1974 Gibson ES-345 in blonde, (Used)

The 1974 Gibson ES-345 described here is an exceptionally rare example, finished at the factory in blonde and built with a stoptailpiece rather than the more common trapeze. The body is constructed from laminated maple, with an especially striking birdseye maple top that highlights the uniqueness of this instrument. It carries the multi-ply binding, split parallelogram inlays, and gold-plated hardware that defined the ES-345 of the era, along with factory-installed Grover tuners for stable performance.

A replacement pickguard has been fitted in place of the deteriorating original, crafted from real celluloid with binding to match period-correct specifications. The electronics include modern CTS pots, but the remainder of the wiring harness, pickups, and other components remain original to the instrument. The guitar retains its varitone switch and stereo wiring, which were standard features of the ES-345 model.

The instrument has undergone a neck repair following a break, with a black stinger finish added to the back of the headstock to conceal the repair. Structurally, the guitar remains stable, and the repair work is in line with practices used on vintage instruments of this type. Taken together, its rare combination of factory blonde finish, factory stoptail construction, and Grover tuners, along with the distinctive birdseye maple top, mark it as a unique specimen within the ES-345 lineage.