After years and years of fine acoustic guitar craft, the Gibson L-00 Century 12-Fret is a charming and loving iteration on a classic and – simultaneously – a break from the norm for small-bodied acoustics. The Gibson Century Collection of acoustic guitars commemorates a solid century of Gibson magic in motion with intriguing, interesting takes on a historic model.

In the far-distant '30s, Gibson launched their L Series of acoustic guitars with their L-00 acoustic model. This parlor-shaped acoustic lit a fire for countless musicians for smaller-scaled acoustic to cover many, many musical modes. These L-00s featured a familiar 14-Fret neck assembly that met the fingerboard at the body at the fourteenth fret. Today's Century Collection 12-Fret breaks from the Gibson tradition for a new path for an alternative, inspirational take on classic parlor-styles.

The Gibson L-00 Century 12-Fret sets out familiarly to other Gibson L-00s. Kicking everything off, the model's smaller-scaled, compact L Series body assembles with a meetup of Sitka spruce and mahogany. Authentic Gibson acoustic richness moves through every pore of this L-00 body to punch well above its weight class for an authoritative voice. A satin nitrocellulose lacquer finish decks this comfortably compact shape with cream single-ply binding for a smooth geometric flourish.

From here, this L-00 breaks out from the same-old, same-old Gibson tradition with its neck. The model's mahogany neck enters in the picture with this L-00 at the body through compound dovetail neck joint assembly with vintage-accurate hot hide glue adhesive. A SlimTaper-profiled neck meets the parlor body at the fingerboard's twelfth fret as opposed to the traditional fourteenth. The 12-Fret neck brings the fingerboard closer to the body for a different feel in the palm and on the fingertips for something to really write home about. A rosewood fingerboard comes in here bearing nineteen frets and Mother of Pearl Dot inlays.

This Gibson Century 12-Fret L-00 begins topping everything off with a suite of fine hardware appointments. First, a rectangular rosewood bridge lands at the base of the 24.75" scale with TUSQ bridge pins and a bone saddle for a great connection and transfer of motion string-to-body. Toward the famous Gibson headstock, a bone nut and Golden Age strap tuning machines with cream buttons for easy stringing. This Gibson Century acoustic lines up with a number of aesthetic appointments like a retro-inspired pickguard and travels with an included premium Gibson Century Collection tweed hardshell case.

After so many years in the limelight, the L-00 gets refreshed in the Gibson Century Collection.

• Gibson Century Collection 12-Fret acoustic guitar model
• Small-scaled L-00 parlor body shape
• Satin-finished Sitka spruce top and mahogany back and sides
• Mahogany neck in SlimTaper 12-Fret profile
• 12-Fret neck with compound dovetail neck joint and hot hide glue assembly
• Rosewood fingerboard with nineteen frets and Mother of Pearl inlays
• Bone nut and Golden Age Strap tuning machines
• Rectangle rosewood bridge with bone saddle and TUSQ bridge pins
• Gibson Century Collection tweed hardshell case included