1 year with my L-4CES

[powerwagonjohn]

I posted some of this already but I wanted to post something here. I have had my L-4CES for about 1 year now and have played it almost daily. The fit and finish is fantastic as is the sound and playability. With some of the negitive comments I have read about Gibson I am glad to say this guitar is nearly perfect and I am completly satisfied. There is some overscraped binding and rattles from the pickups but otherwise this guitar is a piece of art. It is beautiful!! I am semi-retired and have a home buisness selling vintage Dodge truck parts but I find it is not easy trying to get work done while the guitar is sitting there!

I have a Guild D50 I bought new in 1975. I have a 1968 Gibson SG standard and a 1966 Fender Tremolux I bought in the early 1980's but I drifted away from playing for about 20 years. About 2 years ago I bought a 1966 SG Jr. that had been sitting in a frends closet for 30+ years and that sparked a renewed interest in playing. My intrests have drifted more to blues and jazz as I have gotten older and last year by chance I bought a 1956 ES 225T in really beautiful condition from the second owner. He had owned the guitar for about 35 years. I was instantly inspired to play more seriously and this is what brought me to the L-4CES. Although the ES 225 T is a wonderful guitar I knew I had to have a full depth archtop guitar. After looking at a lot of archtops both new and used I relised most older archtops needed some serious [expensive] work and decided for me the L-4CES was the best deal. I am not a tall person and for me the 16" body is perfect. I am sure it has a lot to do with the fact that my Guild and my ES 225 T are the same 16" body size. When I have time I will post some photos but right now my L-4 and ES225T are calling me!!

Thanks John

[Mojorule]

Welcome to the forum, John. Great to hear a success story and about such an enviable collection. Can't wait for the pictures (can you post some of the 225 as well, please?). In the meantime, what colours are these instruments? And any notable tonal differences from the semis' different body widths and pickups to your ears? Also another question: how much headroom do you get with your Tremolux before break-up with each of your guitars?

[vincentw]

Is your L4-CES the mahogany back and sides or maple?

[Johnleiser]

I posted some of this already but I wanted to post something here. I have had my L-4CES for about 1 year now and have played it almost daily. The fit and finish is fantastic as is the sound and playability. With some of the negitive comments I have read about Gibson I am glad to say this guitar is nearly perfect and I am completly satisfied. There is some overscraped binding and rattles from the pickups but otherwise this guitar is a piece of art. It is beautiful!! I am semi-retired and have a home buisness selling vintage Dodge truck parts but I find it is not easy trying to get work done while the guitar is sitting there!

I have a Guild D50 I bought new in 1975. I have a 1968 Gibson SG standard and a 1966 Fender Tremolux I bought in the early 1980's but I drifted away from playing for about 20 years. About 2 years ago I bought a 1966 SG Jr. that had been sitting in a frends closet for 30+ years and that sparked a renewed interest in playing. My intrests have drifted more to blues and jazz as I have gotten older and last year by chance I bought a 1956 ES 225T in really beautiful condition from the second owner. He had owned the guitar for about 35 years. I was instantly inspired to play more seriously and this is what brought me to the L-4CES. Although the ES 225 T is a wonderful guitar I knew I had to have a full depth archtop guitar. After looking at a lot of archtops both new and used I relised most older archtops needed some serious [expensive] work and decided for me the L-4CES was the best deal. I am not a tall person and for me the 16" body is perfect. I am sure it has a lot to do with the fact that my Guild and my ES 225 T are the same 16" body size. When I have time I will post some photos but right now my L-4 and ES225T are calling me!!

Thanks John

[Johnleiser]

I posted some of this already but I wanted to post something here. I have had my L-4CES for about 1 year now and have played it almost daily. The fit and finish is fantastic as is the sound and playability. With some of the negitive comments I have read about Gibson I am glad to say this guitar is nearly perfect and I am completly satisfied. There is some overscraped binding and rattles from the pickups but otherwise this guitar is a piece of art. It is beautiful!! I am semi-retired and have a home buisness selling vintage Dodge truck parts but I find it is not easy trying to get work done while the guitar is sitting there!

