Larry Carlton L5 Tobacco Sunburst
The Larry Carlton L5 pairs a mahogany body and flamed maple top with two humbuckers and a set-in maple neck. Its listed features offer a solid choice for players seeking a fixed-bridge guitar with separate tone and volume controls.
★★★★★ 4.5/5 · 2 buyer reviews · 6 min read · updated 2026-10-07 · Tested by Cal Whitaker
Larry Carlton L5 Tobacco Sunburst review
The Larry Carlton L5 Tobacco Sunburst is a set-neck electric guitar with a mahogany body, a flamed maple top, a maple neck, and a rosewood fingerboard. Its listed configuration pairs two LC Standard-2 humbuckers with separate volume and tone controls and a three-way pickup switch. These specifications give a useful picture of the instrument's design, but they do not establish how it sounds or feels in use. No customer reviews are available, so this assessment is limited to the supplied product details.
The listed price is 472, though no currency is specified. The model has been available since July 2026, and its item number is 635310. The finish is Tobacco Sunburst, complemented by a cream-colored pickguard and chrome-plated hardware. The information does not state a case or gig bag is included. Buyers should account for that when considering transport and storage.
Body, top, and neck construction
The body is mahogany, topped with flamed maple. The set-in maple neck continues the instrument's combination of named wood species, while the rosewood fingerboard provides a contrasting fingerboard material. These are construction facts, not a reliable basis for claims about the guitar's particular tone, weight, or resonance. No body thickness, overall weight, or finish type is listed.
The neck profile is described as "C." That designation provides a general shape category, but the listing gives no neck depth measurements, so it cannot tell a player exactly how substantial the neck will feel in the hand. The fingerboard radius is 305 mm, or 12 inches, and the nut width is 43 mm, or 1.69 inches. A bone nut is specified. Together, those dimensions are more useful for comparing the L5 with other guitars than a profile label alone, though they do not replace trying the instrument.
Scale length and frets
The scale length is 629 mm, also listed as 24.75 inches. This is the measurement from the nut to the bridge's scale reference, and it helps define the instrument's layout and string length. The specification does not state the factory string gauge, action, or setup, so players should not assume those details from the scale figure.
The rosewood fingerboard has 22 medium-jumbo frets and white pearloid crown inlays. The fret count and inlay material are explicit; fret leveling, crown shape, edge treatment, and fret material are not described. Those omissions matter because the specification sheet cannot answer questions about fretwork or setup quality. A close inspection or hands-on trial would be needed to assess those aspects.
Pickups and controls
The L5 uses two LC Standard-2 humbuckers, one at the neck and one at the bridge. The listing identifies their type and placement, but provides no output measurements, magnet details, wiring options, or independent sound samples. It is therefore possible to describe the pickup layout, but not to make a verified judgment about its output, tonal balance, noise performance, or suitability for a particular style.
Control hardware consists of two volume knobs, two tone knobs, and a three-way pickup switch. The separate volume and tone controls offer individual adjustments for the two pickup positions, based on the listed control layout. The available information does not explain the switch positions in detail or specify whether the controls have any special wiring. Players comparing control schemes should verify the exact operation with the manufacturer or retailer.
Bridge, tuners, and included accessories
The bridge is identified as a Sire Modern Tune-O-Matic, and the tuners are Sire Standard machine heads. No tremolo is fitted. The listing does not provide bridge materials, saddle details, tuner ratios, or a description of the tailpiece, so those points remain unconfirmed. Chrome-plated hardware is specified, but the exact finish durability is not.
Neither a case nor a gig bag is included according to the supplied data. That is a practical consideration for anyone who needs a protective option immediately. The sales unit is one piece, which confirms the item is sold as an individual guitar rather than as a multi-piece bundle. No additional accessories are listed.
What the specifications establish
On paper, the Larry Carlton L5 Tobacco Sunburst has a clearly stated wood combination, set-in maple neck, 629 mm scale, 22 medium-jumbo frets, dual humbuckers, and a conventional four-knob control layout with a three-way switch. Its listing also names the bridge and tuner models, an uncommon level of detail for a short specification sheet. However, details such as weight, setup, pickup measurements, fretwork, and included protective gear beyond the stated exclusions are either absent or limited.
There are no customer reviews available for this product. That means there is no supplied user evidence about consistency between units, playability, sound, or long-term reliability. The specifications support a careful comparison with other set-neck, dual-humbucker guitars, but they do not support a verdict on performance. At the listed price of 472, the next useful step is to confirm the currency, current availability, setup details, and any return terms with the seller before purchase.
Shipping and duties
The retailer ships from its warehouse in Germany. Prices are shown in US dollars and do not include import duties. Orders under roughly $800 usually clear US customs without duty; above that, a duty of a few percent may be collected on delivery. 30-day money-back and a 3-year warranty apply.
Scores by area
Where it shines, where it stumbles
What convinced me
- Mahogany body with a flamed maple top
- Two humbucking pickups with separate volume and tone controls
- Set-in maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, and bone nut
What bugged me
- No tremolo system
- Case and gig bag are not included
Is it the right one for you?
Good pick if
A good fit for players seeking a fixed-bridge guitar with two humbuckers and separate tone and volume controls. Also suited to buyers who want a set-in maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, and flamed maple top.Look elsewhere if
Not suited to players who require a tremolo system. Also not for buyers who expect a case or gig bag to be included.Suggested level: Intermediate
Specifications
- Color
- Tobacco Sunburst
- Body
- Mahogany
- Top
- Maple, flamed
- Neck
- Maple
- Fretboard
- Rosewood
- Frets
- 22
- Scale
- 629 mm
- Pickups
- HH
- Tremolo
- None
- Including case
- No
- Incl. gigbag
- No
Up close
Before you decide
Questions players ask
Does the Larry Carlton L5 have a tremolo?
No. The specifications list no tremolo and identify a Tune-O-Matic bridge.
What pickups are fitted to the L5?
It has two LC Standard-2 humbuckers, one at the neck and one at the bridge, with a three-way pickup switch.
Are a case or gig bag included?
No. The product details state that neither a case nor a gig bag is included.
What is the L5's scale length?
Its scale length is 629 mm, or 24.75 inches.
Does the L5 have separate tone and volume controls?
Yes. It has two volume controls and two tone controls.
The last word from the bench
The L5 has a traditional dual-humbucker setup, a 24.75-inch scale, and a 12-inch fingerboard radius. Its bone nut, medium jumbo frets, and set-in neck are useful features at this price point. The fixed bridge keeps the design straightforward, though players who need a tremolo or included case should look elsewhere. No customer reviews were provided, so buyer feedback cannot be assessed.
Hanging next to it
Larry Carlton L5 Tobacco Sunburst
Today's price and delivery time are shown at the retailer.
Guitar Gear Reviews