Wes from Wpg Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 Anyone have or know anything about a Gibson L6-S. I have an oprtunity to buy one in relatively good shape for $350 CAD (About $270 USD). All I know about them is that they were made in the mid 70's. I play a wide variety of styles, rock, metal, blues, jazz, etc. This may be my only opportunity to own a genuine Gibson for under $500. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwayne Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 I have one. It used to be called the "Road Axe" because you could take it out and play it and it would take a beating and still play well. It has a six position selector switch. Mine plays well and sounds okay too. It's much lighter than a Les Paul, and can be painted up anyway you like fairly easily, and you don't go crazy worrying about trashing the finish on an expensive guitar. If you goto Gibson.com, you should be able to find a little history of it. A few years ago I checked it and it showed production dates. Living' in the shadow, of someone else's dream.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PBBPaul Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 The L6S was designed by Bill Lawrence. Look here for his story. From a value standpoint, the L6S is generally considered to be one of the "bastard" Gibsons like the Marauder and the S1 rather than the "real thing". So they tend not to be real collectible. However we all know that guitars are totaly subjective, so if you like it, buy it. Our new and improved website Today's sample tune: Lonesome One Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriel E. Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 Those are nice guitars. The guy from Kansas used to play one. So did Keith Richards occasionally. Sounds like a good deal for $350 CDN. "You never can vouch for your own consciousness." - Norman Mailer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes from Wpg Posted September 11, 2003 Author Share Posted September 11, 2003 Would I be correct in assuming that the quality of the guitar would be on par with other Gibson instruments? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan_Frenchie Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 originally posted by : Wes from Winnipeg Would I be correct in assuming that the quality of the guitar would be on par with other Gibson instruments? Yes, just be sure to check the neck as any work on a Maple neck can be expensive. And remember it was not the top of the line for Gibson, but a very good guitar nevertheless with very hot pups. Bests. Stan. Love + Learning + Music = LIFE !!! (some money welcomed as well ...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwayne Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 Every guitar is different, look it over, has there been any modifications done on it ?? Mine's very stock, was built in the early seventies, has got a great neck, great action, plays well, Grover tuning heads, two humbuckers, and black knobs. The switch & pots are a little noisy, but after 30 years, you can expect that. I also think I may have a loose wire somewhere, or a ground that needs attention, but overall it's still a very playable guitar, and stays in tune. Nice fat frets. With a cool paint job, mine would be a great looking guitar. It's got the natural finish on it now, and it's autographed by the girls from L7 & Tracy Bonham. They even drew little hearts and X's & O's along with their signatures. This is why I don't re-finish it. The finish is kind of a "Plain Jane". It plays just as well as my old Les Paul Custom, that I sold off a couple of years ago. I paid around $400 U.S. for the L6-S about 10 years ago, and have no regrets about buying it. Living' in the shadow, of someone else's dream.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gato Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 I think Santana used to play L6-S for a while. Its the low version of the L5-S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlChuck Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 Santana called it his rainbow Carlos (actually Devadip Carlos at the time) did endorse the L6-S in print ads at the time. I bought one brand new in 1974 and I still have it and play it regularly. It sounds excellent, plays very well, and stays in tune very well. It's not stock, I had some fancier tuning pegs put on at one point, but as someone here noted, it's not a particularly collectible model. I paid US $259 in 1974 so I think $270 is a pretty decent deal, given that the guitar is in good shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael saulnier Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 Authentic Gibson guitars like this one are still a great value and probably indicate the price ranges other Gibsons would command if the "collector's" market wasn't so large... The L6-S is typically viewed as a "player's" guitar. My brother had one for many years and I remember it as a nice playing, nice sounding guitar. I agree with the person who said... "if you like it, and think it's a good deal, buy it!" guitplayer I'm still "guitplayer"! Check out my music if you like... http://www.michaelsaulnier.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwayne Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 Because of your question and this post, I decided to crank up my L6-S tonight, and try it out. It's been collecting dust for awhile, and it plays and sounds great !! If you can get a one that plays as well as mine for $270 US, that's a great buy !! But here again, each guitar is different so look it over carefully. Songs were just jumping out at me, while playing it. "They stone when you're playing your guitar, They'll stone ya when you're riding in your car, ....... ....... I would not feel so all alone... If everybody had to get stoned." words by Bob Dylan Living' in the shadow, of someone else's dream.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwayne Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 To PBBPaul, Thank You for that link !!!! That wiring diagram is fantastic !!! After checking out my electronics, the pots & switch do need cleaned and having the wiring diagram is very helpful. I also have a better idea of what the circuitry was designed to do. Thanks !!!!! Living' in the shadow, of someone else's dream.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlChuck Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 Its the low version of the L5-S.I don't think that's so. The L5-S was a totally different design. It was named that way because it was designed as a high-end solid-body version of their famed L-5 archtop. Here's one: http://www.toddsmusic.com/po/gibson/l5s/l5s.htm and here's an L6-S: http://www.theguitarweb.com/gibson_l6s.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwayne Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 Originally posted by AlChuck: Its the low version of the L5-S.I don't think that's so. The L5-S was a totally different design. It was named that way because it was designed as a high-end solid-body version of their famed L-5 archtop. Here's one: http://www.toddsmusic.com/po/gibson/l5s/l5s.htm and here's an L6-S: http://www.theguitarweb.com/gibson_l6s.htm Exactly correct. The L6-S pictured is almost identical to mine. I have crome pick-up covers on both pick-ups, and a bunch of autographs in black magic marker, scribbled on the front. I do have a screw hole in the back of mine for a heavy duty strap, and the stock strap hook on the bottom has been removed. For awhile, I had a heavy duty strap hook there too, but have removed it. The purpose of my heavy duty strap hooks were for heavy duty playing and lots of movement with a fail safe strap, that would never let loose in the middle of a performance. Other than that, the L6-S guitar pictured is identical to mine. Living' in the shadow, of someone else's dream.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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