Prices keep rising on
vintage L-00 guitars
vintage L-00 guitars
Prices keep rising for these great 1930s guitars.
To assess playability & condition, we examined
two dozen L-00s with five vintage guitar dealers.
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© 2020 — Kenneth Lelen — All Rights Reserved
Gibson L-00 guitars from
the 1930s in excellent condition are today offered at prices near $5000,
with some priced by vintage dealers and online vendors as much as $7000. While prices reflect what a market will bear, price hikes for a 1930s L-00 guitar are shoving players and collectors into the nose-bleed seats of the vintage arena.
Players call the vintage L-00 a quintessential blues machine. For a sense of how the
guitar performs watch this video of Clive
Carroll playing a 1936 Gibson L-00.
L-00 guitars and its sibling variants (L-1, L-0, HG-00, KG-14, KHG-14, etc.) exist at decent prices, but you have to hunt aggressively to find affordable candidates. Proof is in playing one at a dealer’s shop, not in ogling the pretty pictures you'll find online.
Steady supply + lower demand = rising prices
An L-00 is a desirable vintage guitar, so it seemed worthwhile to search for one of these grand concert beauties at an affordable price — say $3500 to $4500.
But my research showed asking prices on vintage L-00 average $4250 and more. This is well above an average of $3500 only five years ago.
Likewise, KG-14 prices now range from $1950 to $2400, while five years ago prices on these blues-box beauties ranged between $1150 and $1750. These parallel price tiers of L-00 and KG-14 guitars mirror a lower demand for ladder-braced guitars.
One explanation for a price surge in both types of Gibsons is supply of good product is consistent, yet demand has tapered. Older players and collectors (i.e., Baby Boomers with disposable assets) may be exiting the market. Younger cohorts are starting to appreciate and afford vintage gear, but their numbers may still be scant.
It's generally acknowledged that well-off buyers are usually willing to pay top-tier prices for guitars in top-notch condition. However, there may be fewer such buyers in the market, allowing dealers to raise prices on their best offerings.
When challenged on prices for two L-00s in good condition with replaced bridges that were set $1500 above listings for comparable choices, the owner of a shop near Boston said: "I can wait to get my price. It [the price] affords me time for a buyer to find me."
If conditions change, prices will change as well. For example, if a pandemic hits and everyone is shuttered at home, demand may rise and L-00 prices may jump. People will find the money to buy a good guitar and fend off boredom.
Typical vintage Gibson L-00 guitars
Currently, a Gibson L-00 guitar from
the 1930s, whether formulated as an L-00, L-0, L-1 and HG-00 or its Kalamazoo brethren, KG-12, KG-14 and KHG-14, will likely share these materials, body shape, dimensions and design elements:
- bone
or ebony nut
- rosewood
fretboard
- X-braced
spruce top
- 24.9-in.
scale length
- script
headstock logo
- kerfed or solid linings
- 2.38
inch string spacing
- 14.75-in. lower bout width
- adjustable
truss rod in neck
-
individual or 3-on-plate tuners
-
neck with 12 or 14 frets to body
-
rosewood bridge and bone saddle
-
striped pickguard on sunburst body
- skinny (period) or fat (modern) frets
- skinny (period) or fat (modern) frets
-
white or striped pickguard on black body
-
factory order # on neck block or headstock
- mahogany
body (some maple, a few rosewood)
-
body finished in sunburst, Cremona brown or black
- 1-11/16,
1-3/4, 1-13/16 and 1-15/16-in. nut widths
Some of the guitars have a Kalamazoo brand. They are identical to an L-00 but employ a ladder-braced top and have no adjustable truss rod in the neck. Also, the headstock logo and pickguard shape are different than Gibson versions.
Called KG-12, KG-14 and KHG-14, these guitars were fabricated on the same chassis as an L-00, but served as Gibson's budget models in the Depression years. Even today the Kalamazoo models cost half the price of their Gibson-branded counterparts.
