1997 Gibson CL-20 Very Good, Hard, $995.00
According to Gruhn’s Guide to Vintage Guitars, the Gibson Custom Line-20 Standard Plus originated in 1997 as a “thin-shouldered” dreadnought flat-top with a solid spruce top and Chechen arched back and sides. This particular instrument’s serial number (91567019) indicates it was made on the 156th day of 1997, and was the 19th instrument made that day. This is significant because Gibson’s Custom Line series started at the Bozeman, Montana, plant in that year but quickly morphed into the Songbird/Songwriter series starting in 1998, with the last Songwriter produced in 2008. Thus this CL-20 is one of a rather rare breed.
The CL-20 has a 14/20-fret rosewood finger board with notched diamond abalone inlay, a tortoise two-point pick guard, a multi-stripe and abalone inlaid rosette, a rosewood bird-and-beak bridge with white pins, and full body binding, top and back. It has Gibson nickel-plated tuners [upgraded on this guitar to 18:1 Ping tuners which fit perfectly], and a replacement decal logo on the mahogany headstock. For larger venues it has a factory transducer pickup accessed through the end pin jack. It is clearly designed to represent a beautiful—even flashy--guitar, but also with the quality materials and huge sound for which Gibsons have been famous for decades.
Cosmetically, this 19-year-old guitar has very few nicks and dings in that flashy finish; however, there is widespread crazing on the back, a professionally repaired dent and connected crack in the top lower bout, and a beautifully repaired crack in the headstock/neck area. The neck repair is perfectly stable and smooth but very visible because of the black overspray; it has no effect on the playability of the guitar. The action is set up at a hair under 3/32” at the 12th fret low E, the nut and saddle have been upgraded to bone, and this classic Gibson sounds and plays great and is ready to go.
The included thermoplastic hard shell case is not original with this guitar, but it obviously reinforces the image of an outstanding instrument. The hardware all works perfectly (although I don’t have a key to the lock), and it fits the instrument extremely well. Naturally the arched construction offers excellent protection to this fine guitar.
Buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower forty-eight states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashiers and personal checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.
I have tried to be perfectly clear and accurate in describing this unique instrument and its case, so its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy it.
Good luck!
Payments by Paypal, cashier’s checks, money orders, or personal checks are acceptable, but all payments must clear my bank before the guitar will be shipped. I will CONSIDER reasonable offers, even including installment payments and trade-ins, but generally since I already attempt to price my guitars very competitively, unusual deals must be unusually sweet.
From henceforth [that's how retired English teachers talk], insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states is $55 due to constantly rising shipping costs unless a specific listing says otherwise; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. I have sold guitars to Russia, Japan, Australia, and over 50 other countries, as well as almost every state in the USA. Since some of my guitars travel thousands of miles, I take care to use lots of packing materials, protect the neck inside the case, and of course de-tune the strings.
I make every effort to describe and illustrate each guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. However, many of my instruments are well-played vintage items which are many years old, and I am not a luthier. One should assume that any guitar will require some set-up to satisfy your personal requirements, and that not every flaw or ding will be seen/recognized/described in the listing. Thus the return of an instrument will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please read the listing carefully, check out the pictures, and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy.