1967 Epiphone (Gibson B-25-12) FT85 Serenader 12-String Guitar.

This is a Gibson Kalamazoo made B-25 12 string guitar finished in the style of the Epiphone guitar company which Gibson purchased during the 1960s. To all intents and purposes it is a Gibson with a different (and to my eye nicer) headstock and slimmer (also nicer!) 50s style pickguard. The guitar is all original except for the strap button on the heel.

The guitar was sold to me by a luthier who had worked on the guitar in 2018, doing a neck reset. He also compensated the saddle and stoned and dressed the nice larger fret wire before selling it to me. I have just put on new set of D'Addario 10-47s and I have always kept it at concert tuning. The playing action is low and comfortable for a twelve string and the smaller 00-sized body adds to the comfort when playing. I can both equally strum and happily finger pick with this guitar.

Construction is typical solid spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides and rosewood fingerboard and bridge. The binding is ivoroid. The fingerboard shows no wear and like the bridge is in excellent condition. Do look closely at the saddle - the luthier did and amazing job at compensating it for all 12 strings and the intonation is to my ears spot on all the way up the frets. Quite remarkable for an instrument of this age. Likewise, the original frets are beautifully preserved and dressed.

There is no evidence of any structural repairs (apart from the neck reset) to this guitar, i.e. I can't find cleats for splits anywhere the the body when looking through the sound hole. There is no apparent bellying to the sound board and this is the benefit of using a tailpiece over pinning the strings to the bridge.

Inside the body is the original Epiphone Kalamazoo label proving it is a genuine Gibson made instrument. I have no idea why Gibson produced the exact same guitars with the Epiphone branded headstock. You may have seen John Lennon playing his Epiphone Casino in the famous Let It Be roof concert and the front man for the Arctic Monkeys seems to play a Coronet from the same era. Gibson even reissued the 1960s Epiphone acoustic owned by Paul McCartney as a limited edition a few years ago. There is definitely a certain caché about having the Epiphone-style versions of Gibson classic guitars.

You'll note that guitar comes with a rather funky hard case of an unknown make and era. The main advantage is that it is big enough to support and enclose the headstock. 

Talking of the headstock, the Kluson Deluxe tuners perform very well for their age. 12-strings have a reputation for being had to tune, what surprises me often is that if I leave the guitar for several days and then pick it up, the strings are often still in tune.

In summary, this is a vintage Gibson Kalamazoo manufactured instrument which is still in great playable condition but does show cosmetic issues, for example pick wear around the soundhole and various dings on the body and back of the neck. (If this guitar was a time capsule in near mint condition I'd be asking another thousand pounds for it). The benefit to you is that you'll never cry over dinging it but you will be moved at how nicely it plays and sounds.

Due to physical disability I can't pack and post this item so if you purchase it you must be willing to collect it from my home very close the London end of the A1 and very convenient for the M25, M1, M11 and the eastern side of London..

Please ask all questions before buying. I have perfect feedback and my buyers often remark about how accurate my listings are and how much they appreciate my communication and service. I am a private individual not a business but I want you to feel as happy as a buyer as I am when I have a good eBay experience.

Thank you for viewing the listing and I look forward to someone owning and liking this instrument as much as I have.

This is the full specification of the instrument:

  • Weight: 4 lbs 12 oz
  • Scale length: 24 5/8"
  • Nut width: 2"
  • Neck shape: medium C
  • Board radius: 10"
  • Body width: 14 1/4"
  • Body depth: 4 3/8"
  • Top wood: solid spruce
  • Back & sides wood: solid mahogany
  • Bracing type: x
  • Bridge: rosewood
  • Fretboard: rosewood
  • Neck wood: mahogany
  • Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble
  • String gauges: 10-47
  • Truss rod: adjustable
  • Neck relief: straight
  • Fret style: lower/wider