The L-5 was introduced as an acoustic in 1922 by Lloyd Loar, and was the first Gibson guitar with f-holes. In the 1940s the big sounding L-5 was the guitar of  choice for big band players. In 1951 Gibson electrified the L-5 with a pair of P-90 pickups and the L-5 CES model was born, although it was initially labeled the L-5 SEC. The L-5 CES had a solid spruce top and solid maple rims (unlike the laminated bodied ES-5) - apart from the electronics, the construction was identical to the L-5. In 1958 the P-90 pickups were changed to two humbuckers. From 1961-1969 the L-5 CES had a sharp Florentine cutaway - but the rounded cutaway was reinstated by 1970.

The Gibson L-5 has been a staple of the jazz guitar world for decades, due in great part to its use by jazz guitar legend Wes Montgomery during the 1960's. - See more at: http://www.jazzguitar.be/jazz_guitars.html#sthash.cUMhPS44.dpuf

The current L-5 CES is produced by the Gibson Custom shop and is based on the 1958 L-5 CES with two humbucking pickups and an ABR-1 bridge.