1965 Gibson F-25 "FOLKSINGER" Very Good, Hard, $1,095.00

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 early to mid-1960s. Generally speaking, the B-15 replaced the LG-0, the B-20 replaced the LG-1, the B-25 replaced the X-braced LG-2, and the B-25N replaced the X-braced LG-3. However, at about the same time (1963), Gibson introduced a model unique for its era, the F-25 “Folksinger”.

As the name implies, the F-25 “Folksinger” was designed to attract folk players in the early '60s. For a steel-string, the F-25 was unique in its small, 00-sized classical-like body shape as well as its wide, un-radiused classical neck. Visually, the F-25 was set apart by its dual white pickguards (similar to flamenco guitar tap plates), until in 1970 Gibson modified its shape to more of a small dreadnought, and in 1971 dropped the model altogether. However, at its early best, it's a 12-fret steel-string, very comfortable to play, and the wide neck sustains impressively while the combination of solid Mahogany and X-braced spruce supplies you with a warm vintage sound, robust and warm.

The general description in The Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars of the 1965 F-25 indicates a solid spruce top, solid mahogany back/sides/neck, 12/18-fret Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, reverse belly rosewood bridge, and (from 1965 to 1970) the dual white pick guards mentioned above. The blackface “open-book” headstock with the Gibson logo, individual Kluson Deluxe tuners, white multi-striped body binding (top and back) and rosette, are all set off in this case by the natural finish.

A bit smaller in some dimensions than the B series, it’s 38 ½” long, 11” at the upper bout, 14 ½” at the lower bout, and 4 3/8” deep, making it extremely easy to handle. Other specs: nut width: 2", string spacing at saddle: 2 1/4", scale length: 24 3/4", body length: 18 5/8", neck thickness at 1st fret: 3/4", neck thickness at 5th fret: 7/8", action: 1/8" at 12th fret low E, with a flat oval D-shaped neck. 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 guitar is based as much on the changing specs as on the serial number (367190).

The Gibson “Folksinger” is truly a fingerstyle players' delight, but it shines with a flat-pick as well. The neck is wide but not deep, and the wide string spacing at the nut along with the 12-fret neck opens up the lower registers to where fretting is a breeze and note separation is better than most guitars on the market even today. The saddle is straight across like a classical, and the fretboard is flat like a classical, rather than radiused.

It is also great in alternative tunings because of the neck, and the adjustable truss rod affords neck relief, a feature many vintage flat tops and virtually no classical guitars of the time have. It obviously was designed more for the coffee house of the 1960’s folk music scene than the blue grass stage, but it has enough carrying power for anybody. This wonderful veteran of the folk wars is ready to dominate once again.

Cosmetically, the spruce top and the mahogany sides and neck are in very good condition for a 51-year-old guitar, other than the usual finish crazing, a few dings, and some wear around the edges. The frets are in good shape, the binding and other inlay is still near perfect (except for a 1/16” gap in the rosette), and the bridge is solid. Amazingly, the trademark white pick guards seem to still have their original plastic coverings on them, which I have left in place for the next owner to peel off (or not). However, the back lower bout has about a 4” section which has a very funky finish, probably indicating a major repair. There is no mess I can see inside, but the final brace looks to have been repaired or replaced.

And of course what really matters is the wood, which has seasoned and opened up after over five decades of making music. This is a slightly smaller-bodied guitar than the dreadnoughts and jumbos of the world, but with terrific resonance and a big sound which will cut right through the rather muddy sound of most modern acoustic guitars.

So: this is your chance to own a great-sounding cool-looking 1960s Gibson guitar with tons of character and jam cred with all the “playing-in” already done and relatively few scars. 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 arched hard shell case is obviously not original, but it’s at least period-appropriate, and it’s a whole lot more solid than the over-rated Gibson chip board cases of the 1960s. The hardware works (although the locking latch doesn’t catch), but the exterior has a few dings and bruises. It is very difficult to find a hard shell case which fits the smaller lower bout of the F-25; the guitar fits this case almost perfectly, and it offers this classic instrument great protection while looking very authentic and cool.

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.

Good luck!