plasticscouse
New member
Well its not my birthday for another few months, but a deal came up that we could pass up very little deposit needed, so we've bought the new 1959 ES345 they've brought out. As far as I can tell it was the only one Dawsons had in the country so I nabbed it.
I absolutely love it, Day 3 and still getting used to it. The MHS pickups are sweet and versatile for my liking. I'm probably not going to touch the Varitone much, but it's interesting to have. I didn't really compare them to anything else on the day so I cant remember about the others I've tried against it. I've set it up to my liking the pickups were too high so I've lowed them and done a little set up and clean, so plays as well as I can get it, which isn't bad in any way. the finish was flawwless and as far as I can see there's no issues or imperfections
Seeing as my most played guitars is the blue Epiphone I've posted in places before I can only really compare it to that, which is a terrible thing because at the moment I prefer the Epiphone. I think that's because the Epi has a thinner neck and I've had 10 years of playing and fiddling it to perfection. The ES 345 has the chunky 59 neck which just needs a little getting used to. Obviously there's the semi/solid body difference, but I have noticed a couple if things, First just how good my Epiphone and the 59 pickups sound and compete, and just how mature and mellow a semi hollow can be. the ES345 is mellow and rich without being muddy at all, where as the Epi on the neck pickup can be a little, I've lowered the 59 down and don't seem to get the full boomyness that others experience.
But anyway I love the 345 and am not changing anything on it, I'm not allowed anyway! A little personal taste issue is that it has "modern" wiring not the 50s/Memphis wiring, (must;ve change in 59 then if its an accurate reproduction), I don't like losing the highs when lowering the volume. I played the 63 335 and a 359 the other month that had them, but it's never a deal breaker. I preferred the colour and it being a 59 with the Mickey Mouse ears over the cherry 335 with he BB1 &2, I remember them being more subtle than the 57s that were on the 359 which were powerful, so I wasn't keen on them. Oh and the 335 wasn't in at the time. The 59 335 is over £1000 more which for the life of me cant understand why.
So that's it my once in a lifetime guitar, I love it
I absolutely love it, Day 3 and still getting used to it. The MHS pickups are sweet and versatile for my liking. I'm probably not going to touch the Varitone much, but it's interesting to have. I didn't really compare them to anything else on the day so I cant remember about the others I've tried against it. I've set it up to my liking the pickups were too high so I've lowed them and done a little set up and clean, so plays as well as I can get it, which isn't bad in any way. the finish was flawwless and as far as I can see there's no issues or imperfections
Seeing as my most played guitars is the blue Epiphone I've posted in places before I can only really compare it to that, which is a terrible thing because at the moment I prefer the Epiphone. I think that's because the Epi has a thinner neck and I've had 10 years of playing and fiddling it to perfection. The ES 345 has the chunky 59 neck which just needs a little getting used to. Obviously there's the semi/solid body difference, but I have noticed a couple if things, First just how good my Epiphone and the 59 pickups sound and compete, and just how mature and mellow a semi hollow can be. the ES345 is mellow and rich without being muddy at all, where as the Epi on the neck pickup can be a little, I've lowered the 59 down and don't seem to get the full boomyness that others experience.
But anyway I love the 345 and am not changing anything on it, I'm not allowed anyway! A little personal taste issue is that it has "modern" wiring not the 50s/Memphis wiring, (must;ve change in 59 then if its an accurate reproduction), I don't like losing the highs when lowering the volume. I played the 63 335 and a 359 the other month that had them, but it's never a deal breaker. I preferred the colour and it being a 59 with the Mickey Mouse ears over the cherry 335 with he BB1 &2, I remember them being more subtle than the 57s that were on the 359 which were powerful, so I wasn't keen on them. Oh and the 335 wasn't in at the time. The 59 335 is over £1000 more which for the life of me cant understand why.
So that's it my once in a lifetime guitar, I love it
