Vintage L-00 setup

[King Freddie]

I am new to this forum. On my 1933 L-00 What is your advises for the choice of strings ?

I mostly play acoustic blues with fingerpicks.

[j45nick]

Welcome aboard.

 

String choice for the vintage L-OO depends a lot on the sound you are trying to achieve. I have a modern L-OO Legend, which replicates a specific 1937 L-OO. I have been using Gibson Masterbuilt Premium light (.012 high E) phosphor bronze strings, but am going to try the PB DR Sunbeams on the guitar as an experiment. I prefer PB strings on my mahogany guitars, and for an L-OO of the vintage of yours, lights are the only way to go.

 

I would suggest establishing a tonal baseline with something like the Masterbuilts, and experimenting at each string change until you find exactly what you are looking for. Most (but not all) people here seem to prefer PB(phosphor bronze) on mahogany-bodied guitars.

 

I recently switched to DR Sunbeams on my vintage J-45, and was so pleased with the result that I am trying them on several other mahogany Gibbies.

[dchristo]

Ive been using D'Addario 12s PB on my 33

[527]

I am new to this forum. On my 1933 L-00 What is your advises for the choice of strings ?

I mostly play acoustic blues with fingerpicks.

 

If it really is from 1933 (small sunburst and solid lining) it is very lightly braced on the top and the most desirable type of L-00 to have. Can you show us some pictures, maybe a shot through the soundhole of the lining?

 

Obviously you want to use nothing heavier than light strings. I have been happy with these Martin strings on my L family guitars for the money: http://www.zzounds.com/item--MRTMEC12

 

Here is what I mean by solid lining:

 

[j45nick]

If it really is from 1933 (small sunburst and solid lining) it is very lightly braced on the top and the most desirable type of L-00 to have. Can you show us some pictures, maybe a shot through the soundhole of the lining?

 

Obviously you want to use nothing heavier than light strings. I have been happy with these Martin strings on my L family guitars for the money: http://www.zzounds.com/item--MRTMEC12

 

Here is what I mean by solid lining:

 

 

 

That's pretty cool. I like the un-kerfed lining. Is the top done the same way, also using un-kerfed mahogany lining? Does this have fabric side stays like L's from a few years later? How about a pic of the whole guitar?

[527]

Top also has solid liner. The lining is bent to shape and very delicate.

 

Fabric side reinforcement. The tops also have a bit of radius to them and are generally 3 piece (perhaps the reason for the small sunburst that is mostly black to hide the seams?).

 

Not my guitar but this is the look of the outside. The sunburst barely extends below the bridge.

 

Any L-00 is great but the earliest ones are truly special and some say the ones that sound the best. The later ones look different and are built a little differently.

 

[tvguit]

That one has just the right amount of mojo. Beautiful.