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Help verifying a 1964 ES-345

grantgreen

New member
Joined
Jun 28, 2020
Messages
5
Hi all,

I'm considering making an offer on a 1964 ES-345 player that's got plenty of issues but plays great. I went and saw it yesterday and two items are concerning me.

1) there's a feint rectangle behind the logo -- I know the peghead has been refinished front and back, but is this rectangle normal? Any chance it's a fake?

2) the truss rod cavity looks perfectly squared off; were they like this in 1964? I'm a little suspicious.

Please only respond if you have enough 1st-hand experience with pre-1965 Gibsons to know what you're talking about. Thanks for your input.

0-Logo-1.jpg
1-Truss-Rod-1.jpg
1-Truss-Rod-4.jpg
 

brandtkronholm

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
2,737
1) there's a feint rectangle behind the logo -- I know the peghead has been refinished front and back, but is this rectangle normal? Any chance it's a fake?

If the peghead (headstock) has been refinished - front and back - then determining the authenticity of the instrument by pictures of the headstock alone is near impossible.
The rectangle is sometimes visible on non-refinished Gibsons. On refinished Gibsons I'd be suspicious if it wasn't visible, but all bets are off.

I will say that the shape of "open book" or "mustache" at the very top of the headstock (first picture) looks a little flat...but that's a judgment based on one picture. Post many more pictures of the guitar and we can offer our arm-chair quarterback (but well informed) opinions.

2) the truss rod cavity looks perfectly squared off; were they like this in 1964? I'm a little suspicious.

Again, if the headstock has been refinished, then anything is possible.

Please only respond if you have enough 1st-hand experience with pre-1965 Gibsons to know what you're talking about. Thanks for your input.

Good luck with that!
 

Steve Craw

Formerly Lefty Elmo
Joined
Sep 9, 2004
Messages
5,294
I own an original ES-345 from 1964. your truss rod cavity looks just like mine, except my guitar has more play wear, I thinks your headstock was refinished as previously suggested. Mine has it's original finish, and doesn't show the rectangle around the inlay, but I have seen it on some refinished examples.
 
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Steve Craw

Formerly Lefty Elmo
Joined
Sep 9, 2004
Messages
5,294
BTW, ES-345s are great guitars! I got mine last year, and the honeymoon doesn't show any signs of waning. My "forever" guitar.
 

akstrat61

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 16, 2004
Messages
1,845
Funny, I too am working on purchasing a '64 345 in original, but players condition. Anyone mind commentling on an acceptable price these days?:dude:
 

wmachine

Active member
Joined
Mar 17, 2016
Messages
303
I have a Reissue '64 ES-345 TDC (Maestro, VOS), a 2016 model. It is fabulous IMO. I know the reissues of this era are considered to be really good. But I'm wondering if anyone has made any direct comparisons of this and real '64 345s. I know of and understand the differences in the electronics, but I mean otherwise.
Direct comparisons are probably hard to come by as they supposed made only 60 of these reissues for "worldwide distribution". I know there were other reissue '64 345 TDC models (sans Maestro) in 2014 and 2015, though.
 

irishbog

Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2018
Messages
36
Funny, I too am working on purchasing a '64 345 in original, but players condition. Anyone mind commentling on an acceptable price these days?:dude:

My amateur guess would be that 64 players grade 345 would be maybe about 12-14K?
I visited Charlie at OK guitars a while back and he had one in that price range. It's gone now though
 

garywright

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2002
Messages
15,583
deleted ..just realized the OP already knew it’s been refinned
 
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marshall1987

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
3,278
The serial numbers (headstock & orange label) should suffice to identify a '64 ES-345. I understand there is no ambiguity with Gibson serial numbers until 1965.
 
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