Product Overview
Gibson Custom Back to the Future “1955” ES-345 Collector’s Edition – Light Aged / Cherry Red
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IN STOCK NOW - THIS WAS PURCHASED BY A CUSTOMER THAT IS NOW CONSIGNING IT - TESTING THE MARKET OR HE WILL KEEP. THERE WAS A RECENT SALE FOR THIS PRICE HERE ON REVERB.
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Contact us and find out why you should buy your next guitar from Liberty Music! We fully inspect your instrument more than once, when received and when shipped. We also will SETUP your instrument at no additional charge prior to shipping your order.
We offer the following to help you secure your next dream guitar;
TRADE FROM ANYWHERE PROGRAM
- We accept trades on any musical instruments from anywhere—simply reach out and we take care of all the logistics.
FINANCING UP TO 48 Months*
- We offer financing up to 48 Month* with Affirm, Synchrony, and Klarna—contact us today to find out more!
90 DAY LAYAWAY!
- With a 20% deposit you have 90 days to pay the balance if the guitar is in stock; if it is a pre-order simply put 20% down to secure your guitar and the remainder due once it arrives.
We buy, sell and trade with financing options via Klarna, Affirm and Synchrony.
We will also beat any competitor’s price.
We are an AUTHORIZED Gibson DEALER. This comes with a full manufacturer’s warranty and is inspected upon receipt from the supplier and again prior to shipping your order.
An iconic guitar that transcends time
During a high school dance in 1955, a Gibson guitar helped change the course of music history—and even rewrote history itself—in one unforgettable cinematic moment. The ES-345™ model featured in Back to the Future became an icon and bridged the past, present, and future in a way that only a great instrument can. The Gibson ES-345 was initially released in 1959, and the film’s producers were notified of that fact by Norman Harris of Norman’s Rare Guitars, who supplied the guitar that was used for the film, which takes place in part in 1955. The producers of Back to the Future took artistic liberty when they selected the Cherry Red model to use for filming, and historical accuracy aside, the guitar’s aesthetic seemed right at home in the film’s mid-50s Enchantment Under the Sea school dance scenes.
Now, Gibson Custom is proud to introduce the Back to the Future “1955" ES-345 Collector’s Edition, a stunning tribute to a classic guitar that transcends time. It features a thinline, three-ply ES™ body made from maple, poplar, and maple, with a solid maple internal centerblock adding sustain and feedback resistance. The mahogany neck has a long tenon and is attached with hide glue. It features a 1961 Authentic Thin D-Shape profile and is equipped with a bound rosewood fretboard, 22 medium jumbo frets, and celluloid split parallelogram inlays. In a nod to the original guitar, which is the only known example from the era with a single parallelogram inlay at the 12th fret, the Back to the Future “1955" ES-345 Collector’s Edition also displays this rare feature. Powered by a pair of unpotted Gibson Custombucker pickups with Alnico 3 magnets, with each hand-wired to individual volume and tone controls with CTS® potentiometers and paper-in-oil tone capacitors, the Back to the Future “1955" ES-345 Collector’s Edition is also outfitted with a mono Varitone switch for added tonal versatility. The hardware is aged gold, as is befitting the upscale ES-345 model, including a Bigsby® B7 vibrato tailpiece. The Back to the Future “1955” ES-345 Collector’s Edition also features an artful interpretation of wear and aging by the Murphy Lab team. This meticulously crafted instrument celebrates an iconic moment in film history and the Gibson legacy of craftsmanship—both of which will stand the test of time.
Only 88 of these iconic guitars were crafted as part of this very special run, a nod to the speed required for time travel and the enduring legacy of the film. The artisans of the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville, Tennessee, matched every unique specification of the original guitar, including the solid 12th fret parallelogram inlay, reverse-engineered 1950s appointments, and a hand-stained Cherry Red and aniline dye finish. In another nod to the motion picture, a Lifton™ hardshell case with Marvin Berry and The Starlighters graphics and a collection of case candy is also included, making this a unique Collector’s Edition guitar for the ages.
Highlights
3-ply figured maple/poplar/maple body with solid maple centerblock
Mahogany neck with long tenon and 1961 authentic Thin D-Shape profile
Cherry Red Murphy Lab aged nitrocellulose lacquer finish
Dark rosewood fretboard with aged split parallelogram celluloid inlays and a single celluloid parallelogram inlay at the 12th fret
Gold Bigsby B7 vibrato with black paint
Aged gold hardware
Hill Valley Music dealer plaque on headstock rear
Lifton hardshell case with Marvin Berry and The Starlighters graphics
Specifications
Body Material: 3-ply Maple/Poplar/Maple with Maple center-block
Body Finish: Murphy Lab Aged Nitrocellulose Lacquer, Light-Aged Cherry Red
Body Binding: 3-ply top; single-ply back & fretboard
Body Shape: ES™ Thinline Semi-Hollow (ES-345 style)
Neck Material: Mahogany (Long Tenon, Hide-Glue Fit)
Neck Profile: 1961 Authentic Thin D-Shape
Fingerboard Material: Dark Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius: 12.0″ (304.8 mm)
Number of Frets: 22 Medium-Jumbo
Inlays: Celluloid Split Parallelogram + Single Parallelogram at 12th Fret
Nut Width / Material: 1.69″ (42.85 mm) / Nylon
Scale Length: 24.75″ (628.65 mm)
Bridge Pickup: Custombucker Alnico 3, Un-Potted
Neck Pickup: Custombucker Alnico 3, Un-Potted
Controls: 2 × Volume, 2 × Tone (CTS 500k), Paper-in-Oil Caps, 6-Position Mono Varitone Switch
Pickup Selector: Switchcraft 3-Way Toggle
Bridge: ABR-1 No-Wire
Tailpiece: Bigsby ’59 B7 (Gold with Black Paint)
Hardware Finish: Aged Gold
Mounting Rings: Black M69 Medium & Tall
Pickguard: Black 5-Ply with Wide Bevel
Tuners: Kluson Single-Line / Single-Ring, Aged Gold
Truss Rod: Authentic 1950s No-Tube Style
Strings Gauge: .010 / .013 / .017 / .026 / .036 / .046
Case Included: Lifton™ Hardshell with Marvin Berry & The Starlighters Graphics, Case Candy Box Set
Production Run: 88 Units Only
Orientation: RightHanded
