MulliganAl 1 Report post Posted September 6, 2016 I ask because I see one on the Sweetwater site but wonder since it has all the appointments of a ES345 but no switch. http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ES45F6415SCGH/sn52026 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
powerwagonjohn 7 Report post Posted September 6, 2016 Apparently, but what's the point? A ES-335 with different inlays? Thanks John 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jayyj 10 Report post Posted September 6, 2016 I can understand it: the 355 sells well in the mono configuration and lots of people prefer rosewood to ebony, so it figures there might be a small market for people who want a flashier 335 without the ebony board. In fact, since 355s currently have Richlite boards, given how much unhappiness there is over Richlite on posher guitars there's probably a few customers who would pick this mono 345 over a Richlite 355 for that reason as well. This is the first run of 345s I can remember seeing without the varitone dial - perhaps a special run ordered by Sweetwater? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MulliganAl 1 Report post Posted September 6, 2016 I can understand it: the 355 sells well in the mono configuration and lots of people prefer rosewood to ebony, so it figures there might be a small market for people who want a flashier 335 without the ebony board. In fact, since 355s currently have Richlite boards, given how much unhappiness there is over Richlite on posher guitars there's probably a few customers who would pick this mono 345 over a Richlite 355 for that reason as well. This is the first run of 345s I can remember seeing without the varitone dial - perhaps a special run ordered by Sweetwater? I asked the folks at Sweetwater and they didn't seem to know either. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kaicho8888 34 Report post Posted September 6, 2016 Geeze, another slight variation trying appeal to some possible market. I suppose manufacturers have to come up with new or modified products to survive yearly... and also help you lighten your wallets. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MulliganAl 1 Report post Posted September 6, 2016 Geeze, another slight variation trying appeal to some possible market. I suppose manufacturers have to come up with new or modified products to survive yearly... and also help you lighten your wallets. Well, my rep with Sweetwater will let me have it for just over $3,000 but I need to make a decision by the end of the work day in order to get the 36 months free financing. Decisions decisions the pressure is on. The only problems I have is if I ever want to sell it how the hell would I describe it and who would buy it? Would I just be better off with a standard ES345 at the same price? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteveFord 583 Report post Posted October 5, 2016 Nah, save your money. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
powerwagonjohn 7 Report post Posted October 6, 2016 The varitone is the reason I bought a ES-345.That and the good deal I got from Trent at Professional Music in IA ! Thanks John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
capmaster 79 Report post Posted October 6, 2016 The varitone is the reason I bought a ES-345.That and the good deal I got from Trent at Professional Music in IA ! Thanks John ES-345 means including Varitone switch to me, too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pin 86 Report post Posted November 1, 2016 ES-345 means including Varitone switch to me, too. Quite. An ES345 without a Varitone is a walk-on-by for me. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TOMAS POBLADOR 0 Report post Posted November 9, 2016 In Chicago music exchange there is a great offer : 2600$ for a 345 without the varotine , is a 335 with different inlays in the freatboard that's it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WildBillMojo 1 Report post Posted January 13, 2019 The Varitone is a wonderfull thing used correctly IMHO. BB King and Freddy King seemed to like it too....... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Twang Gang 416 Report post Posted January 14, 2019 In Chicago music exchange there is a great offer : 2600$ for a 345 without the varotine , is a 335 with different inlays in the freatboard that's it and Gold hardware which you don't see very often on 335s unless it's a Custom Shop model, and that would probably be more expensive. No longer available through Sweetwater, so they must have sold what they had to someone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gnappi 43 Report post Posted January 17, 2019 If you want a 345 without VT, it's likely because of the fret markers, then a Eastman T-486 will do that at 1/2 (or less) the price :-) The 345 is thankfully what it is and hasn't changed unlike the model of the week some of the Gibson line. