Gibson L6-S - Model History

Model History

The L6-S was the first cooperation between Bill Lawrence and Gibson. It was designed in 1972 and first released in 1973. The idea was to make a "multi-sound system" under a very tight budget.

The popularity of the L6-S gradually dropped after 1974, despite high profile endorsements from the likes of Al Di Meola and Carlos Santana. Pat Martino, John McLaughlin, Keith Richards and Mike Oldfield also used the model during this period. All models were dropped from price lists in 1979. The L6-S Custom remained in the catalog in 1980 and was still being made in the Nashville plant. The L6-S is now generally considered to be the most underrated of all the Gibson solid bodied guitars.

The original L6-S came in three variants; all were maple-bodied with twin super-humbucking pickups.

Late in 2011 The Gibson company has re-issued this guitar, with slight alterations:

The guitar is now called an L6S, not an L6-S, the bridge is a standard Gibson Tune-o-matic, less heavy than the Schaller-made rectangular bridges from the mid 1970s. The pick-ups are not the original's ceramic sealed Bill Lawrence-designed "super humbuckers", but two humbucking pickups with four-conductor split-coil wiring—a 490R in the neck and a hotter 498T in the bridge. This is similar to what is on offer in some current Les Pauls. Colours on sale in 2012 are "Antique natural" - like the original 1970s all-maple maple neck L6-S - and "Silverburst" with a baked maple fretboard. No ebony fretboard model is on sale. The current L6S neck does not feature the unique "narrow at the nut and wider near the body" taper of the 1970s guitar, but a conventional Gibson shape. The chamfered body shape and 24 frets are of similar design to the 1970s classic.