Gibson ES-345TDC Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1961)
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Gibson ES-345TDC Model Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1961), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 34119, cherry lacquer finish, laminated maple body; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This is a really cool player's example of a 1961 ES-345TDC, 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 one was built in the latter part of 1961, one of 223 shipped out that year.
This example has had a lot of work done over the years but has no major damage; it retains its original cherry stain finish under an old clear overspray, probably intended to keep it looking new decades ago. The guitar has had a lot of parts restoration. The pickups are the highly regarded modern "Flametone" PAF's by Alessandro Tomassoni . These are hand made units with and have older vintage covers installed to retain the original 1961 look. They are wired to a recent correct-style rig including a functioning modern Vari-tone (with a true bypass) installed but wired in mono which is far more useful to most players. The guitar retains the original pickguard and knobs; the bridge and stoptail are correct parts but not original to the guitar.
The fingerboard has been refretted with larger wire frets, rather taller than the originals. The tuners have been restored from Grovers using original style patent number Klusons with correct 1958-60 style repro single ring buttons. There are pressure marks touched up on the headstock face.
This guitar is an original stop tailpiece model, there are no screw holes along the rim from a Bigsby or similar tailpiece although small marks under the stop tailpiece suggest a possible experiment with something else long ago. The "stoptail" design is generally held to enhance playability, giving an adjustable angle to the bridge off the tailpiece which can be steeper than the typical vibrato setup. By 1965 a trapeze tailpiece was fitted as standard and the "stoptail" configuration was no longer an option.
The 345 model dressed up the 335 a bit, adding extra binding and pearloid inlay to the basic design, but its real raison d'etre was the stereo/Vari-Tone wiring rig. The ES-345 proved a fairly popular guitar in the mid-'60s, with signature users running the gamut from jazz to blues to several notable British invasion players, including Pretty Thing Dick Taylor, Tony Hicks of the Hollies (who used one extensively), to (briefly) Beatle George Harrison. Although not fully original this one looks great and is simply splendid guitar to play, the pickups capture the classic sound in a way few modern units do making for a perfect gigging vintage ES-345.
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.).
As noted this is an original guitar but restored after numerous parts changes as detailed above. The finish is covered by a very thin clear overspray with some small touched-up spots underneath, most notable on the back and back of the neck with a small dink in the center of the top. There is only very light wear beyond this. The serial number is crisp and legible, not occluded. The original hardware includes the pickguard, bracket, truss rod cover and knobs; Restored hardware includes the tuners, bridge (which is an old Gibson piece) and stoptail. The pickups and wiring are recent, as are the strap buttons. This is a real blues-bender's guitar with wide, tall frets and does the Freddie King thing perfectly. This is an original 1961 ES-345 with a killer vibe for about the price of Gibson's current Marcus King signature '62 re-issue. It resides in a modern Gibson HSC. Overall Very Good + Condition.
This is a really cool player's example of a 1961 ES-345TDC, 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 one was built in the latter part of 1961, one of 223 shipped out that year.
This example has had a lot of work done over the years but has no major damage; it retains its original cherry stain finish under an old clear overspray, probably intended to keep it looking new decades ago. The guitar has had a lot of parts restoration. The pickups are the highly regarded modern "Flametone" PAF's by Alessandro Tomassoni . These are hand made units with and have older vintage covers installed to retain the original 1961 look. They are wired to a recent correct-style rig including a functioning modern Vari-tone (with a true bypass) installed but wired in mono which is far more useful to most players. The guitar retains the original pickguard and knobs; the bridge and stoptail are correct parts but not original to the guitar.
The fingerboard has been refretted with larger wire frets, rather taller than the originals. The tuners have been restored from Grovers using original style patent number Klusons with correct 1958-60 style repro single ring buttons. There are pressure marks touched up on the headstock face.
This guitar is an original stop tailpiece model, there are no screw holes along the rim from a Bigsby or similar tailpiece although small marks under the stop tailpiece suggest a possible experiment with something else long ago. The "stoptail" design is generally held to enhance playability, giving an adjustable angle to the bridge off the tailpiece which can be steeper than the typical vibrato setup. By 1965 a trapeze tailpiece was fitted as standard and the "stoptail" configuration was no longer an option.
The 345 model dressed up the 335 a bit, adding extra binding and pearloid inlay to the basic design, but its real raison d'etre was the stereo/Vari-Tone wiring rig. The ES-345 proved a fairly popular guitar in the mid-'60s, with signature users running the gamut from jazz to blues to several notable British invasion players, including Pretty Thing Dick Taylor, Tony Hicks of the Hollies (who used one extensively), to (briefly) Beatle George Harrison. Although not fully original this one looks great and is simply splendid guitar to play, the pickups capture the classic sound in a way few modern units do making for a perfect gigging vintage ES-345.
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.).
As noted this is an original guitar but restored after numerous parts changes as detailed above. The finish is covered by a very thin clear overspray with some small touched-up spots underneath, most notable on the back and back of the neck with a small dink in the center of the top. There is only very light wear beyond this. The serial number is crisp and legible, not occluded. The original hardware includes the pickguard, bracket, truss rod cover and knobs; Restored hardware includes the tuners, bridge (which is an old Gibson piece) and stoptail. The pickups and wiring are recent, as are the strap buttons. This is a real blues-bender's guitar with wide, tall frets and does the Freddie King thing perfectly. This is an original 1961 ES-345 with a killer vibe for about the price of Gibson's current Marcus King signature '62 re-issue. It resides in a modern Gibson HSC. Overall Very Good + Condition.