But, my oh my, as this video shows, what bluesy noise these 'Zoos can make.
Called KG-12, KG-14 and KHG-14, these guitars were fabricated on the same chassis as an L-00, but served as Gibson's budget models in the Depression years. Even today the Kalamazoo models cost half the price of their Gibson-branded counterparts.
But, my oh my, as this video shows, what bluesy noise these 'Zoos can make.
Ladder-braced or X-braced, you'll want a vintage L-00 that performs well for the way you play, whether finger-picked or flat-picked. So, play the darn thing till it speaks to you!
Comparing L-00 guitars at five dealers
This past October,
November and December (2019) I was able to visit five East Coast guitar shops and play their vintage L-00 stock. I examined and played two dozen Gibson and Kalamazoo models, including L-00, L-0, L-1, L-Century, HG-00, KG-14 and KHG-14 guitars.
The dealers I visited were Picker’s Supply in Fredericksburg VA, Music Emporium in Lexington MA, TR Crandall in NY City, RetroFret Vintage Guitars in Brooklyn NY and Vintage Instruments in Philadelphia.
Most of the L-00 guitars I played were offered in good to excellent condition. They all had the expected L-00 sound and were set up for finger-picking play. A few needed repairs or neck resets. And since I'm a flat-picker, a few needed set-up work to make them play better and worth their price.
This is all one man’s view on the sound, condition, playability, needed repairs and value of each guitar examined. But it should give players and collectors an idea how I examine a vintage instrument and what others will find at guitar shops offering vintage L-00 guitars.
The dealers I visited were Picker’s Supply in Fredericksburg VA, Music Emporium in Lexington MA, TR Crandall in NY City, RetroFret Vintage Guitars in Brooklyn NY and Vintage Instruments in Philadelphia.
Most of the L-00 guitars I played were offered in good to excellent condition. They all had the expected L-00 sound and were set up for finger-picking play. A few needed repairs or neck resets. And since I'm a flat-picker, a few needed set-up work to make them play better and worth their price.
This is all one man’s view on the sound, condition, playability, needed repairs and value of each guitar examined. But it should give players and collectors an idea how I examine a vintage instrument and what others will find at guitar shops offering vintage L-00 guitars.
Picker’s Supply
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| 1932 Gibson 12-fret L-1 @ Picker's Supply |
My visit to Picker’s Supply in November found eight vintage L-body guitars that represented the usual configurations, including a pretty pair of L-1 guitars from the early 1930s.
The first L-1 examined was a 12-fret model from 1932 priced at $5500. The other L-1 was a 14-fret guitar made in 1933 and priced at $6995.
The 12-fret L-1 had an iced tea sunburst, finish crazing, warm and gutsy sound and much playwear. But it was pricey and had a skinny neck — 1-11/16-in. nut width — that was difficult for me to flat-pick accurately.
The first L-1 examined was a 12-fret model from 1932 priced at $5500. The other L-1 was a 14-fret guitar made in 1933 and priced at $6995.
The 12-fret L-1 had an iced tea sunburst, finish crazing, warm and gutsy sound and much playwear. But it was pricey and had a skinny neck — 1-11/16-in. nut width — that was difficult for me to flat-pick accurately.
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| 1933 Gibson 14-fret L-1 @ Picker's Supply |
The 14-fret L-1 guitar was the superlative instrument despite pickwear, belt buckle rash and a noticeable top crack. However, it had had a recent neck reset and freshly dressed frets.
The sound on this guitar was especially appealing. The playability was first-rate and versatile enough for any player's style.
However, though the sound of this L-1 was surprisingly robust, it came with a breathtaking $7000 price.
Here's a long-winded video on a pair of L-body guitars, the 1933 L-1 mentioned above and a 1938 Gibson L-Century with a maple body, spruce top and mother-of-toilet-seat fretboard.
