This is the type of video that made me a lifelong TPS watcher. I look forward to Fridays all week and dedicate however long the video is because of the care, interesting topics, pure cinematic quality, presenter eloquence and more. It's not just entertainment, it's engaging which is crazy to say about a one-way media. Thank you, again, Mick & Dan for the amazing value you provide the music community. The best example of doing something you absolutely love and are passionate about and it tangibly seeping through the bytes & bits.
@@ThatPedalShow I totally agree. I'm so invested in TPS, that Mick mentioned their sales were down over the summer, so I bought a hoodie, t-shirt, and some stickers... just to help out. What would we do without TPS? It's the only thing I watch consistently. LOL
On the pickups, Five Watt World in a short history of Gibson guitars, noted Gibson may have purposely put the wrong patent number in the pickups (this is common and the ‘wrong’ number on your pickups match every other standard Gibson pickup of the time). It’s suspected they did that to throw off competitors. Super cool video, I LOVE how much detail was here and also moments of frustration and decision making that make this much more understandable and relatable. So very helpful! Thanks Mick! ✌️😌🎸
Sweet Mick … your masochistic drive to fish the innards of semi-hollowbody guitars is equal parts laudable and vexing. I love it that you’re willing to put yourself through this pain while we watch. Your bravery and insanity is appreciated and noted. Good work sir. By the way, it’s TOTALLY worth it to rewire that guitar. Leaving it under-playable for how you play would be a super bummer.
Surprised by it too - I know Mick is into the ultra-high end vintage market now, but given it was THE guitar and had many times it’s value over done in mods I thought it would stick. The reason I have Texas antiquity still in mine
I'll try and answer all of these at once. Selling Blue was an incredibly easy decision. It was the right time for it to go to a new home and give some inspiration to someone else, given that I'd stopped playing it. And to Caspay, I'm definitely not into the ultra high end market - I can't afford that. But I am into old player-grade guitars that don't meet the vintage-market requirements!
It’s going to be hilarious if you guys strip down to a few great guitars and amps again. When I did it last, I simplified to a 2002 CS ‘59 335, 2 ash parts teles, one pedalboard and a 76 Deluxe Reverb. You can do anything with that rig. Cheers!
Wow, I was unaware that you parted with Blue. That must have been hard, but on the other hand, that guitar deserved to be top of someone's heap. Good on you for moving it on and letting it be played and loved.
Plus it helps that he got a very fine vintage Strat to replace Blue. I was sentimental about that guitar too as it’s the one Mick had when I got my first life changing Strat and discovered the channel. Been a fan ever since. ❤
Another prominent ES345 artist is Bill Nelson "Be Bop Deluxe" who I'm sure if you contacted him would have been only too pleased to discuss his 345 and how he's used it.. certainly worthy of getting on the show.
Congrats Mick, it sounds fantastic. The TPS guitar stable has become extraordinary over the years. I'd fancy a vlog about Dan's SG if he can muster the time.
At first I thought "why is he bothering?", it is such a pain with an ES guitar to rewire, but, I stand corrected it was well worth it, Sounds fantastic, just a beautiful guitar. You can never go astray simplifying.
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this but to help get the pots in the right holes.... Mark the ends of the shafts with permanent marker. As you look at the end of the shaft colour half of one split shaft for Bridge Volume and all of one split end of the shaft for Tone. For Neck colour one and a half of both splits for Neck Volume and all for Neck Tone. Not sure if that explains it very well but looking at the ends of the pots you would have 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 or all the shaft end coloured. Hope that helps someone in the future. Mick, I think this video is inspirational in so many ways, thank you
You're bang on the money for modifying it Mick. A great instrument is way more rare than some electronics that can always be put back. The only thing i'd do differently is that i would add a 2 way rotary switch acting as a phase reversal instead of a dummy pot for the varitone spot, but that's just me. If there's ever been a switch/pot or other interactive thing somewhere i always try to get some use out of it instead plopping a blank in there.
G'day Mick, I really enjoyed your video. I know that I was one of your many fans who pleaded to you to leave the ES-345 in original form, but I still enjoyed watching you fix it. I'm looking forward to hearing it on TPS in the future. It was also so nice to realise that you responded to those of us who made comments about it. I realise that after a few dozen comments, a person can get a little tired of so many people telling you what to do, so your response is (& was) appreciated. Anyhow, thanks for a great show. Keep up the good work. Andrew
Ha! It's what we signed up for Andrew. We live semi-public lives and we invite engagement of all kinds. :0) My ire - which I'm working on - is all to do with psychological time and motivated cognition. Those two things are the MO of the vast majority of modern humans. The next human evolution will be one of consciousness where we live in the moment and with critical thinking. When you can see how transformative it would be, but people steadfastly refuse to choose it… the annoyance is also proof that I'm not there yet either. We all have a LONG way to go. Sorry for the esoteric answer, but it's the truth.
The problem with that is that we've moved away from the ability to discuss or argue, onto a point where a person posts a comment, another replies, then the first person takes time to look up what the second person said with several Google searches, & then formulates a reply. In other words, "living in the moment" with "critical thinking" is an oxymoron. I read about it decades ago, where a psychologist said that as people use SMS to communicate, they're losing the ability to converse without the luxury of thinking in the moment. Personally, I think you would have better luck restoring the 345 wiring to a usuable, working condition. LOL
Thanks Mick.. as an owner of two 1965 ES-345s this was a joy to watch and informative...I couldn't agree more on the "relative value" of these transitional year Gibson ES-345 at least in comparison to pre 65', their 335 brethren and these days Custom shop / Murphy lab. got to love a 7.5lbs ES
Great segment, absolutely one of a kind! “Why not just buy the guitar you want?” was ultimately well explained - but what was on my mind throughout the demo of how challenging it was to get the voices that you wanted.
Then it arrives the question. What if what you wanted was a modded 1965 ES-335? Nobody can build you that guitar because they can't build instruments in the past.
That is such a beauty of a guitar it would be a huge shame if it never got to regularly go out and play for a crowd. Looks great, sounds great, and obviously plays great so it's nice to see it now have the opportunity to meet it's potential. 👍👍
Thank you for the great, detailed video. Powerful sounds, well done overhaul! I converted my Epiphone ES-335 from stock Epiphone humbuckers to Gibson P-94s (P-90 fitting the Humbucker routing) a few years ago with little previous experience. Mounting all the electronics through the f-holes was definitely the biggest challenge.
Not many people could really carry a two hour guitar re-wiring video. We need to acknowledge that. On top of that, this was seamlessly put together and the time flew by while watching. Great job and wonderful video!
I completely loved this journey - and your humor and very evolved patience! Learned a lot and grateful that TPS is a home of attentiveness to detail. Thank you, Mick!
