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Need help on ES345

tonar8353

Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
490
Hey all you ES 345 experts I need your help and advise. I was given this guitar by a friend whose parents found it along with several other basket case guitars in a garbage dumpster. The pictures tell the story, somebody cut off the neck, stripped it of all the electronics, hardware, and then stripped the finish and sanded through the veneer in a few places. I tried to get a good shot of the label but this is the best I could get. It is stamped ES 345 TDC. The label is marked Union Made Gibson I N C. Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA. The Serial number is faded and I can only make out 9800 with what looks like one more number after the 0 and then a space with a last number or letter.

Here are my questions.
1. Do you have any idea of the approximant date of the body?
2. What would be a great source of information on the ES 345 TDC?
3. I can put this thing back together and even may have access to an original set of 1960 PAF’s and wiring harness for it. Would it be worth the investment to put it back together? Obviously the cost with the 60’s electronics would increase greatly as oppose to high quality aftermarket stuff, but what do you think?

Thank you.

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plaintop60

New member
Joined
Nov 20, 2006
Messages
2,210
Late sixties. I would make a neck for it and finish it up. It would surely be worth it IMO. What is not possible to tell from the pics is the condition of the block and the spruce bracing that connects the top and back to the block. Also it's hard to see whether the binding is in good shape, however I still think it's probably worth fixing. More and better quality pics might change that guess to a definite no however.
 

J T

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Messages
10,501
Looks like it was cherry and has Bigsby holes. Not quite sure that that extra cavity hole was for. You'd probablhy have to fill that up too. Hopefully there are no cracks. If there are you have to glue those up. Paint it Ebony and all those flaws can go away under the paint.
 

vintage58

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 13, 2003
Messages
3,958
Based on the photos that you posted of the guitar, I would guess it's from either 1969 or 1970. The guitar appears to have the wider F-holes, and those first appeared in 1969:
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guitar-00009.jpg

.
 

j45

Active member
Joined
Jun 14, 2002
Messages
9,081
Seven holes is correct. Unless it's something I don't see there's nothing added here.
 

BillyB

New member
Joined
Feb 7, 2007
Messages
449
Not quite sure that that extra cavity hole was for. You'd probablhy have to fill that up too.

As J45 has said - nothing wrong there;

2 Volume
2 tone
1 selector switch
1 varitone control
1 input jack


all present and correct


looks like an interesting project

I was in a similar situation with a vintage motorcycle. I had an engine + gearbox in good condition. Sourced period parts and now I have a '1958' 500cc Velocette Venom. Anything's possible - don't shy away from it.
 

tonar8353

Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
490
Thanks for the input! I have thought about black or alpine white. I could also redo it in cherry and then given it a heavy relic. Does any one have a picture of one in black? What would have been factory finishes in 69 besides cherry and sunburst?

Black would be really easy like this lester that I rescued. What do you all think would look good on the 345?

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gadzooka

New member
Joined
Feb 14, 2002
Messages
1,612
Thanks for the input! I have thought about black or alpine white. I could also redo it in cherry and then given it a heavy relic. Does any one have a picture of one in black? What would have been factory finishes in 69 besides cherry and sunburst?

Black would be really easy like this lester that I rescued. What do you all think would look good on the 345?

IMG_0148.jpg


IMG_0033.jpg


YES...either one wouold be frickin fabulous!! Since it's a refin anyway, why not go for something less common? Here's a black one on Gbase : http://www.gbase.com/Stores/Gear/GearDetails.aspx?Item=1613370
I think it looks great! You'll probably disagree, but my choice for tail pieces would be in the following order: Bigsby, Trapeze, stop.
 
R

red59dot

Guest
Hey, its already natural. Bleach out the rest of the red dye/stain and do a little really light sanding, coat with nitro and drop a couple of uncovered double whites in it. Then beat the crap out of it by playing. And keep it a 345. It looks like a 68-69 due to the Union Made label and the rounded-but not MM ears. It was clearly an original trap. Why would anyone cut the neck like that. Seems cruel.
 

tomkatf

Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2004
Messages
55
I had a mid-60's 345 project a few years back. Originally cherry, stripped and overpainted white when I got it... very complete but sanded through the veneer in several spots which I discovered when I stripped it. Had it repainted black which looked great but I really wanted to have it done in Pelham Blue... I just chickened out! Have a look at Pelham Blue, you might like it...

Best,
Tom
 
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