I have a Guild D50 I bought new in 1975. I have a 1968 Gibson SG standard and a 1966 Fender Tremolux I bought in the early 1980's but I drifted away from playing for about 20 years. About 2 years ago I bought a 1966 SG Jr. that had been sitting in a frends closet for 30+ years and that sparked a renewed interest in playing. My intrests have drifted more to blues and jazz as I have gotten older and last year by chance I bought a 1956 ES 225T in really beautiful condition from the second owner. He had owned the guitar for about 35 years. I was instantly inspired to play more seriously and this is what brought me to the L-4CES. Although the ES 225 T is a wonderful guitar I knew I had to have a full depth archtop guitar. After looking at a lot of archtops both new and used I relised most older archtops needed some serious [expensive] work and decided for me the L-4CES was the best deal. I am not a tall person and for me the 16" body is perfect. I am sure it has a lot to do with the fact that my Guild and my ES 225 T are the same 16" body size. When I have time I will post some photos but right now my L-4 and ES225T are calling me!!

Thanks John

Hi John,

I just got an L-4CES it's from 2000 wine color. I have no business to own and play this guitar,but I couldn't help my self when I played it.. Just started playing after 35 or 40 years and am having a blast. I thought it was a maple back, but maybe I didn't understand. I have a Tele and and Martin and an Ibenez as 200, the lawsuit guitar that I bought in 1979. I was in the car business too so I thought I'd add to your post

[powerwagonjohn]

My L-4CES was made in Sept 2009 and it has the solid carved mahogany back and sides. A guy that owns a large vintage guitar store here in MN told me the backs are pressed into shape but Gibson says they are carved. Like I said information is hard to come by and sometimes conflicting. Which only makes me more curious! I have read or been told the 1980's L-4CES guitars with maple backs and sides were lamanated [nothing wrong with that, just different] but I have also been told earlier[1980's] "master built" models were solid maple back and sides. I have also been told that the early 1990's? L-4CES guitars had laminated mahogany back and sides. I like my L-4CES so much that I really want to try a maple backed ones, solid or laminated. I have played a couple L-5CES and Super 400 guitars along with others and I would take one in a heartbeat. With my short arms they seem pretty large but I am sure I could learn to live with one if I had to!! I think the L-4CES is a very nice alternative.

My L-4CES has the sunburst finish that looks almost identical to the sunburst on my 1956 ES225T, they make a nice pair. When I bought my L-4CES I had the choice of my sunburst or a wine red L-4CES. Both played very nice and sounded about the same. Although the wine red guitar was really beautiful I got the sunburst one because it matches my 1956 ES225T

The L-4CES and the 1956 ES225T are of corse quite diffrtent in sound. The ES225T has the one orig. PU-90 pick up and is a bit lighter in weight[approx. 5 1/2 pounds] than the L-4CES [7 1/2 pounds]. My 1968 SG std and my 1966 SG Jr are both the cherry red. I also have a [China] resonator guitar and an old Kay or Harmony archtop. The ES225T has a great sound and very controable feed back as does the L-4CES but the L-4CES with the deep mahogany body has a much darker sound with more complexity. I play both guitars acoustically at least half the time. As nice as the ES225T sounds, and how nice it plays [with only a light fret dressing] the L-4CES is a totaly different world. Not that it plays so much easier, but it is much more articulate and complex in sound. Only you guys would know what I am talking about, my wife would say "thats nice John".

By the way the PU-90[P-90] pick up in my 1956 ES225T and the one in my 1966 SG Jr have a different tone, it's hard to describe. Both sound great but the one in the 1956 ES225T is a little richer sounding. I have never checked their resistance but both are orig. to the guitars.

As for my 1966 Fender Tremolux, it has a Fender 2 12" speaker cabinet instead of the orig. 2 10" cabinet. When I got the amp many many years ago the cabinet had one Peavy Black Widow speaker which I replaced with a pair on NOS Celestion Green Back speakers I ran across. At one time the amp had a cracked resistor that I had replaced. At the same time whoever I had repair the amp sugested running channel 1 into channel 2 to be able to overdrive channel 2. This was done a long time ago so the amp is not really stock anymore and I don't know exactally what was done. With this modification I can get various ammounts of [Fender} clean, high gain and/or distortion. I play in my living room and at the youg age of 54 I don't crank it up past 5 or 6 very often. I can get a nice boost and break up at lower levels but with 35 watts not low enough sometimes for my ears or the wife.

