1964 Gibson B-25 00-Sized Flattop Guitar

Update 2022: I've updated all the photos, added a new video, and updated the description where necessary. Now back to it...

1964 is a fairly-desirable year for '60s Gibson acoustics. The necks still have a 1 11/16" nut width and the tops are still built with the lightweight bracing of the early-'60s years. This one has both and I've replaced the original (broken) plastic adjustable bridge for a '50s-style drop-in rosewood one.

As a result, it sounds like a cross between a late-'50s LG-2 or LG-3 and an early-'60s B-25 (they're the same guitar, really, but renamed). This means you get the nice bottom-end warmth of the '60s plus the better definition, extra mids, and clean picking of the '50s. I really like it -- as you can clearly here in the video clip! Volume is good, too.

When this came into the shop via its consignor, it had some loose top bracing (which had attempts at fixing made apparent with a mirror), said broken bridge, and big, ugly, dirty-white classical guitar pickguards on it. Otherwise, it looked like an original B-25N (natural top) to me -- though the branding in the soundhole identifies it as a B-25. After removing the original bridge, I found a bright yellow finish underneath it in the style one expects to find in the cherryburst of a "normal" B-25. I suppose outgassing from the plastic could have discolored it under the bridge, but I'm not entirely sure.

Work included: regluing several top braces, cutting and installing a pair of new Gibson-shaped pickguards to hide muck from the old classical pickguards, cutting and installing a new '50s-style rosewood bridge, a new bone saddle, fret level/dress, much cleaning, and a good setup. Later work included cleating and filling some dryness-induced top cracks on the lower bout. It's ready to go!

Scale length: 24 5/8"

Nut width: 1 11/16"

String spacing at nut: 1 1/2"

String spacing at bridge: 2 1/8"

Body length: 19"

Lower bout width: 14 1/4"

Waist width: 9 1/2"

Upper bout width: 11 1/4"

Side depth at endpin: 4 1/2"

Weight: 3 lbs 15 oz

Top wood: solid spruce

Back/sides wood: solid mahogany

Neck wood: mahogany

Bracing type: x-braced

Fretboard: Brazilian rosewood

Bridge: Indian rosewood, bone saddle

Neck feel: slim-to-medium C-shape, ~10-12" board radius

Setup: it plays perfectly (3/32" bass and 1/16" treble at the 12th fret) and is strung with 54w-12 lights.

Condition notes: possibly-refinished top... but it's sprayed-right and looks right, replaced pickguards, replaced bridge and saddle, pickwear around the soundhole and various tiny scratches, nicks, and dings throughout -- but otherwise actually in pretty decent shape finish-wise. It has all the usual weather-checking that these old Gibson finishes get from the time. The center seam was reglued and cleated at some point as well and there's an old repair to a small hairline crack on the back. There's also another hairline crack repair to the treble side of the top, lower-bout.

It comes with: an old hard case.