1963 Gibson B-25N Good, Original Soft, $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 early 1960s. Generally speaking, the B-15 replaced the LG-0, the B-20 replaced the LG-1, the B-45 became a larger version of the LG-2, and the X-braced B-25 replaced the LG-3. (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 B-25N is the equivalent of the acclaimed earlier LG-3, the top of the smaller-body LG series.
A bit smaller than the J series, it’s 14 1/4” at the lower bout and 4” deep, making it extremely easy to handle. I would guess it was designed more for the coffee house of the 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 both for intimate settings and to hold its own and more against the banjo and fiddle players of the world.
The general description in The Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars of the 1963 B-25N indicates a solid spruce top, large tortoise pickguard, mahogany back/sides/neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, notorious reverse belly plastic bridge with an adjustable saddle, and a 24 ¾” scale. The black-face mahogany peg head with the Gibson logo, three-per-side nickel Gibson Deluxe tuners, ivoroid body binding (top and back), and multi-stripe inlaid rosette, are all set off nicely 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 1963 date indicated by the serial number on this great little guitar (147372) is admittedly a bit speculative.
Regardless, this particular B-25N has been rode hard and put away wet, showing the signs of a long-ago major trauma. The top was evidently stepped on by a large person and shows numerous repaired cracks both above and below the sound hole (even including a crack through the pick guard). These cracks have all been repaired, the braces have been re-glued where necessary, and the action remarkably is a very fast and comfortable 3/32” at the 12th fret low E. Also remarkable: I see no cracks or other damage to the back, sides, or neck of the guitar—just some finish crazing “to let the sound out,” as my luthier says. While the plastic bridge is showing the typical tendency to lift slightly in the middle, since it isn’t glued to the soundboard (top) itself, it has virtually no effect on the structural integrity or playability of the guitar.
So: this is your chance to own a great-sounding vintage Gibson guitar with tons of character and jam cred, and potentially a museum piece if you’re into that kind of stuff. However, it’s primarily a great player’s guitar, perfect for pickin’ on the porch or hard-core jammin’, embodying everything that the name Gibson has stood for over the last century or so.
The brown “alligator” chip board case is presumably original, and it’s certainly the right vintage. The hardware works great despite some slight corrosion, the exterior has only a few dings and bruises, and the guitar fits perfectly, only slightly smaller than the case interior at the lower bout. It is obviously made by Gibson, it offers authentic protection, and it’s a perfect vintage complement 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 vintage Gibson 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.