June 22, 2026 at 8:29 PM
#MusicChallenge #WorldAtoZ
Day 27. W = West Virginia.
My local hero was born in Huntington, WV before moving to Columbus as a child. Here's a great one where used the Varitone unit.
Rusty Bryant - "Streak O'Lean"
youtu.be/zkAdzdDBiW4?...
Day 27. W = West Virginia.
My local hero was born in Huntington, WV before moving to Columbus as a child. Here's a great one where used the Varitone unit.
Rusty Bryant - "Streak O'Lean"
youtu.be/zkAdzdDBiW4?...
Streak O'Lean
YouTube video by Rusty Bryant - Topic
youtu.be
September 28, 2026 at 1:25 AM
#MusicChallenge #WorldAtoZ
Day 27. W = West Virginia.
My local hero was born in Huntington, WV before moving to Columbus as a child. Here's a great one where used the Varitone unit.
Rusty Bryant - "Streak O'Lean"
youtu.be/zkAdzdDBiW4?...
Day 27. W = West Virginia.
My local hero was born in Huntington, WV before moving to Columbus as a child. Here's a great one where used the Varitone unit.
Rusty Bryant - "Streak O'Lean"
youtu.be/zkAdzdDBiW4?...
reverb.com/news/the-var...
Check out the varitone circuit, BB King's Lucille famously had one.
It's basically a way of selecting between several analog onboard equalizers.
Check out the varitone circuit, BB King's Lucille famously had one.
It's basically a way of selecting between several analog onboard equalizers.
The Varitone Circuit Demystified: Scott Sharrard and the Gibson ES-345
The lead guitarist and director of the Gregg Allman Band gives his take on the decades-old, often misunderstood tone circuit.
reverb.com
April 14, 2026 at 5:19 PM
reverb.com/news/the-var...
Check out the varitone circuit, BB King's Lucille famously had one.
It's basically a way of selecting between several analog onboard equalizers.
Check out the varitone circuit, BB King's Lucille famously had one.
It's basically a way of selecting between several analog onboard equalizers.
Factoid: The vivid two-tone colours of the late ‘50’s had a body in the MG Magnette ZB ‘Varitone’ which also featured an enlarged rear window while the ‘standard’ ZB Magnette kept the style of ZA model & was arguably the better looking car…
November 15, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Factoid: The vivid two-tone colours of the late ‘50’s had a body in the MG Magnette ZB ‘Varitone’ which also featured an enlarged rear window while the ‘standard’ ZB Magnette kept the style of ZA model & was arguably the better looking car…
I play so much new music on my show that it’s good to occasionally revisit albums that somewhat passed me by. I played one cut in Sept, now digging deeper. Great to hear the Daptone Sound applied to Jazz. Four part rhythm section. Sax played through a Varitone like Eddie Harris. Native American Jazz
November 28, 2025 at 5:03 PM
I play so much new music on my show that it’s good to occasionally revisit albums that somewhat passed me by. I played one cut in Sept, now digging deeper. Great to hear the Daptone Sound applied to Jazz. Four part rhythm section. Sax played through a Varitone like Eddie Harris. Native American Jazz
Good Monday, Bluesky. Latest album history & review: Lou Donaldson’s funky varitone outing from 1970, Everything I Play Is Funky. RIP.
With the great Idris Muhammad on drums. #jazzsky
youtu.be/SjofoYcxm6k
With the great Idris Muhammad on drums. #jazzsky
youtu.be/SjofoYcxm6k
Lou Donaldson: Everything I Play Is Funky (Episode 392)
YouTube video by Ten-Minute Record Reviews
youtu.be
November 25, 2024 at 3:46 PM
Good Monday, Bluesky. Latest album history & review: Lou Donaldson’s funky varitone outing from 1970, Everything I Play Is Funky. RIP.
With the great Idris Muhammad on drums. #jazzsky
youtu.be/SjofoYcxm6k
With the great Idris Muhammad on drums. #jazzsky
youtu.be/SjofoYcxm6k
Three pickups, six knobs, and a chicken head varitone-style selector is a lot of responsibility.
February 24, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Three pickups, six knobs, and a chicken head varitone-style selector is a lot of responsibility.
Makes varitone seem simple 😂
September 23, 2024 at 4:04 PM
Makes varitone seem simple 😂
@roybent.bsky.social - I finally pulled the trigger - should be here in a day or 2 (I wanted this color), hoping it is same as ones I tried out. Had my heart set on the BB King Lucille model with the Varitone and buckers but the A5 P-90's just sing like nothing l have, pretty stoked here!
