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NVGD! First Rack 1959 ES-345T!

RAB

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Mar 17, 2005
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Congrats RAB! Love it! First Rack 345s are in a league of their own. Maybe the best 3 racks of ES guitars that Gibson ever made, honestly....Here is mine, A29667, along with a '59 345 TDC. First rack was shipped in April, Cherry was shipped in October.

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What a gorgeous pair of fiddles! :salude
 

RAB

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Mar 17, 2005
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In some ways, it gets you more. The split fingerboard inlays and the extra binding just look soooo cool.

Thanks Tom, I like your perspective. Plus the First Rack 345s are kind of a cool club to be in...limited membership based on their relatively limited production! Best, RAB:jim
 

RAB

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Would love to hear from my old A29663’s current owner to catch up if they are so inclined! RAB:hank
 

EBW

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Jan 30, 2015
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Thanks Tom, I like your perspective. Plus the First Rack 345s are kind of a cool club to be in...limited membership based on their relatively limited production! Best, RAB:jim

RAB, welcome back to the club! My 1st rack 345 is the best Gibson I currently own. It's definitely one of the top guitars I've had the pleasure of ever owning and I've had some nice ones over the past four decades! :salude
 

RAB

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RAB, welcome back to the club! My 1st rack 345 is the best Gibson I currently own. It's definitely one of the top guitars I've had the pleasure of ever owning and I've had some nice ones over the past four decades! :salude

Right on! :peace2 Yes, these First Racks have some special mojo for sure! :dude:
 

reddeluxe

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Apr 27, 2017
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Not just the best ES guitars ever built, but possibly the best Gibson has ever had to offer, in the electric line. Can you think of another model that has the design aesthetics, range of tone, playability, and extreme versatility that these have? Those guitars can excel in any musical format, with a player who understands how to use the 345's unique characteristics, including the out of phase middle position pickup selector feature and the often maligned Varitone. It really can do authentic fingerstyle jazz, bebop, jazz fusion, Chet Atkins style fingerpicking, straight country, every shade of blues, and all the many types of rock, up from rockabilly to the most modern ultra high gain distortion styles. It didn't hurt that two of the most accomplished guitarists of the time, Hank Garland and Grady Martin, were used to critique and help Gibson refine the 345 prototypes. Congratulations, that is one gorgeous first rack 345!
 
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RAB

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Mar 17, 2005
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Would love to hear from other FR (First Rack) 345 owners! :)
 

treyrab

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Mar 21, 2016
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Would love to hear from other FR (First Rack) 345 owners! :)

I don't think there are many of them :hee Honestly folks might not even know that they have a "First Rack"......I didn't know that mine was until after I bought it!
 

RAB

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Mar 17, 2005
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I don't think there are many of them :hee Honestly folks might not even know that they have a "First Rack"......I didn't know that mine was until after I bought it!


Good points! Folks, if you have a ‘59 ES-345T and it has a BIG neck profile and black Varitone ring there is a decent chance its a First Rack! :hank
 

TradProPlus17

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Nov 30, 2017
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What a beauty.. I have heard good things about OK Guitats, I hope to one day do business with them
 

DoubleBoogie

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Jun 6, 2004
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I don't know if Joe's 345 is a "First Rack" or not, but oh my lord what a tone!! I was totally blown away by the sound of this guitar...even more than his bursts which were of course quite spectacular! But I would give my left nut to have one of these. :dude: These may just be in a price range that I could afford too! The performance below was on the second Keeping The Blues Alive at Sea cruise and this particular solo ranks right up there as one of the best solos that these old ears have ever heard (both in terms of his artistry and the tone of the instrument through those old tweeds).

 

RAB

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Mar 17, 2005
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I don't know if Joe's 345 is a "First Rack" or not, but oh my lord what a tone!! I was totally blown away by the sound of this guitar...even more than his bursts which were of course quite spectacular! But I would give my left nut to have one of these. :dude: These may just be in a price range that I could afford too! The performance below was on the second Keeping The Blues Alive at Sea cruise and this particular solo ranks right up there as one of the best solos that these old ears have ever heard (both in terms of his artistry and the tone of the instrument through those old tweeds).


Not sure either if Joe’s 345 is a FR (first rack) but it does have a black Varitone ring. Not in question is the fabulous tone that you reference! There is an organic, woody quality that Les Pauls and other solid bodies just don’t have. I’ve owned a number of original Bursts and PAF Goldtops and PAF ES models including two FR 345s including my current one. One tone isn't better than the other, just different! :hank
 
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