Vintage Porn

[beandip]

Now that I have your attention...

Here's the 1924 Gibson L-5 that I've been working on. It's in ok shape at the moment. I haven't done anything but clean the dirt off and pull the frets to relevel the fingerboard and take care of the butchered frets.

I'll post some more pics as it comes along.




and the Money Shot

[AdamR]

Nice piece.

[beandip]

About 42,000 dollars worth of nice. At least when I'll be done with it.

[Andrew Lamprecht]

I like the look of those old guitars. And I'm assuming this is not your guitar lol. You fixing it up for someone?

[beandip]

It belongs to my boss, who knew exactly what it was and how much it was worth when he handed the poor sap who sold it a grand. I'm restoring it and it'll probably be sold to Gruhn or a collector, never to be played again.

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Did those oldies not have carved spruce tops??
Not the usual laminates most of the thinlines and the 175 had?!

[beandip]

Hand carved solid spruce tops, laminated maple back and sides.

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Yeah
And that thing is ten years older than my dad

[Andrew Lamprecht]

It belongs to my boss, who knew exactly what it was and how much it was worth when he handed the poor sap who sold it a grand.

That's sad.

It'll probably be sold to Gruhn or a collector, never to be played again.

And that's sad.

How is your job going dude? What did your boss think of the letter?

[Lucid_Lunatic]

That sig is worth more than the guitar.................. There's a 23 F5 floating around here with the same sig. my grandpa left behind. Plays and sounds like a pile' o you know, but it's still an original LL F5.

[beandip]

That's sad.



And that's sad.

How is your job going dude? What did your boss think of the letter?

It's alright I suppose. The pay sucks, and being taken advantage of is constantly in the back of my mind. I haven't had the chance to talk to him yet, letter or no letter. He took of to Lake Tahoe for a week for some R&R, because apparently standing around doing nothing but reading guitar mags is hard work.

One side of me thinks that if I stick it out, at least I'm doing what I love, but another side of me says that if I'm going to be offering a valuable service with my knowledge, I should at least be paid for what it's worth.

But this isn't about the job, this about one of the last remaining guitars that set the absolute standard for production line acoustic archtops.

And also one of the most ingenious men that have ever walked the face of this earth, Lloyd Loar. Completely revamping Gibson's failing archtop and mandolin line to boost sales by hundreds of percent, the implementation of the Virzi-tone, and many other lutherie ideas.

But most of all, an amazing instrument that has a great story to tell (being owned by one time Bob Wills guitarist Eldon Shamblin). I can't wait for it to be heard again.

[El CHupacabra]

I've played those old guitars before, my guitar teacher had one. It had higher action, so it wasn't good for jazz but man, I could get amazing tone out of my lucky metal slide on that guitar. MMMM! It sounded so delta blues. With glass it didn't sound right, but metal slide on those guitars is pure tonal ecstasy. It's a sweaty midnight desert orgy for your earbuds.

not that I've had too many sweaty midnight desert orgies lately...

[JOLLY]

It needs some stickers or a cool graphic painted on it.

[El CHupacabra]

^incorrect

[beandip]

It needs some stickers or a cool graphic painted on it.

Haha, hell yeah it does!

Anyone know of any good airbrushers? I'm thinking a cool real flame job with some ghost skulls.

[ImmortalSix]

Wow man, that Lloyd Loar signature gave me the no-**** goosebumps

[Got_tone?]

Looks great. How much longer is it gonna be until you're done with it?

[beandip]

Yeah, me too.

Think of how I felt when I pulled it out of the case, strummed some chords, looked inside the F hole and noticed that little signature. It was as if I were to play a beat up relic in a pawnshop and come to realize that LF is written on the heel and AY are on the pickups.

[El CHupacabra]

I think you should leave the finish as is. It's like dressing grandpa up in MC Hammer clothes. Just doesn't look right, sound right or feel right. Maybe touch up with another layer to protect, but I wouldn't put on effing skulls or that kinda ****.

[beandip]

I think you should leave the finish as is. It's like dressing grandpa up in MC Hammer clothes. Just doesn't look right, sound right or feel right. Maybe touch up with another layer to protect, but I wouldn't put on effing skulls or that kinda ****.

Haha, you're out of your mind if you think I'm touching that finish. Nor would I do what you're referring to, known as an overspray. The guitar is in amazing condition, considering that it was a gigging instrument, and it's 80 years old. The only thing that will be done to the finish is cleaning it up with a mild detergent and warm water, using a swirl remover specialized for brittle vintage nitro finishes, and end with a nice coat of silicone free polish.