Gibson Marcus King ES-345 Sixties Ch.

Gibson Marcus King ES-345 Sixties Ch. Review

The Gibson Marcus King ES-345 Sixties Ch. Is a signature semi-hollow guitar made in the USA, offered in Sixties Cherry. Its specification combines a maple and poplar body with a maple center block, a mahogany set neck, and two Custombucker humbuckers. The listed price is $3,555, and the guitar includes a case.

One owner's experience gives a useful sense of how this example arrived and felt in use. The setup was close to ready to play, requiring only a few adjustments. The owner also praised the visible grain on the top, the restrained look of the gold hardware, and the pickups' sound. That is one player's report rather than a guarantee about every instrument, but it suggests a strong first impression from both the finish and the electronics.

Semi-hollow construction and finish

The body uses a maple-poplar-maple construction, with a maple center block. This is a semi-hollow design, not a fully hollow guitar. The red Sixties Cherry finish keeps the look rooted in the ES-345 family, while cream-colored, three-ply binding runs around the front and back of the body. The black-and-white pickguard adds contrast without changing the model's familiar outline.

The neck is mahogany and set into the body. Its rounded profile measures 22 mm thick at the first fret and 25 mm at the twelfth. A single-ply binding edges the neck, and split-parallelogram inlays mark the rosewood fingerboard. The guitar has 22 medium-jumbo frets, a Graph Tech nut, and a nut width of 43.1 mm. Its 629 mm scale is also listed as 24.75 inches.

The available owner feedback calls attention to the top's wood grain and says the hardware looks good in person without appearing overly flashy. That observation fits the model's combination of a vivid red finish and gold-colored hardware. The included case is a practical addition at this price; no gig bag is listed.

Pickups and controls

Two Custombucker humbuckers are fitted, one in the neck position and one at the bridge. The control layout has separate volume and tone knobs for each pickup, with a three-way toggle switch for selecting between them. This gives the player direct access to the two pickup voices and their individual level and tone adjustments.

The owner's strongest sound-related comment was that the Custombuckers were "absolutely insane," and that the guitar was hard to put down. That is enthusiastic personal feedback, not a measured comparison with other pickups. Still, it is specific evidence that the electronics made a strong impression on this player. Anyone considering the model for an all-purpose instrument should try both pickup positions and the in-between setting in person, since playing style and amplifier choice shape the result.

Vibrola detail and specification check

The detailed product description lists a fixed Vibrola tremolo. A separate summary field, however, says "Tremolo: No." Those entries conflict, so buyers should confirm the hardware on the exact guitar they are ordering rather than rely on the summary field alone. The detailed specification also names Grover Rotomatic tuning machines with kidney-shaped buttons.

This kind of inconsistency matters because the tailpiece affects both appearance and setup expectations. The detailed description is the only place that identifies a Vibrola, so it is worth checking with the seller before purchase. The same care applies when confirming the instrument's included accessories: the listing says a case is included and a bag is not.

Verdict

At $3,555, the Marcus King ES-345 is a premium signature model with a distinctive red finish, semi-hollow construction, and a pair of Custombuckers. Its rounded mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard, 22 frets, separate pickup controls, and included case make the specification easy to assess before trying it. The owner report adds encouraging notes about the initial setup, top grain, hardware, and pickup response.

The main caveat in the supplied information is the disagreement over the Vibrola. Confirm that detail, along with the setup and condition of the individual guitar, before buying. For a player seeking a red semi-hollow Gibson with this pickup configuration, the model merits an in-person trial.