Gibson ES-345TD Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1959)
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Item # 11847
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Gibson ES-345TD Model Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1959), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # A-31032, sunburst lacquer finish, laminated maple body; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, Period brown hard shell case.
This is a slightly worn-in but super vibey first year example of an early "stoptail" ES-345TD, Gibson's original Stereo guitar. This model was a product of the late 1950s fascination with "better living through Electronics" that inspired several makers to "channel" their efforts into stereo instruments. Essentially a somewhat fancier version of the recently launched thinline semi-hollow ES-335, the 345 was added to the line in spring 1959. This example from September that year has two gold plated PAF pickups and a round-backed but slimmer-than-some neck profile. For playing convenience this guitar has been rewired to mono but still has the tone-altering Varitone unit engaged.
The 345 package dressed up the 335 a bit, adding gold plating, a bit of extra binding and pearloid trapezoid fingerboard inlay to the design. Its' real raison d'etre was the new Stereo/Vari-Tone wiring rig, which was the hot trend at the time. Gibson's stereo wiring sends the signal from each pickup to a different amplifier (or different channel of the same amp) while the Vari-Tone is a 6-position notch filter which gradually thins out the characteristically rich tone of the humbucking pickups. This model was originally designed to pair with Gibson's GA-79 stereo amplifier. Nashville great Hank Garland was involved in developing the model and played the prototype on most of his session gigs from 1959-61.
The ES-345 went on to be a fairly popular guitar in the 1960s, with other signature users running the gamut from jazz to blues (notably Freddie King) to several prominent British invasion players, including Pretty Thing Dick Taylor, Tony Hicks of the Hollies, Eric Stewart of the Mindbenders and (briefly) Beatle George Harrison. This was a fairly expensive guitar listed on introduction in 1959 at $365 (plus the $47 case) but considered a success right off the block with 446 shipped in 1959.
This guitar is an original stop tailpiece model; many ES-345s were ordered with vibratos in the 1950-60s. The "stoptail" design is generally held to enhance playability, giving an adjustable angle to the bridge off the tailpiece and better coupling the strings to the body. It also has the early style black Vari-Tone ring and longer pickguard used early on, though in this case that is a reproduction. This is a nicely aged-in and rather splendid guitar; looking timelessly cool and also a joy to play.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This ES-345 is a fine player's example, showing some fairly minor wear and minor parts changes but overall a nicely preserved 60+ year old guitar. The sunburst lacquer finish has aged and darkened with a lot of very fine checking but not too much actual play wear. There are small dings, dents and scuffs overall, and a couple of scratches to the top that have been lightly touched up. As is typical the headstock edges have more wear, and the finish is worn down a bit on both sides of the neck, which is otherwise relatively clean.
The hardware remains original with a couple of exceptions. The bridge, tailpiece, knobs, switch and truss rod cover are original. The tuners have been restored to correct style Kluson reproductions, there are visible pressure rings on the face of the headstock from a previous installation of Grovers or the like. The early-style long pickguard is a repro, well done but not using the correct style bracket. The most notable wear to the fittings is the metal Vari-Tone ring and gold plating, which is heaviest on the pickup covers, bridge and tailpiece.
The magnificent sounding original PAF Humbucking pickups are intact along with the wiring loom. The original Vari-Tone is also intact and working. The stereo feature has been re-wired to mono, which to most players is an improvement as the guitar no longer requires a special split cable to operate. The bridge PU has had the cover removed and re-installed, probably when it was opened to re-align the magnets to have the two pickups in phase in the center position, correcting an annoying idiosyncratic design on the stereo models that were purposely wired out-of-phase.
Apart from its now-mono status the guitar plays and sounds exactly as it should, with the classic tones heard on literally hundreds of vintage recordings. It was refretted some time back with appropriate wire if a bit tall, which could be taken down if desired. The nut is later as well; the fingerboard was trued and shows little subsequent wear. The 1950s brown case included is era correct but for a 17" thinline, like a Byrdland. It has some external wear but overall is quite solid. While not 100% original this 345 is still a great example, feeling, playing and sounding superb and a true classic from possibly Gibson's finest single year. Overall Very Good + Condition.
