1960 Gibson ES-345 Sunburst, Excellent, Original Hard, $16,500.00

This factory stop tail 345 is one of those "on the cusp" guitars built in one year and shipped in the next. The guitar has a 1959 factory order number so it was built (or at least started) in 59 but the serial number is very early 1960 (less than 20 serial numbers into 1960). So, probably first or second week of January. It has all the features of a late 59-long guard, bonnet knobs, medium "transitional" neck (.84" at the first fret, .92" at the 12th). It has been converted to mono and the Varitone removed. The pickups are long magnet PAFS-one is sealed, one I opened to flip the magnet to put the pickups in phase (stereo guitars have out of phase pickups). PAF photo was taken before I opened the neck pickup so you know it hasn't been messed with. There were a number of changed parts when I got this guitar but I had everything in stock to bring it back to fully vintage correct. The bridge, tailpiece and studs are from a different 59 ES-345. Condition is 9/10 or better. 59 345's are pushing toward $20K and this guitar is as much a 59 as any later (gold Varitone ring) 59 for thousands less. Truly excellent player with a big fat neck pickup and a bridge pickup with great musicality and complexity. A great guitar for the blues or jazz. Original frets with plenty of life left. The tuners are reproductions but the original tuners are included but need new tips. I will consider selling the "husk"-neck and body only as I could use the parts for another project 345 I'm finishing up. Original brown with pink Stone case.