Gibson 1957 L-5 CES Reissue Hollowbody Electric Guitar - Vintage Sunburst
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About Inventory Status
About Inventory Status
Questions? Call or text us at 301-946-8808.
♫ In stock: It is in stock and available to ship or pickup. Apparel must be shipped from another location and is not available for in-store pickup. We can usually ship or have these items available for pickup by the next business day if they don't require inspection, special handling, or setup. Our pickup location is 11151 Veirs Mill Rd. Silver Spring, MD 20902.
📆 Preorder: It is on the way to our warehouse. We can't predict when preorder items will arrive due to current supply chain issues. If you place an order for one of these items someone will contact you to estimate the delivery date.
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❔ Special order: The item is so special that it needs to be custom ordered for you. Some of these items are works of art and have to be made individually. Orders for special order items must be prepaid and we cannot accept cancellations or refunds.
█ Sold out: We don't think we can get this item because it was either discontinued by the manufacturer or was limited in quantity. If you want or need this item call or text us. Sometimes we can help you track down the item through other sources or help you find something similar.
About Item Conditions
About Item Conditions
Questions? Call or text us at 301-946-8808.
New: The item is brand new as received from the manufacturer with a full manufacturer warranty. Instruments such as guitars, snare drums, drum kits, brass and woodwind instruments may be opened for photography and quality control inspection and may not be in a factory sealed box.
Mint or Open Box: The item may have been opened and tested but has been repackaged. The original packaging may have superficial issues but the item itself and any originally included accessories are in perfect, like new condition.
Display Model: These items are so cool that we put them on display in our legendary shop. The condition is brand new as received from the manufacturer with manufacturer warranty. Rest assured, these items undergo a very careful inspection before shipping.
Demo: These items have been on our sales floor for demo purposes and will likely show signs of use. The original packaging may no longer be included, but you can be assured that you are receiving an awesome item and an awesome price.
Used: The item is used. These item may have varying degrees of wear. Please read the description for information about the condition of the item. Used items do not carry a warranty.
B or C Stock: Factory refurbished. These items were purchased from the manufacturer in a refurbished condition. They will show some cosmetic issues, but nothing that would impact performance. Being that these are sealed from the manufacturer, we generally do not open these to photograph the cosmetic issues. They are guaranteed to work and may have a limited warranty or you may purchase an extended warranty in some cases. Please see the listing description for item specific information.
Description
Description
Classic Tone - The Gibson 1957 L-5 CES Reissue Hollowbody Electric Guitar with Vintage Sunburst Finish
Few guitars carry the legacy of the Gibson L-5. Introduced in the early 1920s during the Lloyd Loar era, it has been embraced by influential country artists, jazz legends, rockabilly pioneers, and blues masters alike. Now, Gibson Custom returns this iconic model to its core lineup with the 1957 L-5 CES Reissue. Developed from advanced 3D scans of rare late-50s originals, it faithfully captures the look, feel, and tone of the vintage instruments that inspired it. The 1957 L-5 CES Reissue features a carved AAA spruce top, along with a carved book-matched AAA curly maple back and solid AAA curly maple sides. Its fully carved construction delivers exceptional resonance, depth, and responsiveness whether played acoustically or amplified. The Venetian cutaway provides effortless upper-fret access, while the seven-ply top binding and three-ply back binding showcase the extensive craftsmanship required to build each instrument.
A 25.5” scale three-piece neck, crafted from curly maple with a walnut center strip, is joined to the body with a traditional dovetail joint. Its Authentic 1957 L-5 neck profile is based on scans of original examples, delivering a substantial vintage-inspired playing feel. The four-ply bound ebony fretboard features 20 medium jumbo frets, elegant purfling, a bird’s beak extension, and mother-of-pearl block inlays. The five-ply bound headstock is adorned with a mother-of-pearl flowerpot inlay and Gibson logo. A Corian nut, gold Kluson Sealfast tuners, and rear stinger complete the vintage-correct specification.
Additional appointments include a gold Historic Reissue ABR-1 bridge on a rosewood base, a gold L-5 tailpiece with silver inserts and engraved “L-5” details, and a five-ply bound tortoiseshell pickguard. Electronics consist of two unpotted Custombucker pickups with Alnico 3 magnets, controlled by individual volume and tone controls fitted with True Historic gold Top Hat knobs and dial pointers. The guitar ships with .012-.052 flatwound strings and a Custom Shop hardshell case. Rooted in Orville Gibson’s groundbreaking carved archtop designs and refined through Lloyd Loar’s innovations, the L-5 remains one of the most celebrated guitars ever produced. By late 1957, the addition of Patent Applied For humbuckers helped define what many players consider the ultimate version of the model. Combining heirloom-quality craftsmanship, vintage-accurate specifications, exceptional playability, and a rich, articulate voice, the 1957 L-5 CES Reissue represents the pinnacle of Gibson archtop design.
SPECIFICATIONS
Body
- Body Material: Multi-ply top and back
- Top Material: Figured maple
- Body Finish: VOS nitrocellulose lacquer
- Body Shape: L-5
- Weight Relief: None
- Body Style: Hollow body
Neck
- Profile: Chunky 1950s Chunky D
- Frets: Reissue Medium Jumbo
- Joint: L-5
- Fingerboard Material: Ebony
- Nut Material: Corian
- Inlays: Big block
- Fingerboard Radius: 12 in. | 304.8 mm
- Binding: 4-ply
- Scale Length: 25.5 in. | 647.7 mm
- Neck Material: 3-piece maple and walnut
Hardware
- Bridge: ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic
- Finish: Gold
- Plastics: Black
- Tuning Machines: Kluson Sealfast
- Control Knobs: Gold Top Hats
- Pickup Cover: Gold
- Tailpiece: Trapeze
Electronics
- Neck Pickup: Custombucker Alnico 3
- Bridge Pickup: Custombucker Alnico 3
- Controls: 2 volume, 2 tone
- Pickup Selector: 3-way toggle
Case
- Case: Reissue hardshell
Manufacturer: Gibson
Model: 57L5CESVOVSGH1
SKU: I933207-N-8-WHXD
UPC: 711106240237
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