Second Hand Gibson 1959 L7C Archtop Hollow-body Electric guitar in Sunburst #866

Built by Gibson in the late ‘50s in their coveted Kalamazoo factory, this stunning L7C Hollow-body Archtop holds a special place in Anderton's history due to it being one of the many guitars that Lee's grandad – Harry Anderton sold back in the very early days of Anderton's 60-year history. It was originally sold by Harry to musician and producer Chris West, who is the uncle of Anderton's partner Stuart West. This is only the 2nd time this historic guitar has been up for sale in its 66-year life.

This player's-grade golden-era Archtop features a beautiful ‘L5’ conversion, which was a common mod that players did to their L7C models back in a time before people worried about keeping vintage guitars completely original. We believe the conversion happened in the late 60s and was done by revered local luthier Dick Knight. The fretboard was replaced with a premium Ebony board featuring jumbo frets as well as eye-catching binding, along with a Gibson Charlie Christian pickup. It has an output of 2.78 ohms and has a clear, articulate, warm tone with plenty of acoustic-like sustain, making it the perfect pickup choice for archtop guitars and jazz playing. Grover tuners were also added, which again was a common mod Gibsons went through in this era.

Overall, this stunning vintage Gibson is in very good condition and shows all the desirable ageing and lacquer checking that people hope for when buying a vintage guitar from this era. Its sunburst finish has beautifully faded and aged, and its hardware shows a beautiful, honest patina. Its serial number, A29893, dates it to around 1959, truly putting this guitar within Gibson's most collectable years. In hand, this workhorse jazz guitar is a dream to play, with a comfortable neck shape up and down the fingerboard and a resonant archtop tone full of rich overtones and harmonics.

It has been expertly set up and is ready for decades more of use, and comes equipped with its original (non-functional) case as well as a Taylor-branded hard case which fits this premium golden-era jazz-box perfectly.

• 1959 Gibson L7C Archtop - Built in Gibsons golden era, this L7C captures the classic late 1950s archtop sound with a dry, resonant acoustic response and rich, complex overtones. The fully hollow construction and aged tonewoods give you an unmistakably vintage voice that modern instruments struggle to match.
• Historic Andertons Lineage - Originally sold by Harry Anderton and now back on our books for only the second time it's been sold, this guitar carries a direct link to Andertons early history. That provenance adds significant appeal for collectors while giving players a genuine sense of connection to decades of local musical heritage.
• Dick Knight L5 Fretboard Conversion - The late 1960s L5 style fretboard replacement by renowned luthier Dick Knight elevates both the look and feel of the instrument. Combined with long-lasting jumbo frets, it offers a luxurious playing experience with excellent note definition, making intricate jazz voicings and melodic lines feel effortless.
• Charlie Christian Pickup with Grover Tuners - The Charlie Christian pickup, measuring 2.78 ohms, delivers a clear, articulate and dynamic tone that is ideal for traditional jazz and early electric styles. Upgraded Grover tuners provide improved tuning stability, so you can rely on this vintage archtop in real-world playing situations without sacrificing its authentic character.

Body & Construction

• Body Size: 17-inch lower bout width
• Top: Solid Carved Spruce
• Back & Sides: Maple
• Cutaway: Single Venetian cutaway
• Finish: Nitrocellulose lacquer
• Colour: Sunburst
• Binding: Multi-ply top and back binding

Neck & Fingerboard

• Neck Material: Maple
• Scale Length: 25.5”
• Nut Width: 42mm
• Width at 12th fret 51.5mm
• 1st fret depth 22.5mm
• 12th fret depth 28.5mm
• Fingerboard: Modified ‘L5-Style’ Ebony board with binding and Mother of Pearl block inlays
• Frets: Jumbo (non-original)

Hardware & Electronics

• Bridge: Compensated Rosewood floating bridge
• Tailpiece: Gold Trapeze tailpiece
• Tuners: Grover (non-original)
• Electronics: Vintage Gibson Charlie Christian pickup with volume and tone controls
• Case: Taylor-branded hard case plus original case (non-functional)
• Origin: Kalamazoo, USA
• Serial Number: A29893 (orange Kalamazoo label)