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

Release Date: October 21, 2025

Limited Edition – 88 units

Price
$19,999

Details
3-ply maple/poplar/maple body with maple centerblock, mahogany neck with long tenon and 1961 Authentic Thin D-Shape profile, dark rosewood fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets, split parallelogram inlays and a single parallelogram inlay at the 12th fret, Murphy Lab-aged finish and gold hardware, Custombucker pickups, Lifton case with Marvin Berry and The Starlighters graphics

Finish
Cherry Red

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 Specs

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

Neck Specs

Fingerboard Material
Rosewood

Fingerboard Radius
304.8mm / 12.0in

Fret Count
22

Frets
Authentic Medium-Jumbo

Inlays
Celluloid split parallelogram with celluloid parallelogram at 12th Fret

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

Electronics Specs

Bridge Pickup
Custombucker Alnico 3, Unpotted

Controls
2 Volume, 2 Tone, CTS 500k audio taper potentiometers, paper-in-oil capacitors; 6-position mono varitone

Neck Pickup
Custombucker Alnico 3, Unpotted

Output Jack
1/4″ Switchcraft

Pickup Selector
Switchcraft 3-way toggle

Hardware Specs

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

Misc Specs
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

Model:
55ES345BTTFMLGH1

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