All user reviews for the Gibson L-4 CES Mahogany

Made in the USA, Past workshops "Custom" (Nashville workshops from the certificate)

Features: see relevant in this page or for Anglophone the manufacturer's website tab:


UTILIZATION

I repeat in each of my review: gives the impression that a handle is very subjective and depends habits, technical game, its setting and ropes used (important!), The music genre covered, and etc.. .. For my taste, this sleeve is perfect! not too narrow (and can play something other than powerchords!), not too wide, thick enough. I confess that, in general ways, sleeves Gibson are the ones I prefer. The overall conformation of the L-4 to adjust low action, but some prefer the back to get more sound projection. The playability is perfect for me.

Ergonomics ... Ha! this is not the strong point! But when you're the owner of a L-4, who cares! It is a bit heavy (solid wood and is mahogany), she is thick. But this is the price to pay for THE sound. And it was! Access to acute: there is a Florentine cutaway so not really bad, but I am pleased that my style does not encourage me to go on the last frets. Note a bad thing for Gibson guitar is equipped with only a button strap and forced to build a strap under the strings near the nut (Wes Montgomery, among others, had equipped his L-5 well) to secure the other end of the strap. With such an arrangement, the guitar seems very uncomfortable to wear, the imbalance in my case deported on my right side and unless I contort, guitar slide on the right side, I found myself with the right hand (the pick) at the last fret of the handle. So I did ask a luthier a button. Warning: for those who wish to do themselves, the precise adjustment of the case prohibits the installation of this button on the heel of the body side handle arranged so it would not close the case, the button must be attached to the neck heel perpendicular to the bottom, that is to say screw the button must be must be parallel to the shaft axis. Because of this lack of 2nd strap button, my note should have been 10 is 9

All equipment is perfect: knobs, pickup selector (mounted on "silent-block"), fittings, etc ... You may say: "At this price it can be". I agree!


The sound! When we had a L-4 in hand, the question "do you get a good sound easy?" makes you smile or giggle. IS this guitar sound incarnate! With it, we forget EQ, etc ... You plug and play and it is likely that whatever settings employees and whatever amplification system sounds!


SOUNDS

This L-4 can only agree to "my" style! Outside metal (and whatnot like this), it can do ANYTHING. With, of course, its characteristic Gibson Archtop! A limitation, though: I recommend to fans of powerful amps pushed to block because of feedback. The solid wood box (without central beam) resonates wonderfully, but high volume in feedback between. However, the feedback caused by vibration of the body are not controllable as are those caused by the vibrations of strings and do not seem usable for musical effects.

Why can you do with this L-4? Because it responds so much to all the nuances of the game that allows "landscapes" sound amazing! You can have beautiful pure, velvety sound and a favorite pick the snap with all intermediate shades they like! It can have a bright sound - it is also brilliant in nature. But it is a "brilliant" with incredible depth.

With overdrive the amp or pedal (for me Okko Diablo), it has a crazy sound! Playing on the selection of microphones, we will move to a Les Paul ES335, you can even push hard saturation, it remains clean.

On what amp I play? Who cares! I'm sure if you connect this to the worst Gibson amp that you find, it will ring.

I prefer the sounds? All! I do not hate!

Areas of expertise: jazz (obviously), blues (and how!), Rock (not too violent), country, indie, variety ...

OVERALL OPINION

T we try other models when one wants to acquire an L-4? No! When an art lover wants to acquire a Renoir, it does not compare with Cezanne! It is a little here in the same situation: acquiring a L-4, we offer a work of art. This is obviously an expensive guitar ... And so we have to get out of a form of reasoning "price / quality ratio." The only thing we can say is that this guitar has unique qualities is the "luxury" is beautiful, fitted to perfection, it improves with age ... it is almost a living being! A living being, we do not judge in terms of "price / quality ratio!" and like a living despite its "flaws" be. For Eleanor (nickname I gave him in memory of Brassens song "when I think of Eleanor ...") the default is ergonomics.

I think I can say that the point of the view (and of course - I insist - without any judgment "quality / price") no copy (except perhaps the "Heritage", rare and I've never tested;? but can we speak of "copy" in the case Heritage 'd) seems able to compete with Gibson Archtops upscale.

I put 10, but with a heavy heart ... Do we give a note in a comprehensive review of a Renoir or Cezanne?