The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

After listening/watching those videos and playing the axe, I've come to the realization that the Varitone is in need of work... The tonal differences are getting smaller and smaller (actually, near zero ). Now to find someone who can replace the condensers and resistors for a decent price, but might take it to Nik Huber - who has his shop in the next town.

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Comparing spammers to a pile of organic waste, is an insult to the organic waste.

Uncle Mats ES-500, RS Wildcat, RSB Deluxe, FS-750, Magna MA 30 (non-Mat), TA-61 non-Mat), a Westone limited run/proto Thunder and an OAKLAND (Westone) XI100.

Pete

Nice Guitar, these are amazing players.

I also have one and have no problem with my Varitone.Previous owner might have done to upkeep mind you since I never this one apart. It was to nice as is.

Here is mine:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_V3MJ ... sp=sharing

Congrats and enjoy your new guitar !

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MAA Member since June 29th 2009, taking one baby step at a time..... and failing miserably!

Salut Pierre!
Nice to see you active on here again.

I've never noticed any real difference in tone on any Varitone ES345's that I came across at the shop when I was working there.

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Guitars: https://legend.barryeames.com
Music/Pix/Videos: https://getback.barryeames.com

Hi Barry, always lurking in the background... lol Ive been on an amp testing and buying experience in the last 2 years... Need good amps to play my Mats on !

As for the Varitone, your just gonna have to get better at fixing them if you cant hear any difference !

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MAA Member since June 29th 2009, taking one baby step at a time..... and failing miserably!

Nice 500 Pierre!

The electronics are starting to act up on mine - cutting out and crackling. Gonna have to ply brain surgeon.

At first I thought it was my primary house amp (Peavey Backstage Plus that does need pot cleaning) but happens on my other amps also.

_________________
Comparing spammers to a pile of organic waste, is an insult to the organic waste.

Uncle Mats ES-500, RS Wildcat, RSB Deluxe, FS-750, Magna MA 30 (non-Mat), TA-61 non-Mat), a Westone limited run/proto Thunder and an OAKLAND (Westone) XI100.

Pete

Those Varitone equipped instruments came in for other kinds of repairs, so I wasn't involved in restoring that circuit directly. But they all hit my ears as minimal differences between settings. Even B B King couldn't be bothered using it on Lucille. He just left it alone.

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Guitars: https://legend.barryeames.com
Music/Pix/Videos: https://getback.barryeames.com

On lots of older guitars just like vintage pedals, I go over solder joints for cold solder. I revived lots of dead pedals and guitar just by taking the time to go over every one of them and verifying that they are properly grounded...

I am now doing the same to vintage tube amps...

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MAA Member since June 29th 2009, taking one baby step at a time..... and failing miserably!

Im just pulling your leg Barry... (been a while since I did it ) the difference is very subtle for the varitone... I agree. Once you find the nicest one to your ear, you hardly ever change it.

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MAA Member since June 29th 2009, taking one baby step at a time..... and failing miserably!

So far, I've chickened out on pulling the electronics , but an issue with one of my son's Ibanez guitars (intermittent cut-outs and popping) that we cured with simply cleaning the jack made me take a look at the jack in mine...

A quick swab with contact cleaner there and a bit to the 3-position switch and everything's GREAT ! There IS a difference with the Varitone positions, but as Frenchy mentioned, not that much.

With the TA-61 Varitone, however, the differences are much more pronounced.

_________________
Comparing spammers to a pile of organic waste, is an insult to the organic waste.

Uncle Mats ES-500, RS Wildcat, RSB Deluxe, FS-750, Magna MA 30 (non-Mat), TA-61 non-Mat), a Westone limited run/proto Thunder and an OAKLAND (Westone) XI100.

Pete

I was just browsing the GuitarFetish site's clearance section and guess what they have?

Only brand new Epiphone factory sealed Varitone circuits! That's what!

The regular price is cheap enough at USD$24.95 but right now they're having a July 4th sale with stacking discount coupons of 10% + 20%.

If you have guitar with a Varitone that is less than stellar you can't go far wrong than to replace it with one of these. Yu can't rebuild your old circuit for less.

https://www.guitarfetish.com/Genuine-Epiphone-Lucille-Varitone-replacement-boards_p_11664.html

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Guitars: https://legend.barryeames.com
Music/Pix/Videos: https://getback.barryeames.com