Tale of Two 1933 Tuxedo Gibson L-00's

[Creekside Guitar]

I've been wanting one of these old Gibson guitars for quite a long time now. I regretfully sold a 1932 Tuxedo L-00 12 fret 6 years ago. It was in pretty bad shape but in hindsight, many of the issues were fixable.

So I've been looking for an early 30's L-00 Tuxedo for years. Occasionally one would show up priced way too high for my budget. Early this year, at almost the same time, these two showed up for sale. I made a reasonable offer on both, hoping to get one of them. The next day after my offer, one seller said he was going to do a trade instead of selling and the second seller pulled the ad and decided not to sell. I was so close to finally getting one and they both fell through!

Well, a month goes by and the trade didn't work out on the first one so I was offered it a second time. Made the deal and am extremely happy with the guitar I recieved. Last week, the other one showed up for sale again and I jumped on that one as well. I now own two 1933 Gibson L-00's, both in great condition, both with elevated fretboards.

The FON numbers are really close on these. Spann's guide does list one of them as a L-0, instead of an L-00, but they look and measure the exact same. One has solid lining and a maple cap over the bridge plate (3.4 lbs). The other has kerfed lining and a replaced bridge (3.3 lbs). The replaced bridge is very slightly oversized with a drop-in saddle and is not a proper replica for the period.

I may eventually change the bridge on one and remove the maple cap on the other but they currently both play and sound really, really good! I never thought I would own one of these, let alone two, but I am in vintage Gibson heaven right now!

tuxedo2.jpg

[Tramsnad]

Congrats on the pair!!

[blindboyjimi]

Super cool Tim. I really like these!

[BluesKing777]

Yes, coolest of the cool! Congratulations!

I better get out my Tux Waterloo and play it.


BluesKing777.

[Pickcity]

I really, really like this pair! I am a huge fan of vintage Gibsons and particularly their smaller bodied vintage guitars.

Enjoy!

[jontewright]

Two vintage '33 Tuxedo L-00's.
It really doesn't get any better than that!
It's early morning here in England, I'm going off line now as this easily wins the Internet for today.

[bobster7]

Outstanding choices! Would love to see a quick video comparison of them to hear the tonal difference. Congratulations!

[beatcomber]

Lovely instruments. What compelled you to buy a second one though?

[Stringmaster]

Wow-congratulations! Love my ‘33 elevated board maple bodied L00 (small sunburst).

[JKA]

Just seen a sorted '39 sunburst going for sale locally. £5k seems a little steep though?

[zombywoof]

Cool as it gets! If you have not played a 1930s L Series guitar, particularly the early ones which we so lightly built you barely have to breathe on them to get a tone, you have deprived yourself of one of life's true treats.

Nary an L-00 in the house, but I have been happily settled in with a 1932 L1 for quite a while. One of the last of the 12 fretters. Sports a hand rubbed burst to boot.

[Texas Bill]

I have a ‘32 L-1 FON 298 with a raised fretboard, 298 is supposed to be the first batch of 14 fretters, I have a 1932 Tuxedo 12 fret L-00 FON 325 and a ‘32 L-00 FON 876 that has solid linings but a standard fretboard. I have learned from Mark Stutman that the first solid linings were in the early 500 range and the last was 926. He also told that in the early 500’s there were some models that had both solid linings and elevated fretboards. Only L-00s and Kalamazoo KG-11s had solid linings, I have a ‘32 KG-11 FON 755 with solid lining's. May I ask what the FON’s are on your two, specifically the one with both solid linings and the elevated fretboard. If you decide to sell the one with both, I would be interested.

[Creekside Guitar]

Originally Posted by Texas Bill

I have a ‘32 L-1 FON 298 with a raised fretboard, 298 is supposed to be the first batch of 14 fretters, I have a 1932 Tuxedo 12 fret L-00 FON 325 and a ‘32 L-00 FON 876 that has solid linings but a standard fretboard. I have learned from Mark Stutman that the first solid linings were in the early 500 range and the last was 926. He also told that in the early 500’s there were some models that had both solid linings and elevated fretboards. Only L-00s and Kalamazoo KG-11s had solid linings, I have a ‘32 KG-11 FON 755 with solid lining's. May I ask what the FON’s are on your two, specifically the one with both solid linings and the elevated fretboard. If you decide to sell the one with both, I would be interested.

Thanks for all the comments on these 00's.

Always interesting on the Gibson FONs. The solid lining is 488 and the kerfed lining is 369 (which is listed as an L-0 in Joe Spann's book). Both with elevated fretboards.

[jt1]

Very cool guitars! Thanks for sharing them with us,

I once owned nearly every variation of the vintage Gibson L flattop, including a tuxedo 12-fretter. Here's a comparison video (but at the time, I'd already sold my L-0 and my large-body L-1). Of these, I now only own the Nick Lucas.

[Jdogblues]

Beautiful....congrats.