Mutato Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Hi all, I'm a longtime owner of an '84 ES-335 Dot Cherry Red. I recently played a used CS ES-345 reissue at my local GC. I always wondered about the Varitone switch and the different tone options. Although I thought they were cool, I think I am good with the standard tone. But that standard tone on the 345 was very nice. Seemed cleaner and brighter to my ears than my ES335. Are the pickups different? Especially with Neck and Bridge engaged, the 345 had a cooler janglier tone. More like that Meters' Cissy Strut. I heard the pickups were wired differently than the ES335. Out of phase or something. Can I do that with my ES335? Or does it really matter? Also, I've heard that my era ES335 might have the 300k pots versus the 500k, do you think it's that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitball Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 I have a regular 2011 ES-345 from Memphis, which I assume, is close to what you played, if not the same model. The Memphis 345 comes with a COA and a Gibson Custom case, but really is a production line guitar. Did the one you played have the dual jacks on the rim, or a single jack on the front of the guitar? Memphis 345 has the dual jacks. As far as I know, the out of phase wiring was something Gibson did in the 70's and earlier, but not on newer 345s. My 345 came with Classic '57 pickups. They do sound really good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutato Posted May 9, 2013 Author Share Posted May 9, 2013 I think the jack was on the front like my ES335. I don't think it was on the edge. The sucky thing about evaluating which pots I have is that you can't access them unless you pull the whole harness out! I'm pretty savvy with guitar wiring and soldering. It's more the fitment issues with the confined ES body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitball Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Post pics of your '84 when you can. One of my fondest memories from college was helping my buddy buy a 1983 ES-335 (my uncle spotted him the cash). We found it in a printed local ad near school...this was still in the 80's. He still has the guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plus Top Dan Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 What amp were you playing the 345 through compared to what you play your 335 through normally? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutato Posted May 10, 2013 Author Share Posted May 10, 2013 What amp were you playing the 345 through compared to what you play your 335 through normally? Played through a Princeton Reverb recording amp at GC. My normal amp is a '77 Princeton Reverb. Def more the guitar than the amp. God, I wish these guitars were easier to open up and look at inside! ; - ) Also, I def need to do a proper photoshoot of my baby, which I bought used for $485 back in 1988! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitball Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Also, I def need to do a proper photoshoot of my baby, which I bought used for $485 back in 1988! Very cool; it so happens that my friend bought his '83 DOT in 1988 for $500. We were roommates then, and I had a '79 ES-335 CRR. His guitar was cooler, in my current opinion, though at that time I had never seen a 50's 335, so the aesthetics of his guitar (wide horns, dot inlays) perplexed me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutato Posted May 11, 2013 Author Share Posted May 11, 2013 As promised, here's pix of my baby. Full pix link: http://s183.photobucket.com/user/mutato1234/library/1984%20Gibson%20ES%20335%20Dot%20Cherry%20Red Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitball Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Thanks Mutato! Good pics, and beautiful guitar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutato Posted May 12, 2013 Author Share Posted May 12, 2013 Thanks! She's been very good to me. Incredibly stable throughout the years. I mean, I've never had her set up and she's always been a great playing guitar. Never shifted intonation, neck action, or anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Thanks! She's been very good to me. Incredibly stable throughout the years. Did you miss the fact that this thread is about the 345. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Did you miss the fact that this thread is about the 345. Not sure as the OP he could miss it...but I know what you mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitball Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 Did you miss the fact that this thread is about the 345. Well, I encouraged sharing pics of the 335. I shoulda suggested doing that in another thread. Mea culpa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutato Posted May 13, 2013 Author Share Posted May 13, 2013 Did you miss the fact that this thread is about the 345. Certainly did not forget. Thanks for the pleasant reminder. Would love to hear about my initial questions regarding pickups/pot values etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaicho8888 Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 Here's Gibson's schematic list...click on ES345 schematic link It shows for the ES345 as having a 500k OHM Audio tapered. BTW, if you pull out the harness, the pots are also completely enclosed in a metallic container. I don't know if this was done on reissues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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