1963 Gibson C-1 Very Good, Hard, $695.00
According to The Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars, the Gibson C-1 classical guitar was manufactured in various forms from 1957 to 1971. Gruhn’s Guide and Vintage Guitar Price Guide basically agree, although there is some disagreement as to specific features. Like most classical guitars, it’s smaller than the dreadnought or jumbo series, measuring 39” in overall length, 19” in body length, 11” at the upper bout, 9 5/8” at the waist, 14 ¼” at the lower bout, and tapers from 3 ½” to 4 ½” deep. While it may have been designed more for the coffee house of the 1960s folk music scene than for the blue grass stage, it still has enough carrying power for anybody and is a beautiful example of Gibson craftsmanship.
This C-1 features a solid spruce top with mahogany back, sides, and neck in a light natural finish, a rosewood wrap-around bridge, and a 12/19-fret (including a zero fret) rosewood finger board with a 25 ½” scale. While it has the wide patterned rosette and the slotted classical headstock has the Gibson script logo decal Gruhn says were added in 1964, it has the earlier black binding. The serial number (109065) dates it as 1963, and it has the nickel tuners with plastic buttons which were replaced with chrome keys in mid-1966. The serial number is rather low in the sequence, so I’m assuming it was made in early 1963.
After 54 years of making music, there are very few cosmetic concerns: there is some crazing in the finish on the top, but virtually no wear at the frets (presumably due to its nylon strings). I see no cracks in the top or the back, although there is a long-ago repaired crack in the grain of the top of the headstock; on the whole, this is about as clean a 1963 guitar as I’ve seen in quite a while. The action is fine, the neck is straight, the top is flat, and, of course, playing music for over fifty years has made that Gibson sound even better, more resonant, and more powerful. Despite its excellent vintage condition, this guitar is not for a collector to put in a museum; this is a player’s guitar, and I sincerely hope that its next owner is someone who will play it well and often.
The case is definitely not original. It actually is a vintage hard shell case which fits this guitar’s dimensions almost perfectly. It is in good shape, inside and out, with a nice blue plush interior and hardware which functions well. It affords outstanding protection for this fine vintage guitar.
Buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower forty-eight 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 fine guitar.
Payments by Paypal, cashier’s checks, money orders, or personal checks are acceptable, but all payments must clear my bank before the guitar will be shipped. I will CONSIDER reasonable offers, even including installment payments and trade-ins, but generally since I already attempt to price my guitars very competitively, unusual deals must be unusually sweet.
From henceforth [that's how retired English teachers talk], insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states is $55 due to constantly rising shipping costs unless a specific listing says otherwise; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. I have sold guitars to Russia, Japan, Australia, and over 50 other countries, as well as almost every state in the USA. Since some of my guitars travel thousands of miles, I take care to use lots of packing materials, protect the neck inside the case, and of course de-tune the strings.
I make every effort to describe and illustrate each guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. However, many of my instruments are well-played vintage items which are many years old, and I am not a luthier. One should assume that any guitar will require some set-up to satisfy your personal requirements, and that not every flaw or ding will be seen/recognized/described in the listing. Thus the return of an instrument will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please read the listing carefully, check out the pictures, and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy.