50's L50?

[sledge62]

I was told this was a 1954 L50.... Never seen another one this color....

And it doesn't have L50 ink stamped on the inside.... The FON is 5290 17

 

I am stumped.... Help....

 

 

[tvguit]

While I am in no way an expert on archtops (or anywhere NEAR it) I did have one observation. The headstock is not painted black, so probably a refinish? I doubt that is the stock color? Maybe someone else will have a better answer for you.

[JimR56]

Interesting. For starters, it does appear to be a modified Gibson, but it would have helped if you showed us the headstock. I always start out with some skepticism in cases like this, and then look for enough evidence to clarify that it's not a total fake.

 

The cherry red color is cool... has that aged look. It might have been refinished as far back as the late 50's or 60's. Are the back and sides the usual dark walnut color?

 

The FON would appear to be 1950 or 1951, unless there's a letter preceding it. If there is, then it dates a bit later, possibly to the year you suggest, or even up to the years when the cherry red finish began to appear (1958 onward) on various Gibson models. If there's any chance that the FON is from this later period, then I'd say there's a slight chance that the red finish could be original (a custom job or order). The L50 was produced until 1971.

 

The pickguard is not original, and the same is likely true of the tailpiece (close, but not quite like a stock Gibson part, as best I can tell from the pics).

[fishfly]

Not always east to tell from photos, but...........

Color is wrong

Tailpiece is wrong

Pickguard appears wrong

 

Would be good to have more photos, especially both sides of headstock, back, fingerboard

 

At best someone refinished it, put different parts on it.