Tman Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 I've been looking for a 12 string for the last few months and vacillating between a Rickenbacker, Gibson 335 Memphis, and a Guild acoustic. I am a lover of Gibson acoustics but my brother has a Guild 12 and it is fabulous. BUT, I was perusing Reverb for 12's looking at all comers and saw this at a great price, much better than others I saw that were in way worse condition. It is in excellent shape and even has the hang tags from 1969! What's funny is that I bought a 1969 EBO bass with the hang tags from Norman's rare guitars in Tarzana last year. I'm now officially a collector of 69 Gibson's with hang tags. This looks in great shape and I can't wait to play it. I read through the forum before I committed and saw a number of drawbacks about this guitar including cave -in (which this doesn't have), non optimal trapeze tailpiece, wide chunky neck, etc. I'd love to hear anyone's experiences with B-45 12's, good or bad. And there they are in the case! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Congrats. I do not think you have too much to worry about the top on a 1969 B45-12. Collapsing tops and such are far more common with the B45-12s made before 1965 which were very lightly braced. These early B45-12s did have a habit of imploding, especially those with the fixed bridge. In late 1964 Gibson started using a much heavier top bracing to help stabilize the tops. They are pretty much built like tanks. Also while the necks are wide they are actually fairly shallow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 No experiences here, but this one looks fine to me - congrats on your nice catch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted February 25, 2015 Author Share Posted February 25, 2015 Congrats. I do not think you have too much to worry about the top on a 1969 B45-12. Collapsing tops and such are far more common with the B45-12s made before 1965 which were very lightly braced. These early B45-12s did have a habit of imploding, especially those with the fixed bridge. In late 1964 Gibson started using a much heavier top bracing to help stabilize the tops. They are pretty much built like tanks. Also while the necks are wide they are actually fairly shallow. Thanks. I was hoping for the wide but shallow neck but the guy whom I bought it from used the word chunky. I may be in love at first site/play. In your experience did the heavier bracing have a major effect on dampening the sound and making it muddy (something else I read)? I actually like a basier 12 string sound unlike the majority who like the trebly jangle (my impression). No experiences here, but this one looks fine to me - congrats on your nice catch! Thanks Caps! I never come out on the good end of a deal like this so I am excited that the potential for a real score is there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Tman, the "potential" sure looks good from here. I hope it turns out well for you. ..... Just looked again and it still looks good! steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted February 25, 2015 Author Share Posted February 25, 2015 Tman, the "potential" sure looks good from here. I hope it turns out well for you. ..... Just looked again and it still looks good! steve lol, I keep looking at the photos and squint just a bit with the hopes of not focusing in on an imperfection that I surely have missed. I mean it's a 1969 and I was 9 y/o when it was made. That being said, the EBO was near mint so I'm hoping the hang tags are a good omen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Thanks. I was hoping for the wide but shallow neck but the guy whom I bought it from used the word chunky. I may be in love at first site/play. In your experience did the heavier bracing have a major effect on dampening the sound and making it muddy (something else I read)? I actually like a basier 12 string sound unlike the majority who like the trebly jangle (my impression). Descriptions of necks usually depends on your frame of reference. As I said, the neck is wide, the guitar has a 2" nut. But the carve of the neck is far shallower than say a 1950s Gibson. To me they feel very much like the necks on the 6 string Gibson Folk Singer. The B45-12 is not what I would ever describe as jangly sounding 12 string like say a Guild. They have a nice honk to them though. I always thought mine sounds like a Hummingbird with a chorus pedal. Comparing my 1963 B45-12 to later guitars, though, the heavier bracing on the post 1964 guitars, obviously, does dampen the sound. The bottom line is that with the B45-12 survival trumped sound. Those early B45-12s literally could twist themselves apart with the problem only getting worse when Gibson switched to a fixed bridge in 1963 (Gibson used at least three different bridge configurations with the guitar). The only way to stabilize the top was to add more bracing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted February 25, 2015 Author Share Posted February 25, 2015 Descriptions of necks usually depends on your frame of reference. As I said, the neck is wide, the guitar has a 2" nut. But the carve of the neck is far shallower than say a 1950s Gibson. To me they feel very much like the necks on the 6 string Gibson Folk Singer. The B45-12 is not what I would ever describe as jangly sounding 12 string like say a Guild. They have a nice honk to them though. I always thought mine sounds like a Hummingbird with a chorus pedal. Comparing my 1963 B45-12 to later guitars, though, the heavier bracing on the post 1964 