July 1, 2024 at 5:15 PM
@roybent.bsky.social - I finally pulled the trigger - should be here in a day or 2 (I wanted this color), hoping it is same as ones I tried out. Had my heart set on the BB King Lucille model with the Varitone and buckers but the A5 P-90's just sing like nothing l have, pretty stoked here!
ES355... but I want a varitone switch and bigsby so I either buy old with it.. so a lot.. or buy new and mod it.. so a lot 🫣
August 9, 2024 at 7:21 PM
ES355... but I want a varitone switch and bigsby so I either buy old with it.. so a lot.. or buy new and mod it.. so a lot 🫣
A lot of you are asking about the switches and since I used to own the guitar, I know what they are
Two of them are coil split one of them is phase, and it has an onboard boost circuit that uses a 9 V battery
And a Varitone like an ES-355
Two of them are coil split one of them is phase, and it has an onboard boost circuit that uses a 9 V battery
And a Varitone like an ES-355
February 13, 2026 at 7:59 PM
A lot of you are asking about the switches and since I used to own the guitar, I know what they are
Two of them are coil split one of them is phase, and it has an onboard boost circuit that uses a 9 V battery
And a Varitone like an ES-355
Two of them are coil split one of them is phase, and it has an onboard boost circuit that uses a 9 V battery
And a Varitone like an ES-355
lou donaldson - say it loud! (1969, blue note)
lou donaldson - varitone alto saxophone & vocals
blue mitchell - trumpet
charles earland - organ
jimmy ponder - guitar
leo morris - drums
#nowplaying
lou donaldson - varitone alto saxophone & vocals
blue mitchell - trumpet
charles earland - organ
jimmy ponder - guitar
leo morris - drums
#nowplaying
May 3, 2026 at 7:14 AM
lou donaldson - say it loud! (1969, blue note)
lou donaldson - varitone alto saxophone & vocals
blue mitchell - trumpet
charles earland - organ
jimmy ponder - guitar
leo morris - drums
#nowplaying
lou donaldson - varitone alto saxophone & vocals
blue mitchell - trumpet
charles earland - organ
jimmy ponder - guitar
leo morris - drums
#nowplaying
All 345 and 355s should have varitone switches as standard
December 17, 2025 at 11:24 PM
All 345 and 355s should have varitone switches as standard
John Coltrane playing an electronic Varitone system with his tenor. This was supposedly a loaner unit that he only had for a few weeks in 1967, and there are rumors that home recordings of his Varitone experiments exist.
September 23, 2023 at 3:07 PM
John Coltrane playing an electronic Varitone system with his tenor. This was supposedly a loaner unit that he only had for a few weeks in 1967, and there are rumors that home recordings of his Varitone experiments exist.
Carole Martin at The Point, a supper club in Golden Valley. Produced by Leigh Kamman, long time local jazz DJ. Featuring Percy Hughes on Varitone alto.
November 30, 2024 at 10:34 PM
Carole Martin at The Point, a supper club in Golden Valley. Produced by Leigh Kamman, long time local jazz DJ. Featuring Percy Hughes on Varitone alto.
Gibson Custom Shop 1959 ES-355 Reissue Left Hand Bigsby Varitone Watermelon VOS #A940477 2024 www.digimart.net/cat01/shop38...
October 22, 2024 at 12:44 PM
Gibson Custom Shop 1959 ES-355 Reissue Left Hand Bigsby Varitone Watermelon VOS #A940477 2024 www.digimart.net/cat01/shop38...
#Wah24
#MusicChallenge
Day 10, Distortion
Saw Les 50 years ago and this is just as timely now…
“Unreal values, crass distortion
Unwed mothers need abortion”
Eddie Harris used a Varitone signal processor, but no effect pedals 🙂
If you don’t know it, play it!
youtu.be/rI03hnN7Q4A?...
#MusicChallenge
Day 10, Distortion
Saw Les 50 years ago and this is just as timely now…
“Unreal values, crass distortion
Unwed mothers need abortion”
Eddie Harris used a Varitone signal processor, but no effect pedals 🙂
If you don’t know it, play it!
youtu.be/rI03hnN7Q4A?...
