1998 Gibson Custom L5 CES Review

[boles]

I just took delivery of a Gibson Custom L5 CES and I had no idea it would be such a great guitar.

 

I'd read about what a great Jazz guitar it is, I hoped it would be as good as I'd heard -- I am so delighted to play such a magnificent piece of Art.

 

Here's my review of the guitar in my Boles Blues blog if you want more information:

 

GIbson L5 CES Review

 

Thanks!

 

db

[JazzGtr]

IMHO, the L5 is the best all around Jazz guitar, period! Don't get a chance to play mine as much. But when I do it's magic, just like the first day I got it new.

 

Enjoy.

 

Jazz,

[boles]

IMHO, the L5 is the best all around Jazz guitar, period! Don't get a chance to play mine as much. But when I do it's magic, just like the first day I got it new.

 

Enjoy.

 

Jazz,

 

 

Hey, Jazz!

 

Thanks for the warm reply. I appreciate knowing your L5 still serves you great today. I can't imagine playing a better guitar -- even for seven times the price I paid.

[texasdw]

Congrats on your new one. I bought my L5CES in 2010. The "new" hasn't worn off yet...and I've played it a lot. The L5 stands way above any other Gibson I've ever played. I really like my Les Pauls as well, but as you said, the L5 is a work of art. And nothing sounds like an L5.

[L5Larry]

My L-5 will turn 22 years old in August. You've got something to look forward to, cause they only get better with age.

[boles]

Congrats on your new one. I bought my L5CES in 2010. The "new" hasn't worn off yet...and I've played it a lot. The L5 stands way above any other Gibson I've ever played. I really like my Les Pauls as well, but as you said, the L5 is a work of art. And nothing sounds like an L5.

 

Right! You read about the L5. You listen to it from history. You want one. Then you play one and the world stops. It's pretty amazing as an experience.

 

I have a couple of really great Les Pauls here -- an all gold '58 reissue and a VOS 57 -- but now that I have the L5, I'm thinking of sort of putting them back in their cases. The experience is so much richer with the L5 than the Pauls.

 

The problem with having one beloved L5 is that you immediately start to want another one... in case something happens to the first one. SMILE!

[boles]

My L-5 will turn 22 years old in August. You've got something to look forward to, cause they only get better with age.

 

Wow! 22! Love that! How has the sound changed over the years?

 

My '98 L5 arrived shipped without the bridge to protect the top in transit. I could see the original blonde color of the guitar where the bridge used to be and it was sort of a bright platinum white. Beautiful.

 

The 14 years have aged the exposed top in a magnificent way, though. It's now a deep, glowing, golden, rich honey-blonde -- a goldtop in spruce!

 

I saw a note on Craigslist today for a '79 L5 in NYC! Not a blonde one, though. He's asking $7,000.00. If it's in good shape, that's a pretty good price and he seemed not to be hard set on getting that number.

[AlanC]

I just took delivery of a Gibson Custom L5 CES and I had no idea it would be such a great guitar.

 

I'd read about what a great Jazz guitar it is, I hoped it would be as good as I'd heard -- I am so delighted to play such a magnificent piece of Art.

 

Here's my review of the guitar in my Boles Blues blog if you want more information:

 

GIbson L5 CES Review

 

Thanks!

 

db

 

Yep they are absolutely great guitars. I have a 2006 L5 CES. The only guitar I've found to be as good and it is as good, is my 1968 Johnny Smith. Both guitars are awesome.

 

You're going to love it and as L5Larry says they just keep getting better with age. My L5 is better today than it was when I got it.

 

 

 

[Versatile]

Great guitar...the L5 in all versions...

 

Do any of the wise hereon have experience with the Custom L5 CT Thinline?

 

I saw one online today and was somewhat attracted :blink:

 

Seems to be 16"

 

Rather expensive at nigh on £7000

 

I have a penchant for slimline hollows...ES 330...Gretsch's various...

 

V

 

[boles]

Yep they are absolutely great guitars. I have a 2006 L5 CES. The only guitar I've found to be as good and it is as good, is my 1968 Johnny Smith. Both guitars are awesome.

 

You're going to love it and as L5Larry says they just keep getting better with age. My L5 is better today than it was when I got it.

 

Your Johnny Smith guitar sounds killer. Every day is a new day with my L5. We're settling in together and I keep going back to it for "one more sound" throughout the day. What surprises me most about the guitar is the neck. It's sort of a slim "D" shape and it's really fast. I'm used to playing chunky-necked Les Pauls. I like the thinness of this L5 for speedier Jazz runs.

[BigKahune]

.

Beautiful guitar.

 

And a really nice review - a nice read.

 

Congrats on your new Custom L5 CES. . B)

 

 

.

[boles]

.

Beautiful guitar.

 

And a really nice review - a nice read.

 

Congrats on your new Custom L5 CES. . B)

 

 

.

