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L5-s love?

Humbuck

New member
Joined
Jul 17, 2001
Messages
4,489
l5s1.jpg
 

soulbrojcs

Les Paul Froum Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
939
Thumbs up from me... i was at the right age when these (and all of the other Norlins) were coming out... teenage years, no money, but collecting catalogs, skipping school to hang out at the local music stores to play all the then current guitars... just dreaming, practicing, and waiting for my time to come. when i see some of these guitars from back then now, it makes me wish i had bought, and held on to some of them. black case, with the purple lining? ;-) check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-tjDr9IEA4
 
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djangomusic

New member
Joined
Apr 25, 2003
Messages
10
I'm the same - I remember seeing a picture of Paul Kantner of Jefferson Starship playing one and thought they looked so great - always wanted one since, but whenever one comes up I wonder if its just nostalgia making me want one and whether I'd regret it once I had and blowing my memories in the meantime!

But even now, each time I see one I wonder...
 

1958WES

Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2009
Messages
112
I've owned, and sold, two of these in the last 2 years. Like djangomusic, I was always dreaming of owning one as one of my early guitar teachers played one ... as did pat martino ... as a jazz axe and made it sound great!
My experience with them is that the bodies are a bit akward to sit and play. They're very slim (obviously) and IMO don't sit naturally in your lap. Standing poses another set of problems as the ones I had were heavy as all hell. Boat anchors! Not at all a practical guitar to gig with.
The problem is they LOOK so effing awesome. I got so many compliments on the second one I had (all original, unmolested 1976 is a sweet highly flamed cherry burst).
Beautiful guitars, none the less.
 

pablomago

New member
Joined
Jul 5, 2002
Messages
1,225
Terry Haggerty of the Sons of Champlin played one for a while. I once watched it for him while he, eh, talked to a man about a dog. I guess he's lost some good guitars and didn't like to be away from his guitar at a gig. I didn't play it, but always liked the way they looded. David Crosby used one with Crosby-Nash for a while, too.
 

58junior

New member
Joined
Sep 14, 2007
Messages
868
I wish I had picked up a single pickup keith richards model when I had the chance...Gibson attempted to reissue them for a minute, and bailed.


gibsonl5smathijsyl1.jpg







I wonder why this model has not been reintroduced?
 
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Elliot Easton

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 5, 2003
Messages
3,478
Hard to feel the love when I've never seen, much less played a lefty!:sour :dang :pisd
 

Humbuck

New member
Joined
Jul 17, 2001
Messages
4,489
They must have made a lefty or 2 over the course of this model??
 

ZZ Not

Active member
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
744
I had a friend who changed guitars like some people change their socks but he played one of these for a long time.

I owned a '72 with the low impedance pickups and it was heavy.

Never seen one in a lefty. Speaking of lefties, Happy Birthday Elliot!
 

soulbrojcs

Les Paul Froum Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
939
Terry Haggerty of the Sons of Champlin played one for a while. I once watched it for him while he, eh, talked to a man about a dog. I guess he's lost some good guitars and didn't like to be away from his guitar at a gig. I didn't play it, but always liked the way they looded. David Crosby used one with Crosby-Nash for a while, too.
Haggerty? man, what a monster!!! ;-) how come more people don't know about cats like that anymore... i miss the old days of being a teenager, reading Guitar Player Magazine, and finding out about guys like this!!!
 

soulbrojcs

Les Paul Froum Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
939
I had a friend who changed guitars like some people change their socks but he played one of these for a long time.

I owned a '72 with the low impedance pickups and it was heavy.

Never seen one in a lefty. Speaking of lefties, Happy Birthday Elliot!
Hey Elliot... it's your birthday? man, hope you have a great day!!!
 

Roe

Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2006
Messages
463
ac/dc used these a little in the early days. mal used on the studio version of high voltage (song)
 

treeofpain

New member
Joined
Aug 1, 2004
Messages
969
I used to think they were very cool looking - the hb ones, not the earlier low impedence models. I am not a fan of the 3 piece tops though.
 

Boogie Bill

New member
Joined
Oct 27, 2005
Messages
334
I've played a few over the years, not my cup of tea. I hate the way the knobs are so close together--like an SG.

Now, a mid-'60s L-5CES with a florentine cutaway...sets my heart a' flutter!

Bill
 
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