"Marcus King's latest Gibson ES-345 iteration encapsulates the essence and aesthetic of the original model, featuring only the crucial elements handpicked by King."
Kickin' it Old School with a Modern Twist:
Guitar legends Gibson and Marcus King have teamed up to bring you another badass signature guitar, this time based on King's iconic 1962 ES-345, aka "Big Red" - a guitar that's been passed down from grandfather to father, and now to King himself.
At first glance, you might think, "What's the beef?" But take a closer look, and you'll see that this new Marcus King ES-345 has more than meets the eye. Yeah, it's got the same boxy semi-hollow body, shiny gold hardware, and that rad Sixties Cherry finish. But it's a trimmed-down version of the Custom Shop ES-345 that dropped back in 2019.
Check out that Vibrola tailpiece. King's put the kibosh on the wobble for this new edition, securing it down to keep those strings stable. And, to save you an earful at your next gig, he's ditched the six-position mono Varitone switch.
Under the hood, there are a few changes to the lower-end components. Like those USA production models, this ES-345 sports a Custombucker pairing, but this time hooked up to a hand-wired control harness sporting Orange Drop capacitors. The Custom Shop version, on the other hand, flaunted Black Cat caps.
Now, take it from King himself. He's so sentimental about the original Big Red that he keeps it at home, preferring to gig with his Custom Shop signature model. So, what can you expect from this bad boy? "It's gonna give you that resonance, that sustain, and it's something to hold onto. It's got good curves, you know – nice hips," King says.
Think of this Gibson USA Artist model as the dependable gigging guitar – that fixed Vibrola isn't just more reliable from a tuning perspective, but it’s designed for optimal playability. After all, those Vibrolas were intended for SGs, not arch-top beauties like the ES-345. You might occasionally scratch the finish on these ES-345s playing that sideways bar.
New to this ES-345 is a fixed Vibrola tailpiece to boost tuning stability. Bye-bye, Varitone switch, hello, solid tuning. The pickups are Custombuckers, like the original, but the newer model opts for Orange Drop caps in the hand-wired control harness. These little changes add up to make this guitar more affordable, with a retail price of $3,999. That includes a hard-shell case. You can learn more over at Gibson.
[2] https://www.musicradar.com/news/gibson-marcus-king-es-345-unveiled[3] https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/28842-gibson-marcus-king-es-345[4] https://www.reverb.com/news/gibson-marcus-king-es-345-review
- With its slimmed-down features and modern updates, this new signature guitar combines technology and entertainment, offering music enthusiasts a gadget that brings a modern twist to the classic vibe of a 1960s guitar.
- For music lovers seeking a balance between old-school charm and contemporary performance, this Gibson USA Artist ES-345 powered by Marcus King seamlessly integrates gadgets, technology, entertainment, and even a touch of personal sentiment into one astounding piece of equipment.
