Cemil Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 I have a Lucille colored one with a tailpiece, dating from 1973. I hardly use the varitone, and the stereo doesn't bother me anymore. I now play mostly jazz, and I plug a single mono lead into it - this gives me access to the neck pickup only, which is fine for me. However, I have experimented in the past with plugging the neck pickup into a Twin Reverb and the bridge into a Marshall stack :) I have also used a slight delay on one of them for a thicker sound, as someone posted earlier. I've had little use for the Varitone, sometimes using position 3 or 4. I have to say that my 345 is absolutely fantastic to play. Out of all my guitars, this is the one that seems to 'play by itself'. I've had it refretted last year, and it is better than ever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitball Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 I have a Lucille colored one with a tailpiece, dating from 1973. I hardly use the varitone, and the stereo doesn't bother me anymore. I now play mostly jazz, and I plug a single mono lead into it - this gives me access to the neck pickup only, which is fine for me. However, I have experimented in the past with plugging the neck pickup into a Twin Reverb and the bridge into a Marshall stack :) I have also used a slight delay on one of them for a thicker sound, as someone posted earlier. I've had little use for the Varitone, sometimes using position 3 or 4. I have to say that my 345 is absolutely fantastic to play. Out of all my guitars, this is the one that seems to 'play by itself'. I've had it refretted last year, and it is better than ever! "Lucille colored", as in, an ebony 345? Mmmmmmm-mmmmmm ebony 345s are always spectacular to behold. If you have pics, please post them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnappi Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Exactly. I remember someone on the Les Paul Forum posted audio clips of a 1960s ES-345, before and after removal of the Varitone, and I have to admit, that particular guitar sounded a lot better without it. The perception that the Varitone is an "evil tone sucker" certainly got a boost from that demo. You know, I don't believe much of ANYTHING I see or hear on the web. Jeez if they can make me believe that there is a Wookie, tampering with the sound of a guitar is easy to make sound like crap, or better. If I can't prove it by playing it myself it's disregarded. Anyone who listens to a web sound clip and makes a decision to NOT buy one and doesn't try it themselves is missing out on a LOT of cool guitars. I have three Varitone guitars and they satisfy me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitball Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 You know, I don't believe much of ANYTHING I see or hear on the web. Jeez if they can make me believe that there is a Wookie, tampering with the sound of a guitar is easy to make sound like crap, or better. If I can't prove it by playing it myself it's disregarded. Anyone who listens to a web sound clip and makes a decision to NOT buy one and doesn't try it themselves is missing out on a LOT of cool guitars. I have three Varitone guitars and they satisfy me. Amen, bro! It's precisely that line of thinking that made me decide to order my Memphis ES-345 in January (plus, I'd already had a '68 that I knew was good). I had the option to return the guitar in 30 days, and I would have done so if there was anything wrong with it. But the guitar totally smokes. IMO, let the scoffers totally diss the 345, or Varitone-spay them. We who like them in their original state can buy them up cheap. LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxPaul Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 I've had 2 345's through the years and both were great guitars but I never used the varitone. I have a 335 now and it's the one guitar that all serious players should have but the major drawback is that it is so expensive that I don't use it for gigs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted April 15, 2013 Share Posted April 15, 2013 We who like them in their original state can buy them up cheap. LOL! I just wish they were even cheaper Spitball! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitball Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 I just wish they were even cheaper Spitball! I agree. "Cheap" is certainly a relative term. They just don't feel as expensive to me after my foray into semi-vintage (late 60s) Gibsons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnappi Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 Here's mine: https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/58135_564231726931648_295693664_n.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 Here's mine: https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/58135_564231726931648_295693664_n.jpg Link doesn't work Gary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitball Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Took my 2011 out for some sun the other day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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