The STRESS of owning a vintage guitar is well demonstrated here during the talk about what pickups are actually in the guitar. You just don't get that with non-vintage gear. It's part of the price you pay for playing in the vintage game!
It’s been really cool to see the guitar journey of both of you. Don’t know how you felt when sold blue, but all for a good cause. Thanks for all the work over the years!
Just finished watching this…. mostly this morning over coffee here in NZ. The looks of joy and excitement after you got it all sorted speaks volumes to why the mod was the right thing to do. Too many times, in too many forums do I hear people talk about guitars as if they were some elusive and sacred thing… rather than the tools they are to make music. Good on you for taking something that you knew had potential, and turning it in to a fantastic tool to express yourself.
Totally. I interviewed Chris Thile once and we spoke a bit about the Lloyd Loar Gibson mandolins and how they were repaired and modded. He made the observation that most Stradivari violins had been, in his words, 'brutally' modified and repaired to keep them in optimum playing condition. Keeping them 'sacred' just equates to 'unused'. Cheers!
@@ThatPedalShow I stage manage some of the top Orchestras in the world and talking to various players about their antique instruments sounds brutal. I'm told by those that play them that most Stradivari have been re-necked at least once, as I understand, mostly in the 1800's as playing techniques were changing. A guy I used to work with had a 1580's viola. At some point in it's life it was decided that it was too wide across the body. It had then been cut in half, and then those two halves cut down and then glued back together at the centre seam to narrow it by some amount. I think he said it was about an inch. A guy I worked with that had a strad, his was still worth £6million. That cut down viola was worth the thick end of £1million. Can you imagine someone deciding that a 59 ES335 was too wide and cutting it down to take a couple of inches out of the body width and it and that not really impacting it's value? Loads of these instruments are full of cleats holding body cracks together, new bits of wood that have been glued in, and all manner of repairs that would destroy the value of a vintage guitar. But this is all seen as relatively normal. Maybe it's because when there's nothing left in original condition, modified and heavily repaired becomes the new normal.
I absolutely love this. Thank you Mick for taking the time and putting in the effort of making this video. Awesome storytelling, great sounds, and also, the video shots, added graphics and the edit are pure eye candy. I realise this type of video is very time consuming to make, but if you can: I'm all here for more content like this!
Re: screw threads Your best bet to avoid damage to screw threads in metal, but even more so in wood is to avoid cross threading. Once the screw is out, and when you get ready to put it back in, place the point of it in the hole and with the slightest downward pressure, turn the screw in reverse. You should hear and/or feel a click at a certain point in the rotation. That’s where the start of the screw threads drop down into the start of the threads of the hole. As soon as it clicks down, you can change direction and drive the screw into the exact grooves it came out of. Failure to do this might result in the screw starting in a different position, and cutting new threads right across the old ones, essentially shredding most of the material in the hole. At that point, all you can do is plug the hole and drill a new one, or do some makeshift solution with a toothpick or other object making a wedge to take up space in the stripped hole.
I admire the patience you showed in this video. I wish I would have had this as a reference before changing the pickups and wiring in a 335 that was in storage with no climate control and corrosion set in on all the electric components. Just knowing the trick about using aquarium tubing would have saved me hours of frustration. It took me an entire weekend to complete the job because I had to keep walking away before breaking breaking something due to getting frustrated.
Great mod demo, mate! congratulations on your calm, cool execution. I recently saw a method to flatten a vintage pick guard, using a thick, flat piece of machinist's steel, or a square of marble tile. Heat it in an oven at a medium heat, remove it after heating then place the guard on it and put a weight that covers the entire guard on top. Repeat until the desired flatness is achieved.
Hey, Mick. First of all, for what it’s worth, I agreed with all of the decisions you made and the reasons you made them. Second, congrats on a great guitar. At one time in the long distant past, I bought a black 347 and then traded it in because I was a metal head. I’m still a metal head , but I wish I still had that guitar. In any case, I LOVE these videos and can relate to the struggles and joys of guitar mods. All the best!
A two hour Mick Guitar Vlog? Just YES! Videos like these are the reason I fell in love with TPS and there’s just no other channel like it. And happy to see that you’re going for the mod, didn’t finish the video yet but hope you love it and hope that it makes you play that guitar a lot more!
I just realized (what was probably obvious to others) that although the show is called TPS, really it is "Because Tone." We are taken on the long journey of M & D to find tone in guitars, wood, pickups, amps, cables, switchers, and pedals, etc. Thanks for letting us watch over you shoulder.
Congrats on this amazing 50th birthday purchase. I was lucky to get a 1966 Gibson J-160e for my 30th last year (also with a little help from my friends) in the exact same honey Royal tan finish as your 345. I think your mods will all be worthwhile to make this a lifer! My ES-345 hero is Hank Garland who used one on all the early Everly Brothers, Elvis, Orbison records
What an immense sounding guitar. That playwear is so honest as well, as much as we like to think we can replicate that via reissues, the real thing just has so much depth.
I love watching Mick (and other players, for that matter) slowly come to the same rig epiphany I went through a handful of years back - it makes a ton of sense to pare your rig down to a handful of pedals/gear that really fits you as a player and makes your life easier. Even if it seems like you're limiting your options, no matter who you are, you will get more out of your pedals if you actually USE them all the time. Mick's tone has gotten better and better as he's whittled his board down to the essentials, just like mine did.
Really fascinating video, thanks Mick! The stereo wiring has some interesting possibilities but my favourite thing about ES guitars is always the middle position and blending the neck and bridge. It's such a joy to play with the balance of fat low end and bridge sparkle. I've got a 2008 Custom Shop 339 which has some gorgeous tones in it. I was down Denmark St last weekend and played a lovely 335 from '72 and a stunning 330 from '65 that both had a whole world of tones in their middle positions. So you mod your guitar and enjoy it!
Only about 5 minutes in, but Mick you just gave all the justification you could ever hope for in one statement. "This - potentially - could be the ES I grow old with." There so much taboo surrounding modifying or even staring the wrong way at vintage gear, but if it makes you happier and turns it into something more for YOU, well, I highly doubt anyone would be worried about "re-sale value" once they leave this world, especially if it was worth keeping that long to you as a result of the work or tweaking... Can't speak for anyone else, but I want guitars worth growing old with, whether old or now, modified or not. What makes that for someone, will vary on the individual, and no one should question that. Cheers, Mick!
Thanks for sharing your journey with your 1965 ES-345. I am glad you kept the focus on what guitars are all about, making music. They are instruments 1st and foremost. They should be in a state that makes you want make music with them. Great video as always!
1) Delivering a monologue (soliloquy?) in a way that feels like dialogue-fantastic. 2) Watching you interact with the guitar after the mods in a way that appeared intuitive and intentional-proof of concept.