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| 1937 Gibson L-00 @ The Music Emporium |
The Music Emporium recently offered two vintage L-00 models with stratospheric prices. Not surprising, since they both had that mid-range honk and dry roasted sound that makes these guitars famous. One was an outstanding 1934 L-00 at $6500, while the other was a 1937 L-00 priced at $5500.
Both instruments were in excellent condition and a pleasure to play. By an odd coincidence, both had replacement bridges, which TME called "replica." The sound on each was super, especially on the higher priced (1933) model.
For a good idea of how this guitar plays, here's a video of David Surette with The Music Emporium’s 1933 L-00.
TR Crandall
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| 1937 Kalamazoo KG-14 @ TR Crandall |
On the other hand, I was not overly impressed with the action, lack of warmth and hollow sound of a maple-bodied 1935 Nick Lucas. A premium and rare guitar, it was priced at $28,000.
RetroFret Vintage Guitars
At RetroFret I played a spiritless
1936 HG-00. Converted from Hawaiian set-up with neck reset, re-glued bridge, new frets, nut and saddle, this lightweight guitar was in great condition for $4750.
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| 1936 Gibson HG-00 @ RetroFret |
It was a disappointment to play. It had a wide Hawaiian neck (1-15/16-in. nut width) and low saddle set-up, which meant it was modified to please a finger-picker.
What's more, the sound was only a thin growl. This guitar was priced $500 to $900 above other HG-00 guitars in similar condition offered elsewhere on the market.
At RetroFret I also played three ladder-brace Kalamazoo guitars. Shown below (left to right), they were a dark brown sunburst 1942 KG-14 at $2250, a cheery cherry sunburst 1939 KG-14 priced at $2250, and rare 12-fret 1939 Recording King Carson J Robison at $1600.
The latter guitar was a converted Hawaiian, essentially a 12-fret HG-00 but outfitted with a ladder-braced top. It also was graced with a troubling 1-15/16-in. nut width.
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| 1939 C J Robison (KHG-14) |
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| 1942 Kalamazoo KG-14 |
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| 1939 Kalamazoo KG-14 |
Vintage Instruments
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| 1935 Gibson L-00 @ Vintage Instruments |
Some I liked their condition, playability and sound. Others I didn't like their playability, condition and sound as much once I assessed the extra luthiery work needed to get them in shape for use in my concerts.
Nevertheless, right away I fell hard for a 1935 Gibson L-00 priced at $4500. It offered swift playing action and a balanced tone. It had an ebony nut, 1¾-in. nut width, older neck reset, soft V-shaped neck, minimal playwear and no cracks.
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| 1936 Gibson HG-00 @ Vintage Instruments |
Most appealing were the guitar's vibrant bottom end, crisp definition and 1-7/8-in. neck, which is slightly narrower than most HG-00 models. Full of alacrity, this guitar would be a joy to play on any ragtime or swing tune in my concert repertoire.
Sadly, the price on this HG-00 rose another $400 to $4250 after only two months on the market. When asked, the shop owner said he would not honor his original quote. The higher price reflected his need to recover the cost of repairs by his luthiers.
Three Gibsons with attractive sound
I played three other vintage
L-00 guitars at Vintage Instruments that stood out for their sound. Each had shortcomings, though, including the need for a neck reset, an unattractive crazed finish, and premium price that was well above my budget.
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| 1939 Gibson L-0 @ Vintage Instruments |
First, a 1939 Gibson L-0 at $4000
with an all-black finish and striped pickguard. It had a great sound,
but the surface of the guitar was disfigured by heavy crazing.
In addition, the saddle on the black L-0 was low while the V-shaped neck was sharp. There was unsightly evidence of a trapeze tailpiece on the top below the bridge.
This L-0 has been listed for several years. It was nice to play despite its appearance. Someday someone will take it home. Not me
Next, I played a 14-fret 1933 Gibson L-1. Priced at $4000, it had a handsome dark Cremona finish, crisp sound and big bass. However, I thought it needed a neck reset, so the price didn't make sense to me.
