Gibson ES 345

Exhibit H:  1966 Gibson ES 345

Just the Facts

The Gibson ES 345 was manufactured between 1958 and 1981, when it was discontinued. Based on the famous
ES 335, the 345 was designed to be slightly more upscale and had a couple of “improvements“.  One was stereo wiring, and the other was the inclusion of the Varitone.  The Varitone was a circuit which offered a six position selector and changed the tone making it increasingly thin and more Fender like.  However most guitarists didn’t think any of the settings actually improved the tone, and almost everybody leaves the Varitone on the first setting.  Stereo, also, is something that never really caught on in guitars, and most 345 players have the guitar re-wired in mono.

Like the 335, the ES 345 is semi hollow with a solid center block and two real “F” holes.  In the early sixties the stop tail piece was replaced with a trapeze tail piece which changed the tone slightly.  Most players prefer the stop tail piece for sustain, but the trapeze tail piece seems to make the tone a little more open and alive.  Which is better is really in the ear of the player.

Where and When

I got this guitar at Sagebrush Music in Flagstaff, Arizona in 1983.

Why it’s Cool

This is a great sounding guitar, and it was my main guitar for a lot of years.  Throughout much of the fifties and sixties, semi- hollow body guitars were the instruments of choice for many guitar players.  If you watch old you tube videos, especially of the British Invasion bands you’ll see a lot of these guitars.  Then in the late sixties and early seventies, Les Paul type solid bodies became the most popular guitars.  In the late seventies and early eighties, the Stratocaster suddenly exploded in popularity.  Guitar Player did a cover story on “Strat Mania” and the Strat has tended to be the most widely played electric guitar ever since.

On the Other Hand

In the late eighties or early nineties, I switched to Fender style guitars, mostly Tele’s .  It just seemed to be easier to get the tone I wanted.  However, this Gibson ES 345 is a great guitar, and I still play it quite a bit.