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NGD: Gibson Memphis Freddie King 1960 ES-345

smbeatty

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Oct 8, 2017
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7
Yeah, he told me he picked up a few of them from a dealer, but technically has to sell them "used" because he didn't get them straight from Gibson. Came with everything it should have, so it's for sure legit. I'm really glad I found it because the one I played in-store was $4500 and I almost bought it. It was worth doing some searching.
 

CAGinLA

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Joined
Jan 4, 2016
Messages
489
Yeah, he told me he picked up a few of them from a dealer, but technically has to sell them "used" because he didn't get them straight from Gibson. Came with everything it should have, so it's for sure legit. I'm really glad I found it because the one I played in-store was $4500 and I almost bought it. It was worth doing some searching.

Oh, OK - lots of dealers like that out there. You just don't get a warranty from Gibson.

You still got a killer deal, as usually these guys knock about $500 off of the actual street price that official dealers like Wildwood and HOG sell them for.
 

zoommutt

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 15, 2003
Messages
1,448
Calling All Cars! Calling All Cars! Be on the lookout for a red Freddie King ES-345. It appears to have been stolen for the amount of $3100.Look for a guy with a big smile on his face! Great price.
 

Theorocks

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May 4, 2012
Messages
80
Great deal @smbeatty enjoy and yes I love the neck too coupled with the fret size = perfect for me :spabout:2cool
 

smbeatty

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Oct 8, 2017
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7
I actually took the varitone out and put in an out of phase switch and it’s friggin awesome. The mod is totally reversible if I ever want to change it back. Love this thing.
 

denk

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Joined
Feb 4, 2004
Messages
12
Nice! Freddy King!

Curious if anyone weighed the Freddie King ES 345 before and after the removal of the varitone? I had heard the newer varitone's are lighter than those from the 50's and 60's.
 

denk

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Joined
Feb 4, 2004
Messages
12
Yeah, he told me he picked up a few of them from a dealer, but technically has to sell them "used" because he didn't get them straight from Gibson. Came with everything it should have, so it's for sure legit. I'm really glad I found it because the one I played in-store was $4500 and I almost bought it. It was worth doing

My FK ES 345 arrived today. The cable is stereo trs (single jack) to Y double mono ends.
 
Last edited:

CAGinLA

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Jan 4, 2016
Messages
489
Just to add one more minor mod that I did to mine (previously I swapped out the stock bridge for a Faber with brass saddles and added Faber tailpiece spacers), I flipped the bridge pickup back around to typical Gibson orientation - the difference in tone was noticeable to me and I much prefer it this way.

My honeymoon period on this guitar is over, but it still remains one of the best Gibsons I have ever owned (and I have owned a lot over the years). The neck is perfect and, after tweaking them several times, the stock pickups sound fantastic. I am even growing to love the Varitone as I learn more about when and how to make the most of the different settings.
 

Birdechef

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Joined
Dec 13, 2018
Messages
2
I have #135 of 200 Gibson Freddie King. I have owned many guitars and this has by far the nicest neck. I wish my flat top had this neck. It was made for My Hands. I plan to leave the guitar stock and am pleased with all features. Fit and finish was near perfect. Much care was taken to produce it. It justifies the price tag and still half the cost of an early 1960 ES-345. I enjoy experimenting with the Varitone with my favorite being #4 .I also like the Stereo feature and using 2 amps each set differently. I know that the ES-345 does not enjoy the same popularity as the ES-335. I don't care to sound just like everyone else. The bridge pickup's reversed pole pieces ( they face the neck) are a nod to Freddie's guitar and to me mellow out typical bridge pickup harshness. I feel that the Gibson Freddie King ES-345 will stand the test of time as being one of Gibson Memphis hidden gems.
 

reddeluxe

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Joined
Apr 27, 2017
Messages
82
Birdechef I am a fan of the Varitone, too. With a simple clean boost pedal, you can mitigate the volume loss of the higher number values on the Varitone's selector. Not sure if the FK Signature models are wired out of phase in the middle pickup selector switch position, as are the originals. Having been fortunate enough to own a couple of vintage early '60's 345s in the past, I can give you this tip: when using both pickups (factory out of phase), and slightly mis matching the volume controls to favor either pickup over the other, you can get a tremendous range of strong or subtle out of phase sounds, including the famous Garry Moore tone. Just experiment with mixing the proportions of the pickups.
 

Birdechef

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Dec 13, 2018
Messages
2
Birdechef I am a fan of the Varitone, too. With a simple clean boost pedal, you can mitigate the volume loss of the higher number values on the Varitone's selector. Not sure if the FK Signature models are wired out of phase in the middle pickup selector switch position, as are the originals. Having been fortunate enough to own a couple of vintage early '60's 345s in the past, I can give you this tip: when using both pickups (factory out of phase), and slightly mis matching the volume controls to favor either pickup over the other, you can get a tremendous range of strong or subtle out of phase sounds, including the famous Garry Moore tone. Just experiment with mixing the proportions of the pickups.
Reddeluxe, as far as I can tell the Gibson Freddie King is not wired with pickups out of phase. I can't hear any out of phase tone with selector switch on for both pickups. Too bad. Freddie made good use of the 345 and 355 and the out of phase Varitones. Gibson replicated the looks and feel of an early 1960 ES-345, reversed the bridge pick up like Freddie's and that's about it. Now maybe when Freddie's guitar was serviced and the pick up reversed the out of phase feature was cancelled. Eventually the 345 Freddie used was retired at home and he moved on to other guitars. Maybe there is a detailed story out there that tells of Gibsons quest to build The Freddie.
I feel that to bypass or de activate the Varitone circuit is stupid. Find Your Tone with The King Switch!
 

reddeluxe

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Apr 27, 2017
Messages
82
Birdechef, you are correct that Freddie King used the dual pickup/out of phase sound often and to great effect. He later used several different ES 355 models that were also stock stereo factory out of phase. Do a little video research toward the middle/end of his career and you can see him using them with a notable modification. He had stop tails added, while retaining the "Lyre" maestro trem covers on the front of the guitar.
 

AA00475Bassman

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Joined
Apr 26, 2016
Messages
3,769
( I feel that to bypass or de activate the Varitone circuit is stupid. Find Your Tone with The King Switch )

I really agree with this , doing
such a thing is true tone dick .
 

takeitslow

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Sep 19, 2017
Messages
14
Hello to you Freddie King's 60 owners,

I'm about to pull the trigger on a Freddie (2016 as you know), but I'm hesitating with a 2015 64 reissue... One is red, the other one sunburst, one is stereo the other one mono, both sounds great but the red one is about 1200$ more. Is it worth it do you think? Is it just the name on the truss rod cover? If I go with the cheaper sunburst, I'm planning to add a vibrola maestro (I could afford it)...
Help me decide please.
Thanks in advance
 

denk

New member
Joined
Feb 4, 2004
Messages
12
Not sure on the 1964, but Freddie King model has a very comfortable R9 (Les Paul ‘59) neck. Not sure if that warrants an increase in costs. The FK is a very nice guitar and compared to my ‘59 335 Nashville, the weight is less on the FK (even with variatone) and the neck is closer in size the the Les Paul R9. The neck on the ‘59 Nashville 335 is much larger.
 
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