This is a slightly worn-in but super vibey first year example of an early "stoptail" ES-345TD, Gibson's original Stereo guitar. This model was a product of the late 1950s fascination with "better living through Electronics" that inspired several makers to "channel" their efforts into stereo instruments. Essentially a somewhat fancier version of the recently launched thinline semi-hollow ES-335, the 345 was added to the line in spring 1959. This example from September that year has two gold plated PAF pickups and a round-backed but slimmer-than-some neck profile. For playing convenience this guitar has been rewired to mono but still has the tone-altering Varitone unit engaged.
The 345 package dressed up the 335 a bit, adding gold plating, a bit of extra binding and pearloid trapezoid fingerboard inlay to the design. Its' real raison d'etre was the new Stereo/Vari-Tone wiring rig, which was the hot trend at the time. Gibson's stereo wiring sends the signal from each pickup to a different amplifier (or different channel of the same amp) while the Vari-Tone is a 6-position notch filter which gradually thins out the characteristically rich tone of the humbucking pickups. This model was originally designed to pair with Gibson's GA-79 stereo amplifier. Nashville great Hank Garland was involved in developing the model and played the prototype on most of his session gigs from 1959-61.
The ES-345 went on to be a fairly popular guitar in the 1960s, with other signature users running the gamut from jazz to blues (notably Freddie King) to several prominent British invasion players, including Pretty Thing Dick Taylor, Tony Hicks of the Hollies, Eric Stewart of the Mindbenders and (briefly) Beatle George Harrison. This was a fairly expensive guitar listed on introduction in 1959 at $365 (plus the $47 case) but considered a success right off the block with 446 shipped in 1959.
This guitar is an original stop tailpiece model; many ES-345s were ordered with vibratos in the 1950-60s. The "stoptail" design is generally held to enhance playability, giving an adjustable angle to the bridge off the tailpiece and better coupling the strings to the body. It also has the early style black Vari-Tone ring and longer pickguard used early on, though in this case that is a reproduction. This is a nicely aged-in and rather splendid guitar; looking timelessly cool and also a joy to play.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This ES-345 is a fine player's example, showing some fairly minor wear and minor parts changes but overall a nicely preserved 60+ year old guitar. The sunburst lacquer finish has aged and darkened with a lot of very fine checking but not too much actual play wear. There are small dings, dents and scuffs overall, and a couple of scratches to the top that have been lightly touched up. As is typical the headstock edges have more wear, and the finish is worn down a bit on both sides of the neck, which is otherwise relatively clean.
The hardware remains original with a couple of exceptions. The bridge, tailpiece, knobs, switch and truss rod cover are original. The tuners have been restored to correct style Kluson reproductions, there are visible pressure rings on the face of the headstock from a previous installation of Grovers or the like. The early-style long pickguard is a repro, well done but not using the correct style bracket. The most notable wear to the fittings is the metal Vari-Tone ring and gold plating, which is heaviest on the pickup covers, bridge and tailpiece.
The magnificent sounding original PAF Humbucking pickups are intact along with the wiring loom. The original Vari-Tone is also intact and working. The stereo feature has been re-wired to mono, which to most players is an improvement as the guitar no longer requires a special split cable to operate. The bridge PU has had the cover removed and re-installed, probably when it was opened to re-align the magnets to have the two pickups in phase in the center position, correcting an annoying idiosyncratic design on the stereo models that were purposely wired out-of-phase.
Apart from its now-mono status the guitar plays and sounds exactly as it should, with the classic tones heard on literally hundreds of vintage recordings. It was refretted some time back with appropriate wire if a bit tall, which could be taken down if desired. The nut is later as well; the fingerboard was trued and shows little subsequent wear. The 1950s brown case included is era correct but for a 17" thinline, like a Byrdland. It has some external wear but overall is quite solid. While not 100% original this 345 is still a great example, feeling, playing and sounding superb and a true classic from possibly Gibson's finest single year. Overall Very Good + Condition.