1967 Gibson B-25-12 CHERRY SUNBURST, Good, Hard, $995.00

According to The Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars, the Gibson B series of acoustic guitars was the successor to the LG series largely phased out in the mid-1960s. Generally speaking, the B-15 replaced the LG-0, the B-20 replaced the LG-1, the B-25 replaced the LG-2, and the B-45 became a larger LG-2. (The 12-string Gibson LG-12 was made in very limited quantities from 1967-1973 since there was no 12-string version of the B-15 or the B-20, but it didn’t even appear in the Gibson total shipping records until 1970.) Thus, this 1967 B-25-12 Deluxe is the equivalent of the acclaimed earlier LG-2, but with the added power of a true 12-string configuration and the visual impact of a brilliant vintage sunburst finish.

A bit smaller than the J series, it’s about 40 ¾” long, 11” at the lower bout, 9 1/2 “ at the waist, 14 1/8” at the lower bout, and 4” deep, making it extremely easy to handle for a 12-string. I would guess it was designed more for the coffee house of the 1960s and 1970s folk music scene than the blue grass stage, but it has enough carrying power for anybody. As with many of Gibson’s models, there are variations in the specs over the 15 years of production, but the bottom line remained the same: it was and is a guitar designed to hold its own and more against the banjo and fiddle players of the world. This wonderful veteran of the bluegrass and folk wars is ready to sing once again.

The general description in The Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars of the 1967 B-25-12 Deluxe indicates a solid spruce top, long tortoise pickguard with a point at the upper bout, mahogany back/sides/neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, and a trapeze tailpiece (from 1965 to 1970) to relieve some of the structural stress exerted by the 12 strings. The Deluxe apparently went to this rectangular bridge with the original adjustable saddle in 1965, presumably to reduce the sound-deadening effect of the new larger bridges and bracing. The blackface peghead with the Gibson logo, six-on-a-strip nickel Kluson Deluxe tuners, ivoroid body binding (top and back), and multi-stripe rosette, are all set off nicely in this case by the vintage-style cherry sunburst finish. Considering the occasional unreliability of Gibson’s serial numbers as dating indicators, the 1967 date I’ve assigned to this cool guitar is based as much on the changing specs as on the serial number (060014).

This guitar is a great player, and it’s in very good playing condition in most respects. The cool “Kluson Deluxe” nickel-silver tuning machines with white plastic buttons are part of the original package and show no signs of replacement, and of course what really matters is the wood, which has seasoned and opened up after almost four decades of making music. This is a slightly smaller-bodied guitar than the dreadnought B-45-12, making it easier to handle than a dreadnought or 17-inch jumbo, but with terrific resonance and a big sound which will cut right through the rather muddy sound of most modern dreadnoughts and jumbos.

Cosmetically, the cherry sunburst top is now in good playing condition, with several re-glued braces. The mahogany back, sides, and neck are in very good condition for a 49-year-old guitar, but with considerable finish crazing, scratches, and dings “to let the sound out,” as my old luthier says. The frets are in very playable shape, and the bridge and saddle are solid originals. It is truly a very cool instrument, eat up with mojo. As can be seen in the pictures, there is a professionally repaired crack in the top on the treble side of the fretboard, a repaired crack above the sound hole, and some cosmetic damage in the top treble lower bout. But if you buy your guitars to play them, the action is now quite low and fast (especially for a 12-string, at 3/32” at the 12th fret), with the adjustable saddle if you want to set it up higher or lower, and of course the sound is terrific for a smaller package!

So: this is your chance to own a great-sounding vintage Gibson 12-string guitar with tons of jam cred which still looks great. It’s not a museum piece; it’s all original, but obviously well-played; it’s not prettied up with abalone and such; but it’s a great guitar, embodying everything that the name Gibson has stood for over the last century or so.

The vintage Excelsior hard shell case is clearly not original, but it in very good condition. There is the beautiful blue plush interior, the five latches and the hinges work fine, but the exterior has some minor dings and bruises. The guitar fits adequately, and its arched top offers excellent protection to this great little guitar.

Buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashiers and personal checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.

I have tried to be perfectly clear and accurate in describing this vintage instrument, so its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy it.

Thank you for your interest in this cool guitar!