Hail to the king, baby
There's something about Gibson guitars that stand the test of time. However you take on a Gibson guitar, you're working with generations of fine design, craftsmanship, and musicality. There are certain players who understand this longevity and lineage intuitively. Among them, Marcus King.
When it comes to modern blues guitarists, Marcus King is one of the first few that rise to the top. The young blues maestro is among the many modern champions of Gibson guitars. Known for his effortless mastery of the classic musical form, King has brought his brand of Americana music all around the world. It's with this particular brand of Americana that King has carried one piece in particular – a Gibson ES-345. Infused with some true heritage, the guitar on the docket today is a meeting of the King and Gibson families for a true blue (or red) semi-hollow classic in real time.
This is the Gibson Marcus King ES-345.
Shop the Gibson Marcus King ES-345
The King and I
Introducing the Gibson Marcus King ES-345 Signature Semi-Hollow
Talking about modern Gibson string-slingers, Marcus King stands tall among the pack. The young guitarist is one of the premier players in blues, rock, and Americana guitar. While so much of King's skill comes from his own work and talent, there are two other places to which his skill is owed: his family and his Gibson guitars.
One thing to know about Marcus King is that music runs in his family. His grandfather, a country musician, and his father, a blues guitarist, no doubt had some impact on King's musical upbringing and outlook on musicality. King's path as a guitarist certainly must have some trace of his family. What's also worth considering in King's identity as a player is his proximity to Gibson guitars. King, historically a Gibson aficionado, makes no mistake about his signature ES-345's origin. Today's Gibson Marcus King ES-345 is a replica.
Studious Gibson fans might recognize today's Gibson Marcus King ES-345 from elsewhere. Originally offered exclusively as a Gibson Custom Shop model, the Marcus King ES-345 appears before us today as a close recreation of one guitar in particular: the King family ES-345. That's right, the Marcus King ES-345 is a recreation of King's family's own personal ES-345 handed down initially from father to son, and then father to son again. If the King name simply wasn't enough to make this Gibson semi-hollow royalty, maybe the history behind it will.
Balancing Gibson's vintage designs with authentic Marcus King specifications, the Gibson Marcus King ES-345 is a masterclass in Gibson craft and playability. Let's talk about it.
Semi-Hollow Kind of Life
Gibson Marcus King ES-345 Semi-Hollow Guitar Design
The Gibson Marcus King ES-345 is a historically-minded model set for blazing new trails. This semi-hollow, imbued with all the years onstage of the King family original, is designed for authentic Gibson semi-hollow musicality. Gibson's classic ES "Electric Spanish" body is brought together by three-ply maple and poplar. The maple/poplar/maple layering aligns with quality quartersawn Adirondack spruce braces and a maple center block. Enhancing the acoustic balance and increasing feedback resistance, respectively, these two elements make for two crucial additions to the semi-hollow formula. Altogether, this ES-345's body is airtight and expressive when it comes to delivering a consistent tonal profile acoustically and amplified.
Continuing on, the ES-345 body welcomes a mahogany neck in a Rounded profile. This profile connects with a full Gibson grip in hand while acting as a good match for an Indian rosewood fingerboard. The model's Indian rosewood fingerboard is lined with twenty-two Medium Jumbo frets and measures at a twelve-inch radius. Ideal for fast, fiery, soulful playing, this neck and board are perfect for the kind of music King brings all over the world. Acrylic split parallelogram inlays lay out across the rich Indian rosewood for that classic Gibson visual element.
Fit for a King
Gibson Marcus King ES-345 Semi-Hollow Guitar Tones and Hardware
With any fine Gibson creation, the story doesn't stop at the construction, alone. Like so many Gibson guitars before it, the Gibson Marcus King ES-345 features a pair of rich humbucking pickups. This Gibson signature features two Gibson Custombucker pickups hand-wired with Orange Drop capacitors. Ideal for mixing through the warmth and grit Custombuckers are known for, this careful hand-wiring brings the entire model up one more level. Taking up this Marcus King ES-345 is sure to inspire some of King's classic bluesy riffage, just plug in to your best amp, throw on an overdrive or two, and hear the King family sound come to life.
Although, once again, the story doesn't stop there, at the pickups. King's ES-345 features a sturdy lineup of hardware specifications set to make for a stable and reliable playing experience. For one, a Graph Tech nut and Grover Rotomatic tuning machines align at the guitar's headstock for easy stringing on-the-fly or for a full setup. At the scale's opposite end, perhaps you've noticed it by now, is an ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge with a fixed Vibrola tailpiece. One of the few alterations from King's Gibson Custom ES-345 model, this fixed Vibrola tailpiece does not feature a tremolo arm, but retains all the style and stability you need to play confidently. Finally, a custom stud anchor cover bearing Marcus King's name puts that finishing personal touch on this Gibson model.
Gibson Marcus King ES-345 Semi-Hollow Final Thoughts
With the Gibson Marcus King ES-345, we're treated to an exceptional Gibson semi-hollow generations in the making. Bringing together classic Gibson design and assembly with King's distinctive touch, the Gibson Marcus King ES-345 is a unique look into one of modern blues' most prolific players. Any Gibson fanatic is sure to have a field day with this personalized ES-345, its iconic looks, and quality design and construction. With this signature semi-hollow, the King family ES-345 lives to ride another day.
