Anybody play or own a Lee Ritenour L-5? What are they like?

[AlanC]

What are they like through an amp? Pick up seems different to the little floating humbucker.

[Danny W.]

What are they like through an amp? Pick up seems different to the little floating humbucker.

 

Mine is very warm-sounding and very full for a small-body archtop. The pickup appears to be a Johnny Smith.

 

One thing I don't like is that the frets are seated over the binding, which is unusual for Gibson. They told me this was " at the artist's request."

 

Danny W.

[AlanC]

I'm about to buy one. I played it last week, really liked it and put a deposit on it. The sound was very loud for such a small body and I really liked the neck. I liked its size. It felt very comfortable to play.

 

Isn't the finish amazing? It seems to be so well made and plays great. The pickup is unsual as it's a small humbucker but with screws. It's not like other small humbuckers that I've seen. I have an ES-165 Herb Ellis which has a small humbucker and the pickup is similar in size but no screws.

 

I actually like the frets over the binding. I have a '74 Les Paul Custom which I bought brand new and since then I have worn the frets out and had to replace them. When I replaced them I had the tech put in slightly bigger frets and extend them over the binding. I'd be surprised if you notice them for too much longer.

 

Danny W - What strings have you put on it and is that a red L5 CES you are playing in your photo?

[Danny W.]

I'm about to buy one. I played it last week' date=' really liked it and put a deposit on it. The sound was very loud for such a small body and I really liked the neck. I liked its size. It felt very comfortable to play.

 

Isn't the finish amazing? It seems to be so well made and plays great. The pickup is unsual as it's a small humbucker but with screws. It's not like other small humbuckers that I've seen. I have an ES-165 Herb Ellis which has a small humbucker and the pickup is similar in size but no screws.

 

I actually like the frets over the binding. I have a '74 Les Paul Custom which I bought brand new and since then I have worn the frets out and had to replace them. When I replaced them I had the tech put in slightly bigger frets and extend them over the binding. I'd be surprised if you notice them for too much longer.

 

Danny W - What strings have you put on it and is that a red L5 CES you are playing in your photo?

 

[/quote']

Gibson developed the small floating humbucker with adjustable pole pieces for the Johnny Smith in 1961. During the '70's they made a new version without adjustable polepieces called the BJB, after Bruce J. Bolen, who was their head of R&D at the time, and that's the one they continued to use. Rit preferred the adjustable JS type on his guitar.

 

I've had mine for seven years, so no, I'm not going to stop noticing the fret ends. I've been a Gibson guitar player for over fifty years--by now, I really know what I like or dislike.

 

I use T-I GB 12 rounds on all my archtops.

 

The guitar in my avatar is a thin-body L-5 CES in transparent cherry red.

 

Danny W.

[AlanC]

Danny W, Sorry about my throw away line on the frets extending over the binding. I'm also sensitive to certain things on the guitar particularly neck size, scale length, set up, string gauge so it shouldn't surprise me about the frets.

 

Is there a difference in sound between the 2 small floating humbuckers?

 

I love your L5 thin line. Can you give me some details about it such as age, availability etc.

 

I use flat wound 12's on all my arch tops and have just switched from D'Addario to Thomastics. I should try the round wounds! Regards,

[Danny W.]

Is there a difference in sound between the 2 small floating humbuckers?

 

I love your L5 thin line. Can you give me some details about it such as age' date=' availability etc.

 

[/quote']

 

I find that the Johnny Smith pickup has a wider range, with more top end, while the BJB has more midrange punch. Although the adjustable JS is easier to set up than the BJB, I prefer the sound of the BJB. The Rit though is a pretty dark-sounding guitar and the JS pickup sounds fine on it.

 

My red thin L-5CES is pretty much one of a kind. It and a matching one in blonde were built in 1996. The L-5 CT with dual pickups is similar--there's one for sale here:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110516140914&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

Here's another photo of mine:

 

 

The blonde version:

 

 

Danny W.

[AlanC]

Hi Danny W - You own 2 of these little wonders! They look awesome! I particularly like the natural but both seem great. Amazing to have something so rare and unusual. Congrats!!

[DeVeeWee]

Hi Danny W - You own 2 of these little wonders! They look awesome! I particularly like the natural but both seem great. Amazing to have something so rare and unusual. Congrats!!

 

 

+1, I can only copy that! Beautiful guitars Danny!

[Mel Dean]

I'm about to buy one. I played it last week, really liked it and put a deposit on it. The sound was very loud for such a small body and I really liked the neck. I liked its size. It felt very comfortable to play.

 

Isn't the finish amazing? It seems to be so well made and plays great. The pickup is unsual as it's a small humbucker but with screws. It's not like other small humbuckers that I've seen. I have an ES-165 Herb Ellis which has a small humbucker and the pickup is similar in size but no screws.

 

I actually like the frets over the binding. I have a '74 Les Paul Custom which I bought brand new and since then I have worn the frets out and had to replace them. When I replaced them I had the tech put in slightly bigger frets and extend them over the binding. I'd be surprised if you notice them for too much longer.

 

Danny W - What strings have you put on it and is that a red L5 CES you are playing in your photo?

 

Just thought you might like to know, Lee uses D'Addario strings, his gauges for the L5 are;

 

1st string is 012 (plain)

2nd string is 014 (plain)

3rd string is 018 (plain)

4th string is 032 (high finish ribbon wound chromes)

5th string is 042 (high finish ribbon wound chromes)

6th string is 052 (high finish ribbon wound chromes)

 

Good luck, its a great guitar.

 

Mel