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This historically significant Gibson L-1, 12-fret flat top guitar, is the earliest true Gibson flat top guitar on the market today.  As well as the one in the best, original condition. And it is a rare example, exhibiting transitional features that place it just barely after the 1926 introduction– yet still a 1926 model (Factory order number: 8406)– but leaning toward a few subsequent, very early changes that would establish Gibson on the flat top scene that Martin had carved out so well. Introduced in '26 (there was already a L-1 archtop), the original Gibson L-1 flat top had a 13-1/2" body, wide V-neck, and H-bracing. The L-1 later achieved fame due to its association with the legendary bluesman Robert Johnson. Its rounded lower bout, combined with narrow waist, is distinctive. And its thin braces, thin finish, and thin woods give it a wonderful woody yet loud, cutting, bluesy tone that no 1930’s– much less more modern– Gibson or Martin could achieve. It is the transitional nature of this particular guitar, that is intriguing. The very first L-1 flat top, had an arched back (birch, or maple), and a pretty fat V-shaped neck. Other traits of the very first L-1 flat top: single bound top; maple back and sides; no truss rod; unbound ebony fingerboard; H pattern top bracing; “The Gibson” paint logo straight across peghead; light amber top finish; Sheraton brown finish on back and sides; single bound back. But this L-1, though very early, does not have arched back, but rather a true flat top-style back. And its neck is a great-playing C shape, not overly fat, and not a V shape. Furthermore, it has “A” bracing, not the standard H bracing. Finally, this guitar has a (original) ebony fretboard with virtually no radius. It’s a true “transition” example. It is notably not a hybrid put together from old L-1 archtop parts– as were the very first L-1 “flat tops” out of the gate in 1926. These are the traits of this early Gibson L-1 flat top:

• Single bound, red spruce top, with amber stain
• Original ebony bridge; original cellulose bridge pins (unslotted)
• Maple back and sides (back is not arched), with Sheraton brown finish
• Mahogany neck, C-shaped
• Original, very thin maple bridge plate, tucked under braces, and extending all the way to the kerfing at the sides of the top, and tucked under the Kerfing
• No truss rod
• Unbound ebony fingerboard (not “ebonized”, but solid ebony)
• “The Gibson” paint logo straight across peghead
• Single bound (ivoroid) top
• Single bound (ivoroid) back
• H bracing (a slight variation of  “A” bracing; with the apex at either side of the neck block– and the braces actually tuck beneath the neck block)
• Pearl dots on 5,7, and 9 frets
• Original three-on-a-plate tuners, with plastic tuner buttons
• Original frets
• Original ebony nut
• 13 5/8 inch, lower bout
• 24 1/2 inch scale (not the 25 inch scale that was soon settled on by Gibson for the L-1, soon after the introduction)
• Nut width: just shy of 1 7/8 inch
• Width of fretboard at 12th fret: 2 ¼ inch
• String spacing at nut: a hair over 1 ½ inch
• String spacing at bridge: 2 3/8 inch
• Three well-repaired top cracks  (all, with the grain; and the amber finish on top is very forgiving, in terms of appearance, so cracks are hardly visible)
• One replaced tuner post

Every part of this guitar is original, except a new saddle, and the one replaced tuner post. Even the bridge pins are original. The neck was just set by us, perfectly. Intonation is perfect, all the way up to the high frets. Action: 3/32 over 4/32 inch (high E; low E, at 12 fret). This guitar is a rare example of the first true Gibson flat top, and is the earliest made on the market that is indeed a true Gibson flat top– not a hybrid Gibson archtop/flat top. If you acquire this guitar, you’ll have boasting rights to the first Gibson flat top still in existence. But that’s all for show. More than anything, this guitar plays beautifully. It’s hard to put down. Its tone is wonderful. It has clear, glassy trebles that only the combination of maple back and sides with the very thin build, can deliver. This is a guitar whose trebles and mids you will not find on any other instrument. It is a combination of that uncompromised, pure woody tone from the great 20’s flat tops, but with the clear, louder trebles and mids that are haunting, and fill the room, even with the lightest touch.

A steel-string braced 00-18, with finely scalloped braces, and light as a feather. No wonder the tone is exquisite. This 12-fret gem, from the best era for Martin12-frets, resonates in your hands (say what you want about the 30’s, but the more lightly-built Martins of the 20’s become an extension of your body). The set up is low (4 to 5 64ths), so it plays like a dream. Original finish throughout. Mahogany back and sides. Adirondack spruce top. Ebony fingerboard. Original tuners/gear wheel below worm gear, ivoroid buttons. The instrument was acquired from one of North America’s top Martin restoration shops, Folkway Music, who reported: “This 00-18 went back to Martin in the late 80's for a neck reset, refret, re-bridge, and a new bridge plate. The back has one repaired crack, and there are two well repaired side cracks. Martin's repairs are well done, the new bar frets are nice and tall, and the bridge plate (maple) is only slightly oversized. The somewhat oversized pyramid bridge didn't look great when the guitar came in, so we re-profiled it here in shop and fitted a new bone saddle and vintage-correct bridge-pins.” This instrument will not disappoint. It has been correctly and meticulously restored by Martin, and by one of the world’s top Martin experts. It’s ready for decades of enjoyment.

