Year: 2025
Builder: Gibson
Series: Original
Model: ES-345
Color: Sixties Cherry
Hardware Finish: Nickel
Serial Number: 219250124
Body: Laminated Maple
Body Type: Semi-Hollowbody
Body Bracing: Adirondack Spruce
Body Centerblock: Maple
Body Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Body Binding: 3-Ply Cream
Cutaway: Double
Pickguard: 5-Ply Black
Bridge: ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic
Tailpiece: Aluminum Stop Bar
Fretboard: Rosewood
Fretboard Binding: Cream
Fretboard Inlay: Acrylic Split Parallelograms
Neck: Mahogany
Neck Profile: Rounded "C"
Neck Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Nut: Graph Tech
Headstock: Gibson "Open Book"
Headstock Binding: None
Headstock Logo: Pearl Gibson Logo
Headstock Inlay: Pearl Crown
Tuners: Vintage Deluxe
Neck Pickup: Calibrated T-Type Rhythm HB
Bridge Pickup: Calibrated T-Type Lead HB
Pickup Switching: 3-Way
Control Knobs: Black Top Hat
Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone
Case: Gibson deluxe hardshell case
Body Size/Shape: ES-335
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo
Frets to Body: 19
Fretboard Radius: 12"
Scale Length: 24.75"
Nut Width: 1.695"
Body Width: 16"
Body Depth: 1.75"
Strings: D'Addario Chromes ECG25 (.012-.052)
When I decided to finally acquire my dream electric guitar—a Gibson semi-hollow—I had a really hard time trying to decide between the iconic ES-335 and its slightly fancier cousin, the ES-345. The current 345 is basically the same guitar but with upgraded binding and split parallelogram inlays similar to what you usually see on the hollowbody ES-175.
I originally settled on the 335 because it's
the classic guitar model that all other semi-hollows tend to emulate—there's a reason there's a "335-style" category of guitars. While not as fancy as the 345, the dot inlays on a 335 are also timeless—at one time the model was actually referred to as an ES-335 Dot, and for many years the Epiphone version of the guitar was simply called the Epiphone Dot.
But the nicer appointments on the ES-345 were also really appealing, and I kept wavering back and forth trying to decide which model to get. I couldn't go wrong either way, but I still found it really difficult to choose. Every time I'd think my decision was made, a little voice in my head made counter-arguments for why I might like the other one better.
So I eventually ended up doing to the only "reasonable" thing, and buying both of them! I had to sacrifice a couple other guitars from the collection in order to add the ES-345, but it was worth it. The 335 is my favorite style of guitar, and owning two classic Gibson versions was worth parting with a couple other guitars I wouldn't love as much.
As for why I'd want two guitars that are so similar—the only differences are cosmetic, especially since I got both guitars in the Sixties Cherry finish—part of the appeal is a result of many years of performing in bands and as a solo acoustic artist. I always liked to have a similar/identical guitar to use as a backup (or, in the case of the acoustics, to leave in dedicated alternate tunings). I no longer perform, so that's not really a legitimate reason these days—but I did it for so long that it still feels natural to have two guitars this similar.
From a more practical standpoint, I like the idea of being able to set up the 335 and the 345 slightly differently to have additional options easily at hand without having to constantly change strings. For example, I can put flatwound strings on one of them and roundwounds on the other, or I could use different gauges of strings on both. I don't usually take advantage of these options—I typically use flatwound 12s on all my guitars—but it's nice to know that I
could.
There's also the advantage of being able to switch back and forth between the guitars without having to adjust for different body sizes, scale lengths, pickups, etc. It's always fun to have variety in the collection, but when you find a guitar that really works for you there's also something to be said for familiarity. The 335/345 just feels like "my" guitar in a way that no other does—so in some ways, buying anything else is sacrificing perfection for the sake of variety.
