1961 Gibson ES-345 TD Natural
Description
1961 Gibson ES-345 TD semi-hollow body electric guitar, made in USA; Body: natural finish, buckle scratching / finish loss to back, light checking in places, various dings and marks otherwise very good for age; Neck: mahogany, large scratch to length of neck with minor hairline visible within in places; Fretboard: rosewood, light wear; Frets: worn throughout with visible indent; Electrics: working, original PAF Patent Applied For pickups; Hardware: general tarnishing and gold plating loss as to be expected, Bigsby Patent vibrato and custom made plaque, tarnishing to smaller metal parts, replacement neck pickup surround screws, slight bend to G & D tuner shafts; Case: later Gibson hard case; Weight: 4.10kg; Overall condition: good for age
Sold with domestic non-transferable CITES A10 certificate no. 26GBA10KECSYP
*Single owner from new. The vendor was the lead guitarist with the Nottingham-based group The Beatmen, who collectively purchased new equipment in 1961. This ES-345 was originally supplied by Papworths of Alfreton Road, Nottingham, having been imported by Selmer of Charing Cross Road, London, at a cost of 250 guineas, with an additional premium paid for the factory-fitted Bigsby vibrato.
The Beatmen were a typical British rock group of the period, performing extensively throughout the UK from 1959 until their disbandment circa 1967. The band recorded three singles for Pye Records between 1965 and 1966, including You Can’t Sit Down, Now the Sun Has Gone and Please Believe Me, and also held three residency engagements at Hamburg’s Top Ten Club during 1963 and 1964.
The guitar exhibits a long scratch to the back of the neck. The vendor states that this occurred very early in its life, shortly after purchase, when the guitar was leant against an amplifier between sessions, slipped to the floor and caught a microphone stand. Within this area there are also fine hairline lines, a typical occurrence on early 1960s Gibson necks, which were carved with comparatively slim profiles, leaving less wood mass around the truss rod channel. This has not affected the structural integrity or playability of the instrument, which remained in regular professional use by the vendor for over fifty years without issue.
The Gibson ES-345 in Natural finish is exceptionally rare. According to Gibson shipping records, only 50 examples were produced between 1959 and 1960
Sold with domestic non-transferable CITES A10 certificate no. 26GBA10KECSYP
*Single owner from new. The vendor was the lead guitarist with the Nottingham-based group The Beatmen, who collectively purchased new equipment in 1961. This ES-345 was originally supplied by Papworths of Alfreton Road, Nottingham, having been imported by Selmer of Charing Cross Road, London, at a cost of 250 guineas, with an additional premium paid for the factory-fitted Bigsby vibrato.
The Beatmen were a typical British rock group of the period, performing extensively throughout the UK from 1959 until their disbandment circa 1967. The band recorded three singles for Pye Records between 1965 and 1966, including You Can’t Sit Down, Now the Sun Has Gone and Please Believe Me, and also held three residency engagements at Hamburg’s Top Ten Club during 1963 and 1964.
The guitar exhibits a long scratch to the back of the neck. The vendor states that this occurred very early in its life, shortly after purchase, when the guitar was leant against an amplifier between sessions, slipped to the floor and caught a microphone stand. Within this area there are also fine hairline lines, a typical occurrence on early 1960s Gibson necks, which were carved with comparatively slim profiles, leaving less wood mass around the truss rod channel. This has not affected the structural integrity or playability of the instrument, which remained in regular professional use by the vendor for over fifty years without issue.
The Gibson ES-345 in Natural finish is exceptionally rare. According to Gibson shipping records, only 50 examples were produced between 1959 and 1960