If this guitar reminds you of David Rawlings famous Epi, there is a good reason:   The first few Zeniths made, and there are only a few, are basically the same 13 5/8" guitar as David's Olympic, which was 13 5/8" through 1933 and then they all got bigger. The only difference that I can detect is, the Oympic has mahogony sides and back and the Zenith maple.  They really appear as peas in a pod, or, as my partner opines:  "as alike as an egg is to an egg".   This one is completely original, it comes in the original hard case which is rather rare, which is in good shape but for a couple of hinges, but closes and works as is. These little jewels have a warm sound unlike most archtops one hears.

This L5 features parallel bracing rather than 'X' bracing, they came both ways that year.  It is a fine player with the deep dark sound that is hoped for from this period.  It has been played, but is in very good shape, one tight short hairline crack in back and missing the easily replaceable pickguard, most of those nitrocellulose pickguards from that period disintegrate.    Really a great sounding guitar, comes with a nice '50's Gibson brown case.

16" Body with Pointed Cutaway,

Carved Scroll on upper bass bout.

small patch of finish touch-up on the back.