'65 ES-345 Restoration

Reinhard

A while back I bought a 65 345 that needs a little TLC.

Just got it back from Foster van der Merwe, he removed the broken rear strapbutton screw, patched the holes from the original trapeze type tailpiece and shot some nitrocellulose over it. The flash makes it a lot more visible, in normal light it looks fantastic.

From this:

To this:

I also yanked the varitone, if anyone was wondering what one looks like:

At the moment, the pickups are with Dr Vintage, he is reparing the neck pickup and putting new braided wire on each. He has also done my wiring harness. the varitone switch will remain on the guitar, connected to a dummy pot.

vic

Good luck with the project Reinhard. I'm sure it will be worthwhile.
Please post pics when all is done.

Dinosaur-Snr

Good luck Vick Im certain this project will pay off! keep the pics coming :goodtimes:

vic

Dinosaur Snr wrote Good luck ~~Vick~~ Reinhard.... Im certain this project will pay off! keep the pics coming :goodtimes:

It's Reinhard's beautiful guitar ?

kapepper

ahhh
if possible, some more pictures of the whole guitar and case, thx!!
thing of beauty!!

singemonkey

Wonderful. I like that you're cleaning up the tailpiece stuff and simplifying the tone circuit. You'll be making the best of a great chunk of wood and some great pickups (patent no., right?).

Keep us informed. I'm dying to hear your impressions of the tone comparison with your 335. For example, does the varitone route create some clear difference in tone beyond what you'd expect from them just being two different guitars.

Reinhard

Thanks guys!
I'll definitely post pics as I go along.
Kapepper, the case is pretty f'd, I will have to buy a decent case for it. Cool to have the old one, but structurally it's not safe.
Singe, it's early days yet, but it sounds like the 345 "rings" a bit more than the 335, but I will have to test them side to side. The neck pup is definitely a PAT number pickup, Rick will still check the bridge pup.

Reinhard

A little update. Rick Norman (Dr Vintage), managed to save my neck pup ? I am astounded by everything he did.

1. Took all the old tape adhesive off and unwound the nicked windings
2. He replaced the ending pigtail and added an extension on the beginning pigtail.
3. Removed all the gunk and horrible solder from the base plate and dunked it in an ultra-sonic tank.
4. Fully assembled, taped, with a new lead. He also put in some naturally-aged pole screws from his stash of old stuff to replace the weird painted ones.

5. The Ttop did not need a lot of help, just tidying up

The Patent-sticker PAF measures out at 7.45k at 79 degrees F, and the Patent-sticker T-top measures out at 7.99k at 79 degrees F

Excuse all the pics ?

vic

Lovely Reinhard...things are moving hey !
No worries about the pics....I like 'em ?

Reinhard

Thanks Vic, I am getting excited. Once the electronics are in, it's off to Foster for a setup. These pups may be a little less output than the PAT numbers in the 335, but I think they should be nice and smooth when pushing the amp.

singemonkey

Kif pickups dude. Glad that one could be saved. Don't apologise for the pics. That's what we want to see.

kapepper

the more pics the better

Also, reinhardt, did the seller know sometig about the history of the guitar? Previous owners? When it arrived in SA?

When I contacted the seller he told me that he got it from an old guy somewehere i dont know in SA....

Reinhard

I don't have any info on the history sorry. ?