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Why so much love for the Vintage L6-S?


L8_4thesh0w

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  • 5 years later...
On 4/3/2020 at 4:13 AM, Gregory Hancock said:

I have two L6Ss - one Custom and one Delux. The Delux has the standard eight-digit serial number but the Custom has a six-digit. The only information I've been able to acquire from Gibson is that the Custom was stamped (Serial numbered?) between 1973 and 1975. Can you shed any light?

Sadly I have to say that I wasn't able to find out anything more than you already did. There seem to be a few early ones with block inlays instead of dots, and the later ones came with the upper strap button at the upper bout instead of the back at the neck/body junction. However, I wasn't able to find more. My all-maple L6-S with six-digit serial number has dot markers and the upper strap button at the back. 

Edited by capmaster
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Ahhh, the L6-S ... My keyboardist had a 1970s vintage one, so I played one quite a bit.  Nicely made, but my compliments for the guitar abruptly and firmly end there ... which is the same for my  contributions to this post.  I don't want to be the "wet towel" on all the L6-S love in this thread.  Post complete.

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I recently purchased a Gibson L6-S . It has the 6 position chicken head switch and is NOT strung through the body . It is all maple . Stamped on back of head stock.       L-6 S serial number 00 143319 the front  on the trust rod cover L6-S in gold lettering . How do I determine the year ? I'm told it is a 74 . 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 4/5/2020 at 11:42 PM, Larry Sanchez said:

I recently purchased a Gibson L6-S . It has the 6 position chicken head switch and is NOT strung through the body . It is all maple . Stamped on back of head stock.       L-6 S serial number 00 143319 the front  on the trust rod cover L6-S in gold lettering . How do I determine the year ? I'm told it is a 74 . 

Hi Larry.

Your guitar was made in the same year as my L6-S: 1976 (the 00 at the front of the number means 1976). That's according to Gibson's web site. Mine is a tobacco burst with a rosewood fingerboard. I took it to my local luthier for a service a year or two ago. As I walked into the shop carrying the guitar in its case, the owner said to me, "An old Maton?" "No," I replied. "An old Gibson." "Even better." He responded. Then when I opened the case to reveal the L6-S he then said, "Gibson's most under-rated guitar." I bought mine new in '76 and it served me well for many years as my only electric guitar. Not that it is anymore, nor is it my only Gibson now.

IMGP6233-1 (3).jpg

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  • 1 year later...

Hi! I found this thread looking for information about the Gibson L6-S and even it's an old thread I wanted to share. 

Due to an inheritance this one has come to my hands, it has been several years without being played although his owner played a lot during his best years, you can see there is some natural relic in the body. As you can see the original bridge has been removed and it has been replaced by a Kahler tremolo bridge, there was an invoice inside the case from 1987 about this operation, and I don't know if this horrible or not, what do you think? Along with this I think the guitar could be from mid 80s or something. 

The strings are rusty I was thinking in taking it to a good luthier so he can replace the strings and do some maintenance, what is your opinion on this guitar?

 

Thanks!


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IMG-8844.jpgProcessed-with-VSCO-with-a6-preset.jpg 

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Edited by victorgb6
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It is a (modified) Gibson L-6S Deluxe from the 1970s.  I used to have a similar wine red one and I wish I still owned it!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibson_L6-S

https://www.vintageguitarandbass.com/gibson/L6S.php

Luckily you still have the original pickups which are rare and sought-after these days.

The Kahler installation seems to have been done well enough, but I think it is there to stay; these guitars originally had through- body stringing - is there still a small plate with the 6 holes on the back?  The tuning machines have been changed too.  I would definitely book it in with an expert who can advise you on it.

 

Edited by jdgm
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As the holes and plate are still there, that's good news - I think that makes it more likely that it could be restored if you wished to spend the money on it.   Presumably the black thing clipped onto the strings behind the nut is a....mute?  And have you got the bar for the trem?

Originally these weren't that expensive; I am in UK and paid £200 for one s/h in the mid- 80s inc 'chainsaw' case.  They still come up regularly on the second-hand market but usually without the original Bill Lawrence pickups. I've seen (in pics/online adverts) black, wine red and sunburst ones and here they go for over £1k (GBP) now.  

The rosewood neck has 24 frets, slim and fast but a little narrower than a LP or SG.   The pickups sound superb and the whole design really works.  [thumbup]🎸 

Edited by jdgm
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