Phil X: Back in Black 1964 Gibson ES345

Special Custom Order in the Exceptionally Rare "Solid Walnut" (Almost Black) Custom Color.



1964 Gibson ES-345TDW.



This special "custom order" guitar weighs just 8.80 lbs. Laminated maple top, back, and sides, with maple central block. One-piece mahogany neck with a nut width of just between 1 5/8 and 1 11/16 inches (1.65 inches), a medium neck profile, and a standard Gibson scale length of 24 3/4 inches. Bound rosewood fretboard with 22 original jumbo frets and inlaid pearl split-parallelogram position markers (no inlay at the 1st fret, as usual). Headstock with inlaid pearl "Gibson" logo and pearl crown inlay. Two-layer, black over white plastic, bell-shaped truss-rod cover with "Stereo" engraved in white, secured by two screws. Individual Kluson Deluxe 'double-line' tuners with single-ring Keystone plastic buttons, each stamped on the underside "D-169400 / Patent No". The body is triple-bound (white/black/white) on the top and single-bound (white) on the back. Two patent-number humbucker pickups with outputs of 7.54k and 7.72k, each with a rectangular black label on the underside with "Patent No / 2,737,842" in gold. Five-layer black over white plastic pickguard with beveled edge. Four controls (two volume, two tone) plus three-way selector switch for pickup selection and six-position Varitone rotary switch for tonal settings. Black plastic bell-shaped "Bell" knobs with metal tops and a gold circular plate with the numbers in black around the Varitone switch. ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic retainer bridge with metal saddles and Gibson Maestro Vibrola tailpiece on a rosewood base. The Maestro Vibrola has its original label. With black plastic "Custom Made" plaque between the bridge and Maestro Vibrola (covering the (unused) 'stud-holes' for the usual stud tailpiece). All hardware gold-plated. This guitar is in near mint condition, with only minimal button scarring on the back. The gold-plated hardware is a little tarnished. Housed in the original Gibson five-latch, shaped black hardshell case with orange plush lining (9.50).