Gibson Acoustic Identification....

[Bytor1975]

Maybe one of you guys can help me or point me in the right direction. I know very little about Gibson acoustics, but over the weekend I played my Uncle's Gibson. He wasn't there, so I didn't get to talk to him about it, but I was wanting to I.D. it. I really liked how it played. It had a very nice neck, and decent tone. It was well suited, in my opinion, for finger style playing.

At any rate, the serial number is 852024, and to the best I can tell that is 1966? There isn't any markings or sticker inside the sound hole. So other than the serial number and these pictures, this is all I have. I looked through a few books that I have with Gibby's in them, and didn't see any quite like it.

Any ideas would be much appreciated!

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/bytor1975/gibson%20acoustic/front.gif

(yea..yea... it needs new string!)
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/bytor1975/gibson%20acoustic/headstock.gif

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/bytor1975/gibson%20acoustic/headstockback.gif

[Bytor1975]

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/bytor1975/gibson%20acoustic/back.gif

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/bytor1975/gibson%20acoustic/DSC06912.gif
That's it! :thumbsup:

[Justpickin]

Did you try this website...you might find something there;

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson.html#intro

[Cat]

Nice looking Geetar!

Cat

[Jossy]

Nice looking Geetar!

Cat

Indeed, but i love the shirt... :)

Saludos.

[TexMexMike]

Does it have an adjustable bridge? I played one similar just recently. Like yours, Small body, sitka/mahogany/rosewood fret….This appears to be a “middlin of the line” offering, at the time. The one I played had some true “MOJO.” But much more neglect than yours, and in need of some work. And they were not asking much for it. And this was GC.

One thing I like about today’s Gibson’s. They are truer to their older counterparts than most other brands. A new Martin 00-28 feels nothing like a 30’s or prior vintage example. A 50’s J-45 feels pretty much the same as today’s Montana example. We are talking “feel” here. W/O the benefit of years of play and the wonderful thing that “age” alone, can only do to the sound of wood.

Great guitar….I’ll see what I can find. :beany:

[TexMexMike]

k nmnm;om;m/

[TexMexMike]

I still have not had time to find the exact model of guitar that you have. But, I am going to assume that it has an adjustable bridge. If I had it, I'd get it replaced with a standard bridge. It will improve the tone, and unlike most mods, actually increase it's value and "sell-ability." It is done all the time with the the 60's and 70's Gibson models with adjustable bridges. Across the model board.

My cousin has a 60's J-45 that his father owned. Had the conversion and a nice bone saddle made. His guitar ROCKS!!! I am sure your sounds great, as is. But with the conversion you would have a TOP NOTCH finger style and recording guitar, I am sure!

Nothing like "OLD WOOD!"

>>Well, though my wife may not agree with the above statement...I'd like to think so!

[TexMexMike]

BTW...I must apologize for a statement that I made in an above post. It may have been taken in the WRONG way. When I said "they were not asking much. And this was GC."

First off. The guitar was in terrible condition. Mostly cosmetic. It still had a very impressive sound. It had an adjustable bridge. I can only imagine how much better it would sound with a standard bridge.

Second off. As we all know, GC asks way too much for most of their used guitars. I guess they hope an un-educated person is willing to pay what they are asking for. In this case, at $650.00 I felt it was well priced. Bytor's example could easily have a $1,600 dollar price tag at GC. As is! And most likely sell for that.

[TexMexMike]

Just 1 more comment on Bytor's guitar. The celluloid tuner knobs are in fantastic condition. I normally expect to see a heck of a lot more deformation. This guitar was obviously kept at a constant temp/humidity. From the pics, no way to determine if there are any body cracks. I doubt it alone, just by the condition of the celluloid knobs. This guitar has a huge amount of plus-ses!!!!

[Bytor1975]

I missed theses responses somehow over the past few days... sorry I didn't get back this thread.

Anyhow... I can't find any damage as far as cracks on the guitar. It does have the surface scratches on the top, which are pretty easily seen on the photos. But you are right about the tuner knobs, and the machines for that matter. Great condition.

And it does have the adjustable bridge.