 

 

Thanks for the kind reply! Just got a new bunch of TI George Benson 114s delivered. The flat wounds are for my L5 but I also use them on both of my historic reissue Les Pauls. I really like the Jazz sound they deliver.

[JimR56]

Great guitar...the L5 in all versions...

 

Do any of the wise hereon have experience with the Custom L5 CT Thinline?

 

I saw one online today and was somewhat attracted :blink:

 

Seems to be 16"

 

Rather expensive at nigh on £7000

 

I have a penchant for slimline hollows...ES 330...Gretsch's various...

 

V

 

 

My L5CT dates to 1963. Maybe the best-playing and best-sounding guitar I've ever owned. They are 17" at the lower bout, like a standard L5.

[Versatile]

My L5CT dates to 1963. Maybe the best-playing and best-sounding guitar I've ever owned. They are 17" at the lower bout, like a standard L5.

 

Thanks for the reply...

 

The one I saw was a new one...described as 'similar dimensionally to the ES 335'

 

So I wonder if they have got smaller recently

 

Certainly looks a beautiful instrument....

 

V

 

[Danny W.]

Thanks for the reply...

 

The one I saw was a new one...described as 'similar dimensionally to the ES 335'

 

So I wonder if they have got smaller recently

 

Certainly looks a beautiful instrument....

 

V

 

 

Gibson has made some L-5's that are both thinner (2 & 5/8") and narrower (15.5"), called "L-5 Signatures," which includes the Lee Rit model.

 

In general though, the ones labeled L-5CT or L-5 CES Thinline are nominally 17" wide.

 

Like these:

 

 

Including the one in my avatar.

 

Danny W.

[AlanC]

Gibson has made some L-5's that are both thinner (2 & 5/8") and narrower (15.5"), called "L-5 Signatures," which includes the Lee Rit model.

 

In general though, the ones labeled L-5CT or L-5 CES Thinline are nominally 17" wide.

 

Like these:

 

 

Including the one in my avatar.

 

Danny W.

 

You know Danny that I always love when you post pics of your guitars cos you have a great collection. They are awesome. Keep posting man I love it.

 

Can I ask what's the difference between CES and CT ? I just don't get it.

 

 

 

[AlanC]

Gibson has made some L-5's that are both thinner (2 & 5/8") and narrower (15.5"), called "L-5 Signatures," which includes the Lee Rit model.

 

In general though, the ones labeled L-5CT or L-5 CES Thinline are nominally 17" wide.

 

Like these:

 

 

Including the one in my avatar.

 

Danny W.

 

Danny are your guitars in this photo 2 CES's, a Wes and 2 thin lines?

[Danny W.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Danny are your guitars in this photo 2 CES's, a Wes and 2 thin lines?

Can I ask what's the difference between CES and CT ? I just don't get it.

 

 

Gibson's nomenclature isn't too consistent. CES means "cutaway electric Spanish" and was originally used to indicate am archtop with set-in pickups. CT means "cutaway thin" and was initially applied to the thin-body L-5C "George Gobel" models, which were originally all supposed to be acoustics, but some of which were electrics. Over the years they have made a number of thinline L-5's with and without set-in pickups, which have been variously labeled L-5 CEST or L-5CES Thin or L-5CT, the latter without regard to whether they had pickups or not.

 

In the photo above, all the guitars are thinlines, except the one on the couch. The two on two left (2.375" rims) are marked just L-5, but the factory invoice was L-5CES Thinline. The next is a Wes Montgomery Thin (2.5"), the next is an L-5CT (2") and the last is a Byrdland Florentine (2.25") with a 25.5" scale.

 

Here they are from the front:

 

 

Danny W.

[AlanC]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gibson's nomenclature isn't too consistent. CES means "cutaway electric Spanish" and was originally used to indicate am archtop with set-in pickups. CT means "cutaway thin" and was initially applied to the thin-body L-5C "George Gobel" models, which were originally all supposed to be acoustics, but some of which were electrics. Over the years they have made a number of thinline L-5's with and without set-in pickups, which have been variously labeled L-5 CEST or L-5CES Thin or L-5CT, the latter without regard to whether they had pickups or not.

 

In the photo above, all the guitars are thinlines, except the one on the couch. The two on two left (2.375" rims) are marked just L-5, but the factory invoice was L-5CES Thinline. The next is a Wes Montgomery Thin (2.5"), the next is an L-5CT (2") and the last is a Byrdland Florentine (2.2") with a 25.5" scale.

 

Here they are from the front:

 

 

Danny W.

 

Danny from a sound quality perspective are the thin lines comparable? Having asked the question I do own a Lee Ritenour, an L5 CES and a Johnny Smith and the tone of these ladies is something special.

 

 

 

[boles]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gibson's nomenclature isn't too consistent. CES means "cutaway electric Spanish" and was originally used to indicate am archtop with set-in pickups. CT means "cutaway thin" and was initially applied to the thin-body L-5C "George Gobel" models, which were originally all supposed to be acoustics, but some of which were electrics. Over the years they have made a number of thinline L-5's with and without set-in pickups, which have been variously labeled L-5 CEST or L-5CES Thin or L-5CT, the latter without regard to whether they had pickups or not.

