1959 Gibson ES-345 Sunburst, Very Good, Original Hard, Call For Price!

If you're looking for a 59 ES-345, you've likely heard the term "first rack". This refers to the earliest (April 59) ES-345's made. They are distinctly different from the later ones in a couple of ways. The big difference is the humongous neck. They also have a smaller cutout in the center block for the Varitone and the really early ones have wax potting around the Varitone chokes. To accommodate the choke, the bridge PAF pickup has what's called a "short leg"-see the photo and look closely. These are the rarest Gibson pickups ever. They also have a reputation for being among the best guitars ever made in Kalamazoo. Not just the best 345's-the best guitars. Period. This one is very clean-just under 9.0 condition. Like so many, the Varitone and stereo circuit has been removed and the guitar has been converted to ES-335 specs. The original pots are in the guitar and the rest of the harness and VT parts are in the original brown Stone case. Nice pro re-fret. Everything else is original except for a aged repro set of Kluson tuners. Looks like it once had Schallers but the extra holes have been filled. I have a set of 59 tuners if you are looking for complete vintage correctness. This is a guitar with great range and character. Light weight at 7 lbs 10 ounces. It is also the most sought after 345 (that isn't blonde) on the planet.