-
I just bought a 2010 Gibson L4 Mahogany for a rather good price in Europe (around 4000 EUR). The guitar is 99% clean (a part from small scratches on the headstock) and plays amazingly. The previous owner changed the tuners (but no new holes were done to the headstock) and did not use the tailpiece. The previous holes are filled with a wax-like stuff, easy to remove by screwing in the original screws (original tailpiece and tuners are included). I will put both back, because I prefer the look and the feel of the original Gibson tuners with plastic head. The guitar plays great, feels great, much more alive than my Gibson ES 175 from 2012 (which is to be expected with solid spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides). You can clearly feel how it resonates through the back, contrary to the ES 175. I would say that the tone is rather darker (or more profound) than the ES 175. I also notice that the frets are wider and perhaps lower than on the ES 175. Also, I think it is a pity that the mahogany neck and the back are finished in a sort of dark violet colour, I much prefer the natural color of mahogany visible on the neck of the ES 175. I don't know whether there is a particular reason for this...
Anyway, a guitar way beyond my playing skills... But I was payed for a project after 3 years so I could't resist to spend part of the money unreasonably.
EDIT: I include the previous question I asked, seems like a normal irregularity in the solid spruce top.
---PREVIOUS TEXT BEFORE UPDATE, CHECK THE FIRST REPLIES---
But there is a shadow of the bracing visible on the top. Moreover, the bracing doesnt seem symetrical. Have you seen similar cases on solid body guitars? Should I worry? Thanks for any input...
Last edited by tomassplatch; 08-20-2022 at 11:19 AM.
-
08-19-2022 01:03 PM
-
not sure, if this is "shadow" from the braces, but just some imperfections in the wood maybe.
to be seen twice, because the top consists of two bookmatched parts.
-
You are right, I am not sure if it is the shadow of the braces, in any case, the traces correspond to the glued braces underneath, as far as I can tell by reaching through the f-hole and taking photos from the inside. Unless I am mistaken, the L4 has a carved top made from one piece spruce.
Originally Posted by Filmosound 621
-
I think the bracing is alongside the pickups the pickups are even notched in to the bracing. You could have a look take the pickup out and shoot a photo. Seems really unlikely to me though I've been surprised before.
-
Looks like light reflections to me. It's not consistent, it appears to depend on the angle and location of the camera. Each photo has different shapes and colors.
-
Bookmatched solid spruce top with annular grain lines. Absolutely normal and common for an instrument to have figure like this. Not related to braces, Gibson builds way to heavy for any of that to show through without aid of a very strong light illuminating from the underside.
It may coincide with brace placement but it's not a result of the braces. Get a small flashlight and a mirror on a stick. You'll see for yourself.
-
Thank you for the replies. I looked at the inside of the guitar and tried to make photos. The shadow on the top seems to align wierdly closely with the braces inside, but difficult to say. Probably I am just paranoid Originally Posted by Jimmy blue note
I edited the first post and the title of the thread. Let's transform this to my first NGD thread 
Lower brace:
Higher brace:
Last edited by tomassplatch; 08-20-2022 at 10:20 AM.
-
Happy NGD Thomas!! Awesome instrument.
RE Spruce: if we're talking about the area I outlined (shakily) in the attached photo, you're just seeing one season in the life of the tree. Something different happened that year. It could just as easily appear in any one of the early wood rings and end up in a different place on your guitar. It's quite common and you might more easily recognize it on clear finished instruments.
It is symmetrical and aligned neck to tail because the 2 leaves of wood are book matched. Coincidentally that's the same direction as the bracing.
The lighter grain lines happen in the spring/summer when the tree is putting on more growth than in fall/winter. It is less dense, and the cells are bigger. The cells of wood are like a bunch of straws. They suck up ground water by osmosis. Maybe there was a fire or a flood that changed the chemicals in the groundwater. It left some slight residue or changed the chemical composition of the cells for a season.
Or the climate was in some way different for one year. Ash from volcanic eruption also comes to mind. A lot of spruce comes from active areas in N. America. Maybe a botanist or a luthier could say. I'm just a woodworker!
-
Congrats.
I have an '88 L4 CEs.
Great guitars imho.
-
you're not going to see the shadow of a brace through the spruce.
and btw the braces are a lot wider than one grainline of spruce.
-
I know it's not but it looks like a three piece top. I had a cello with a five piece top and it had that same appearance.
-
The top braces are usually not symmetric, not parallel to each, don't follow the wood grain of the top lamination, and are invisible unless the pickups are removed.
-
You cannot see the braces from the top of the guitar that is completely for sure. Sometimes the grain in spruce with do different things and look as if there is a split or crack but actually there is none. I can depend on the board and how the top was cut. One thing about grain on a spruce top is the number of grains per inch. Some have said that the tighter the grain and more lines is a better sounding guitar. I have not found this to be true at all and possibly the opposite. For purely looks a straight grain top without flaws is wonderful and a sight to behold but in sound performance it has much more to do with the carving and graduations.
GIbson L4's are to me a pretty good deal right now given the high price of L5's. Basically you have a 16 inch L5 but some I believe have mahogany backs and some are maple. Depending on your sound needs the mahogany back might be much better and warmer in sound. I think right now they are probably a good buy but for some players they simply are not a 175. The 175 being laminate is different animal but I must say yours in the picture looks nice and I bet is sound great.
-
Yes, excellent analysis, thanks. Indeed, mine should be solid mahogany back and sides. During 1994 to 2003 L4s had laminated maple back and sides. I previously briefly tried a maple L4 and although I did not play both side by side, I did a short recording and the mahogany L4 sounds a bit warmer. But it was the solid spruce top that seemed to determine the sound, the mahogany back and sides added a little bit of warmth, without changing too dramatically the character of the sound.GIbson L4's are to me a pretty good deal right now given the high price of L5's. Basically you have a 16 inch L5 but some I believe have mahogany backs and some are maple. Depending on your sound needs the mahogany back might be much better and warmer in sound. I think right now they are probably a good buy but for some players they simply are not a 175. The 175 being laminate is different animal but I must say yours in the picture looks nice and I bet is sound great.
2014 was the last year for ebony fretboards on L4's, so I am happy to have one (purely for the looks)
-
This is my 2010 L-4CES, photo posted by Archtop.com. As you can see, the spruce top has two darker grain lines running longitudinally. Nothing unusual.
-
That's a beauty. Honestly, a blond top with a darker mahogany sides and back is my favourite finish for the L4 and ES175. Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
Reply With Quote
Samick Jz4 update/upgrade
Yesterday, 03:41 PM in Guitar, Amps & Gizmos