I have went over Justpickin's link (which is a great link by the way), but I still come up short. Same thing with my books. The square shouldered shape plus the reverse style bridge is what throws me off. I can't seem to find one exactly like it in the descriptions, but it is possible I am over reading it of course.

Jossy, thanks for the comment on the shirt. I have three different WWII fighter/bomber Aloha shirts right now. They are made by Kalaheo, and they feel so much better than your run of the mill Aloha shirt. My first one I bought in Oahu, and when I got home I started searching for another place to buy them so I could get more.

The best place online I have found them is here: http://www.hawaiianshirtsonline.com/War.htm

[Jossy]

Jossy, thanks for the comment on the shirt. I have three different WWII fighter/bomber Aloha shirts right now. They are made by Kalaheo, and they feel so much better than your run of the mill Aloha shirt. My first one I bought in Oahu, and when I got home I started searching for another place to buy them so I could get more.

The best place online I have found them is here: http://www.hawaiianshirtsonline.com/War.htm

Thanks for the link, Bytor. Those shirts look really nice.

Saludos.

[nothin but the blues]

Ahh poop, I didn't see this thread yesterday.

Jason, I'm 99.9999999% sure this is a Gibson B-25N, I'll try to find a few pics of some to compare. Your year range is correct, it would be somewhere between 1966 and 1969... I'm guessing closer to 69 though.

[nothin but the blues]

Jason, here is pics of 2 different 1970 B-25N's. I think now adays they sell somewhere between 1,000 - 2,000 (at least I've seen a few in that range)depending on shape... I would say the one you played would be in the upper bracket of those numbers.

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/8195/gibson350598ah.jpg (http://imageshack.us/)

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/3223/gibsonb25n0119714wg.jpg (http://imageshack.us/)

[nothin but the blues]

Also, to add to TexMex's post, he is absolutely correct about the adjustable bridge issue.

To a collector an adjustable bridge is HIGHLY undesirable, that was the biggest issue in regards to these 60's guitars.

The B-25N was constructed in part with Gibson's LG-2, and LG-3 line of guitars. It shares a X-Brace pattern with the LG-2's & LG-3's (which is much better than the early LG-0's, and LG-1 models). It should have Cherry finish on the Back & Sides, and a Spruce top. A Mahogany neck, with a scale of 24.75".

I'm not sure it's a 66, because I believe they used a Rosewood Bridge that year for that Model. Every other year was just a laminate bridge. I may be wrong on that however. I also re-call reading somewhere the guitar was discontinued in 1977.

It is typically classified as a Student Guitar.

[Bytor1975]

Interseting. I'm seeing variations in the B-25. Tourtise shell pickguards, while this one has black. Also, the Blue Books says it had a blackface headstock. The B-25 in the books has the larger pickguard shape taking up nearly the entire upper shoulder of the body. Also has the 'normal' bridge, rather than reversed.

The reason I came up with 1966 was two of my books give the 847499-858999 as 1966. '69's are showing as several different serials, but none in that range. The closes beeing up to 847488.

Oh well... fun stuff! Thanks Erik!

[aaronl]

See Erik comes back and PRESTO we have instant answers!

This is or is not good, I have not decided yet... :smoke:

[nothin but the blues]

No problem my good friend... :thumbsup:

I believe yours to be a B-25N, a little different than a standard B-25... but, Gibson did make changes to it during some of those years, thats most likely with its a little different than others.

I haven't researched it (maybe you can), but I believe in 1966 they used real rosewood for the bridge rather than laminate... and I think 1966 was the only year they did that (also worth checking to make sure I'm correct hehe) If you find that out, and can say for sure weather the bridge was real rosewood, or laminate then you'll know for sure if it was a 66... the serial number suggests 66, buy I know that it wasn't that accurate back then, that is another reason I said 69ish... from the pics (which can be decieving of course) the bridge didn't look like real Rosewood to me.

At least you know its a B-25N :thumbsup:

[Slowhand]

Hey... how about a poll here.. anyone else think Erik is really Robert Johnson reincarnated?? Think about it.................

[Jossy]

Hey... how about a poll here.. anyone else think Erik is really Robert Johnson reincarnated?? Think about it.................

Interesting...couldn't tell..

Saludos.