Here's how I figured it. Nowadays, the cost of a neck reset on a vintage Gibson by my luthiers in North Carolina starts at $500. That excludes the expense to plane the fretboard, install new frets and, if the saddle is properly located, craft a compensated saddle.
In addition, the saddle on the black L-0 was low while the V-shaped neck was sharp. There was unsightly evidence of a trapeze tailpiece on the top below the bridge.
This L-0 has been listed for several years. It was nice to play despite its appearance. Someday someone will take it home. Not me
Next, I played a 14-fret 1933 Gibson L-1. Priced at $4000, it had a handsome dark Cremona finish, crisp sound and big bass. However, I thought it needed a neck reset, so the price didn't make sense to me.
Here's how I figured it. Nowadays, the cost of a neck reset on a vintage Gibson by my luthiers in North Carolina starts at $500. That excludes the expense to plane the fretboard, install new frets and, if the saddle is properly located, craft a compensated saddle.
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| 1939 Gibson L-00 @ Vintage Instruments |
It had a soft, angelic voice, superb playability, 3-in-line Klusons with nickel plates and amber buttons, great neck angle and good frets. This wonderful guitar was a true no-excuses instrument, but the price was simply beyond my pay grade.
Five Gibsons with dull sound
At Vintage Instruments I played five other vintage guitars — two Gibsons, three Kalamazoos — that stood out for the absence of signs of life.
For example, a 1934 L-Century, a maple-bodied Gibson with mother-of-toilet seat fretboard, was priced competitively at $4500 by Vintage Instruments. It had good frets, slightly oversized repro bridge and a few glued cracks. In all, it was decent sounding, but just not worth writing home about.
For example, a 1934 L-Century, a maple-bodied Gibson with mother-of-toilet seat fretboard, was priced competitively at $4500 by Vintage Instruments. It had good frets, slightly oversized repro bridge and a few glued cracks. In all, it was decent sounding, but just not worth writing home about.
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| 1941 Gibson L-00 @ Vintage Instruments |
But the neck was skinny — 1-11/16-in. nut width — and the guitar top had numerous blemishes to the finish on either side of the sound hole and below the pickguard. It also had what looked like a smudged lipstick stain near the bridge.
A 1937 Cromwell G-2 priced at $1950 was a ladder-braced KG-14 by another name. In playable condition despite a warped neck, it had a high set-up and sharp V-shaped neck. With a sound that was harsh and boxy, it was not my cup of tea.
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| 1939 Kalamazoo KHG-14 @ Vintage Instruments |
Finally, there was a sunburst 1939 KHG-14 at $2500 — a Kalamazoo-necked guitar with an original X-braced spruce top and over-sized repro bridge. In other words, this guitar was a 12-fret HG-00 with a wide nut.
This guitar has been listed at Vintage Instruments for a while. The shop's web info offered a clever twist on the wide choice in Gibson guitars and L-00 iterations. It said the cheaper Kalamazoo neck with no truss rod looked “as though [Gibson] reached in the wrong neck pile” when the guitar was made.
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Vintage shops currently offering 1930s L-00 guitars
Folkway Music — Waterloo ON folkwaymusic.com
Gary's Classic Guitars — Loveland OH garysguitars.com
Gruhn Guitars — Nashville TN guitars.com
Intermountain Guitar –
Salt Lake City UT guitarandbanjo.com
Lark Street Music –
Teaneck NJ larkstreetmusic.com
Lowe Vintage – Burlington
NC lowevintage.com
The Music Emporium — Lexington
MA themusicemporium.com
Pickers Supply —
Fredericksburg VA pickerssupply.com
RetroFret Vintage Guitars
— Brooklyn NY retrofret.com
Schoenberg Guitars —
Tiburon CA om28.com
TR Crandall — New York NY trcrandall.com
Vintage Instruments —
Philadelphia PA vintage-instruments.com
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© 2020 — Kenneth Lelen — All Rights Reserved