You like position 6 Mick! Like you said, when a player really likes something, he/she actually plays and stops noodling. And that’s what you did! It’s a cool sound, and a great guitar. And also a great video!
I started watching this video out of TPS habit. Tech stuff doesn't normally interest me, but i was in awe of your skill getting that loom in and troubleshot. Kudos to you, Mick, for sharing your work, and congrats to me for watching to the end 😊
You probably don't need to be told this, but just in case you want confirmation from outside: taking out the Varitone, I think?, quite audibly gave the 345 a LOT more clarity, and those layers of harmonics are popping out much more strongly. There's a really audible bloom on even dead-clean notes that wasn't there before!
Since Mick picked up the 345 and Dan got his SG, I have been afflicted with the vintage Gibson bug. I’ve spent the better part of 2024 looking and this video is certainly going to push me over the edge 😂. As always, I think Mick’s playing really comes to life on a semi-hollow. Cheers!
Thank you kindly. It's a flippin Padora's box that's for sure. Like driving an amazing car or eating Michelin star food. Nothing feels quite the same afterwards.
My wife surprised me with a TPS mug and T-shirt for my 39th, which pair beautifully with my D&M Drive! Love you all and very excited from an OG episode 1 viewer.
Excellent video Mick! What a beautiful instrument! I can’t wait to see this Honey put through the paces in future episodes. Congratulations to you on a dream procurement. It’s obvious from even just this little clip of playing that you are bonding with this guitar and that it is speaking through you. Cheers to you and that Honey of a guitar!
very good so glad it lost nothing in the MOD there was points where I was thinking all the crap in the circuit might be what was making it so special some how happy to see you happy look forward to seeing more from that beautiful thing.
Now that guitar has come alive. When you truly get to grips with it I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes at least your #2 (for me it would be the ONLY guitar I needed).
Cheers Peter. That was the initial impression I got when I played it properly for the first time, and I KNEW it could sound so much better, to match the vibe of it. I think it'll get a great deal more playing time than the Strat in coming months. After that, we'll see!
Having a 1969 335 with Trapeze Tailpiece myself I can totally understand your happiness with this Guitar. Mine has the T-Tops in, which are unparalleled. I sacrificed the original Status for a Bigsby…has served me well!!! I can totally underline the sonic and tonal richness!!!
Absolutely gutted to hear that blue was sold, but also very excited to see where this journey takes you! Also, GZ on the 50th! You don’t look a day over 35!
Really pleased for you Mick, agree with your thought process and decisions (not that it matters if anyone agrees or disagrees). It’s your guitar and allowing it to be playable is the right choice for you. You continue to inspire me to continue on my own guitar journey!
Thanks, a great review of the original 345 electronics. I bought a 1965 345 in the 1970's, before it was vintage. I immediately rewired to mono with my own rotary switch which offered all the options of phase and series parallel configurations. Still a great guitar.
Great video Mick. As an old tech who has worked on heaps of this stuff, I had a thought that the Varitone hole could be put to work, and become an off/on switch- sort of a Gretsch thing. Simple wiring job. Top work.. cheers mate.
Was on vacation so getting to this video a few days late. Thank god I'm not the only one who wears two pairs of glasses when needed! Although I understand the existence of a collector's market I feel instruments are meant to be maintained and played. Good on you Mick.
Great video, loved it as always. Just a sidenote, as far as I know, Peter Frampton used a stereo wired Les Paul Custom using separate amps (I think the neck went to a Leslie). I saw him at the Nassau Coliseum, NY in 1976. He played all the Frampton Comes Alive material... flippin' awesome sound in a venue known for shyte sound. Just depends on what your looking for, I guess. Your new axe sounds great!! I'm super jealous. I've wanted a 345-355 for almost 50 years. Have fun & enjoy it, mate.
I get the same sensation of fear watching Mick starting to work on the wiring of a semi acoustic as I do watching the first 10 minutes of Casualty. I know something bad is going to happen but I don’t know when… Thanks for sharing your journey. I love your Vlogs.
Jesus I have been waiting for this video. I’d never have the courage to mod a hollowbody, sounds fantastic. Also hugely appreciative for how much work must’ve went into a 2 hour video with this much production value.
The guitar is incredible but as a middle aged dude in a traffic-choked US city, the thought of catching a train to have beers with a friend is the thing I feel the most envy for.
Guitar mod vlog? Nearly 2 hours? Oh yes!! I love watching these so much, they are endlessly interesting (to me) and I just love the fact that I can vicariously watch Mick doing things to his guitars that I am not brave enough and frankly can't be arsed to do! Brilliant video - thanks again to Mick and Dan for TPS!
PS I absolutely love that guitar - mostly the colour and finish of it 😂. Modding it definitely the way to go! Well done on the final result Mick - sounds great as well as looking great
Mick. I loved watching this. You have inspired me to also look for a vintage ES-335. But my budget puts me more in the ball park for 70s ES-335TD which I have seen for £3500.00-£4000. I might even try and get a 1978 as that is the year of my birth. Thank you Mick.
I was lucky enough to spend some time with a 1962 Cherry 335 just over a year ago. Oh my god, it haunts me. This particular one had been well looked after and I could literally not fault a single thing about it with regards to sound and feel - as close to perfect as I’ve ever experienced. They really do have a certain sweetness / articulation to them that is really hard to find anywhere. There were tears when I handed it back 😂
Loved every minute of this... especially because I want thought EXACTLY the same struggle and thought process, many years ago, with a 1962 ES-345 TD SV, classic Sunburst. Same stuff of yours, but with PAFs. And after lots of double and triple thinking, and then thinking again and then starting from scratch once again, we decided to bypass the Varitone, change the wiring to standard mono, and flip the magnet of the neck PAF to have the guitar "all in phase". Watching this video bought me back more than 30 years. So cool Mick, enjoy your 345, it's just the stuff dreams are made of!
Excellent, well done for sticking with it and getting the job done! From the get go I was for simplifying/doing the mod, you can now play & enjoy the guitar without the faff!👍👏👏🎶
Thanks Tony. Dan said something lovely yesterday. He said, 'You've released this guitar's true voice for the first time in 60 years." A week or so in, I think I agree!
I’m 55 mins in and thinking, I’d never remember how all that goes back ( and that’s just the washers and nuts lol 😂). I’m sat holding my 72 Strat ( about as vintage as I can afford, but I bloody love it). You have inspired me to do something with my CS fiesta red 59 Strat. Admittedly a much easier pup mod, but no less of a dilemma on whether or not to mess with the beautiful CS wiring. It was my 50th bday present from my wife and I love it in every way except for the pups. Its sentimental value makes it a harder decision to sell, but if it’s not getting played I guess it’s just wood n wire. 🤔
I have a 67 355. Players grade, scratched but still in good condition, and it’s been modified. Improved. Was the right thing to do. Allowed me into the vintage market at a cheaper price and you can use it.