I just picked up a ART SGX2000 with the foot controller last week. I got it mainly for the tube preamp, the delay and the reverb. It has analoge and digital effects along with a tube boost and a foot controller all for around $100.00. It is a pretty wild unit and has inspired me to get out the 1966 SG JR and rock a bit. The old guy still has it!!

Thanks John

[Johnleiser]

My L-4CES was made in Sept 2009 and it has the solid carved mahogany back and sides. A guy that owns a large vintage guitar store here in MN told me the backs are pressed into shape but Gibson says they are carved. Like I said information is hard to come by and sometimes conflicting. Which only makes me more curious! I have read or been told the 1980's L-4CES guitars with maple backs and sides were lamanated [nothing wrong with that, just different] but I have also been told earlier[1980's] "master built" models were solid maple back and sides. I have also been told that the early 1990's? L-4CES guitars had laminated mahogany back and sides. I like my L-4CES so much that I really want to try a maple backed ones, solid or laminated. I have played a couple L-5CES and Super 400 guitars along with others and I would take one in a heartbeat. With my short arms they seem pretty large but I am sure I could learn to live with one if I had to!! I think the L-4CES is a very nice alternative.

My L-4CES has the sunburst finish that looks almost identical to the sunburst on my 1956 ES225T, they make a nice pair. When I bought my L-4CES I had the choice of my sunburst or a wine red L-4CES. Both played very nice and sounded about the same. Although the wine red guitar was really beautiful I got the sunburst one because it matches my 1956 ES225T

The L-4CES and the 1956 ES225T are of corse quite diffrtent in sound. The ES225T has the one orig. PU-90 pick up and is a bit lighter in weight[approx. 5 1/2 pounds] than the L-4CES [7 1/2 pounds]. My 1968 SG std and my 1966 SG Jr are both the cherry red. I also have a [China] resonator guitar and an old Kay or Harmony archtop. The ES225T has a great sound and very controable feed back as does the L-4CES but the L-4CES with the deep mahogany body has a much darker sound with more complexity. I play both guitars acoustically at least half the time. As nice as the ES225T sounds, and how nice it plays [with only a light fret dressing] the L-4CES is a totaly different world. Not that it plays so much easier, but it is much more articulate and complex in sound. Only you guys would know what I am talking about, my wife would say "thats nice John".

By the way the PU-90[P-90] pick up in my 1956 ES225T and the one in my 1966 SG Jr have a different tone, it's hard to describe. Both sound great but the one in the 1956 ES225T is a little richer sounding. I have never checked their resistance but both are orig. to the guitars.

As for my 1966 Fender Tremolux, it has a Fender 2 12" speaker cabinet instead of the orig. 2 10" cabinet. When I got the amp many many years ago the cabinet had one Peavy Black Widow speaker which I replaced with a pair on NOS Celestion Green Back speakers I ran across. At one time the amp had a cracked resistor that I had replaced. At the same time whoever I had repair the amp sugested running channel 1 into channel 2 to be able to overdrive channel 2. This was done a long time ago so the amp is not really stock anymore and I don't know exactally what was done. With this modification I can get various ammounts of [Fender} clean, high gain and/or distortion. I play in my living room and at the youg age of 54 I don't crank it up past 5 or 6 very often. I can get a nice boost and break up at lower levels but with 35 watts not low enough sometimes for my ears or the wife.

I just picked up a ART SGX2000 with the foot controller last week. I got it mainly for the tube preamp, the delay and the reverb. It has analoge and digital effects along with a tube boost and a foot controller all for around $100.00. It is a pretty wild unit and has inspired me to get out the 1966 SG JR and rock a bit. The old guy still has it!!