 

In the photo above, all the guitars are thinlines, except the one on the couch. The two on two left (2.375" rims) are marked just L-5, but the factory invoice was L-5CES Thinline. The next is a Wes Montgomery Thin (2.5"), the next is an L-5CT (2") and the last is a Byrdland Florentine (2.2") with a 25.5" scale.

 

Here they are from the front:

 

 

Danny W.

 

 

Those are incredibly beautiful guitars, Danny! Wow! Thanks for sharing.

 

Why do you think Gibson are so inconsistent in naming them?

 

Did Wes Montgomery actually play a Thin one like the one that bears his name?

 

Are these Thins comparable in cost with traditional L5 guitars? Same build quality and carved specs?

[texasdw]

Wow Danny. Wow. I felt kinda over-the-top when I brought home my ONE L5. That's really fantastic!

[Danny W.]

Danny from a sound quality perspective are the thin lines comparable? Having asked the question I do own a Lee Ritenour, an L5 CES and a Johnny Smith and the tone of these ladies is something special.

 

Thinline guitars have less bass than full-depth ones, are brighter than a Rit and not as stringy as a JS. I almost always play with a bass player, so this is actually a good thing. At home or when there's no bass player I prefer to play either a full-size guitar or an L-5 Signature, which manages to be both small and full-sounding.

 

Those are incredibly beautiful guitars, Danny! Wow! Thanks for sharing.

 

Why do you think Gibson are so inconsistent in naming them?

 

Did Wes Montgomery actually play a Thin one like the one that bears his name?

 

Are these Thins comparable in cost with traditional L5 guitars? Same build quality and carved specs?

 

I have no idea why Gibson does anything it does, but I can speculate that since these guitars are made in very small quantities at random intervals, there's no set procedure for naming them.

 

Wes Montgomery played a number of different full size L-5's. The Gibson model that bears his name is also a full size one, but Gibson has made a few thin ones so labeled. I know there is a matching blond one that I probably should have bought when I had the chance. Single pickup thin L-5's are generally labeled L-5CT, but my thin Wes is is slightly deeper than an L-5CT usually would be, so it and the blond are likely one-offs.

 

These guitars generally cost more than a standard L-5 and are identical in everything except the body depth.

 

 

Wow Danny. Wow. I felt kinda over-the-top when I brought home my ONE L5. That's really fantastic!

 

I've been L-5-obsessed since the late 1950's and have owned a bunch of them over the years. Now I'm down to just a few really nice ones :-)

 

Danny W.

[AlanC]

Thinline guitars have less bass than full-depth ones, are brighter than a Rit and not as stringy as a JS. I almost always play with a bass player, so this is actually a good thing. At home or when there's no bass player I prefer to play either a full-size guitar or an L-5 Signature, which manages to be both small and full-sounding.

 

 

 

I have no idea why Gibson does anything it does, but I can speculate that since these guitars are made in very small quantities at random intervals, there's no set procedure for naming them.

 

Wes Montgomery played a number of different full size L-5's. The Gibson model that bears his name is also a full size one, but Gibson has made a few thin ones so labeled. I know there is a matching blond one that I probably should have bought when I had the chance. Single pickup thin L-5's are generally labeled L-5CT, but my thin Wes is is slightly deeper than an L-5CT usually would be, so it and the blond are likely one-offs.

 

These guitars generally cost more than a standard L-5 and are identical in everything except the body depth.

 

I've been L-5-obsessed since the late 1950's and have owned a bunch of them over the years. Now I'm down to just a few really nice ones :-)

 

Danny W.

 

 

Hi Danny, Have you ever owned a Johnny Smith and if so what did you think?

 

 

[Danny W.]

Hi Danny, Have you ever owned a Johnny Smith and if so what did you think?

 

I've had a number of Smiths--during the '70's one was my main jazz guitar.

 

Here's a photo of two from 1969:

 

 

and one of me doing a recording session in 1970

 

 

Here is a 25th Anniversary Smith--maybe one of a kind:

 

 

I Liked the Smiths very much, but when I came across a couple of very nice LeGrands in 1996 I replaced the Smiths. I preferred the longer scale and slightly narrower neck of the LeGrand.

 

Here I'm doing a concert with a blond LeGrand:

 

 

Danny W.

[AlanC]

I've had a number of Smiths--during the '70's one was my main jazz guitar.

 

Here's a photo of two from 1969:

 

 

and one of me doing a recording session in 1970

 

 

Here is a 25th Anniversary Smith--maybe one of a kind:

 

 

I Liked the Smiths very much, but when I came across a couple of very nice LeGrands in 1996 I replaced the Smiths. I preferred the longer scale and slightly narrower neck of the LeGrand.

 

Here I'm doing a concert with a blond LeGrand:

 

 

Danny W.

 

Wow Danny. Thanks for sharing your pics. These look awesome