Finally an affordable version of the ever popular ES-345.
The Gibson ES-345 re-issues come with an MSRP of $5,163, but Epiphone have now released a respectable alternative in their ES-345 Limited Edition which has an MSRP of only $1,165, but you’ll actually find it selling for $699 at most good online music stores.
The ES-345 was first released by Gibson in 1958 as part of their Electric Spanish series, and was the world’s first commercial thinline arched-top semi-acoustic electric guitar.
It was based on earlier hollow-body designs, however they were prone to feedback problems, so the ES-345 has a solid block of wood that runs down the center of the body surrounded on both sides by hollow chambers with f-holes.
The Epiphone ES-345 Limited Edition comes with their VariTone control which lets you create a wide range of tonal colors and pickup variations – it even has both mono and stereo outputs to emulate one of the highly sort after features of the original Stereo ES-345.
Both pickups are Alnico Classic Humbuckers and it has vintage style Black tophat volume and tone knobs with metal inserts and pointers.
The body is laminated Maple connected to a 24.75″ scale Mahogany neck with a Rosewood fingerboard. There’s also a white pickgaurd supplied unattached.
And to top it all off it has a gold Bigsby Tremelo.
For a complete run-down on the specs go to epiphone.com/Products/Archtop/ES-345.aspx
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I have an original Gibson ES-345… it’s just too valuable (to me – it was my dad’s) to take on the road, so it only get’s used in the studio if needed). This “Epi” would probably be a very viable substitute (might have to change the pups)! Nice one Epiphone!!!