Gibson 1957 L5 CES Reissue Antique Natural

Few guitars carry the legacy of the Gibson L-5. Introduced in the early 1920s during the Lloyd Loar era and embraced by country artists, jazz legends, rockabilly pioneers and blues masters alike, it is one of the most celebrated guitars ever made. With the 1957 L-5 CES Reissue, Gibson Custom brings this iconic archtop back to its core lineup, developed from advanced 3D scans of rare late-1950s originals to faithfully capture their look, feel and tone. This example wears the elegant Antique Natural finish.

The 1957 L-5 CES Reissue is built around a carved AAA spruce top with a carved, bookmatched AAA curly maple back and solid AAA curly maple sides. This fully carved construction delivers exceptional resonance, depth and responsiveness, whether played acoustically or amplified, while the Venetian cutaway provides effortless upper-fret access. Seven-ply top binding and three-ply back binding, finished in VOS nitrocellulose lacquer, showcase the craftsmanship that goes into every instrument.

The 25.5" scale three-piece neck is crafted from curly maple with a walnut centre strip and joined to the body with a traditional dovetail. Its authentic 1957 L-5 profile, based on scans of original examples, gives a substantial, vintage-inspired feel, while the four-ply bound ebony fingerboard carries 20 medium jumbo frets and beautiful mother-of-pearl block inlays. The five-ply bound headstock is finished with a mother-of-pearl flowerpot inlay, a Corian nut and gold Kluson Sealfast tuners.

Gold hardware throughout includes a Historic Reissue ABR-1 bridge on a rosewood base and a gold L-5 trapeze tailpiece with engraved detailing, complemented by a five-ply bound tortoiseshell pickguard. At the heart of the guitar sit two unpotted Custombucker pickups with Alnico 3 magnets, wired to individual volume and tone controls with True Historic gold Top Hat knobs. The result is the rich, articulate and endlessly musical voice that makes the L-5 CES the pinnacle of Gibson archtop design.

It ships in its Custom Shop hardshell case and comes with a TFOA Passport.

This instrument has been carefully inspected for condition and playability, then set up to our Gold Standard by a luthier. We make sure it arrives in your hands exactly as it should: sounding its best, playing effortlessly and ready to be enjoyed from the very first note.