Gibson B-25, F-25 - what do these guitars sound like - why were they discontinued?

[PJ Rich]

I’m reading and trying to learn about small body acoustic guitars. The standard set of 0, 00, 000 and other Martins or those in the Martin ethos, are easy for me to understand.

As a newer player, I’m interested and amazed in Gibson in the L-00, B-25 and F-25 small body instruments. I can easily find an L-00, but have trouble finding a B-25 or an F-25. Are they smaller J-45s, or do they have another sound profile? Any thoughts about why they were discontinued? Thanks.

[Glennwillow]

My roommate in college in 1967 had a Gibson B-25 and since I had no 6-string at the time, I played it a fair amount.

It took a fair amount of work to get much sound out of this guitar, but for many Gibson models that is not unusual. Few Gibsons are highly responsive guitars, but they certainly have their place. I was a finger picker, so responsiveness did matter. To me, the B-25 seemed like mostly a student guitar, but that was just my impression, a student at the time, myself.

The guitar was a gift to my roommate from his parents and he couldn't play at all. So he liked hearing me play the guitar.

- Glenn

[Osage]

The B-25 was essentially the newer version of the LG-2. It was made from 1963 until sometime in the mid 70's. They had the huge laminated bridge plate and plastic bridge so they rarely sounded very good. At some point in the later 60's they went to a Rosewood bridge but it still had the huge bridge plate and adjustable saddle.

[Wade Hampton]

I’ve never played a B-25 that I’ve wanted to own. They were a student grade instrument.


whm

[pagedr]

I’m probably in the minority but I generally like B-25s and F-25s, though I can’t do the B-25s with the 1 9/16” nut width (changed to this at some point in 1965). There are some duds for sure, but in general I think they sound like smaller J-50s of that era, nice and mellow and record very well. Definitely not everyone’s cup of tea though.

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by PJ Rich

I’m reading and trying to learn about small body acoustic guitars. The standard set of 0, 00, 000 and other Martins or those in the Martin ethos, are easy for me to understand.

As a newer player, I’m interested and amazed in Gibson in the L-00, B-25 and F-25 small body instruments. I can easily find an L-00, but have trouble finding a B-25 or an F-25. Are they smaller J-45s, or do they have another sound profile? Any thoughts about why they were discontinued? Thanks.

Rich,
There are a large amount of Gibson F-25 guitars for sale, especially on Reverb. The have extremely large necks, being 2" at the nut, and generally came with a straight saddle.

Sometimes they played in tune with steel strings, but they were built around the time of the great folk scare, and were supposedly built for either nylon, silk & steel or regulars steel/bronze strings.

The B-25's are generally expensive, dead-sounding toys, and don't really compare.....and yes, both models are a lot smaller than J-45's.

Here's just one of the listings from Reverb: https://reverb.com/p/gibson-f-25-fol...RoC1cgQAvD_BwE

HE

[zombywoof]

As a nod the folk music revival, the F25 like its larger companion the FJN (Folk Singer) were as noted designed to be strung with both steel and nylon strings. Hence the wide neck and flat radius board. I like the sound when strung with steel but when it comes to nylon, forget about it.

[Silly Moustache]

Well thanks for asking this. Being a "vintage guitar nerd, if not collector, I have learnt stuff from researching and reading the more knowledgeable responses here.

The B25 seems to be an evolution of the LG2 (which never appealed to me - I even heard that "LG" models were made as "Lady's guitars", but more likely they were made during the later part of WW2.

I "should" have been interested in the FJN/F25 with its wide fretboard and 12 frets, but the Square shoulder body back to front bridge, and a top seemingly covered in white counter top plastic is too ugly. '63 to '67 I think.

[mercy]

Again, the scratch plate is a nod to folk music but really classical guitars dont have large scratch plates, its flamenco guitars that do, so Gibson got it so wrong. I had a Gibson of some type in the late 60's when I played for a vocal group and it sounded very good and projected well. That was pre AGF so I didnt know enough to look at what model it was but it wasnt a large guitar. I remember it had a spruce [light color] top, average width/depth neck, rosewood bridge and used to me.

[Osage]

Originally Posted by mercy

I had a Gibson of some type in the late 60's when I played for a vocal group and it sounded very good and projected well. That was pre AGF so I didnt know enough to look at what model it was but it wasnt a large guitar. I remember it had a spruce [light color] top, average width/depth neck, rosewood bridge and used to me.

Could be a few things but odds are it was a pre-1962 LG-3. They can be excellent guitars!

[zombywoof]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Well thanks for asking this. Being a "vintage guitar nerd, if not collector, I have learnt stuff from researching and reading the more knowledgeable responses here.

The B25 seems to be an evolution of the LG2 (which never appealed to me - I even heard that "LG" models were made as "Lady's guitars", but more likely they were made during the later part of WW2.

I "should" have been interested in the FJN/F25 with its wide fretboard and 12 frets, but the Square shoulder body back to front bridge, and a top seemingly covered in white counter top plastic is too ugly. '63 to '67 I think.

Regarding the LG designation, the L" indicated the series (L-00, L1, L2 and such) while "G" more than likely stood for gut as these guitars were built to the same dimensions as Gibson's classical guitars. The LG2 was introduced in 1942 and may have well been the first Banner shipped.

[Zampan0]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

IÂ’ve never played a B-25 that IÂ’ve wanted to own. They were a student grade instrument.


whm

The Gibson B-25 is a fine guitar, the narrow neck fits my hand perfectly and the tone is amazing, especially using Santa Cruz low-tension strings. My 1968 b-25 was stolen, I replaced it with an X-braced 1971 mint cherry sunburst deluxe model. I always find it foolish for those who call fine instruments "Student Grade". The b-25 has a solid Sitka spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides, and it is a Gibson. Are there better guitars(?), of course there are, but again, the b-25s are fine guitars. If I were a billionaire and my son or daughter wanted to learn how to play the piano, I would buy him or her a $3,000,000 Steinway & Sons Fibonacci piano to learn on, the better the instrument makes the learning curve far easier. And, unless you want to use a musical instrument as a display, or place it in a museum, even if you are a professional musician, we are all students. When a person stops learning, he or she may as well be dead.

[rollypolly]

I'd say the LG-0 and B-15 were really the student grade models, even though they can sound pretty good and be converted to X bracing and be even better.

The LG-1, even though it was marketed as a student model as well, is built every bit as good as the more expensive models. I had an LG-1 and the sunburst was to die for. I foolishly traded it but hope to get another one day.

[Br1ck]

I only have played one, from the sixties, and it had been reworked. It had a solid bridge I don't know was original, but it sounded pretty darned good. The neck was very thin and easy to play. Could be a sleeper guitar, though as with all Gibsons of that era, playing one is a must.

[abn556]

LG meant Little Guitar - not Ladies Guitar.