1965 Gibson ES-345
The 1965 ES-345 offers the gold-hardware semi-hollow experience with patent humbuckers. The gold-plated hardware and block inlays give these a distinctive look.
Current Market Value
* Prices are estimates based on recent market data. Actual value depends on originality, condition, and provenance. Pricing methodology
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Recent Sales
Showing 2 verified sales for 1965 Gibson ES-345. Reissues, replicas, and parts listings are filtered out.
Specifications
| Body Wood | Maple (laminated, solid center block) |
| Neck Wood | Mahogany |
| Fingerboard | Rosewood |
| Scale Length | 24.750" |
| Frets | 22 |
| Pickup Config | HH |
| Bridge | Tune-O-Matic with stop-bar |
| Tuners | Kluson Deluxe |
| Finish Options | Cherry, Sunburst |
Pickups & Electronics
Two Patent Number humbuckers with gold covers (345 used gold hardware throughout its run).
Collector's Notes
Gold hardware shows wear differently than nickel — check for heavy plating loss. Varitone originality matters. These are consistently undervalued vs. the equivalent 335.
How to Authenticate a 1965 Gibson ES-345
Check the serial number on the back of the headstock — ink-stamped numbers should fall within documented ranges for 1965. Potentiometer date codes are critical: look for CTS pots (code 137) with two-digit year codes matching 1965 or up to 18 months earlier. This is the most reliable dating method for Gibson guitars of this era. The finish should be nitrocellulose lacquer showing age-appropriate checking (fine crazing). Under blacklight, original nitro fluoresces a distinctive green-yellow — refinished instruments lack this characteristic. Verify original PAF or patent-number humbuckers. The ES-345 also has a Varitone circuit — check that the six-position switch and internal choke/inductor are present and functional. Distinguished by Varitone circuit and stereo wiring. Verify six-position Varitone switch. Gold-plated hardware. Block inlays. Original Kluson Deluxe should be present with no evidence of replacement (no oversized bushing holes). Original hardshell case adds provenance value.