Sound Pure's Take
Condition Used, Good
THIS MACHINE KILLS BAD VIBES
Pre-war guitars are truly special. It's not just that unbeatable sound of old wood opened up, though that is factually part of why they are special. You feel the weight of history in your hands when you play a pre-war guitar. Case in point: This 89-year-old blues box that feels like it's seen its share of everything from front-porch jams to brew-hall brawls. Featuring the tightest sunburst finish I've personally seen, this mostly-black beauty plays as good as it looks. Yes, that is a compliment. It plays like it has been through some $#!7 and come out on the other end stronger.
Gibson Ls have a reputation for sounding tight and pleasantly boxy, and this one's no exception; in fact, it does that classic L-00 thing in spades with barky bass, direct mids and glassy treble. But it's no one-trick pony. It really does shine with any playing style: Soulful and responsive while fingerpicking, it also sounds lively and confident when flatpicking and very well-balanced as a strummer. I'd venture that the Adirondack spruce top aging over the course of nearly a century has allowed for a wider frequency response from the mahogany back and sides (which, of course, has also had decades to open up and grow in complexity), so it will simply take whatever you pitch it and knock it out of the park. The well-worn soft-V neck also invites versatility in playing styles; typically one of those heretical thumb-over players, even I occasionally found my thumb naturally planted along the profile ridge at times, just like a proper guitar player. It's simply fun and easy to play, and it rewards you for doing so.
SP Luthier Notes: Neck reset, bridge reglue, crack repairs, brace repairs, refret, and setup
- Model
- L-00
- Serial
- 877
- Year
- 1933
- Body Shape
- L-00
- Top Material
- Spruce
- Back & Sides
- Mahogany
- Bracing
- X-Bracing
- Binding
- Cream
- Finish
- Sunburst
- Neck Material
- Mahogany
Neck Profile
- Fingerboard Material
- Rosewood
- Scale Length
- 24 3/4"
- Number of Frets
- 19
- Nut Material
- Bone
- Nut Width
- 1 3/4"
- Inlays
- White Dots
- Tuners
- Three On a Plate
- Truss Rod Cover
- Black
- Pickguard
- Firestripe
- Saddle Material
- Bone
- Bridge
- Rosewood
- Case
- Original Chipboard (will ship in additional hardshell case)
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Sound Pure Studios · Durham, NC
Come hear it in our control rooms.
Sound Pure is a working studio in Durham, NC — a 1,000 sq ft live room and two pro control rooms. Book a session to audition gear in a world-class acoustic space before you buy.