Thanks John

[Johnleiser]

The board wouldn't let me reply, but I figured it out some how. My L-4 is from 2000 and has the mahogany back. The guy I bought it from told me it was maple, but I like the guitar so much that I won' t make a stink. It is wine color, not my favorite,b ut it is really a pretty guitar. I am taking some online courses cause I haven' t played in a very long time and one of the guys from Chicago has a wonderful collection. He might be in the bUsiness. There is a guitar show at the met museum,D'Angelico, D'Aquisto, Gibson and Monteleone, got to meet him for a sec. Goggle it you 'll like it I think. An es 225 is not familiar to me. Sounds like a winner though. I have a

n Ibenez es200 , the lawsuit guitar, that I bought in 1979 so I would have something to play and it turns out to br a great guitar. I had some work done on it and even the repair guy said I was lucky to have it. Wish I had the guitars I sold along the way, oh well. I don't have any cool stuff to report, I bought a Tele a nd a Martin ,D 16 RGT , so I would have enough guitars to wake the neighbors. I have a Princeton reverb and do my homework on garage band. Got a Digitech solo loper. and tried to get to Ludlow guitars today to look at. Some pedals. The trains were not cooperating some I'll do that field trip during the week. .

I had an SG in the 60's and loved it and an ES 335 and a Strat and a Rickenbacker and. More , wish I had them back

[powerwagonjohn]

John, your L-4CES sounds a lot like my guitar. I really liked the wine red, it looks great. The one I played was not as dark on the back as my sunburst so you could really see the wood grain. My sunburst is much darker on the back and sides. I know my L-4CES has the solid mahogny back and sides as I can see the same wood grain patterns inside and outside of the back. I would think your L-4CES is the solid mahogany although I have hear and or read that some were also made in laminated maple and laminated mahogany more like the ES175. Of corse they all have the solid carved spruce top. I know many of the great electric archtop guitars were laminated so I am very curious to try other versions of the l-4CES. I have played a couple old and new ES175's, ES350's and Switchmaster guitars and a couple older Guild electric archtops which are all laminated guitars but it's hard to compair them to the L-4CES.

I am intreged by L-5 Larrys comments about his acoustic L-7 and I will be looking around to play one.

I agree with your assesment, my L-4CES is so nice I couldn't be happier with it. The fit and finish is near perfect and the sound is amazing! I have played my L-4CES almost every day since I brought it home and to me it sounds even better now than when new.

The ES225T is like a thin body ES175 or really a thin body ES295 since it has the Les Paul combination tail piece and bridge. The intonation is pretty close but not perfect wiyh this combination bridge and tail piece but what I don't like is the side to side movement that throws eveything out of tune. I have to be sure the strings are centered on the neck. I have thought of putting a tail piece and floating bridge on the ES225T something like what is on the L-4CES. I am not sure what difference this will have on the sound but it would not be a perment change. I don't plan on selling any of my guitars until I can't play anymore or my wife can sell them when I am gone.

I have seen some info on the guitar show your talking about and I would have loved to see that. I remember standing in the Rembrant collection at the Smithsonian and being totally awed by standing in front of the REAL works. I am sure the guitar show would be the same. I have been to Daves Guitars in Lacrosse WI and he has a good sized collection of Gibson, Guild, Fender and many other guitars and amps upstairs from the guitar store that is amazing to see in person. By the way they have a really nice store with very helpful employees. I don't many places you can play a L-5CES, Super 400, a 1946 L-5 or a Triggs archtop. Plus a lot of other solid body and semi-solid guitars. Great place!!

I still hope some one has further information on the history and evolution of the current L-4CES guitars.

Thanks John

[Johnleiser]

John, your L-4CES sounds a lot like my guitar. I really liked the wine red, it looks great. The one I played was not as dark on the back as my sunburst so you could really see the wood grain. My sunburst is much darker on the back and sides. I know my L-4CES has the solid mahogny back and sides as I can see the same wood grain patterns inside and outside of the back. I would think your L-4CES is the solid mahogany although I have hear and or read that some were also made in laminated maple and laminated mahogany more like the ES175. Of corse they all have the solid carved spruce top. I know many of the great electric archtop guitars were laminated so I am very curious to try other versions of the l-4CES. I have played a couple old and new ES175's, ES350's and Switchmaster guitars and a couple older Guild electric archtops which are all laminated guitars but it's hard to compair them to the L-4CES.

I am intreged by L-5 Larrys comments about his acoustic L-7 and I will be looking around to play one.

I agree with your assesment, my L-4CES is so nice I couldn't be happier with it. The fit and finish is near perfect and the sound is amazing! I have played my L-4CES almost every day since I brought it home and to me it sounds even better now than when new.