My goodness, what a journey. Honestly, I wouldn't have had the courage to tackle that. Having grown up on the farm and tackling a good deal of other things, I've grown into old age and a dependence on a magnificent and dear tech! If he ever slows down I'm in real trouble!!! But great to hang with you on this vlog, Mick. There certainly were moments to make the pulse race! Hats off to you and so thrilled you have that beauty in your arsenal.
Very cool. I appreciate you reviewing the thought process of mod-ing or not. I decided to mod a fairly expensive PRS HB2. And not in an insignificant way. I had the neck reshaped and stained and waxed. New 4 wire Lollar pickups and coil splits w 2 mini toggles drilled through the top. I got a bunch of grief from some, but it's my guitar and now I play it even more. It suits me. So good on you for making your guitar more yours. Enjoy it for years to come.
Mick, love and respect for your ‘’kiss that frog’’ modus here!! You’ve kind of freed both you and the guitar really: from dual stereo, to an actual duo. Well done. Good decision (making). Secretly, I was one of the non-believers right up until this video. And I was wrong! Love that bridge pickup tone in your hands, and it lends itself perfectly for fiddling and tweaking with lots of pedals and amps. 🖖
Hate rewiring anything. Get a really weird kick out of seeing Mick conquer a wiring job despite seeming to go through the same emotions 🤣. Awesome vid, great playing and tones, totally worth the changes!
Mick, I just have to say I love you and I love and so appreciate what you do for the guitar/amp/pedal community. I also am a fan of your playing. Most of all it soothes me to know I’m not alone. I’m not alone in what I am passionate about. I’m not alone in my inner thoughts laboratory, and I’m not alone in geeking out over gear! Thank you kind sir!
Great tone, great choice to rewire. I would have put a new mono vari-tone in it because it works for my style of playing. But modding out what you probably don’t use is really the best choice. Makes it less vulnerable to rusty or dusty contacts.
Wonderful work, Mr T! Having thrown in the towel on an easy 50’s loom task, the staying power here is enviable. So very happy for you that it’s finally a machine you feel confident enough to test in the heat of a gig. Certainly have my fingers crossed that it repays all your diligent hard work up to this point. Well done!👏🏻
Fantastic episode. I too would want to swap the pickups around so the balance is better. I didn’t know about the .15 cap for the neck trick. Might need to do that on my next rewire.
Always enjoy your blogs, Mick. Didn't know that Blue got moved on. Fully understand and support your reasons for modding it, number one priority has to be playing it to suit your needs and requirements. As regards to Gibson I'd have thought 1965 still qualifies as the vintage era for them. I know the '65 CBS purchase of Fender is a cut off point of sorts but for Gibson my impression was the beginning of the Norlin era was the end of the vintage era, putting it around 1969-70. For SG's at least prime vintage is 1961-early 1970. That said even 70's Gibson and Fenders have been listed for quite large sums over the last few years. Finally, semi-hollows and hollow bodies are a reasons I'm not a guitar tech. I'd be tearing my hair out if I had any left.
I'm on the market to buy my first Gibson ES (my choice would be a 345 or a 355, stereo wired with Varitone). I would give five stars to your video, Mick, for three reasons: 1. You showed me how to remove all the circuit and pots out of an ES, I was very curious to know how to do it by myself but in the end I really prefer to let my guitar tech do the job for me, ahahahah 2. I understood that Stereo wiring doesn't work for me 3. I also understood that Varitone switch doesn't work for me This is a super explaining video, thanks for the superb job you did! So...after that...I will probably go for a standard 335, ahahahah!
I find these vlogs so marvellously oddly satisfying to watch. I love to tinker about with projects like this, and having rewired a 335 a couple of times myself, it's just very fascinating to follow your process. I' am 100% with you on your choice to make this beautiful guitar and tone monster a work horse that you can't wait to pick up and bring on your implosion experience. I so hope that this guitar now will be all you wish for. You deserve it, and the guitar deserves to be treasured and played. Cheers, Thor.
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This is the type of video that made me a lifelong TPS watcher. I look forward to Fridays all week and dedicate however long the video is because of the care, interesting topics, pure cinematic quality, presenter eloquence and more. It's not just entertainment, it's engaging which is crazy to say about a one-way media. Thank you, again, Mick & Dan for the amazing value you provide the music community. The best example of doing something you absolutely love and are passionate about and it tangibly seeping through the bytes & bits.
Thank you kindly! UA-cam would really rather we were doing clickbait... but it just ain't us. Thanks again!
@@ThatPedalShow I totally agree. I'm so invested in TPS, that Mick mentioned their sales were down over the summer, so I bought a hoodie, t-shirt, and some stickers... just to help out. What would we do without TPS? It's the only thing I watch consistently. LOL
Can we all talk a minute about how on point Mick’s playing is throughout this video? What a dream to be able to just noodle like that. Awesome.
Thank you! Noodles!
Mick's really good!!
Sorry Mick, but Dan is a better noodler :D. Even though your style suits me more
I agree Mick’s playing was a treat !
Yeah, been noticing that for a while. Either gigging with Ainsley, or the MTBI (there you go, Mick) has made him match fit.
Mick, the production and sound engineering of these videos are second to none and I’m just thrilled I have another Vlog to enjoy. Thank you.
Thank you kindly. I do get a bit into all of that. :0)
2hours of monologue? BRING IT ON!!! LET`s GO, MICK!!!!
For those whom struggle with understanding phase, this is an excellent video to help demonstrate all the variables.
Thank you Mick!
On the pickups, Five Watt World in a short history of Gibson guitars, noted Gibson may have purposely put the wrong patent number in the pickups (this is common and the ‘wrong’ number on your pickups match every other standard Gibson pickup of the time). It’s suspected they did that to throw off competitors.
Super cool video, I LOVE how much detail was here and also moments of frustration and decision making that make this much more understandable and relatable. So very helpful! Thanks Mick! ✌️😌🎸
Sweet Mick … your masochistic drive to fish the innards of semi-hollowbody guitars is equal parts laudable and vexing. I love it that you’re willing to put yourself through this pain while we watch. Your bravery and insanity is appreciated and noted.
Good work sir.
By the way, it’s TOTALLY worth it to rewire that guitar. Leaving it under-playable for how you play would be a super bummer.
Ha! Thanks Murray!
I had noticed we hadn't seen Blue in a while and now that explains it. I'm quite sad to see that guitar move on :(
Gutted! Mostly because I'm not the new owner!
