GibsonTalk.com

sebcat · Little Guppy Joined: 14 May 2005 Posts: 39

Hello all, long time no see.

I got the bug to purchase another guitar and for some reason the L 5 is speaking to me. I play mostly Blues and Rockabilly. Am I misguided?

I've been hearing nothing but "the L5 is a great jazz guitar". I owned a 68 LP custom RI with 57 classic humbuckers (same as the L5 if I'm not mistaken) and it growled wonderfully. Am I wasting my money?

herb · Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 2:56 am Post subject:

Jerry Miller of Moby Grape used an L-5. So did Gary Duncan of Quicksilver Messenger Service. Steve Howe used an ES-175, and Ted Nugent uses a Byrdland. Great rock from those guys, and they're all playing full archtops, so no, it's not a waste of time. However, if you're going to play loud, it will feed back, the bodies are VERY resonant and sensitive to certain frequencies. That is the nature of a guitar designed to be played acoustically, to pick up sound and naturally amplify it. Prepare to stuff it full of rags and tape the f-holes closed, those are the usual remedies. It is also only a 20 fret guitar, so your high end scale is decreased by a whole step. You will find the tone from it much "airier" than a Les Paul or other solid body. The finest example of side by side difference that I have ever heard is on the first two Quicksilver albums, where Duncan solos with his L-5 and Cippolina solos on his LP/SG back and forth. If you can get your hands on those albums and listen, you will hear the difference and have many of your questions answered. Good luck, and keep us posted. And if you get one; I want some pictures!!!!!! Cool

SAguitar · Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 3:04 am Post subject:

Well, that about says it! Thanks, Herb. Cool

sebcat · Little Guppy Joined: 14 May 2005 Posts: 39

Yes, thank you. I've got my eye on a couple possibilites. If it's a gibson I'll post some pics.

billybuck · Little Goldfish Joined: 16 Dec 2006 Posts: 53

I've used carved tops in some pretty loud stuations without feedback. I have a L-4CES and L-5CES - both through a Fender '65 RI Twin. I think the thicker tops on the CES models are more resistant than the acoustic versions (like the Johnny Smith or L-5C).

For Rockabilly - well, Scotty Moore used an alnico L-5 and then an Alnico Super 400 to lay down some pretty charged tracks.

Try the L-5CEST too - the thinline version. Same size, more or less as a Byrdland but with a full scale length.

SAguitar · Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 1:33 pm Post subject:

Welcome to the Forum, Billybuck! Cool

sebcat · Little Guppy Joined: 14 May 2005 Posts: 39

The Studio version. Love em.

Scott Williams · Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 8:43 am Post subject:

herb · Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 8:44 am Post subject:

Oooooh! Nice wall!

herb · Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 8:53 am Post subject:

billybuck · Little Goldfish Joined: 16 Dec 2006 Posts: 53

they've been around longer than the Japanese D'Angelico range - I remember seeing them at least 10 years ago....

I've played a few and found them to be a little lacking in tonal depth, although they still completely float my boat. I found it fairly similar in tone to the Byrdland, which are cheaper. Hmmm, where's that wallet........oh. It's empty. #Mad

SAguitar · Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 9:51 am Post subject:

I'm not going to admit that I remember George Gobel, sorry. However, I do think we ought to start working on solving the empty wallet problem. Can't they make a self-replenishing model? Cool

herb · Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 2:13 pm Post subject:

SAguitar · Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 2:30 pm Post subject:

OK, OK, I remember watching George on the ol' black & white TV, and we had 3 channels. Three channels! So George's guitar was B & W for all I know, everything was... Laughing

billybuck · Little Goldfish Joined: 16 Dec 2006 Posts: 53

Here's some footage of Hollywood Fats playing jump blues on a '50's Alnico L-5CES Very Happy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na5XVdxjAcw

hollowbodies rock Cool

here's mine BTW