The ES225T is like a thin body ES175 or really a thin body ES295 since it has the Les Paul combination tail piece and bridge. The intonation is pretty close but not perfect wiyh this combination bridge and tail piece but what I don't like is the side to side movement that throws eveything out of tune. I have to be sure the strings are centered on the neck. I have thought of putting a tail piece and floating bridge on the ES225T something like what is on the L-4CES. I am not sure what difference this will have on the sound but it would not be a perment change. I don't plan on selling any of my guitars until I can't play anymore or my wife can sell them when I am gone.

I have seen some info on the guitar show your talking about and I would have loved to see that. I remember standing in the Rembrant collection at the Smithsonian and being totally awed by standing in front of the REAL works. I am sure the guitar show would be the same. I have been to Daves Guitars in Lacrosse WI and he has a good sized collection of Gibson, Guild, Fender and many other guitars and amps upstairs from the guitar store that is amazing to see in person. By the way they have a really nice store with very helpful employees. I don't many places you can play a L-5CES, Super 400, a 1946 L-5 or a Triggs archtop. Plus a lot of other solid body and semi-solid guitars. Great place!!

I still hope some one has further information on the history and evolution of the current L-4CES guitars.

Thanks John

[Johnleiser]

Hi John,

I met Rudy from Rudy's at the opening, he wrote a book about archtops and has a new store on Broom St. with more D'Angelicos and D'Aquisto's and vintage Gibsons, L-5, 175, and on. There is a wall of Les Pauls and Strats and Teles too. Like a candy store, and you can play them. I use flat wounds on the L-4 (12's) and some crazy thick picks that I got at Matt Uminov, another great spot and get a real mellow tone. Never thought a pick would make that much difference.

I'll look to try a ES225T, is it like a 335?

I did some research, thinking an L-5 was way too much and thought I would buy an L-4 next year, but I saw this one and it jumped into my hands. It was an old big band rhythem guitar and they added pick ups. I wonder why more people don't play them?

[brundaddy]

More people don't play them because they cost an arm and a leg. They're beautiful guitars though.

[Mojorule]

Hi John,

I met Rudy from Rudy's at the opening, he wrote a book about archtops and has a new store on Broom St. with more D'Angelicos and D'Aquisto's and vintage Gibsons, L-5, 175, and on. There is a wall of Les Pauls and Strats and Teles too. Like a candy store, and you can play them. I use flat wounds on the L-4 (12's) and some crazy thick picks that I got at Matt Uminov, another great spot and get a real mellow tone. Never thought a pick would make that much difference.

I'll look to try a ES225T, is it like a 335?

I did some research, thinking an L-5 was way too much and thought I would buy an L-4 next year, but I saw this one and it jumped into my hands. It was an old big band rhythem guitar and they added pick ups. I wonder why more people don't play them?

 

The 225 is closer to a 330 (totally hollow, no centre block, P90 pick-up) than a 335 (semi-hollow, maple centre block, humbuckers), JohnL. Bet it sounds ace given your description of the pick-up, though I'm not sure I'd like the swaying movement either, PWJohn! Careful with any change of tailpiece/bridge, though. If you've got all the original hardware on it, you've got quite a valuable guitar there (even if not top drawer). Alterations will detract from value, if not from playability...

[Johnleiser]

More people don't play them because they cost an arm and a leg. They're beautiful guitars though.

Not as much as an L-5. That's my real question

[powerwagonjohn]

The L-4CES is really the cheapest full depth, solid wood arch top Gibson makes and at the $3200.00 I paid it was cheaper than some ES175's I looked at. It is no more expensive than a lot of Les Pauls, ES335s or even SG guitars. But it is not very common and I don't see them in stores, even the ones that carry the L-5CES and Super 400's. I too wanted a L-5CES and still do but the smaller body size and shorter scale along with solid woods really clinched it for me. I played a 1956 Super 400 in Willies American Guitars a few times...talk about lust! WOW very nice guitar but at 25000.00 that one costs both arms and legs!!

If I get another archtop, I am thinking a acoustic L-7 or a Byrdland but I really have the archtop covered with the L-4CES the rest is just lust.

