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1968 Gibson C-4 Custom Classical Guitar w/Case***Excellent Collector Opportunity! 1 of 23 made in 1968!!***
This is from my personal collection of vintage guitars. Before I describe my guitar let me tell you it is not from an Estate Sale, nor is it being offered to you by an antique dealer as a thrift store find. Too many instruments seem to be up for auction these days from people who have no clue how it really sounds or plays thrown up for bids wearing 20 year old strings, with the insistence it’s beautiful to look at and “must be high quality”.

Hopefully I will answer all your questions whether you’re a beginner or a pro. If you’re a beginner print this auction and take it to someone you trust for verification.

Now about this models background….

You are looking at a Gibson C-4 Custom Classical guitar. This one of 23 guitars made in 1968 according to Gibson shipping records. The C-4 is actually the rarest of the C-0 through C-8 series of Gibson classical guitars and was available only on special order. I've noticed that of the few comments posted on the web about this guitar most seem to center around the differences in ornamentation between the lesser C-2 models and the C-4. Really the only comparison between C-2 and C-4 is that both are Maple guitars.

The C-4 has a completely different construction

method that is shared only with the top of the line C-8 Grand Classic model, while the C-2 is built using the same methods as the C-1D model. Let me defer to the Gibson literature of the day. is the Gibson catalog for the C-2 and C-4 from 1968 along with the corresponding price list of the same year. Please note the C-4, 6, and 8 models have an asterisk denoting they are from the custom shop and available on special order only.
As a point of interest the C-4 at $395 cost more than a Hummingbird which was $335 and a J-45 only cost $220 at the time!

So what did the extra cost of the C-4 buy you? The three most notable differences center around the neck, back and side construction. The kerfing or lining that attaches the back to the sides is solid on this model and slotted on the C-2 and all lesser models. The slotted material aids in assembly ease but offers a lower amount of strength once installed. The back center brace used on the C-4 is a very slender half-round Mahogany dowel while the C-2 uses the same wide traditional back brace as the common models in the line. This unique style of brace is very light and only reinforces the seam while leaving the majority of the back as free to move as possible. I'm not sure of the intent was create a resonant rather than inert back on this model.

The neck attachment on the guitar features a full internal Spanish “foot. Only the C-8 and C-4 are built this way while all other models use a standard Gibson neck block. The purpose of the foot is to provide a more secure attachment for the neck by expanding the amount of area the neck block contacts. Also, by tying in the back of the guitar you increase the expected vibration path from the strings to the body increasing the possible sustain of the guitar. All three of these construction methods can be seen in this photo.

T are of course also the additional decorations and higher grade materials used on the top models. The Rosette is the large tiled type of the same dimensions used on the C-8 Grand Classic. The tuners are a gold plated set with pearl buttons. The Honduras Mahogany neck is actually made of 9-plys! Gibson laminated the same woods together for strength and they can be seen in the photo of the serial number if you look closely. The Brazilian rosewood bridge features two mother of pearl inlays on the tie block. The top of the guitar is made of Gibson's highest grade spruce. The Maple for the back and sides is of the flamed variety, but as with many Gibson models it is stained dark brown like a Maple coffee table. (It was 1968 after all!)