Vintage 70s ES 345/ES355 Question

[thepocna]

Folks, is it true that you need to have the stereo cord to hear both pickups and that you need an amp with 2 channels? I would like to buy a 70s 345 or 355 due to the slim neck profile (I have small hands and have a 1974 325 that has a neck I love) but I want to make sure this guitar will jibe with my basic Orange 30W Rocker amp and I'm not sure I understand the electronics. Thanks for any help!!!

[L5Larry]

Yes, this is true, BUT.......

 

There are many ways around this such as rewiring (or changing) the output jack on the guitar, using a stereo to mono adapter, or making or buying a stereo to mono cord (TRS-TS). All you really need to do is jump the two output wires together somewhere in the chain.

 

If you've found a guitar that you like, don't let this discourage you, it's easy to work around.

[Robin Nahum]

As you surmise, ES345s (and stereo ES355s) require a stereo lead - one side for each pickup. If you use a mono lead, you will only hear the neck pickup. (The newer version of the 345 has been redesigned with two mono outputs and the added feature that if you use the neck pickup output by itself, it functions as a regular mono out sending the signal from both pickups. However these also have the thicker neck and 1 11/16" nut which work for me but probably won't for you.)

 

The ES335 is mono as standard so the question does not arise.

 

Mono-ising a traditional 345 by joining the two hot outputs is sort of okay but the two circuits can interfere with each other. It is certainly worth trying as the cheap option though - it might be fine for your purposes.

 

I strongly suggest that you do this outside the guitar, say by making a special lead with stereo end and a mono end and the join somewhere along the way. The alternative, of modifying the circuit, requires pulling the electronics out through the pickup cavity and then replacing them. It is hard and gruesome work that should be avoided.

 

Passively mono-ising my '66 ES345 didn't work for me and I also found out that a two-channel amp like a Vibrolux or a Twin Reverb does not offer a solution because of phasing issues so I embarked on a bit of a voyage of discovery which you can read about here:

 

http://forums.gibson.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=471

 

Gibson did make an amp for use with its stereo guitars but they are pretty scarce. I have no idea how they sound.

 

Of course, if your budget is up to it and you don't mind lugging or have a tame roadie, another option is to run a stereo lead to a simple breakout box and then mono leads to two amps.

 

RN

[thepocna]

Thanks you guys for the help. So it sounds like the best way to deal with this is externally through a stereo input into a box that then has a mono output. I would hate to have any tonal quality lost in this process though

[Ken Rayba]

I have a mid-70's ES 345 and I play it thru a Fender Super Reverb. I kind of thought the stereo was a pain, and didn't want to change the electronics on it. I tried using a stereo to mono cord, it didn't have the same tone. I think you get the best tone using an amp w/two channels.

 

I'm curious, does your 345 have a full center block. I know in some of the 70's models, it wasn't a full block, I know mine isn't. I've even seen a 335 w/o a full center block.

[kaicho8888]

I have a "67 ES345 and it has a center maple block from the neck to the base of the guitar. This block has a notch for the PU that is opened to the right side of the guitar. You can fish out all the pots and switches through this PU notch. The pots have a larger shield around them.