TYPE
Acoustic Hollow Body Archtop guitar
FEATURES
Birch back and sides, spruce top, mahogany neck
Ebony fretboard
INFORMATION
The Style O is described in the 1903 Gibson catalog in three sizes and three finishes. The Style L, which had a conventional round sound hole, was also available with these specifications. Alternative headstocks soon emerged, developed from the earlier wider version.
In 1908 the design of the Style O was improved and the result was a modern archtop guitar, which later became known as the Style O Artist. The upper shoulder was shaped like a curl, the interior was fitted with bracings and the asymmetrical neck had an extended fretboard with high strings. It was the first guitar ever with a cutaway for better access to the upper frets.
