Gibson Custom Back to the Future “1955” ES-345 Collector’s Edition, Light Aged Cherry Red Electric Guitar

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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

Other features include:

Binding 3-ply top, single-ply back and fretboard
Body Finish Murphy Lab Aged Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Body Material 3-ply maple/poplar/maple
Body Shape ES-335
Body Styles ES-335
Centerblock Maple
Fingerboard Material Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius 304.8mm / 12.0in
Fret Count 22
Frets Authentic Medium-Jumbo
Joint Long tenon, hide glue fit
Neck Material Mahogany
Nut Material Nylon
Nut Width 42.85mm / 1.69in
Profile 1961 Authentic Thin D-Shape
Scale Length 628.65mm / 24.75in
Bridge Pickup Custombucker Alnico 3, Unpotted
Controls 2 Volume, 2 Tone, CTS 500k audio taper potentiometers, paper-in-oil capacitors; 6-position mono varitone
Output Jack 1/4" Switchcraft
Pickup Selector Switchcraft 3-way toggle
Bridge ABR-1 No-Wire
Control Knobs Black top hat with gold reflector
Finish Aged gold
Mounting Rings Black M69 medium & tall
Pickguard Short ES-335; black 5-ply, wide bevel
Pickup Covers Gold
Strap Buttons Burnished brass
Switch Tip Cream
Switchwasher Gold with black lettering (Varitone)
Tailpiece Bigsby '59 B7, gold with black paint
Truss Rod Authentic 1950s no-tube
Truss Rod Cover Authentic stepped 2-ply
Tuner Plating Aged gold
Tuning Machines Kluson single line, single ring
Accessories Certificate of Authenticity, Dance poster, Clock Tower flyer, Goldie Wilson campaign button, Flux Capacitor case light, Time Machine keys, Marty and siblings photo, BTTF strap, Casio CA53W calculator watch, Pinheads picks
Case Lifton™ hardshell with Marvin Berry and The Starlighters graphics
Headstock Inlay Gibson logo and crown in mother of pearl; Hill Valley Music dealer plaque on headstock rear
Strings Gauge .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046
55ES345BTTFMLGH1
8 lbs 10 oz
#A55061

For more information on the Gibson Custom Shop Instrument, please contact us.

Manufacturer: Gibson
Series: Custom Shop
Body Style: Semi Hollow Body
Actual Weight: 8.10
Condition: Brand New
Color: Cherry Red
Model: Custom Back to the Future "1955" ES-345 Collector's Edition

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SKU: A55061

Weight: 8 lbs 10 oz

Gibson Custom Back to the Future "1955" ES-345 Collector's Edition, Light Aged, Cherry Red 8.10 #A55061

$19,999.00

Condition:: New
UPC:: 711106224756

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Description

Highlights

Other features include:

Binding 3-ply top, single-ply back and fretboard
Body Finish Murphy Lab Aged Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Body Material 3-ply maple/poplar/maple
Body Shape ES-335
Body Styles ES-335
Centerblock Maple
Fingerboard Material Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius 304.8mm / 12.0in
Fret Count 22
Frets Authentic Medium-Jumbo
Joint Long tenon, hide glue fit
Neck Material Mahogany
Nut Material Nylon
Nut Width 42.85mm / 1.69in
Profile 1961 Authentic Thin D-Shape
Scale Length 628.65mm / 24.75in
Bridge Pickup Custombucker Alnico 3, Unpotted
Controls 2 Volume, 2 Tone, CTS 500k audio taper potentiometers, paper-in-oil capacitors; 6-position mono varitone
Output Jack 1/4" Switchcraft
Pickup Selector Switchcraft 3-way toggle
Bridge ABR-1 No-Wire
Control Knobs Black top hat with gold reflector
Finish Aged gold
Mounting Rings Black M69 medium & tall
Pickguard Short ES-335; black 5-ply, wide bevel
Pickup Covers Gold
Strap Buttons Burnished brass
Switch Tip Cream
Switchwasher Gold with black lettering (Varitone)
Tailpiece Bigsby '59 B7, gold with black paint
Truss Rod Authentic 1950s no-tube
Truss Rod Cover Authentic stepped 2-ply
Tuner Plating Aged gold
Tuning Machines Kluson single line, single ring
Accessories Certificate of Authenticity, Dance poster, Clock Tower flyer, Goldie Wilson campaign button, Flux Capacitor case light, Time Machine keys, Marty and siblings photo, BTTF strap, Casio CA53W calculator watch, Pinheads picks
Case Lifton™ hardshell with Marvin Berry and The Starlighters graphics
Headstock Inlay Gibson logo and crown in mother of pearl; Hill Valley Music dealer plaque on headstock rear
Strings Gauge .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046
55ES345BTTFMLGH1
8 lbs 10 oz
#A55061