The Gibson B-25 and Natural finished B-25N launched in 1962, first appearing in Gibson price lists dated 15th October 1962, with a price of $135. it was an attractive guitar, small bodied, with a large pointed scratchplate; moderately priced, and one that sold in good numbers in the mid 1960s. The B-25 was built exclusively at the Gibson Kalamazoo plant (Michigan, USA), with a total of 36669 guitars shipping in the period 1962-1977. The B-25/B-25N actually replaced the LG-2 and LG-3 models, having identical dimensions and construction: the LG-2 / B-25 having a Cherry Sunburst top, and the LG-3 / B-25N a Natural top. Actually it's not completely clear when the model code, was re-designated from LG to B; shipping data for 1961 and 1962 lumps the models together, but according to Gibson price lists it is certainly between September 1961 and October 1962. The model was renamed yet again (with a few modifications) in 1971 as the B25 Deluxe (see below).
1962 Gibson B-25 Image Heritage auctions
The Gibson B-25 was described as follows in the 1966 Gibson catalog
A companion twelve string model, the B-25-12 was also launched in 1962, selling over 10000 guitars over the period of production. As with the LG-2 3/4, there was also a 3/4 scale B-25 3/4 / B-25N 3/4, with a much narrower body waist, but priced identically to the full size version. Many Gibson guitars of the 1960s had a directly analogous Epiphone model, built side by side at the Kalamazoo plant. In this case, the Gibson B-25 was effectively the same guitar as the Epiphone Cortez.
The B-25 was evolving over the time of its production, and by 1970 the B-25 had a three-piece laminated mahogany neck. But the biggest changes occurred in 1971 when the model was significantly redesigned and given a new name, the Gibson B-25 Deluxe. Although the body dimensions, scale, and choice of woods remained, the Deluxe had a new 'symmetrical' bracing design, French heel and now a non-adjustable bridge, "to give you the purest flattop tone" - a design that "compliments the exclusive symmetrical bracing of the guitar". Fore more about these structural changes, see the 1971 Gibson Flattops catalog. Cosmetic changes at this point included the move to a smaller pickguard design, and an increase in the number of purfling rings around the soundhole.
A total of 36669 Gibson B-25 were shipped from the Kalamazoo plant over 15 years of production, with 1965 being the peak year. The final inclusion of the B-25 / B-25N in a Gibson price list was May 1974, although some limited production occurred through to 1977. The break down of shipping statistics by year and finish are as follows.
1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | TOTAL | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
B-25 | 1112 | 1199 | 1987 | 2210 | 1511 | 2846 | 2592 | 1458 | 976 | 615 | 286 | 25 | 2 | 121 | 16 | 1 | 16957 |
B-25N | 819 | 1640 | 2781 | 3757 | 3419 | 2886 | 1324 | 1131 | 889 | 638 | 237 | 12 | 1 | 157 | 16 | 5 | 19712 |
TOTAL | 1931 | 2839 | 4768 | 5967 | 4930 | 5732 | 3916 | 2589 | 1865 | 1253 | 523 | 37 | 3 | 278 | 32 | 6 | 36669 |
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