Les McCann & Eddie Harris - Compared To What (1969) Audio and Video restored
An amazing performance about two of my favourites Soul Jazz artist: Les Mc Cann & Eddie Harris live @ Montreaux 1969 Enjoy It
youtu.be
March 9, 2024 at 10:54 PM
#Wah24
#MusicChallenge
Day 10, Distortion
Saw Les 50 years ago and this is just as timely now…
“Unreal values, crass distortion
Unwed mothers need abortion”
Eddie Harris used a Varitone signal processor, but no effect pedals 🙂
If you don’t know it, play it!
youtu.be/rI03hnN7Q4A?...
#MusicChallenge
Day 10, Distortion
Saw Les 50 years ago and this is just as timely now…
“Unreal values, crass distortion
Unwed mothers need abortion”
Eddie Harris used a Varitone signal processor, but no effect pedals 🙂
If you don’t know it, play it!
youtu.be/rI03hnN7Q4A?...
Just listed by Walt Grace Vintage in the Marketplace on PureVintage.com
1961 Gibson Super 400 CES with Factory Varitone Stereo Electric Guitar "Sunburst"
purevintage.com/vintage-for-...
#Gibson
#GibsonGuitars
#VintageGibson
#GibsonSuper400CES
#PureVintageGuitars
#WaltGraceVintage
1961 Gibson Super 400 CES with Factory Varitone Stereo Electric Guitar "Sunburst"
purevintage.com/vintage-for-...
#Gibson
#GibsonGuitars
#VintageGibson
#GibsonSuper400CES
#PureVintageGuitars
#WaltGraceVintage
January 25, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Just listed by Walt Grace Vintage in the Marketplace on PureVintage.com
1961 Gibson Super 400 CES with Factory Varitone Stereo Electric Guitar "Sunburst"
purevintage.com/vintage-for-...
#Gibson
#GibsonGuitars
#VintageGibson
#GibsonSuper400CES
#PureVintageGuitars
#WaltGraceVintage
1961 Gibson Super 400 CES with Factory Varitone Stereo Electric Guitar "Sunburst"
purevintage.com/vintage-for-...
#Gibson
#GibsonGuitars
#VintageGibson
#GibsonSuper400CES
#PureVintageGuitars
#WaltGraceVintage
also so i dont get blocked by max for being a nerd, my SX 5 string jazz, with rail pickups and a diy Varitone circuit; most basses have a simple resistive pot to roll off high end but i did a 6-way switch to switch in different capacitors which gives a cool peak at different notes
February 15, 2025 at 10:40 PM
also so i dont get blocked by max for being a nerd, my SX 5 string jazz, with rail pickups and a diy Varitone circuit; most basses have a simple resistive pot to roll off high end but i did a 6-way switch to switch in different capacitors which gives a cool peak at different notes
i remember frank saying something in an interview recently about the bellyacher pedal having an “under the balls growl” and that’s what this thing has on the low end with the varitone selector bypassed
April 19, 2025 at 12:58 AM
i remember frank saying something in an interview recently about the bellyacher pedal having an “under the balls growl” and that’s what this thing has on the low end with the varitone selector bypassed
Gear with lots of knobs and switches in general
There’s just something really fun and just… I dunno, right about stuff like a varitone switch with a nice mechanical “chunk” sound every time you change settings
There’s just something really fun and just… I dunno, right about stuff like a varitone switch with a nice mechanical “chunk” sound every time you change settings
I love a guitar with obscene amounts of knobs and switches
October 8, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Gear with lots of knobs and switches in general
There’s just something really fun and just… I dunno, right about stuff like a varitone switch with a nice mechanical “chunk” sound every time you change settings
There’s just something really fun and just… I dunno, right about stuff like a varitone switch with a nice mechanical “chunk” sound every time you change settings
Turns out I spent hours and hours tinkering… with the stompbox idea. I have it on a breadboard, and I believe the weird shit is in fact working and I'll be able to make what I need :D
I'm contemplating a superheavy one, but the 'brutal gibson' variant is a lock. It even took Varitone just right :)
I'm contemplating a superheavy one, but the 'brutal gibson' variant is a lock. It even took Varitone just right :)
April 29, 2026 at 10:32 PM
Turns out I spent hours and hours tinkering… with the stompbox idea. I have it on a breadboard, and I believe the weird shit is in fact working and I'll be able to make what I need :D
I'm contemplating a superheavy one, but the 'brutal gibson' variant is a lock. It even took Varitone just right :)
I'm contemplating a superheavy one, but the 'brutal gibson' variant is a lock. It even took Varitone just right :)