guitars, obviously, does dampen the sound. The bottom line is that with the B45-12 survival trumped sound. Those early B45-12s literally could twist themselves apart with the problem only getting worse when Gibson switched to a fixed bridge in 1963 (Gibson used at least three different bridge configurations with the guitar). The only way to stabilize the top was to add more bracing. Thanks a lot, very helpful perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 Ry Cooder loved the things. He recorded his first LP with a B45-12. The armadillo on the cover supposedly came from a comment he made about the guitar that one day it would sound amazing and the next like there was an armadillo stuffed inside of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSchooner Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 I've owned a couple of them and actually like the necks a lot; fairly wide which to me is a good thing in a 12, but with a nice shallow profile - "chunky" is not a term I would apply. They feel pretty big if you're a thumb hanger (which I can tend to be) but almost perfect if you play with your thumb behind the neck. I showed up at an audition once with one and it got me the job; the club owner said anyone who played a guitar like Gordon Lightfoot's was good enough for him . They have a unique sound which I quite like; I own a jumbo Guild 12 now, but kinda miss having a Gibson around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted February 26, 2015 Author Share Posted February 26, 2015 I've owned a couple of them and actually like the necks a lot; fairly wide which to me is a good thing in a 12, but with a nice shallow profile - "chunky" is not a term I would apply. They feel pretty big if you're a thumb hanger (which I can tend to be) but almost perfect if you play with your thumb behind the neck. I showed up at an audition once with one and it got me the job; the club owner said anyone who played a guitar like Gordon Lightfoot's was good enough for him . They have a unique sound which I quite like; I own a jumbo Guild 12 now, but kinda miss having a Gibson around. Great story about the audition. . General question: what strings do you like? Ever tried flat wound 12"s? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSchooner Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 I'm not really a string nut; lights, and usually whatever was on sale - GHS, Guild, D'Angelico, whatever. To be honest the last strings on my 12 were probably a couple of years old . A few months ago I put a set of Elixir Nanowebs on it; I love them on my J-200 but don't really care for them on the 12. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 Wow it arrived today. It is so clean, they must have used virtuoso. Hang tags were there. Finish has some checking which is cool and can be seen in the close up photo. Tuners and bridge and really the whole guitar looks barely played. First photo looks matte but it's just the lights and my photography skills, it is very glossy. Even the case, which had a handle replaced looks fantastic. Serial is from 1969. The only thing I wonder about is why the orange sticker isn't in the sound hole? Did they make some without the sticker? btw the mason jar is partially filled with dehydrated chicken broth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 the mason jar is partially filled with dehydrated chicken broth. There is a country song Congratulations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 If only I could write lyrics. Would you be concerned that there is no orange sticker in a guitar that is in such good shape? I guess I am but am trying not to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 . You got yourself a very nice looking B45-12. Congrats and enjoy. . B) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 Thanks! I'm already playing it here at work and people are peaking into my room to see what's up. Came up with some lyrics: Hey, you've got to hide your broth away.............. Wait that sounds familiar. He played a Framus anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSchooner Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Sweet! Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 HOLY MOLY!!! I dont think they come cleaner than that [thumbup] [thumbup] CONGRATS!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted March 6, 2015 Author Share Posted March 6, 2015 HOLY MOLY!!! I dont think they come cleaner than that [thumbup] [thumbup] CONGRATS!!! Thanks! It's pretty amazing. I watched John Lennon play hide your love while on the exercycle the other day and thought for sure it was s B-45 but alas, apparently not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 John Lennon played hide your live on an exercycle? I thought he was dead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 John Lennon played hide your live on an exercycle? Knew that was comin'. Don't hide your love on an exercyle. That guitar and case are so clean. . . it's like a time machine. Nice find, congrats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatbaroque Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 John Lennon played hide your live on an exercycle? I thought he was dead There wasn't a dry eye in the house when he followed up with "Imagine" on the treadmill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 There wasn't a dry eye in the house when he followed up with "Imagine" on the treadmill. Haha. :D You funny man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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