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TK LP 0 Report post Posted November 11, 2019 This one came from Chicago Music Supply. All the goodness of a 335 with the added bling of the 345. Personally, I like the gold hardware, split parallelograms, and triple ply top binding. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thornev 9 Report post Posted November 11, 2019 Funny. The Sweetwater ad makes it sound like it's a recreation of a vintage 345. It is nothing like it. 2 different pickups? No varitone? Light-weight tailpiece? No wonder the guitar is no longer available. False advertising if you ask me. I have a 1962 ES345 and I absolutely love it. It plays itself. Thorne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
powerwagonjohn 7 Report post Posted November 11, 2019 Beautiful guitar TK LP, enjoy. If it plays half as good as it looks you will be happy with it. Thanks John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Larsongs 221 Report post Posted November 13, 2019 Blinged up 335's have been around for a long time.. What's the big deal? I've owned a Vintage Gibson 1959 ES345 Stereo with PAF's & it was an amazing Guitar.. The Varitone was not a problem. It's one of two of about 100 Guitars over my lifetime I wished I'd kept. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wmachine 92 Report post Posted November 14, 2019 (edited) On 11/11/2019 at 9:08 AM, thornev said: Funny. The Sweetwater ad makes it sound like it's a recreation of a vintage 345. It is nothing like it. 2 different pickups? No varitone? Light-weight tailpiece? No wonder the guitar is no longer available. False advertising if you ask me. I have a 1962 ES345 and I absolutely love it. It plays itself. Thorne Sorry, but it is indeed a "recreation", specifically called a reissue. Back then they could be had w/o varitone, and the MHS pups are the reissue pups Gibson uses. Not to mention all the other reissue-only specs. So it it hardly false advertising and it is no longer available because it is a 2015 model. I have a '64 ES-345 reissue with varitone and a Maestro (my avitar), and I love it, too. But that doesn't make this one an imposter. Edited November 14, 2019 by Wmachine Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Larsongs 221 Report post Posted November 14, 2019 2 hours ago, Wmachine said: Sorry, but it is indeed a "recreation", specifically called a reissue. Back then they could be had w/o varitone, and the MHS pups are the reissue pups Gibson uses. Not to mention all the other reissue-only specs. So it it hardly false advertising and it is no longer available because it is a 2015 model. I have a '64 ES-345 reissue with varitone and a Maestro (my avitar), and I love it, too. But that doesn't make this one an imposter. I owned a real Vintage 1959 ES345 Stereo with PAF's & Varitone.. Wish I still had it. I'm not familiar with real Vintage ES345's that didn't have Varitone.. When was that? Thanks.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TK LP 0 Report post Posted November 14, 2019 9 minutes ago, TK LP said: I was responding to the original post. I don’t know of any previous 345s that did not have Varitone, but in 2015, Gibson made them. And they say they made 50 of them. I don’t read anything that calls it a reissue, or a Historic, but they call it a 1964. http://legacy.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2015/Memphis/1964-ES-345TDC-No-Varitone.aspx like them, don’t like them, whatever, but yes, they did make such a beast. It’s not vintage, but it’s a real 345. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Larsongs 221 Report post Posted November 14, 2019 5 minutes ago, TK LP said: I was responding to the original post. I don’t know of any previous 345s that did not have Varitone, but in 2015, Gibson made them. And they say they made 50 of them. I don’t read anything the calls it a reissue, or a Historic, but they call it a 1964. http://legacy.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2015/Memphis/1964-ES-345TDC-No-Varitone.aspx like them, don’t like them, whatever, but yes, they did make such a beast. It’s not vintage, but it’s a real 345. It says, "Interesting twist on a Classic". I'm pretty familiar with ES345's & don't recall one without a Varitone from the 50's or 60's... From the 70's on they were pretty much based on the Originals but Reissues & IMO never equalled the Sound.... Still don't even with MHS. Although the MHS in my Memphis ES335 are the closest I've heard to my 59 ES345.. Now Poetic license is very much the standard for most, not all, Reissues... 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites