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Memphis 'Non-Historic' ES-345

gadzooka

New member
Joined
Feb 14, 2002
Messages
1,612
Does anyone else here own and like the Memphis Reissue ES-345 that has the dual input jacks on the rim, instead of the traditional single jack on the top? I bought an '11 model in 2012 and have loved it since the first day. It feels great, and sounds balanced and sweet. The Varitone works beautifully, and in my home playing, I often like to use various >1 settings, especially 3,4 and 6. I have never played it in front of an audience, but it makes me want to. Are any of you all gigging with one of these?
 

reddeluxe

Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2017
Messages
82
Don't own one, but have extensively played a friend's "standard" 2010 ES 345, and compared it to my own 2015 '64 VOS reissue. In a nutshell, I feel it is like a standard 335 of that time period, that is only altered cosmetically, but of course with the Varitone/twin output jack set up, identical to the B. B. King Lucille model. It is a nice guitar and it plays and sounds good. It is heavier in weight, has Gibson '57 Classic pickups, the cutaway ears are fuller, the neck shape is the standard '60's slim taper as on the regular 335, the neck binding is not rolled, the tuners are the heavier screw in bushing and washer type with faux aged plastic tips and the cherry finish seems slightly more opaque and brighter red, compared to the reissue. Slightly less resonant acoustically. I think you would be happy playing it for yourself or out gigging in public, so enjoy!
 

gadzooka

New member
Joined
Feb 14, 2002
Messages
1,612
Thanks...

Ah, I'd forgotten the specs, like '57 Classic pickups. It is on the heavy side, though a bit lighter than the R7 Les Pauls I have owned...I think it's in the 8-9 lb range, whereas I think the LPs were a bit over 9..? Even so, it does get tiresome after a while to these 50-year-old shoulders, and I'm pretty strong. But I just love this instrument...and I gather Gibson was doing a decent job with 335s and Lucilles at the time, if this is essentially a variation between the two.

I love the slim neck. I did not like the huge neck on each of the R7s I used to have. I thought I'd get used to them, but I never did. Funny thing is, I didn't care for the slim neck on the Yamaha semi-hollow I once had. It felt too flat in my hand, but the Gibson profile is more comfy for me.

My only *slight* sorrow is that the one I found at the right price for me wasn't a sunburst. I really like the cherry, but not as much as sunburst on an ES.

I'll bet your '64 Reissue is incredible. Do you like the Varitone?

Don't own one, but have extensively played a friend's "standard" 2010 ES 345, and compared it to my own 2015 '64 VOS reissue. In a nutshell, I feel it is like a standard 335 of that time period, that is only altered cosmetically, but of course with the Varitone/twin output jack set up, identical to the B. B. King Lucille model. It is a nice guitar and it plays and sounds good. It is heavier in weight, has Gibson '57 Classic pickups, the cutaway ears are fuller, the neck shape is the standard '60's slim taper as on the regular 335, the neck binding is not rolled, the tuners are the heavier screw in bushing and washer type with faux aged plastic tips and the cherry finish seems slightly more opaque and brighter red, compared to the reissue. Slightly less resonant acoustically. I think you would be happy playing it for yourself or out gigging in public, so enjoy!
 

reddeluxe

Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2017
Messages
82
I am one of the minority that does like and use the Varitone. Have owned several different years/variations of the 345 through my playing career, and learned to use it back in the day with a two channel Fender amp, which solves the out of phase pickup problem and makes the guitar sound better to my ears. The Varitone can add interesting tonal possibilities, and with a modern boost pedal or compressor, can mitigate the volume loss when used on the higher numerical settings. All that being said, my particular re-issue was in a limited run made in mono without the Varitone.....I bought it because of the great neck, VOS treatment, lighter weight and the 345 style cosmetics.....and the set of MHS pickups sounds great.
 

stilwel

Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2017
Messages
126
I had a red 2007 es-345 that I really liked a lot. I ended up selling it to fund a Luther Dickinson 335 purchase, but that 345 was really cool. I actually liked the Varitone, which had some useful alternate tones and (i think) looks really cool and right on a 345. In position 1 you get a standard es-33x sound, so I don't understand the hate for it. Just turn it off.

This one originally came with a trapeze tailpiece and I had the Bigsby B7 installed. It was stock otherwise.

9i5pvo.jpg


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reddeluxe

Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2017
Messages
82
Pretty guitar! I think most people don't like the Varitone because of a couple of reasons. Besides the added Varitone switch, there are the two hidden chokes that go with the switch, attached just above the bridge pickup cavity. For ease of installing the chokes/Varitone/harness assembly, there is a substantial "window" cut out of the center block in the body. Some will claim this hurts the guitar's sustain potential, but I have never found it so. The weight of the assembly adds about 1 lb. to the overall weight, which some also don't like. Most people don't bother to learn how to use the stereo function correctly, and when using both pickups together, the magnetically out of phase pickup problem tends to cancel a lot of mid frequencies out. It is a simple matter to turn either volume knob down just slightly, to get less of that cancellation. When used with the higher numbers on the Varitone switch, which cuts mids and thins out the tone to begin with, it can seem like the guitar has lost most of its output, unless you adjust the volume controls slightly. The thin sounds of the higher numbers don't sound like a traditional single coil (or split humbucker) which some people expect. Using a boost or compression pedal can help raise the output to more evenly match the full humbucker sound on the numerically lower numbers of the Varitone. B.B. King uses the Varitone/dual pickup combo brilliantly on some of his classic recordings.
 

stilwel

Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2017
Messages
126
Beautiful! How's that LD 335? I watched the Wildwood Guitars demo of one, and needed a drool cloth.
Simply the best semi hollow I’ve ever owned. It was absolutely (and literally) a dream guitar for me.
Since the early 90’s I had wanted a sunburst 335 with black dog-eared p90’s and a Bigsby. Unfortunately it didn’t exist at the time.
Love the ‘59 neck shape and the alnico ii P90’s are amazing.

Like I said, I liked that red 345 a lot, but it was a no-brainer for me to jump on the LD-335 when one appeared for sale at a reasonable price. Shockingly, I came out ahead after selling/buying!!

Here’s my thread on the LD-335 from last year.
https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/...n-Luther-Dickinson-ES-335&highlight=Dickinson
 

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
I've always had a preference for 345 and 355 with variatone. I love the added tones and versatility. Gotta have a full neck. No use for sissy necks.:spabout:laugh2:
 

1jamman

New member
Joined
Feb 28, 2013
Messages
610
Does anyone else here own and like the Memphis Reissue ES-345 that has the dual input jacks on the rim, instead of the traditional single jack on the top? I bought an '11 model in 2012 and have loved it since the first day. It feels great, and sounds balanced and sweet. The Varitone works beautifully, and in my home playing, I often like to use various >1 settings, especially 3,4 and 6. I have never played it in front of an audience, but it makes me want to. Are any of you all gigging with one of these?

I bought a 2014 Memphis '59 RI ES-345 Blond .Doesn't have the jack on the side , But, I love the guitar now ..After a neck shave down to .870 @ the 1st fret, it's a player /keeper(Thanks Kip @ Starr Guitars) .
Big Al may have really liked it when the neck was original . @ the 1st fret it was .920 which demanded a shave, if I were to keep it . It's cool factor was up there . I did it ....
Nice having the Varitone to change up with different tones .
After not having available to play for a few years now(brought it here a head of my move a few months ago) . I find my\self grabbing it more then all the others . I surely did miss it and having it to play everyday is just what the Dr. ordered . It's not my #1 ES-3X5 but I'm still glad I have it .
 
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