Help with the identification of a vintage Gibson acoustic guitar.

[Gibsonlp27]

Hi,

      I was hoping someone might be able to help me with a problem I’m having identifying a guitar. I recently came across this obviously extremely old acoustic guitar. The Gibson headstock seems to match that of a mid 40s L-Series.  The problem I’m having in identifying it Is because it seems to have at some point been given, and I can’t overstate this, the single worst paint job I may have ever seen on anything that’s had paint on it. It appears that the re-painting has been done on he body, as well also on the headstock. I realized after I took these pictures that I didn’t take pictures of the tailpiece and associated hardware, but it appears to all be original. It has one of the full trapeze style tail piece. I was hoping someone might be able to get back to me and at least start me in the process of identifying this guitar.

 

Thanks so much.

 

[Gibsonlp27]

I also forgot to add this. This was just a headstock ID chart I found for year identification. 

[ksdaddy]

It’s 1946-47 L-7.

It also had a pickup at one time. Maybe even a Charlie Christian.

[JimR56]

19 hours ago, Gibsonlp27 said:

I also forgot to add this. This was just a headstock ID chart I found for year identification. 

This chart is useful to a point, but it's a bit general and overly simplified.  There are more variations, and some of the differences can be subtle.  At any rate, the biggest problem with this chart has to do with the logo at middle left ("1933-1947").  Some guitars with this basic logo design featured it in pearl, and some in white silkscreen (painted).  Most had it in a horizontal position (no slant), but some did feature a slight slant.  This leads me to your L-7, and the fact that your logo is fairly rare and unique.  The pearl "slanted script", as it's often referred to only appeared for a short time, with 1947 being the year it was most used.

Here's another chart with a bit more detail:

[j45nick]

That is the same logo configuration that was on my 1947 L-7. Mine had a white oval label with A-prefix serial number (visible inside the bass-side F-hole). That label came in during April of 1947, the best I can tell. Guitars prior to that probably would have  a factory number (FON) ink-stamped on the inside back, which should be visible through one of the F-holes if you look closely with a small flashlight.

If there is no factory order number, look for evidence of a lost label, such as an oval glue pattern on the inside back.

The inside of the guitar is probably clear-coated rather than bare wood.

The original tuners, if you don't have them,  would be individual closed-back single-ring  Klusons with plastic keystone buttons. Those are still readily available in modern repro versions.

One interesting detail is that there appears to be a screw hole for a finger rest (pickguard) bracket on the bass rim, near the waist. That is typically seen on the opposite rim on a right-handed guitar. It is possible the guitar was set up as a lefty at some point in its life.

In any case, as Jim says, this appears to be an L-7 from no later than 1947. By 1948, this would have had the modern block logo instead of the script logo.

If you an find an FON inside, we can pin it down more closely.

If you need a case for it, any case fitting a J-200 or other 17" Gibson flat-top should fit, since these archtops have the same body shape as the J-200. The L-7 is probably slightly thinner, but because of the carved top and carved back, it takes up the same room in the case as a thicker-bodied flat top.