The Larson Brothers of Chicago began making steel string guitars earlier than did Martin, with their own ideas not tied to the past, and their designs are now considered by both players and collectors to be uniquely beautiful, wonderful for tone, and highly desirable. And they are much more rare guitars than Martin or Gibson– and more ornate than either Gibson or the always conservative Martin. Tone: think of a Martin Brazilian Rosewood 0-sized 12 fret from the 20’s, but add much more sustain. It vibrates in your hands, and because of Larson’s patented “built under tension” design, is thought of by players and collectors as being both unique and generating more sustain than you’ll get from any other guitar ever made. But the tone of Larsons (even the larger bodied-ones) is more treble-weighted than a Martin from the same era, so that this extra sustain does not result in a muddled sound– more like a magical shimmer and sustain that really brings out the mid- and treble-side Brazilian tone. Every part of this guitar is original. Guitar is crack-free. The bridge, never having been off the guitar, was at some point decades ago shaved slightly on top to lower the action. We have decided to keep this original bridge in place and not install a repro bridge–action is good, and the neck is straight. This particular model, is one of the very high end Larson models, with its Abalone trim, elaborate inlays on headstock and fretboard, and exquisite book-matched Brazilian rosewood back.

• Year: 1926
• Model: 562
• Serial number: 31778
• This is the Maurer Larson Brothers “Standard size”: lower bout width: 12 3/4 inches
• Brazilian rosewood back and sides
• Spruce top
• Larson's “laminated” X braces. This is the patented Larson Brothers’ bracing, with each brace being Spruce/Rosewood/Spruce
• Larson’s patented “built under tension” design
• Trim: Abalone pearl and herringbone bordering the top and sound hole
• Torch-style pearl headstock inlay
• Radiused ebony fingerboard, and Classic Larson Brothers’ “ebony below the binding”
• Engraved inlays on fretboard
• Original Engraved Waverly tuners
• Original Ivory bridge pins
• 1-7/8" wide nut
• 2-5/16" bridge string spacing
• 24.5" scale length
• One-piece mahogany neck, round C shaped neck profile.

Long-scale, 000 sized 12-fret Martins from the late 20’s are among the most sought-after prewar instruments. This was the biggest, loudest Martin made for steel strings in this era, with a 25.4 inch scale length, the same scale length as a 30’s D-45. (The 14-fret 000’s of the 30s and later have a shorter, 24.5 inch scale). In no other instrument will you get the resonance (from thin tops and back), combined with the long scale length. It’s a big pre-war Martin 12-fret. That’s why this instrument is one of the most highly sought-after prewar Martins– and increasingly very difficult to find. But it’s all about one thing: the tone, emanating from a large-bodied 12-fret that plays wonderfully, and loud, even with the most delicate fingerpicking. The bass response here is the best you will ever find in any prewar Martin 12-fret guitar. This wonderful 000-18 was set up restored and set up by none other than Gruhn Guitars in Nashville– to impeccable standards. Gruhn refinished the top, back and sides. Neck, fretboard, headstock, are all original finish. Gruhn also replaced the bridge with a perfectly correct ebony bridge. The guitar has its original bridgeplate. New, period-correct Bar frets were installed by Gruhn. 1 7/8” nut. Mahogany back and sides. Adirondack spruce top. Ebony fingerboard. It has original tuners (gear wheel below worm gear, ivoroid buttons). The top and back of the guitar are completely crack-free and perfect– with full thickness the same as the day they left the factory. And the totally crack-free top shows absolutely perfect form and shape, with no undue bellying behind the bridge. There are a couple of almost imperceptible side cracks that were addressed by Gruhn, almost impossible to see from the outside. One of the most sought-after prewar Martin 12-frets, restored correctly, and set up, by the world’s best. (Included: a signed, in-hand Appraisal of the guitar– by George Gruhn)

The instrument features the original ebony bridge (full height), original tuners, original ivory saddle and nut, original maple bridge plate. Ebony fretboard. Bar frets. Thin, Soft-V neck. Finish is original. There is some overspray on the top, which is confined mainly to below the soundhole (over about the same size area, as what a pickguard would cover–but it never had a pickguard), and a bit below the bridge, and very very light on other areas of the top. Apparently a previous owner wanted to address the pick/finger wear and a repaired crack below the bridge. It's generally unobtrusive, no effect on the color of the top, and not noticeable from a few feet. Also, some light overspray on back and sides. As overspray goes, it has minimal effect on the appearance. Neck, and head have no overspray at all. There is one crack on the instrument from the bridge to the bottom of the guitar, but it's well repaired (it's about a half-inch from the center seam, below the bridge). Also about a 2 1/2 inch shallow crack/finish crack near where the fretboard meets the top (about 1/8 inch from the fretboard), on low-E side (does not go through–It is not visible on underside of top). There is a small indentation on the side rosewood (about one inch in area, on the side/lower, stable.) 1-7/8 inch nut. Action is 3/32 inch high E string/12th fret. 4/32 low E string… just right to get that full, cascading Brazilian tone from this fine 0-21.

A great sounding 00-18, from the era when 18’s were light as a feather and have the resonance that result in singular tone– and this one from the time when Martin had just moved away from the pyramid bridge and to the belly bridge.

• Original finish (with a bit of overspray, only on the area below the soundhole (typical light overspray where there was pick wear)
• Has just had neck set, here, perfect job
• Has just been refret, with period correct Bar frets obtained from TJ Thompson
• New, exact duplicate bridge made (it had its original belly bridge, but it had a crack and we preferred to replace the bridge with a perfect reproduction ebony belly bridge. New bridge, is on exact, correct footprint of original bridge
• the top of the guitar is crack-free
• the back of the guitar is crack-free
• Repaired side cracks, on both treble and bass sides

It’s set up perfectly, actually with low action and no buzzing anywhere, and is one of the best sounding late 20’s belly bridge 18’s we’ve played.