Guitar
Maker
Gibson, Inc.
Maker
Gibson
Date1935-1937 ca.
Place MadeKalamazoo, Michigan, United States, North America
ModelL-30, black finish
Serial No.3240-117 (factory order number)
SignedSilkscreened in white ink on peghead: GibsonMarkingsRubber-stamped in purple ink on inside of back, below treble f-hole, the dash and last three digits written in red pencil: 3240-117
Stamped on treble tuner above top worm gear: TOP
Stamped on treble tuner, wrapping below second worm gear: GROVER
Stamped on bass tuner, wrapping around screw between first and second worm gears: PAT.
Stamped on bass tuner, wrapping around screw between second and third worm gears: KLUSON MFG. / IL. / CHICAGO
DescriptionThe L-30 was introduced in the fall of 1935, as an inexpensive, small-sized archtop, priced at only $30.00—less than a tenth of the cost of their top-of-the-line, Super 400. The U.S. economy was still struggling at the time, as unemployment had only eased slightly from record highs in 1933. Roughly one in five Americans were out of work. It was necessary for Gibson to supply a product to those customers with only modest means, in order to compete with the budget manufacturers, or risk losing those sales altogether. As stated in Gibson’s New Models flyer (October 1, 1935), "Gibson now makes it possible for every player to own a genuine carved top guitar—no longer is it necessary for those who want this type of guitar to buy anything but the genuine—the name Gibson is your guarantee of satisfaction and assurance of unequalled value." The L-30 did, indeed, have a carved top, but also a flat back, resulting in a tone that combined aspects of a small flattop and a true archtop. The shiny black finish and white binding produces an attractive, minimalist look, and reflects the tradition of the earliest Gibson instruments from the 1900s-1910s, which were often sold with a black finish. Perhaps conveniently, it also served to cover any cosmetic flaws in the wood that would preclude applying a sunburst finish.
Stringing: six steel strings
Soundboard: arched, two-piece, quarter-cut spruce: medium grain
Back: flat, two-piece, slab-cut maple
Ribs: two-piece, slab-cut maple
Head and neck: black-lacquered mahogany; bell-shaped black celluloid truss rod cover attached with two domed slot-headed screws
Heel cap: none
Binding: white celluloid on top only
Fingerboard: rosewood; 19 nickel-silver frets; mother-of-pearl dots behind 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 15th frets; two mother-of-pearl dots behind 12th fret; single white celluloid side dots behind 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 15th frets; double imitation white celluloid side dot behind 12th fret
Nut: bone
Bridge: two-piece ebony (compensated) with nickel-plated brass screws for height adjustment
Tailpiece: nickel-plated brass trapeze shape, secured to lower rib with three nickel-plated steel domed, philips head screws
Tuners: one original Grover brass six-gear worm-gear machine head with white celluloid heads; one later, of-the-period Kluson nickel-plated steel six-gear worm-gear machine head with black celluloid heads
Endpin: white celluloid
Soundholes: f-holes without binding
Pick guard: translucent dark red-brown imitation-tortoise-shell celluloid, mounted on guitar with nickel-plated brass bracket and two nickel-plated steel screws
Lacquer: black
Linings: kerfed maple
Neck block: mahogany
End block: mahogany
Top bracing: spruce longitudinal bars between f-holes; braces have periodic saw cuts and are veneered with spruce on lower side
Grafts: maple back graft
Other: linen glued to inside of top around f-holes; two linen strips glued on inside of each center bout rib at major bend points
DimensionsTotal guitar length: 1005 mm (39-9/16″)
Back length: 492 mm (19-3/8″)
Upper bout width: 260 mm (10-1/4″)
Waist width: 215 mm (8-15/32″)
Lower bout width: 376 mm (14-13/16″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 81 mm (3-5/32″)
Rib height, at waist: 90 mm (3-17/32″)
Rib height, at end block: 90 mm (3-17/32″)
Head length: 171 mm (6-23/32″)
Head width, top: 72 mm (2-27/32″)
Head width, bottom: 59 mm (2-5/16″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 349 mm (13-3/4″)
Neck width, nut: 44 mm (1-3/4″)
Neck width, heel: 56 mm (2-3/16″)
Soundhole length: 156 mm (6-1/8″)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): high E: 626 mm (25-5/8″); low E: 631 mm (24-27/32″)
ProvenancePurchased from Guitar Broker, Weston, Florida, 2008.
Credit LineTony and Bonnie Vinatieri Family Trust, 2008
Object number13567
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