A Family Legacy in Modern Form
Marcus King's 1962 ES-345, nicknamed "Big Red," passed through three generations of his family before landing in his hands at age 18. That guitar became his constant companion on stages worldwide, a living link to his grandfather and father's musical heritage. Now Gibson brings that story full circle with the Marcus King ES-345 — a streamlined signature model that captures the look and soul of Big Red while addressing the practical needs of a working musician. This isn't a museum-grade replica. It's the guitar Marcus actually wanted: period-correct construction with modern reliability, simplified electronics without the Varitone circuit, and a fixed vibrola that delivers vintage aesthetic without the tuning headaches.
At its core sits a 3-ply maple/poplar/maple body with a solid maple center block for feedback resistance and sustain. Quarter-sawn Adirondack spruce bracing adds structural integrity and tonal complexity. The mahogany neck wears a Rounded profile that averages .875" at the first fret and .975" at the 12th fret — comfortable for all-day playing without feeling chunky. The Indian rosewood fretboard features acrylic split parallelogram inlays and 22 medium jumbo frets, while a 12" radius and 1.695" nut width provide familiar ES-series playability across the 24.75" scale length.
Where this guitar departs from tradition is in its no-nonsense approach to electronics. Marcus stripped away the original ES-345's six-position Varitone switch in favor of straightforward mono wiring with a three-way selector and individual volume and tone controls per pickup. The custom Marcus King anchor stud tailpiece replaces the "Custom Made" plate found on vintage models, and the fixed vibrola delivers all the visual drama of the original sideways unit without the risk of finish damage or tuning issues. Gold hardware throughout — including an ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge and Grover Rotomatic tuners with kidney buttons — completes the classic aesthetic.
Custombucker Pickups: Vintage Voice, Modern Consistency
A pair of Gibson Custombuckers bring this guitar to life, meticulously designed to capture the sonic magic of the original '50s-era Patent Applied For humbucker. These aren't generic humbuckers with a vintage name slapped on. Each Custombucker features Alnico III magnets for warm, sweet tone, along with the same 42-gauge wire and unbalanced coils as the original PAFs, plus a historically accurate unpotted design. The result is a dynamic, touch-sensitive voice that responds to your playing intensity — dig in hard and you'll get snarl and grit; back off your attack and the tone cleans up beautifully.
For players drawn to Marcus King's blues-rock hybrid sound, these pickups deliver. They handle overdriven sustain without turning muddy, articulate clean chord voicings without sounding sterile, and capture the harmonic complexity that made vintage ES guitars studio favorites in the 1960s. The semi-hollow body construction adds acoustic resonance and air to the tone, especially noticeable when playing unplugged or through clean amp settings. Hand-wired electronics with Orange Drop capacitors ensure the signal path stays pure from pickup to output jack.
Built for the Road, Inspired by History
The fixed vibrola tailpiece is one of this guitar's most distinctive features. Marcus's original '62 came with a rare factory-fitted sideways vibrola — a tremolo unit designed for flat-topped SGs that, on an archtop ES, had the unfortunate habit of potentially scuffing the finish during use. Marcus eventually swapped his for a fixed unit, and Gibson designed this signature model to reflect that evolution. You get the swooping, elegant lines of a vibrola tailpiece with the tuning stability of a hardtail bridge. A Graph Tech nut adds further tuning stability, making this guitar a reliable workhorse for players who need to stay in tune through long sets and temperature changes.
The Sixties Cherry finish is Gibson's classic translucent red, the same hue that earned Big Red its nickname. It lets the maple grain show through while delivering that unmistakable vintage ES vibe. Three-ply cream binding on the top and back, plus single-ply fingerboard binding, frame the body with traditional Gibson elegance. This is a guitar that looks at home on a festival stage, in a recording studio, or hanging on your wall between gigs. It's built in the USA and ships with a Gibson hardshell case for protection during transport.
Product Features:
- Semi-hollowbody construction with 3-ply maple/poplar/maple laminate and solid maple center block
- Quarter-sawn Adirondack spruce bracing for enhanced resonance and structural integrity
- Pair of Gibson Custombucker humbucking pickups with Alnico III magnets and unpotted design
- Mahogany neck with Rounded profile (.875" at 1st fret, .975" at 12th fret)
- Indian rosewood fretboard with 12" radius, 1.695" nut width, 24.75" scale length, and 22 medium jumbo frets
- Simplified mono wiring with 3-way selector, 2 volume, and 2 tone controls with Orange Drop capacitors
- Fixed vibrola tailpiece with custom Marcus King anchor stud plate
- ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge, Graph Tech nut, and Grover Rotomatic tuners with kidney buttons
- Gold hardware throughout and Sixties Cherry nitrocellulose finish
- Made in USA; includes Gibson hardshell case
Brand: Gibson
Model: Marcus King ES-345
SKU: ES45MK25SCGH1
Condition: New
Since 1872, C.A. House Music has been helping musicians across the Ohio Valley find the right gear -- with real advice from a team that actually plays. We're your authorized dealer of all the big names in guitars, keyboards, band instruments, drums, pro audio, and more. With four family-owned and operated locations in Ohio and West Virginia (plus a full online store), you don't have to go far for instruments, lessons, rentals, and repairs. No matter your musical needs, our team of musicians wants to help you Play Music for Life.
