The Original Gibson Stereo Guitar!

One of 446 Sunburst "Stereo Guitars" issued in 1959 (32 Natural finish guitars were also issued in 1959). Weighs just 7.80 lbs. and has a nice, fat nut width of just under 1 11/16 inches and a standard Gibson scale length of 24 3/4 inches. Laminated maple body with triple binding on the top and single binding on the back and semi-solid construction with maple central block, one-piece mahogany neck, and rosewood fretboard with 22 wide jumbo frets and inlaid pearl double parallelogram position markers (no inlay at the 1st fret). Headstock with inlaid pearl "Gibson" logo and pearl crown inlay. Individual Kluson Deluxe tuners with single-ring Keystone plastic buttons. Two PAF pickups with black plastic surrounds and outputs of 8.31k and 7.90k. "Long" five-layer (black/white/black/white/black) plastic pickguard extending below the bridge. Four controls (two volume, two tone) plus three-way selector switch for pickup selection and six-position Vari-tone rotary switch for tonal settings, all on lower treble bout. Gold plastic bell-shaped "Bell" knobs. With a black circular plate around the Vari-tone switch. Tune-O-Matic bridge and separate stud tailpiece. All hardware gold-plated. This guitar has had an early neck reset, which is evidenced only under a black-light scan. There was no break...purely a reset -- most probably done to adjust /improve the neck angle. In addition, the guitar has been expertly refretted with original specification jumbo fretwire. There is some very light finish checking and two tiny marks on the front of the guitar, a few equally tiny marks on the back of the neck, and a small amount of chipping to the edge of the headstock. Some minor tarnishing to the gold-plated pickup covers and stud tailpiece. Taking all of this into account, this guitar is still in near mint condition. It plays fantastically and sounds wonderful...and it has that oh so perfect '59 neck profile that we all dream of! Housed in the original Gibson brown hardshell case with purple plush lining (8.75).

"The new electric with stereo and Vari-Tone circuitry was given a sneak preview in the March-April 1959 issue of the Gazette describing the ES-355T. It was then announced as the ES-345T, not only because it was pitched -- cosmetically and price-wise -- as an intermediate model between the 335 and the 355, but also because it originally retailed for $345.00 in sunburst finish. Besides the Vari-Tone switch, double parallelogram inlays on the fretboard were retained as a distinctive feature of the 345 compared to the existing semi-solid thinlines. The 345 was at first made available in sunburst and natural finish only, but by mid-1960 the selection was enlarged with the addition [of] two other colours: cherry red and Argentine gray" (A.R. Duchossoir, Gibson Electrics -- The Classic Years, p. 81).

"Exciting to play, thrilling to hear! This new Gibson can produce any sound you've ever heard from any guitar. The 'Vari-tone' selector switch...produces 18 separate sounds and creates hundreds of voices when coupled with tone controls. Though marvelously versatile, it is uncomplicated...may be used with stereophonic, monaural, or two-channel amplifier. The double cut-away thin body construction brings you the finest sustain and tone color with Gibson's low, fast, professional string action" (leaflet announcing the ES-345T stereo guitar, illustrated on p. 81 of A.R. Duchossoir, Gibson Electrics -- The Classic Years, p. 81).