As for the modifications to my ES225T, I don't want to make any perment changes to the guitar. I want to find a tail piece that will attach to the guitar or I can make attach the same screws as the Les Paul tail piece. Then all I need is a floating, adjustable bridge. I would keep the old bridge/tail piece along with the orig. Klusons with the guitar. I suspect this modification would give me slightly more tension on the strings because of the extra string lenth but it would be more stable and have better intonation. As it is, I am running Gibson L-5 .012 strings on the ES225T[same as on my L-4CES] and most people that play it thinks it has light strings on it. Any one do a change like this and what parts did you use?

Thanks John

[Johnleiser]

The L-4CES is really the cheapest full depth, solid wood arch top Gibson makes and at the $3200.00 I paid it was cheaper than some ES175's I looked at. It is no more expensive than a lot of Les Pauls, ES335s or even SG guitars. But it is not very common and I don't see them in stores, even the ones that carry the L-5CES and Super 400's. I too wanted a L-5CES and still do but the smaller body size and shorter scale along with solid woods really clinched it for me. I played a 1956 Super 400 in Willies American Guitars a few times...talk about lust! WOW very nice guitar but at 25000.00 that one costs both arms and legs!!

If I get another archtop, I am thinking a acoustic L-7 or a Byrdland but I really have the archtop covered with the L-4CES the rest is just lust.

As for the modifications to my ES225T, I don't want to make any perment changes to the guitar. I want to find a tail piece that will attach to the guitar or I can make attach the same screws as the Les Paul tail piece. Then all I need is a floating, adjustable bridge. I would keep the old bridge/tail piece along with the orig. Klusons with the guitar. I suspect this modification would give me slightly more tension on the strings because of the extra string lenth but it would be more stable and have better intonation. As it is, I am running Gibson L-5 .012 strings on the ES225T[same as on my L-4CES] and most people that play it thinks it has light strings on it. Any one do a change like this and what parts did you use?

Thanks John

[/quoteI had the same experience with the ES-175 and I like the feel and sound of the L-4. I played one at Rudy's, a new one for $6500 or there abouts and loved it, but when I played this one at Matt Uminov, I was sold, paid the same as you! and thought I got a "deal". I have no business to play this guitar, but it pushes me every day to do better. I really didn't love the feel of the ES-175's for some reason. I think I have enough guitars for a while.Although I am thinking of effects now. I didn't play for a very long time and I realized it was what I always wanted to do, so I'm in. Going to see Pat Martino in 2 weeks, Gibson has a newish PM model, so does Benedetto and he uses 15's or 16's it made my hands hurt just to read that!

best

john

[powerwagonjohn]

John, you said your L-4CES was made in 2000, does it have the maple body or the mahogany body and how is the build quality of the guitar? As I said my L-4CES has the binding overscraped in a few places and a little rattle from the pick ups but otherwise it is built very well and has a nice finish with no problems inside or out. The fret board is nice and smooth with no saw or sanding marks. The neck gets a little sticky in the hot humid summers up here in MN but I polish the neck and it is much better and stays that way untill I sweat it up again. The set up and tuning/intonation of the guitar is very stable and that is saying a lot considering the tempature and humidity swings we get.

I have had no responce from anyone as to the history and evolution of the L-4CES, not even Gibson...yet!! I picked up the book " ES175 It's history and players" The book has some tidbits on the L-4's but it has so many misslabled photos and innacurate information that I canceled my order for the same book on L-5 guitars. So the quest continues!

Thanks John

[AlanC]

I have owned a wine red L4 CES Mahogany for 5 years. It's a great guitar. Well made but not perfect with some very minor paint defects where the color is on the white binding.

I love the playability of the guitar. It feels right and I love the ebony fretboard.

I found the pickups to be a little thin and I found that I had to turn the tone down to about 3 or 4 to get near the sound that I wanted. In the end I put Benedetto A6 pickups in and I much prefer the sound. Here is my guitar :-

[Johnleiser]

John, you said your L-4CES was made in 2000, does it have the maple body or the mahogany body and how is the build quality of the guitar? As I said my L-4CES has the binding overscraped in a few places and a little rattle from the pick ups but otherwise it is built very well and has a nice finish with no problems inside or out. The fret board is nice and smooth with no saw or sanding marks. The neck gets a little sticky in the hot humid summers up here in MN but I polish the neck and it is much better and stays that way untill I sweat it up again. The set up and tuning/intonation of the guitar is very stable and that is saying a lot considering the tempature and humidity swings we get.

