The Gibson B series was a series of

acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

s manufactured by

Gibson Guitar Corporation Gibson Brands, Inc. (formerly Gibson Guitar Corporation) is an American manufacturer of guitars, other musical instruments, and professional audio equipment from Kalamazoo, Michigan, and now based in Nashville, Tennessee. The company was forme ...

between 1961 and 1979, and as a reissue to a limited degree from 1991 to 1992. The series consisted of the three different models, the B-45, the B-25, and the B-15 (the Blue Book also lists a B-20, with a run of 500 units). The B-45 was only available as a 12-string edition; the B-25 was available as a standard edition, a 12-string edition, and a ¾ scale body edition; and the B-15 was only available as a standard edition.

B-45

The B-45-12, a 12-string edition guitar introduced in 1961, was the first B-45 model guitar available and the first B series overall. The B-45-12 had a

mahogany Mahogany is a straight-grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Unive ...

body and neck,

spruce A spruce is a tree of the genus ''Picea'' (), a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal (taiga) regions of the Earth. ''Picea'' is the sole genus in the subfami ...

top, rosewood

fingerboard The fingerboard (also known as a fretboard on fretted instruments) is an important component of most stringed instruments. It is a thin, long strip of material, usually wood, that is laminated to the front of the neck of an instrument. The stri ...

, and a cherry

sunburst A sunburst is a design or figure commonly used in architectural ornaments and design patterns and possibly pattern books. It consists of rays or "beams" radiating out from a central disk in the manner of sunbeams. Sometimes part of a sunbur ...

finish, and was made with "round" shoulders for the 1961 – 1962 model year and "square" shoulders until the end of its production in 1979. Starting in 1963, the B-45-12-N was also available as a natural finish edition. From 1991 – 1992, Gibson manufactured a reissue of the B-45-12 with

rosewood Rosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues. True rosewoods All genuine rosewoods belong to the genus ''Dalbergia''. The pre-eminent rosewood appreciated in ...

sides and back.

B-25

Gibson introduced the B-25 in 1961 which featured a mahogany body (solid back, laminated sides), solid spruce top, and rosewood fingerboard like the B-45. The B-25 featured a smaller body than the B-45 and after 1965 they had a narrow neck (1 5/8" nut) while the earliest models had the standard 11/16" nut. Many came with a plastic bridge and ceramic adjustable saddle. Some B-25's had a cherry sunburst finish, but there were a limited number of ebony finish editions with white

pickguard A pickguard (also known more correctly as scratchplate) is a piece of plastic or other (often laminated) material that is placed on the body of a guitar, mandolin or similar plucked string instrument. The main purpose of the pickguard is to prot ...

s. There was also a natural finish B-25-N edition. Production of these standard B-25's ended in 1977. Gibson produced a "short scale" version of the B-25, the B-25 ¾, with the same features as the standard B-25 but with a ¾ size body and a different sunburst finish. Gibson manufactured this edition from 1962 through 1968. From 1966 – 1968, the natural finish B-25-N ¾ was also available. The short scale editions were marketed as "student" guitars. Two 12-string editions of the B-25 were also available starting in 1962. The B-25-12 had a cherry sunburst finish and was available through 1970. Gibson manufactured the natural finish B-25-12-N through 1977, the last year of production for all B series guitars. In 2012, Gibson Custom Shop launched the "Icon '60s" series, reissued many classic models. Although never appeared on Gibson's official website or media presses, there is a batch of B-25 and B-24 3/4 also produced, especially for the Japan market.

B-15

In 1967, the B-15 became the last model of the B series Gibson introduced. It featured a mahogany body, prucetop, rosewood fingerboard, and natural finish. Gibson also referred to the B-15 as a "student model" and manufactured it through 1970.

References

* * {{Gibson Guitar Corporation B Products introduced in 1961 1961 in music

B-45

B-25

B-15

See also

References