret configuration, but the combination of a short neck and the small body will definitely make it feel like a scaled-down guitar, even though it isn't.

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Dave F, Do you think the 12 fret neck is a stumbling block because there's not a lot available (real vintage and limited reissues), or not desirable from a playing standpoint, or both? Thanks.

Probably a little of both. If you limit yourself on the number of guitars you have you would probably not want one in the herd. Most of the ones I have are deep bodied which gives me some variances when compared to a like model 14 fretter.

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Probably a little of both. If you limit yourself on the number of guitars you have you would probably not want one in the herd. Most of the ones I have are deep bodied which gives me some variances when compared to a like model 14 fretter.

 

 

Well I have a1986 Alvarez-Yairi DY-45N, a 1999 Martin HD-28V, a real 1947 Gibson LG-2, a 2007 Gibson J-45TV, a 2014 Taylor Grand Concert BTO with sinker redwood top and rosewood back and sides.

 

The L-00 arrives tomorrow. I am done buying guitars.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Well folks. I've had the L-00 for almost three weeks now and I'm very pleased with it. It has that wood/hollow blues tone. Good note separation and lively. It is very light, just a great playing and sounding guitar. I like the 12 fret neck.

I've seen folks here on the forum write negative comments about the LR Baggs Element pick up (mostly in the new J-35 guitars) but in this guitar it sounds great. I play it through my UltrsSound acoustic amp.

Cosmetically they missed the mark regarding the metal Grover tuners rather than the white plastic button tuners and a bad attempt at a tortoise Pickguard (covering the rosette) instead of the fire stripe pick guard put on next to the rosette. They did age the body binding. At any rate, a good purchase.

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I had been looking for a small body 12-fretter for a while as well. Played a couple of the Waterloo models last weekend, and actually liked the 14 fretters better and ordered a WL-14XTR. Cheaper than the Gibsons and sound great. I'm sure I'm in the minority, but the combination of a 12 fret neck joint and such a small body just seemed to sound a tad muddy, like there was all this low end but it couldn't escape from he small body fast enough, which resulted in decreased nuance and articulation. I also played a 12 fret Stage Deluxe, and that thing, although obviously not a 00, it sounded INCREDIBLE.

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That's a sweet-looking guitar!

 

I agree with you on both the tuners and the pickguard, both of which are easy to change if desired.

 

 

Yeah they are going to get changed out that's for sure. I'm trying to find a good correct fire stripe pick guard and I'll get the white button Golden Age tuners.

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Yeah they are going to get changed out that's for sure. I'm trying to find a good correct fire stripe pick guard and I'll get the white button Golden Age tuners.

 

Just check all the specs on the tuners to make sure they're a drop-in swap.

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Here's the back of my '32 RI showing what Gibson put on it and another picture showing the pick guard.

 

The pictures show the guitar a lot lighter brown than it actually is.

 

Personally like the open back butterbeans on your L00.

 

G11454030-P_7_zps1mntbrbm.jpg

 

G11454030-P_1_zpsi6axx32v.jpg

 

 

 

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Here's the back of my '32 RI showing what Gibson put on it and another picture showing the pick guard.

 

The pictures show the guitar a lot lighter brown than it actually is.

 

Personally like the open back butterbeans on your L00.

 

G11454030-P_7_zps1mntbrbm.jpg

 

G11454030-P_1_zpsi6axx32v.jpg

 

Dave, that is a beautiful L-00. Now, if I could only find the correct pick guard!!!!

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