All user reviews for the Gibson L 4 CES

Made in Nashville (Tennessee, United States) at the Gibson Custom Shop.

It's a full hollow, ie without central beam, fully formed mass with table and not carved. It has an opening called "Florentine cutaway" to allow access to acute. Channel 20 frets rather thin, Ebony fingerboard. It has 2 humbuckers gibson 57 classic. It closely resembles the ES-175, except for the location of the neck pickup is very near the key.
It has 2 volume, 2 tone and 3 position selector.
All woods are selected by the Custom Shop that makes a difference with some of his junior ES-175 and various more or less successful clones of Japanese brands. (Rest assured, there are some very good Japanese, especially in Aria Pro II, the heyday Matsumoku)

UTILIZATION

Channel 60 type of dream '. I've never played an enjoyable round. Yet I lock of dozens of historic Les Paul and the Strats from 2000 euros. It's really very impressive. The ergonomics of the guitar is not "good". This is a jazzbox 16''. It is not meant to be canted and other devices of its kind. Play on the guitar of your dreams asks that submits to its demands. So do not dream, it's far from the ergonomics of your favorite Start. Play this marvelous one wins. Access to acute is bad ... but is used very little in jazz. So it is better to consider that it is a guitar to 16 boxes, it will simplify your life. on the other hand, on the high notes, there is something else: it scales the harmonics do you want in here. From this point of view is the most amazing guitar I played. I am able to do the tapping, not plugged into an amp .... and it sounds to death.

Do you get a good sound easy?
(Laughs). The guitar could be green blue dot, it would make no difference: SOUND torn. It is with some other jazz guitars (L5, Super 400) the upper hand his side. The slightest inclination means the pick, the slightest variation or "micro bend" on the handle is perceived.

SOUNDS

Without amplification, there is a better projection of sound than the ES-175.
Amplified sound is pure jazz premium. But that's not all: the size acoustic guitar gives the opportunity to play all the acoustic type styles (folk, country, fingerpicking, acoustic pop).
The sound of an ES-175 is known as "dark". The L4 is a much more airy. (Of course, I do not even come to the idea of ​​lowering the tone knob. It makes no sense with L4. It has the sound, that's it).
Receiver side, it's really going on everywhere. We must curb his ardor same side equalizer by setting it rather neutral or below neutral positions. Sends the guitar sounds very full, feature a multitude of harmonics. So no need to try to add hot sauce, it makes no sense. The natural suits her very well. Hi-Fi amplifiers, EAR type suit him perfectly. The Fender amp is a must. But she is not afraid of transistor amplifiers.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 2 years. I tried almost everything that is typed in jazz guitar before switching to the purchase of the Gibson L4. Report qualitée / price: 800 euros for more than the ES-175, you set foot in the high-end signed by the Gibson Custom Shop with selected woods.

Would you make this choice?
Without a doubt. I'm stupid not to have bought before.

Classic Archtop Custom Shop Gibson, 20 frets, 2 humbucker '57 classic bridge tune-o-matic type rglages Les Paul. Set Mahogany neck end and comfortable affects bne. Solid sitka pica table, wicker covers back and rolled in the Saddle. Nitrocellulose lacquer.
Finish trs correct but far from being perfect for the price (in classic Gibson).

UTILIZATION

Channel irrprochable, action level with the frets. Access in acute, that of a jazzbox and ergonomics-brief is cumbersome and sensitive to feedback, but we can not do better for the sound ...

SOUNDS

Trs rich jazz sounds. The microphone is more serious than the neck prs other Gibson (including 175). The sound is warmer and fatter, drink rich in harmonics.
The micro needle with a tube screamer and amp lights (I use an H & K 20W) gives you a great sound of Les Paul. However I use it only slightly, its clear he lacks personality. And then bending with 13-56 mesh dish ...
I do not put that 9 to leave room for guitars out of the ordinary, but it is remarkable and is aligned with the L5. the samples of the site are consistent with Gibson to get an ide.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for two months (I'm a hard spare) to play jazz and sometimes blues. I've been playing for 35 years on a little while and it's the best guitar I ever touch. I bought in the United States about 40% cheaper than in France, including taxes. Whereas if I do the sound, the ratio Q / P is not as good as my strato American Series, which is also a wonderful guitar, but for any other purpose. Against the cut by making an archtop guitar is suprieur that of a stratum of SERIES (mine is signed by James Hutchins, of the luthier for Gibson). So I put Galit and would do without this choice hsiter ... condition that dnicher another.

This guitar was manufactured in the USA, as the Nashville Custom Shop produced here in 90 years ...
ES 175 is a luxury version. Everything about this guitar is neat, beyond the standard guitar. The table has been dug in the ground and that makes all the difference. The sides are 3-ply plywood story and background and also carved, but I'm not sure. The choice of wood graining, etc. is such that only big brands or major makers have access to these qualities there. If this is still not a guitar maker, it comes close but above the knowledge of the brand gives a homogeneous model as is the high-end Gibson who does not already under by-products. (The makers are not the same all ...) The neck is super nice and the strings sound good Jazz 11-52, needless to mount cables to like ... We are in the high-end, obviously.

UTILIZATION

The handle is the top: So mahogany one piece, it supports strong ties. Access to acute is relatively easy and the guitar is light (archtop is an acoustic guitar) can play standing up because it is very well balanced. In acoustics, this is not a J200 or a Martin but the sound is much more powerful than a solid body archtop or false. The grain on the dynamics of its point to the quality of amplified sound, but we will return. Drive with a pick, if you attack the strings, we can chorusser with a folk guitar if the other suits ...
Connected, the "foot". On a tube amp, the sound is warm mellow jazz background. We find the sound of Grant Green, Wes and other guitar legends. On an electronic amplifier is equally perfect, less fat, less hot, but a stunning clarity, the nuances agree.

SOUNDS

For jazz is the ultimate weapon (Philip Catherine I saw ten days ago and it is one of a distortion pedal and all, the fact that all the time ...). No pre-cutting approach to acute archtop sound, it has the sound, that's all. The settings are only colors, it is not denature archtop sound, when you have the chance to sound like that, it adjusts the quality of the amp to amplify the sound.
We can assist with finesse and take the hand chorus without touching a button or pedal, you attack a little more, it is stronger, that's it! The quitar is very reactive and 57 humbukers repeatedly copied, never duplicated. I have not tested the effects but the amplified sound is close to perfection in the genre.
The beautiful proves sensitive to feedback, but less than pleased that all electrical power I had.

OVERALL OPINION

I've had 15 days, I not change it. Manufacturing quality and consistency of the model are amazing. We do not sell these guitars there when you want to play what I play. The choice of wood, ds adhesives, fittings, this is made to last. It only remains for me to work with her and that happiness assured. Audiofanzine announced by the rating was incorrect, the ES 175, beautiful guitar industrial quality is rated as the L4-CES is the luxury version, there is a problem! These instruments are rare and should be compared with guitars of luthier in vogue.
This is an exceptional guitar like all those that are outside the Custom Shop. The price is high but the quality is at the rendezvous. If the opportunity arises and money is in hand, if you try, you can not do without. An excellent choice is undeniable.