1968 Gibson B45-12-N Good, Hard, $995.00

The Gibson B-45-12 model guitars were created in 1961 as a response to the boom in acoustic bands of the 1960s and discontinued in 1979 during one of Gibson's ownership changes. As with many of Gibson’s models, there are variations in the specs over the 18 years of production, but the bottom line remained the same: it was and is a big 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 dominate once again.

The general description in The Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars of the 1968 B-45-12 indicates a solid spruce top, tortoise pickguard, mahogany back/sides/neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, rosewood bridge with an adjustable saddle and a trapeze tailpiece, blackface peghead with the pearl split-diamond inlay and logo, six-per-side nickel tuners, and multi-stripe body binding and rosette, all set off in this case by the natural finish. However, variations in these specs were frequent, and given the occasional unreliability of Gibson’s serial numbers as dating indicators, the date I’ve assigned to this great old guitar is based as much on the changing specs as on the serial number (#520782).

This guitar has been thoroughly re-conditioned to make it a great-playing guitar, but given its age I cannot swear that all of its components are “original” after 49 years. However, the cool Kluson Deluxe nickel-silver tuning machines 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 for almost five decades of making music. This is a large-bodied dreadnought guitar, easier to handle than a 17-inch jumbo, but with terrific resonance and a big sound which will overwhelm the rather muddy sound of most modern jumbos.

Cosmetically, the mahogany back, sides, and neck are in very good condition for a 49-year-old guitar, other than the usual few dings and a bit of buckle bruising. The frets are in good shape, the headstock and other inlay is still near perfect, and the bridge is solid. There are two obvious dings in the top, visible in the pictures; one of them led to a crack, which is glued, cleated, and completely stable. Several braces have been re-glued as part of the restoration, and the action is now comfortably low and fast—especially for a 12-string—at a hair less than 3/32” at the 12th fret low E. And of course the sound is terrific! Big, full bass, trebles clear as a bell, everything resonating, filling the room!

So: this is your chance to own a great-sounding Gibson 12-string guitar with tons of character and jam cred with all the work already done and the professionally healed scars to prove it. It’s not a museum piece; it’s not prettied up with abalone and such; but it’s a great player’s guitar, embodying everything that the name Gibson has stood for over the last century or so.

The case is obviously not original, but it is an almost new hard shell case, and it certainly fits this guitar. The hardware is bright and shiny, the plush interior is soft and fuzzy, and the tolex has only a few minor dings and bruises. The case offers this classic instrument excellent protection.

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; cashier’s 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 vintage Gibson guitar.