Gibson returns the L-5 to its core lineup with a 1957 CES Reissue
The Nashville-built Gibson 1957 L-5 CES Reissue is offered in two finishes, with carved woods, Custombuckers and different US prices.
Gibson Custom has announced the 1957 L-5 CES Reissue, bringing the archtop back into its core lineup. The manufacturer’s announcement introduces Nashville-built instruments in Vintage Sunburst and Antique Natural.
Two finishes, two US prices
At our October 11, 2026 check, Gibson’s US product pages list Vintage Sunburst at US$10,999 and Antique Natural at US$11,999. Those are US-site prices for the specified finishes, not a worldwide price or a promise of local stock.
The core-lineup wording matters: this is a current-production reissue, rather than a listing for an original 1957 instrument.
Carved construction and a scanned neck profile
The specification combines a carved AAA spruce top with a carved AAA curly-maple back and solid curly-maple sides. Its maple-and-walnut neck uses a dovetail joint, a 25.5-inch scale and an ebony fingerboard with 20 frets.
Gibson says the neck profile was developed using 3D scans of vintage originals.
The pickups are two unpotted Alnico 3 Custombuckers. Kluson Sealfast tuners, factory flatwound .012–.052 strings and a Custom Shop hardshell case round out the published equipment list.
What guitar readers should compare
The useful comparison is between the actual reissue specifications and the particular older L-5 that interests you. The L-5 name spans a long history, so a general claim about an earlier acoustic or electric version should not automatically be applied to this new CES model.
AI-generated editorial illustration of the Gibson Custom 1957 L-5 CES Reissue in Vintage Sunburst and Antique Natural, informed by Gibson’s official model references. This is not a product photograph.