[JDC]

Hello,

i've just bought a 1953 vintage l-48 but it's really looks like a l-50. She's got trapezoid inlay and spruce top. How can i be sure it's a l-48 and not a l-50 ?
i put a picture to see.

Thanks

JD

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[bobby b]

 JDC, on 05 April 2012 - 02:33 PM, said:

Hello,

i've just bought a 1953 vintage l-48 but it's really looks like a l-50. She's got trapezoid inlay and spruce top. How can i be sure it's a l-48 and not a l-50 ?
i put a picture to see.

Thanks

JD

I believe the 1953 L-48's had dot markers .....?

[dchristo]

welcome to the forum JD, this website will help you alot
gibson info

[slimt]

You have a L50... I think you did well...

[pfox14]

You definitely have an L-50. The L-48s did have dot markers in the FB.

[JDC]

Thanks for yours answers !

Well it said that some L-48 had trapezoid inlay but in the early forty, but my gibson logo doesn't look like a pre-war one... and if was pre-war she should be more expansive i guess.

But the pickguard is tortoiseshell red and the one on L-50 look black, no ?

[slimt]

 JDC, on 07 April 2012 - 04:19 PM, said:

Thanks for yours answers !

Well it said that some L-48 had trapezoid inlay but in the early forty, but my gibson logo doesn't look like a pre-war one... and if was pre-war she should be more expansive i guess.

But the pickguard is tortoiseshell red and the one on L-50 look black, no ?

I dont recall ever seeing a L48 with trap inlays. Just Dots.. . also.. Most L48s had a Mohagany top and Limed... Not laminated spruce as the L50 did.. also.. a Bound fingerboard was on the L50.. Not the l48.. as for the pickguard... L48 was Not Bound.. as the L50 was... But over time,, pickguards can be changed,, so that cannot be counted as a Match ot no match thing..

Everything pictured including the Small F Holes leads it to being a L50.. No guessing here.. Ive owned many of those.. the L50 is a Nicer Guitar than a L48.. but both pretty much sound the same..

[JDC]

Well i think i have enough proof The top look not laminated when you look in the F Holes, bound fingerboard, bound pickguard, trapezoid inlay ! Don't know why the guitar dealer told me it was a L-48 ??

By the way it was expensive 2200euros but we not have much L-50 in France.

And the sound looks very Great !! Amazing my First real good guitar !

Now i'm looking for a rythm chief 1100 pickup !

Thanks for all

JD

[TommyK]

l-48/l-50?

OH those are "L"s. I thought those were "I"s and he was looking for directions to Shreveport!

[bobouz]

L-48 specs changed a lot. Solid spruce tops, solid mahogany tops, and then laminated tops all appeared on this model. I had a 1948 with a solid mahogany top, solid flat mahogany back with bracing, and solid mahogany sides with reinforcing strips. The back & sides therefore looked like they were pulled right off of an acoustic flat top. Even with multiple variations, your guitar does not conform to any of the assorted L-48 specs, and most certainly is an L-50.

[pfox14]

I've never seen an L-48 or L-50 with a laminated top. Always solid spruce.

[old mark]

They were both lower cost instruments, much as the Les Paul Studio and SG Specials are today. The quality of the wood and quality of the workmanship is the same as the higher end models, but not as figured or fancy...they are still good players, and I have no doubt that after all this time the wood sounds just great.

I have several of Gibson's lower priced instruments and I like them very much...and I have had several of the LP Customs from back in the old days to compare them with.


mark

[JDC]

@Fox : in this advertisment it said that L-48 have laminated mahogany Top... Maybe they had few models with laminated and without laminated...

At first i though the difference was easy to made but i see that Gibson made a lot of differences in their guitar models (tuners, inlays, picjguard, wood...)! Now, each model has is own specificities but it appears that the difference is hard to make !

For me it's a l-50 now (with your help !) but on my bill it's a 48... no matter i won't sell it now !

By the way Fox, i love your website !

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[Mojorule]

 JDC, on 10 April 2012 - 01:50 AM, said:

@Fox : in this advertisment it said that L-48 have laminated mahogany Top... Maybe they had few models with laminated and without laminated...

At first i though the difference was easy to made but i see that Gibson made a lot of differences in their guitar models (tuners, inlays, picjguard, wood...)! Now, each model has is own specificities but it appears that the difference is hard to make !

For me it's a l-50 now (with your help !) but on my bill it's a 48... no matter i won't sell it now !

By the way Fox, i love your website !

Quelle qu'elle soit, c'est une belle guitare. Et non seulement rare en France, mais partout en Europe. Félicitations!

[JDC]

Merci je trouvai ca un peu chère comparé aux prix d'ebay mais bon j'en vois pas beaucoup en France, je suis dingue du sond et du look !

[bobouz]

 pfox14, on 09 April 2012 - 11:06 AM, said:

I've never seen an L-48 or L-50 with a laminated top. Always solid spruce.

The earliest L48 version carried a solid spruce top. This was then changed to a solid mahogany top, which was eventually changed to a laminated mahogany top. I believe the specs of the L-50 remained consistent.

[j45nick]

 JDC, on 07 April 2012 - 04:19 PM, said:

Thanks for yours answers !

Well it said that some L-48 had trapezoid inlay but in the early forty, but my gibson logo doesn't look like a pre-war one... and if was pre-war she should be more expansive i guess.

But the pickguard is tortoiseshell red and the one on L-50 look black, no ?

Your headstock inlay is definitely post-war, generally 1948 and later. Since the pickguard/fingerrests have often been replaced due to deterioration, you shouldn't use it to date or identify the guitar. Use the basic structural characteristics, such as the materials of the body and the fretboard inlays.

Yours definitely looks like an L-50.

Your guitar looks to be in very nice condition.

[JDC]

Well she's in perfect condition, very easy to play ! But she was around 3000 dollars. So that why she was in so good condition ! The pickguard looks old and is not straight in seems that it crinkle a little with time...

[Mojorule]

 JDC, on 11 April 2012 - 03:24 PM, said:

Merci je trouvai ca un peu chère comparé aux prix d'ebay mais bon j'en vois pas beaucoup en France, je suis dingue du sond et du look !

Ben, ouais, mais quand il s'agit d'un instrument âgé, encore plus que d'un instrument neuf, mieux vaut essayer avant d'acheter. Combien des L50 ou L48 sur e-bay seraient en France et combien des vendeurs vous offriraient la possibilité de renvoi qu'offrent les grandes boîtes aux instruments neufs, tels que Thomann ou Woodbrass? Parfois des magasins en Angleterre ont une L48 pour un prix aux alentours de 1200 livres, mais il faudrait payer le port ou le billet d'Eurostar pour le remporter en France. Faut bien être fou de ce look. On attend avec impatience des clips du son!

[JDC]

Oui vu comme ça on comprend pourquoi c'est si cher et ça vaut le coup d'essayer ! Je la joue encore un peu et prmis je fais un test audio pour vous !

In English : I'll make a sound test soon as possible !

Best

JD