Surprised by it too - I know Mick is into the ultra-high end vintage market now, but given it was THE guitar and had many times it’s value over done in mods I thought it would stick. The reason I have Texas antiquity still in mine
What!? He got rid of it? Dude what the actual fukkkkk. That'd be like Dan getting rid of red. That seriously pisses me off.
I'll try and answer all of these at once. Selling Blue was an incredibly easy decision. It was the right time for it to go to a new home and give some inspiration to someone else, given that I'd stopped playing it. And to Caspay, I'm definitely not into the ultra high end market - I can't afford that. But I am into old player-grade guitars that don't meet the vintage-market requirements!
It’s going to be hilarious if you guys strip down to a few great guitars and amps again. When I did it last, I simplified to a 2002 CS ‘59 335, 2 ash parts teles, one pedalboard and a 76 Deluxe Reverb. You can do anything with that rig. Cheers!
Wow, I was unaware that you parted with Blue. That must have been hard, but on the other hand, that guitar deserved to be top of someone's heap. Good on you for moving it on and letting it be played and loved.
It was the easiest thing, weirdly. When you know something is right and true, you never question it. It just is.
Plus it helps that he got a very fine vintage Strat to replace Blue. I was sentimental about that guitar too as it’s the one Mick had when I got my first life changing Strat and discovered the channel. Been a fan ever since. ❤
Another prominent ES345 artist is Bill Nelson "Be Bop Deluxe" who I'm sure if you contacted him would have been only too pleased to discuss his 345 and how he's used it.. certainly worthy of getting on the show.
2 hours of mick?!. What a gift!
The amount of time I have spent watching you play Blue.... This feels like the end of an era. That being said, I hope you are happy!
Keep moving, always. I'm certainly not always happy, but I am entirely at peace when it comes to guitars!
Congrats Mick, it sounds fantastic. The TPS guitar stable has become extraordinary over the years. I'd fancy a vlog about Dan's SG if he can muster the time.
Literally the only YT person to talk about money, this is very important to us, I think. Well done for being so honest
At first I thought "why is he bothering?", it is such a pain with an ES guitar to rewire, but, I stand corrected it was well worth it, Sounds fantastic, just a beautiful guitar. You can never go astray simplifying.
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this but to help get the pots in the right holes.... Mark the ends of the shafts with permanent marker. As you look at the end of the shaft colour half of one split shaft for Bridge Volume and all of one split end of the shaft for Tone. For Neck colour one and a half of both splits for Neck Volume and all for Neck Tone. Not sure if that explains it very well but looking at the ends of the pots you would have 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 or all the shaft end coloured. Hope that helps someone in the future. Mick, I think this video is inspirational in so many ways, thank you
You're bang on the money for modifying it Mick. A great instrument is way more rare than some electronics that can always be put back.
The only thing i'd do differently is that i would add a 2 way rotary switch acting as a phase reversal instead of a dummy pot for the varitone spot, but that's just me. If there's ever been a switch/pot or other interactive thing somewhere i always try to get some use out of it instead plopping a blank in there.
They stop noodling and start playing. That's some Mr. Miyagi level insight there Mick. Love it.
G'day Mick,
I really enjoyed your video. I know that I was one of your many fans who pleaded to you to leave the ES-345 in original form, but I still enjoyed watching you fix it. I'm looking forward to hearing it on TPS in the future.
It was also so nice to realise that you responded to those of us who made comments about it. I realise that after a few dozen comments, a person can get a little tired of so many people telling you what to do, so your response is (& was) appreciated.
Anyhow, thanks for a great show. Keep up the good work.
Andrew
Ha! It's what we signed up for Andrew. We live semi-public lives and we invite engagement of all kinds. :0)
My ire - which I'm working on - is all to do with psychological time and motivated cognition. Those two things are the MO of the vast majority of modern humans. The next human evolution will be one of consciousness where we live in the moment and with critical thinking. When you can see how transformative it would be, but people steadfastly refuse to choose it… the annoyance is also proof that I'm not there yet either. We all have a LONG way to go. Sorry for the esoteric answer, but it's the truth.
The problem with that is that we've moved away from the ability to discuss or argue, onto a point where a person posts a comment, another replies, then the first person takes time to look up what the second person said with several Google searches, & then formulates a reply. In other words, "living in the moment" with "critical thinking" is an oxymoron. I read about it decades ago, where a psychologist said that as people use SMS to communicate, they're losing the ability to converse without the luxury of thinking in the moment. Personally, I think you would have better luck restoring the 345 wiring to a usuable, working condition. LOL
Thanks Mick.. as an owner of two 1965 ES-345s this was a joy to watch and informative...I couldn't agree more on the "relative value" of these transitional year Gibson ES-345 at least in comparison to pre 65', their 335 brethren and these days Custom shop / Murphy lab. got to love a 7.5lbs ES
You are so, so good at this, Mick. Thank you, thank you, thank you. And what a guitar! ❤
Thanks so much!
Great segment, absolutely one of a kind! “Why not just buy the guitar you want?” was ultimately well explained - but what was on my mind throughout the demo of how challenging it was to get the voices that you wanted.
Then it arrives the question. What if what you wanted was a modded 1965 ES-335? Nobody can build you that guitar because they can't build instruments in the past.
“First off, it’s my f*
The sounds you are getting with the Free The Tone Overdriveland CS are simply otherworldly, so much that it deserves a dedicated episode, perhaps?
We should feature it sometime. Re-igniting my love for overdrive pedals, which was waning a bit!
I'm so glad that there is no video of the doctor working on my burst appendix.
Hahahaha!
That is such a beauty of a guitar it would be a huge shame if it never got to regularly go out and play for a crowd.
Looks great, sounds great, and obviously plays great so it's nice to see it now have the opportunity to meet it's potential. 👍👍
Thank you for the great, detailed video. Powerful sounds, well done overhaul!
I converted my Epiphone ES-335 from stock Epiphone humbuckers to Gibson P-94s (P-90 fitting the Humbucker routing) a few years ago with little previous experience. Mounting all the electronics through the f-holes was definitely the biggest challenge.
Not many people could really carry a two hour guitar re-wiring video. We need to acknowledge that.
On top of that, this was seamlessly put together and the time flew by while watching.
Great job and wonderful video!
I completely loved this journey - and your humor and very evolved patience! Learned a lot and grateful that TPS is a home of attentiveness to detail. Thank you, Mick!
The STRESS of owning a vintage guitar is well demonstrated here during the talk about what pickups are actually in the guitar. You just don't get that with non-vintage gear. It's part of the price you pay for playing in the vintage game!
It’s been really cool to see the guitar journey of both of you. Don’t know how you felt when sold blue, but all for a good cause. Thanks for all the work over the years!
