Gibson L-C Century of Progress - USA c.1936-38

Gibson launched the L-C Century in 1933, and it took its “Century of Progress” name from the Chicago World’s Fair of that year. It was a small-bodied flat top dressed up in the style of the day, with a pearloid-covered headstock, a celluloid fingerboard with diamond inlays set in rosewood blocks, and a firestripe tortoise pickguard. Production was small, and the figures that survive are modest, with 143 made in 1937 and 102 in 1938, falling to 49 in 1939. Today it’s a sought-after example of Gibson’s 1930s flat-top work.

This one has a lot of character. It’s finished in a dark sunburst, with the pearloid fingerboard and headstock, the pearl Gibson script and the diamond inlays all in place. The tuners, bridge and bridge pins look period-correct, and the cream binding frames the body nicely. It has a “Made in USA” emboss on the back of the headstock. No label or serial number has been found, so we can only date it to the 1930s by its construction. It’s a long-played, well-used guitar, and the action and sound are very good.

An acoustic pickup system has been added, with a volume knob on the upper bout and an output jack at the endpin. It’s the one non-original addition, and a good luthier could remove it if you’d prefer to return it to standard.

It’s an honest, well-worn instrument with the blemishes to match. There is heavy finish checking across the top, back and sides, finish wear and loss around the soundhole and under the pickguard, and scratches and dings. It does not come with its original case, and the old hardshell it ships in is not original. Please look through all the photos before you buy.

Few L-C Centuries of this age come up for sale, and fewer wear their history as openly as this one.

Specifications:

Weight: 1.8kg / 3.97lb

Action at 1st Fret: 0.25mm

Action at 12th Fret: 2.25mm

Neck Depth at 1st Fret: 24.94mm

Nut Width: 44.8mm

Width at 12th Fret: 55.62mm

Model: Gibson L-C Century of Progress

Year: 1930s

Origin: USA

Finish: Sunburst

Top: Spruce

Fingerboard: Pearloid Celluloid with Rosewood Blocks and Pearl Diamond Inlays

Headstock: Pearloid with Rosewood Panel and Pearl Gibson Logo

Bridge: Rosewood

Tuners: Open-Back, Cream Buttons

Pickguard: Tortoise Celluloid

Binding: Cream

Electronics: Acoustic Pickup with Volume Knob and Output Jack, Added

Identification: Made in USA Emboss on Back of Headstock, No Label or FON Found

Case: Non-Original Hardshell Case