Description: GIBSON B-45-12 1967 Serial #892209 Gibson introduced the B-45-12 model in 1961. This 12-string was both the first B-45 model guitar available and the first B series model. This Gibson B-45-12 has a mahogany body and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, and a cherry sunburst finish (or natural finish from 1963 onwards), and was made with "round" shoulders for the 1961 – 1962 model year and "square" shoulders until it was discontinued in 1979. Famous B-45-12 players include Gordon Lightfoot and Leo Kottke. The 1961 Gibson catalog describes the B-45-12 as follows: "B-45-12 TWELVE STRING Twelve strings with their special tuning and reinforced tone provide a unique guitar sound favored by folk singers, effective in combos and solo. The first three double strings are tuned in unison: the last three in octaves. A traditional dreadnought size instrument with fine resonance and response . . traditional Gibson tone, quality, and beautiful cherry sunburst finish. Features: Selected spruce top. Honduras mahogany back and rim with attractive ivoroid binding and purfling. Twelve-string, fast, low-action neck, one-piece mahogany with adjustable truss rod. Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays. Special adjustable twelve-string bridge. Tortoiseshell finger rest. Nickel-plated enclosed machine heads. 16.25" wide. 21.25" long. 4.9" deep 24.75" scale. 20 frets. B-45-12 Cherry sunburst finish"
What’s up with this beauty: It has a crack along the fretboard which was there when I purchased it. It does not affect playability or action, but should be cleated. I likely will do that this winter. I tune it down one step and use light gauge strings.. The mahogany back and sides are in very good shape, less dings than you would expect for a 53 year old 12 string. Notably this model does not use the tailpiece that was used on some of these. This one has the adjustable saddle. The B45-12 pictured on Lightfoot's "Sundown" album matches this model rather than the more typical inverted bridge.
Body Body back material mahogany body back Body sides material mahogany body sides Body style dreadnought-size body Body top material spruce body top Pickguard material tortoiseshell  Pickguard shape Gibson pickguard Soundhole round soundhole Neck Body fret Neck joins body at 14th fret Neck joint set neck Number of frets 20 fret Peghead (headstock) black face headstock Tuner layout six-per-side tuners Hardware Bridge- rosewood bridge Tailpiece none Adjustable saddle Fretboard Fingerboard inlay material pearl fingerboard inlay material Fingerboard material rosewood fingerboard Fingerboard position markers dot fingerboard position markers General Finish colors red and natural Finish effects sunburst finish Made in Kalamazoo, MI, USA Number of strings 12 strings Scale length 24.75 inches scale-length