I felt great when I sold Blue! It's gone to a home where it will get played and serve somebody else as it has served me.
@@ThatPedalShow if I may suggest, selling guitars - or gear in general - would be a great topic for a vlog - or a normal show for that matter.
Just finished watching this…. mostly this morning over coffee here in NZ. The looks of joy and excitement after you got it all sorted speaks volumes to why the mod was the right thing to do.
Too many times, in too many forums do I hear people talk about guitars as if they were some elusive and sacred thing… rather than the tools they are to make music.
Good on you for taking something that you knew had potential, and turning it in to a fantastic tool to express yourself.
Totally. I interviewed Chris Thile once and we spoke a bit about the Lloyd Loar Gibson mandolins and how they were repaired and modded. He made the observation that most Stradivari violins had been, in his words, 'brutally' modified and repaired to keep them in optimum playing condition. Keeping them 'sacred' just equates to 'unused'. Cheers!
@@ThatPedalShow I stage manage some of the top Orchestras in the world and talking to various players about their antique instruments sounds brutal.
I'm told by those that play them that most Stradivari have been re-necked at least once, as I understand, mostly in the 1800's as playing techniques were changing. A guy I used to work with had a 1580's viola. At some point in it's life it was decided that it was too wide across the body. It had then been cut in half, and then those two halves cut down and then glued back together at the centre seam to narrow it by some amount. I think he said it was about an inch. A guy I worked with that had a strad, his was still worth £6million. That cut down viola was worth the thick end of £1million.
Can you imagine someone deciding that a 59 ES335 was too wide and cutting it down to take a couple of inches out of the body width and it and that not really impacting it's value?
Loads of these instruments are full of cleats holding body cracks together, new bits of wood that have been glued in, and all manner of repairs that would destroy the value of a vintage guitar. But this is all seen as relatively normal. Maybe it's because when there's nothing left in original condition, modified and heavily repaired becomes the new normal.
Thanks for these deep dive episodes Mick, they’re great - informative and entertaining ! Appreciate you sharing the highs and lows of the experience 😊
Many thanks Sean!
I absolutely love this. Thank you Mick for taking the time and putting in the effort of making this video. Awesome storytelling, great sounds, and also, the video shots, added graphics and the edit are pure eye candy. I realise this type of video is very time consuming to make, but if you can: I'm all here for more content like this!
Re: screw threads
Your best bet to avoid damage to screw threads in metal, but even more so in wood is to avoid cross threading. Once the screw is out, and when you get ready to put it back in, place the point of it in the hole and with the slightest downward pressure, turn the screw in reverse. You should hear and/or feel a click at a certain point in the rotation. That’s where the start of the screw threads drop down into the start of the threads of the hole. As soon as it clicks down, you can change direction and drive the screw into the exact grooves it came out of. Failure to do this might result in the screw starting in a different position, and cutting new threads right across the old ones, essentially shredding most of the material in the hole. At that point, all you can do is plug the hole and drill a new one, or do some makeshift solution with a toothpick or other object making a wedge to take up space in the stripped hole.
I admire the patience you showed in this video. I wish I would have had this as a reference before changing the pickups and wiring in a 335 that was in storage with no climate control and corrosion set in on all the electric components. Just knowing the trick about using aquarium tubing would have saved me hours of frustration. It took me an entire weekend to complete the job because I had to keep walking away before breaking breaking something due to getting frustrated.
Great mod demo, mate! congratulations on your calm, cool execution. I recently saw a method to flatten a vintage pick guard, using a thick, flat piece of machinist's steel, or a square of marble tile. Heat it in an oven at a medium heat, remove it after heating then place the guard on it and put a weight that covers the entire guard on top. Repeat until the desired flatness is achieved.
Note: Heat the steel/tile in the oven, NOT the pick guard.
Hey, Mick. First of all, for what it’s worth, I agreed with all of the decisions you made and the reasons you made them. Second, congrats on a great guitar. At one time in the long distant past, I bought a black 347 and then traded it in because I was a metal head. I’m still a metal head , but I wish I still had that guitar. In any case, I LOVE these videos and can relate to the struggles and joys of guitar mods. All the best!
Thanks Steve. Hope all is good with you!
A two hour Mick Guitar Vlog? Just YES!
Videos like these are the reason I fell in love with TPS and there’s just no other channel like it.
And happy to see that you’re going for the mod, didn’t finish the video yet but hope you love it and hope that it makes you play that guitar a lot more!
I just realized (what was probably obvious to others) that although the show is called TPS, really it is "Because Tone." We are taken on the long journey of M & D to find tone in guitars, wood, pickups, amps, cables, switchers, and pedals, etc. Thanks for letting us watch over you shoulder.
Congrats on this amazing 50th birthday purchase. I was lucky to get a 1966 Gibson J-160e for my 30th last year (also with a little help from my friends) in the exact same honey Royal tan finish as your 345. I think your mods will all be worthwhile to make this a lifer! My ES-345 hero is Hank Garland who used one on all the early Everly Brothers, Elvis, Orbison records
What an immense sounding guitar. That playwear is so honest as well, as much as we like to think we can replicate that via reissues, the real thing just has so much depth.
I love watching Mick (and other players, for that matter) slowly come to the same rig epiphany I went through a handful of years back - it makes a ton of sense to pare your rig down to a handful of pedals/gear that really fits you as a player and makes your life easier. Even if it seems like you're limiting your options, no matter who you are, you will get more out of your pedals if you actually USE them all the time.
Mick's tone has gotten better and better as he's whittled his board down to the essentials, just like mine did.
Really fascinating video, thanks Mick! The stereo wiring has some interesting possibilities but my favourite thing about ES guitars is always the middle position and blending the neck and bridge. It's such a joy to play with the balance of fat low end and bridge sparkle. I've got a 2008 Custom Shop 339 which has some gorgeous tones in it. I was down Denmark St last weekend and played a lovely 335 from '72 and a stunning 330 from '65 that both had a whole world of tones in their middle positions. So you mod your guitar and enjoy it!
Just spat my brew out as the saddles went scattering about like bowling pins! This...THIS is why we watch!
Only about 5 minutes in, but Mick you just gave all the justification you could ever hope for in one statement.
"This - potentially - could be the ES I grow old with."
There so much taboo surrounding modifying or even staring the wrong way at vintage gear, but if it makes you happier and turns it into something more for YOU, well, I highly doubt anyone would be worried about "re-sale value" once they leave this world, especially if it was worth keeping that long to you as a result of the work or tweaking...
Can't speak for anyone else, but I want guitars worth growing old with, whether old or now, modified or not. What makes that for someone, will vary on the individual, and no one should question that.
Cheers, Mick!
Yah, totally this. Ironically it's probably worth more with the mods! Hahahaha. Nobody wants stereo. Cheers Bryan!
