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How to run a 335 with varitone with only one amp

DoctorDox

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Jan 24, 2015
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47
1968 335 with stop tail and varitone

Edit: the guitar is mono'ed so the original title isnt relevant now,

DLC9722.jpg

So I just purchased a super nice, factory varitone 335 today. I havent received it yet, but im pretty sure its still wired for stereo. Im just using one amp, a 74 Super reverb. What are my options? Ive searched endlessly but found not concrete solutions. What can I do to solve this issue? Is there a way around not altering the varitone? If I have to take it in and get it converted to Mono, I will but id rather now.

Any tips or pointers are greatly appreciated. I use a 335 as well, and these are my only two guitars. Should I get a stereo to mono cable? does that make the tone suffer? What are my options. Thanks!
 
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Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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14,537
Doc, Varitone control is not a stereo control or function, but rather an elaborate tone filter employing multiple caps for tone filters. I had a mono 1961 ES345 w/varitone.

You should be OK with a single amp, or channel, unless the guitar is also stereo.

If it is stereo you need to check the magnetic phase of the pickups as some stereo Gibsons have oopp. Deal with that as you would on a mono guitar and yes you can use a stereo to mono cable or have the guitar rewired for mono.
 
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TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
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8,349
So, is this 335 a custom ordered guitar with the Vari-Tone? As far as I know the Vari-Tone/stereo options only came on 355's & 345's. Is this an old guitar or a new one?
Cheers!
 

CAGinLA

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Jan 4, 2016
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489
So I just purchased a super nice, factory varitone 335 today. I havent received it yet, but im pretty sure its still wired for stereo. Im just using one amp, a 74 Super reverb. What are my options? Ive searched endlessly but found not concrete solutions. What can I do to solve this issue? Is there a way around not altering the varitone? If I have to take it in and get it converted to Mono, I will but id rather now.

Any tips or pointers are greatly appreciated. I use a 335 as well, and these are my only two guitars. Should I get a stereo to mono cable? does that make the tone suffer? What are my options. Thanks!

If your guitar is not wired for mono (as many are these days) but stereo, you need a stereo-to-mono y-cable and run it into an ABY box in reverse (i.e., use the box's mono jack as your output to the amp and the stereo jacks as inputs from your guitar's y-cable).
 

reddeluxe

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Apr 27, 2017
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If this is a modern 335, 345, or 355 made with only a single output jack on the face of the guitar (not the earlier types with TWO jacks mounted on the side) you are in luck, because they are factory wired in mono, even though it has the Varitone switch. As stated above, it has a series of multiple caps and resistors and a choke to give preset tone varistions, which get progressively thinner and brighter as you switch from position 2 through 6, also diminishing output. The #1 position is a bypass that has no affect , just like a stock 335. If you have an earlier more vintage model, run a stereo cable from out of the guitar into a "Y" end, and run each end into the 1st (normal) and 2nd (reverb) channel of your two channel amp. Of course the pickup going into the normal channel will not have reverb from the amp, but you could use a stompbox pedal to provide that. Enjoy!
 

Mars Hall

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Nov 26, 2008
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If your Guitar is stereo, all you need is a "Y" cable. One end to each channel of your Super Reverb. The 2 channels of your amp are out of phase with each other. The end result is that it "solves" the OOP pick ups and the guitar controls work as a guitar would that isn't OOP.
 

CAGinLA

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Jan 4, 2016
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If this is a modern 335, 345, or 355 made with only a single output jack on the face of the guitar (not the earlier types with TWO jacks mounted on the side) you are in luck, because they are factory wired in mono, even though it has the Varitone switch.

Not all of them! My 2016 Freddie King 345 is wired for stereo (single jack). Luckily, Gibson Memphis supplies a y-cable for it.
 

DoctorDox

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Jan 24, 2015
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So, is this 335 a custom ordered guitar with the Vari-Tone? As far as I know the Vari-Tone/stereo options only came on 355's & 345's. Is this an old guitar or a new one?
Cheers!
NEVERMIND guys sorry haha, just found out the guitar is mono'ed. Its a 1968 factory hardtail factory varitone 335. so im stoked
 

J T

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Oct 20, 2005
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10,501
Varitone 335?

What inlays are on the neck?
 

reddeluxe

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Apr 27, 2017
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Not all of them! My 2016 Freddie King 345 is wired for stereo (single jack). Luckily, Gibson Memphis supplies a y-cable for it.
You are correct, indravayu.....the Freddie King signature is an accurate recreation of his original stereo 345 (but pickups are not magnetically out of phase as on originals) and a great guitar. But all of the modern regular production pieces are wired in mono; with Varitone....no Y cable needed. Not to put too fine a point on it, but a factory 1968 3x5 is not going to have a stoptail, but a trapeze tailpiece, so the original poster's guitar has been modded, probably changing the output over to mono at the same time.
 

DoctorDox

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Well heres the guitar in question. its a factory hardtail and varitone, according to Rumbleseat music. I get it on thursday or friday. Im glad its mono'ed, definitely happy about that.
DLC9722.jpg

So with this, they told me it was all original, custom shop guys supposedly said so. but I have to question that because the bridge and tailpiece look nickel to me when they should be chrome, and tuners look nice. But Ive literally always wanted a 335 with a varitone. Like BB!
 
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DoctorDox

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Jan 24, 2015
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You are correct, indravayu.....the Freddie King signature is an accurate recreation of his original stereo 345 (but pickups are not magnetically out of phase as on originals) and a great guitar. But all of the modern regular production pieces are wired in mono; with Varitone....no Y cable needed. Not to put too fine a point on it, but a factory 1968 3x5 is not going to have a stoptail, but a trapeze tailpiece, so the original poster's guitar has been modded, probably changing the output over to mono at the same time.
Well, they said no extra holes, and sometimes they did do factory stop tails. But they are just super rare and never officially offered. I get it on thursday and we shall see what the story is. I know BB King had one, I think its one of the live at the regal guitars but i may be wrong
 
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OKGuitar

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Jan 20, 2011
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I'd be willing to bet that the stop tail isn't factory. Show us the end pin and the lack of holes when you get it and prove me wrong. The stop tail is not in the right location. It is too low by at least 1/8". Not that the factory couldn't have gotten it wrong. I've simply never seen a factory stop tail 68. It would have to have been a special order as it wasn't offered.
 

DoctorDox

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Jan 24, 2015
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I'd be willing to bet that the stop tail isn't factory. Show us the end pin and the lack of holes when you get it and prove me wrong. The stop tail is not in the right location. It is too low by at least 1/8". Not that the factory couldn't have gotten it wrong. I've simply never seen a factory stop tail 68. It would have to have been a special order as it wasn't offered.
We will see. I will be genuinely annoyed if they tried to sell it like that, especially being from a reputable place like Rumbleseat.

First thing me and my friend who I always ask opinions of vintage guitars before I buy one, he said the same thing about the stoptail. As long as it plays fine, im not too worried. Im not worried though. IM really curious to go through this guitar and see, to me, the tuners look like repro tuners which, im okay with. I think I got a fair price overall. Comes friday, so we will see!

Also, look at that bridge and tailpiece, thats nickel to my eyes. If it has the holes, and it doesnt play well then ill just get a 60s trapeze unit for it and make it like my other 335.
 
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