I have had no responce from anyone as to the history and evolution of the L-4CES, not even Gibson...yet!! I picked up the book " ES175 It's history and players" The book has some tidbits on the L-4's but it has so many misslabled photos and innacurate information that I canceled my order for the same book on L-5 guitars. So the quest continues!

Thanks John

Hi John,

I thought it was maple, but I checked the serial number and Gibson told me it was mahogany. The quality is fine. I read some knocks on quality, but this seems to be great or I just don't know. Plays like a dream, that's why I bought it when I did. I play it through a Princeton Reverb and I'm happy with the sound, but it's only been out a couple of times. I had round wound strings on it for a bit, a little miscominication with the seller and now flat wound 12's and I haven't had it through a summer yet so I don't know about that. It stays tuned and I play it every day. Good luck with your quest. attached is a snapshot.

best

john

[Johnleiser]

I have owned a wine red L4 CES Mahogany for 5 years. It's a great guitar. Well made but not perfect with some very minor paint defects where the color is on the white binding.

I love the playability of the guitar. It feels right and I love the ebony fretboard.

I found the pickups to be a little thin and I found that I had to turn the tone down to about 3 or 4 to get near the sound that I wanted. In the end I put Benedetto A6 pickups in and I much prefer the sound. Here is my guitar :-

It's a beauty. I've got the cousin the pic should be in an attached reply. I switched to flat wound strings and got some crazy expensive picks that really made a difference, so I leave the tone up.

[AlanC]

I also use flatwounds. I use Benson flatwound 12's which add a lot to the sound. The L4's are really beautiful guitars and I think that the mahogany body adds character and individuality to the tone.

 

I couldn't see your attachment to see your guitar! Regards,

[Johnleiser]

I also use flatwounds. I use Benson flatwound 12's which add a lot to the sound. The L4's are really beautiful guitars and I think that the mahogany body adds character and individuality to the tone.

 

I couldn't see your attachment to see your guitar! Regards,

I got a deal on D'addarios, so I'll be using them for a while. I like the sound and the thick picks made a giant difference.I'

ll try to figure out why the file didn't open, sorry.

best

john

[AlanC]

I got a deal on D'addarios, so I'll be using them for a while. I like the sound and the thick picks made a giant difference.I'

ll try to figure out why the file didn't open, sorry.

best

john

 

I have also used D'Addarios 12 flatwounds and still really like them.

[Old Jazzer]

I also use flatwounds. I use Benson flatwound 12's which add a lot to the sound. The L4's are really beautiful guitars and I think that the mahogany body adds character and individuality to the tone.

 

I couldn't see your attachment to see your guitar! Regards,

 

Alan. I used Benson 12s on all three of my archtops. L5 CES, Guild Stuart A-500 and Guild X-175 Manhattan. I had one problem with all three guitars, so I stopped useing them.

 

You say you play every day. If you've had those strings on for more than a month, take a very close look at where the "G" string meets the metal fret. See if the winding is worn all the way through. I had this problem with all three of my guitars.

 

I tried D'addarios but had intonation problems. Two months ago I switched to Sadowsky SGF13 Flatwounds and have had no problems. They are a lot cheaper and, IMHO, just as good as TI or D'addario.

[Johnleiser]

Alan. I used Benson 12s on all three of my archtops. L5 CES, Guild Stuart A-500 and Guild X-175 Manhattan. I had one problem with all three guitars, so I stopped useing them.

 

You say you play every day. If you've had those strings on for more than a month, take a very close look at where the "G" string meets the metal fret. See if the winding is worn all the way through. I had this problem with all three of my guitars.

 

I tried D'addarios but had intonation problems. Two months ago I switched to Sadowsky SGF13 Flatwounds and have had no problems. They are a lot cheaper and, IMHO, just as good as TI or D'addario.

I was in the music store anrd they are not selling the D'addario flatwound 12's any more so I bought the 6 sets fo $3 per set, I never get deals on things so I was a happy camper. The G string is the first to wear out; not a problem, right?