One of my favorite videos. I’d love for you guys to do more long form content.
Thanks for sharing your journey with your 1965 ES-345. I am glad you kept the focus on what guitars are all about, making music. They are instruments 1st and foremost. They should be in a state that makes you want make music with them. Great video as always!
Gibson used to use other patent numbers to confuse people from copying them. Loved this video. Thank you sir.
1) Delivering a monologue (soliloquy?) in a way that feels like dialogue-fantastic. 2) Watching you interact with the guitar after the mods in a way that appeared intuitive and intentional-proof of concept.
You like position 6 Mick! Like you said, when a player really likes something, he/she actually plays and stops noodling. And that’s what you did! It’s a cool sound, and a great guitar. And also a great video!
I started watching this video out of TPS habit. Tech stuff doesn't normally interest me, but i was in awe of your skill getting that loom in and troubleshot.
Kudos to you, Mick, for sharing your work, and congrats to me for watching to the end 😊
Thanks Graham, they're somewhat marathonic these vids!
You probably don't need to be told this, but just in case you want confirmation from outside: taking out the Varitone, I think?, quite audibly gave the 345 a LOT more clarity, and those layers of harmonics are popping out much more strongly. There's a really audible bloom on even dead-clean notes that wasn't there before!
Since Mick picked up the 345 and Dan got his SG, I have been afflicted with the vintage Gibson bug. I’ve spent the better part of 2024 looking and this video is certainly going to push me over the edge 😂. As always, I think Mick’s playing really comes to life on a semi-hollow. Cheers!
Thank you kindly. It's a flippin Padora's box that's for sure. Like driving an amazing car or eating Michelin star food. Nothing feels quite the same afterwards.
My wife surprised me with a TPS mug and T-shirt for my 39th, which pair beautifully with my D&M Drive! Love you all and very excited from an OG episode 1 viewer.
That is awesome. Thank you!
I surprised my wife by buying myself a bunch of tps merch for my 40th. 🎉
@@Lemontree1423 ha! This is the way.
Excellent video Mick! What a beautiful instrument! I can’t wait to see this Honey put through the paces in future episodes. Congratulations to you on a dream procurement. It’s obvious from even just this little clip of playing that you are bonding with this guitar and that it is speaking through you. Cheers to you and that Honey of a guitar!
I’ve watched this over the last 3 days on a commute to Huddersfield and have soooo enjoyed it!! I’d have been happy for this to go on Indefinitely.
2 hours of Mick and guitars. Wonderful.
very good so glad it lost nothing in the MOD there was points where I was thinking all the crap in the circuit might be what was making it so special some how happy to see you happy look forward to seeing more from that beautiful thing.
Now that guitar has come alive. When you truly get to grips with it I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes at least your #2 (for me it would be the ONLY guitar I needed).
Cheers Peter. That was the initial impression I got when I played it properly for the first time, and I KNEW it could sound so much better, to match the vibe of it. I think it'll get a great deal more playing time than the Strat in coming months. After that, we'll see!
Having a 1969 335 with Trapeze Tailpiece myself I can totally understand your happiness with this Guitar. Mine has the T-Tops in, which are unparalleled. I sacrificed the original Status for a Bigsby…has served me well!!!
I can totally underline the sonic and tonal richness!!!
Absolutely gutted to hear that blue was sold, but also very excited to see where this journey takes you! Also, GZ on the 50th! You don’t look a day over 35!
If you love it…. Of course you should mod it., make it your own!
Really pleased for you Mick, agree with your thought process and decisions (not that it matters if anyone agrees or disagrees). It’s your guitar and allowing it to be playable is the right choice for you. You continue to inspire me to continue on my own guitar journey!
Thanks, a great review of the original 345 electronics. I bought a 1965 345 in the 1970's, before it was vintage. I immediately rewired to mono with my own rotary switch which offered all the options of phase and series parallel configurations. Still a great guitar.
Great video Mick. As an old tech who has worked on heaps of this stuff, I had a thought that the Varitone hole could be put to work, and become an off/on switch- sort of a Gretsch thing. Simple wiring job. Top work.. cheers mate.
Was on vacation so getting to this video a few days late. Thank god I'm not the only one who wears two pairs of glasses when needed! Although I understand the existence of a collector's market I feel instruments are meant to be maintained and played. Good on you Mick.
I like the octave sound during “A little play before we pull it apart.”
Great video, loved it as always. Just a sidenote, as far as I know, Peter Frampton used a stereo wired Les Paul Custom using separate amps (I think the neck went to a Leslie). I saw him at the Nassau Coliseum, NY in 1976. He played all the Frampton Comes Alive material... flippin' awesome sound in a venue known for shyte sound. Just depends on what your looking for, I guess. Your new axe sounds great!! I'm super jealous. I've wanted a 345-355 for almost 50 years. Have fun & enjoy it, mate.
I get the same sensation of fear watching Mick starting to work on the wiring of a semi acoustic as I do watching the first 10 minutes of Casualty. I know something bad is going to happen but I don’t know when… Thanks for sharing your journey. I love your Vlogs.
Jesus I have been waiting for this video. I’d never have the courage to mod a hollowbody, sounds fantastic. Also hugely appreciative for how much work must’ve went into a 2 hour video with this much production value.
Friend of mine did the same with a sunburst ES345 from the same year and it's the best guitar I've ever played. No regrets.
Congratulations Mick, so happy for you! You've done a wonderful thing here, thanks for sharing the journey with us.
I have few issues with modifications, but absolutely no issues with ones like this - one that is both desirable AND reversible.
I got a ‘20 PRS 594 SC natural maple flame top, matches my 07 Gibson Blonde Beauty, fo my 50th. Congrats and happy birthday 🎂
The guitar is incredible but as a middle aged dude in a traffic-choked US city, the thought of catching a train to have beers with a friend is the thing I feel the most envy for.
Guitar mod vlog? Nearly 2 hours? Oh yes!! I love watching these so much, they are endlessly interesting (to me) and I just love the fact that I can vicariously watch Mick doing things to his guitars that I am not brave enough and frankly can't be arsed to do! Brilliant video - thanks again to Mick and Dan for TPS!
PS I absolutely love that guitar - mostly the colour and finish of it 😂. Modding it definitely the way to go! Well done on the final result Mick - sounds great as well as looking great
Thank you kindly! A little trepidatious, but the best result yet I think!
Mick. I loved watching this. You have inspired me to also look for a vintage ES-335. But my budget puts me more in the ball park for 70s ES-335TD which I have seen for £3500.00-£4000. I might even try and get a 1978 as that is the year of my birth. Thank you Mick.
I hope I said it clearly in the vid, but man there are some GREAT guitars in that period. In all periods in fact. Just gotta dig em out!
I was lucky enough to spend some time with a 1962 Cherry 335 just over a year ago. Oh my god, it haunts me. This particular one had been well looked after and I could literally not fault a single thing about it with regards to sound and feel - as close to perfect as I’ve ever experienced. They really do have a certain sweetness / articulation to them that is really hard to find anywhere. There were tears when I handed it back 😂
Loved every minute of this... especially because I want thought EXACTLY the same struggle and thought process, many years ago, with a 1962 ES-345 TD SV, classic Sunburst. Same stuff of yours, but with PAFs.
And after lots of double and triple thinking, and then thinking again and then starting from scratch once again, we decided to bypass the Varitone, change the wiring to standard mono, and flip the magnet of the neck PAF to have the guitar "all in phase".
Watching this video bought me back more than 30 years.
So cool Mick, enjoy your 345, it's just the stuff dreams are made of!
Ignazio, great to hear from you man. Hope all is great!
@@ThatPedalShow All is awesome... see you in Guitar Summit - Mannheim?
Excellent, well done for sticking with it and getting the job done! From the get go I was for simplifying/doing the mod, you can now play & enjoy the guitar without the faff!👍👏👏🎶
Great vlog Mick really interesting such a great guitar and now a keeper for sure
Look forward to seeing and hearing that beauty in future content 👍
Amazing! Decent work from a decent fella! Cheers Mick 🍻. Hope it turns a beautiful guitar into a beautiful friend.
it sounds so beautiful, you really have made the right decision.
Thanks Tony. Dan said something lovely yesterday. He said, 'You've released this guitar's true voice for the first time in 60 years." A week or so in, I think I agree!
I’m 55 mins in and thinking, I’d never remember how all that goes back ( and that’s just the washers and nuts lol 😂). I’m sat holding my 72 Strat ( about as vintage as I can afford, but I bloody love it). You have inspired me to do something with my CS fiesta red 59 Strat. Admittedly a much easier pup mod, but no less of a dilemma on whether or not to mess with the beautiful CS wiring. It was my 50th bday present from my wife and I love it in every way except for the pups. Its sentimental value makes it a harder decision to sell, but if it’s not getting played I guess it’s just wood n wire. 🤔
I have a 67 355. Players grade, scratched but still in good condition, and it’s been modified. Improved. Was the right thing to do. Allowed me into the vintage market at a cheaper price and you can use it.
My goodness, what a journey. Honestly, I wouldn't have had the courage to tackle that. Having grown up on the farm and tackling a good deal of other things, I've grown into old age and a dependence on a magnificent and dear tech! If he ever slows down I'm in real trouble!!! But great to hang with you on this vlog, Mick. There certainly were moments to make the pulse race! Hats off to you and so thrilled you have that beauty in your arsenal.
Very cool. I appreciate you reviewing the thought process of mod-ing or not. I decided to mod a fairly expensive PRS HB2. And not in an insignificant way. I had the neck reshaped and stained and waxed. New 4 wire Lollar pickups and coil splits w 2 mini toggles drilled through the top.
I got a bunch of grief from some, but it's my guitar and now I play it even more. It suits me. So good on you for making your guitar more yours. Enjoy it for years to come.
Mick, love and respect for your ‘’kiss that frog’’ modus here!!
You’ve kind of freed both you and the guitar really: from dual stereo, to an actual duo. Well done. Good decision (making).
Secretly, I was one of the non-believers right up until this video. And I was wrong!
Love that bridge pickup tone in your hands, and it lends itself perfectly for fiddling and tweaking with lots of pedals and amps.
🖖
Hate rewiring anything. Get a really weird kick out of seeing Mick conquer a wiring job despite seeming to go through the same emotions 🤣. Awesome vid, great playing and tones, totally worth the changes!
Bloody fantastic Mick, thank you for sharing. We family members greatly appreciate the dedication and patience that you pour into these. 🙏
Mick, I just have to say I love you and I love and so appreciate what you do for the guitar/amp/pedal community. I also am a fan of your playing. Most of all it soothes me to know I’m not alone. I’m not alone in what I am passionate about. I’m not alone in my inner thoughts laboratory, and I’m not alone in geeking out over gear! Thank you kind sir!
Thanks Cliff! Appreciate the kind words. We are not alone my friend.:0)
Great tone, great choice to rewire. I would have put a new mono vari-tone in it because it works for my style of playing. But modding out what you probably don’t use is really the best choice. Makes it less vulnerable to rusty or dusty contacts.
Wonderful work, Mr T!
Having thrown in the towel on an easy 50’s loom task, the staying power here is enviable.
So very happy for you that it’s finally a machine you feel confident enough to test in the heat of a gig.
Certainly have my fingers crossed that it repays all your diligent hard work up to this point.
Well done!👏🏻
Fantastic episode. I too would want to swap the pickups around so the balance is better. I didn’t know about the .15 cap for the neck trick. Might need to do that on my next rewire.
Always enjoy your blogs, Mick. Didn't know that Blue got moved on. Fully understand and support your reasons for modding it, number one priority has to be playing it to suit your needs and requirements.
As regards to Gibson I'd have thought 1965 still qualifies as the vintage era for them. I know the '65 CBS purchase of Fender is a cut off point of sorts but for Gibson my impression was the beginning of the Norlin era was the end of the vintage era, putting it around 1969-70. For SG's at least prime vintage is 1961-early 1970. That said even 70's Gibson and Fenders have been listed for quite large sums over the last few years.
Finally, semi-hollows and hollow bodies are a reasons I'm not a guitar tech. I'd be tearing my hair out if I had any left.
I'm on the market to buy my first Gibson ES (my choice would be a 345 or a 355, stereo wired with Varitone).
I would give five stars to your video, Mick, for three reasons:
1. You showed me how to remove all the circuit and pots out of an ES, I was very curious to know how to do it by myself but in the end I really prefer to let my guitar tech do the job for me, ahahahah
2. I understood that Stereo wiring doesn't work for me
3. I also understood that Varitone switch doesn't work for me
This is a super explaining video, thanks for the superb job you did!
So...after that...I will probably go for a standard 335, ahahahah!
It sounds very clear after the swap. I always love when I can heard the pick on the strings.
You're my boy Blue! Hopefully it will be in good hands. I sit here looking at my blue Strat because of it.
I find these vlogs so marvellously oddly satisfying to watch. I love to tinker about with projects like this, and having rewired a 335 a couple of times myself, it's just very fascinating to follow your process. I' am 100% with you on your choice to make this beautiful guitar and tone monster a work horse that you can't wait to pick up and bring on your implosion experience. I so hope that this guitar now will be all you wish for. You deserve it, and the guitar deserves to be treasured and played. Cheers, Thor.