Mid 90s Gibson ES-175 specs

**MacGringo** · 07-25-2017, 08:16 PM

Can someone tell me when Gibson stopped using mahogany bodies on the ES-175 after the 80s. Wondering if in mid 90s they were still using mahogany or maple?

**Stbatz** · 07-25-2017, 08:46 PM

In my 96 is maple

**GNAPPI** · 07-25-2017, 10:42 PM

My 1995 is maple

**Stringswinger** · 07-26-2017, 12:03 AM

IIRC, the Hog back and sides ES-175's started in mid 1982 and lasted until mid 1989. All of the 90's 175's are maple.

**GNAPPI** · 07-26-2017, 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by Stringswinger

IIRC, the Hog back and sides ES-175's started in mid 1982 and lasted until mid 1989. All of the 90's 175's are maple.

Are 90's and beyond to current production also maple?

It makes me wonder about neck materials. I see claims of maple and mahogany across and within same decades listed for sale.

**Stringswinger** · 07-26-2017, 12:55 AM

Originally Posted by GNAPPI

Are 90's and beyond to current production also maple?

It makes me wonder about neck materials. I see claims of maple and mahogany across and within same decades listed for sale.

90's and beyond are all maple with hog necks, just like 1949 through 1975. 1976 through 1981 they were maple back and sides with maple necks.

**MacGringo** · 07-26-2017, 04:39 AM

Thanks for the responses. Can someone confirm what humbucker pickups are on the mid 90s ES-175? Is it the 490s? I read a post someplace that Gibson shipped the ES-175 with 57s at one point?

**GNAPPI** · 07-26-2017, 06:15 AM

My 95 has 57's but I'm not the original owner, you know how that is, modders can't resist mucking up originality. :-)

**MacGringo** · 07-26-2017, 06:44 AM

Originally Posted by GNAPPI

My 95 has 57's but I'm not the original owner, you know how that is, modders can't resist mucking up originality. :-)

Haha! So you're not sure if the 57s in yours were stock? I'm just about to purchase a mid 90s and trying the determine the specs on my purchase. The seller doesn't know what the pickups are. Thinks they are stock and 490s? Either way both great pickups. But if the 175 I'm looking at has 57s that would be great.

**MacGringo** · 07-26-2017, 06:52 AM

All the research i've done so far indicates the mid 90s ES-175 shipped with PAF 57s. Hmmm....this is good.

**MacGringo** · 07-26-2017, 06:55 AM

Sorry for all the noob questions lads- but you guys are the subject matter experts. :-)

Is the 90s Gibson ES-175 laminate or solid maple?

**SamBooka** · 07-26-2017, 08:07 AM

Is this the box you are looking at?
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-guitar/ville...ationFlag=true

If it is .. this guy should be quite similar
2002 Gibson ES-175

**lawson-stone** · 07-26-2017, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by MacGringo

Sorry for all the noob questions lads- but you guys are the subject matter experts. :-)

Is the 90s Gibson ES-175 laminate or solid maple?

All ES175s are laminate. A very few might have had solid maple rims, but the guitar is laminate.

**MacGringo** · 07-26-2017, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by SamBooka

Is this the box you are looking at?
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-guitar/gibson-es-175-1283215162?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

If it is .. this guy should be quite similar
2002 Gibson ES-175

No, it's a local sale, I'm in the Outaouais. Thanks for the link.

**Herbie** · 07-26-2017, 07:02 PM

I have complained this earlier already so pardon me, but the '90s ES-175 are disasters because they have NO that black RUBBER GROMMET around the pickup switch!

(I have never played one so seriously I don't know if it affects to the sound anyhow. Probably they are great.)

I remember that the Gibson published the Classic 57's in early 1990s. I think all that era ES-175s have them. And some say too that the early Classic 57s were better, more like their predessor, so called Tim Shaw humbuckers. The later ones are those that Gibson started to cut corners in the production line.

**GNAPPI** · 07-26-2017, 11:39 PM

Gads, I'd better sell my 1995, before players read this post en masse. I had no idea it was a disaster without the black grommet. Maybe I can grind an old Michelin tire to make it sellable? :-)

Herbie, to your point on early 57's vs current samples, I read the same things about the earlier ones being "better" but the comments are always subjective too much to put much reliability on the comments.

I can say this though, I have more than a few gits with 57's from several decades, but unfortunately most of the body styles are too different (solid, and Semi) to make any comments supporting the earlier ones being better, but I'll say this, my 1995 175 with 57's and 1996 Tal Farlow with 57's (I verified both have 57 classics) are the best of the lot :-)

MacGringo,

When I buy a git locally I always remove whatever I am allowed to verify originality according to my understanding of what "should be" original. If the seller
won't allow it and a quick check of the truss rod, I walk.

Online I ask a seller to take a pic with the git and the pup upside down to check for the same issue, original pups if they CAN be ID'd visually. If the owner balks, I walk unless the price is low like on a pristine AS-103NT I bought not long ago with filtertrons on it. As it happens the filtertrons are cool.

Their git so they have the right, my money so I can walk away.

**ThatRhythmMan** · 07-27-2017, 12:00 AM

I only have one personal comparison of an early 57 Classic vs a later one in the same model of guitar and the sound was drastically different. I have a 1993 Tal and a 2003 Tal. The 1993 sounds great, but the 2003 always sounded strangely nasal. I couldn't get used to that sound. I ended up putting an MHS in the neck position of the 2003. Now the 03 sounds great too.

**GNAPPI** · 07-27-2017, 12:03 AM

Originally Posted by ThatRhythmMan

I only have one personal comparison of an early 57 Classic vs a later one in the same model of guitar and the sound was drastically different. I have a 1993 Tal and a 2003 Tal. The 1993 sounds great, but the 2003 always sounded strangely nasal. I couldn't get used to that sound. I ended up putting an MHS in the neck position of the 2003. Now the 03 sounds great too.

You I'd believe, a rocker playing through 8 pedals I won't :-) I had MHS in a LP ES and it was a great pair.

**Herbie** · 07-27-2017, 12:38 AM

Originally Posted by ThatRhythmMan

I only have one personal comparison of an early 57 Classic vs a later one in the same model of guitar and the sound was drastically different. I have a 1993 Tal and a 2003 Tal. The 1993 sounds great, but the 2003 always sounded strangely nasal. I couldn't get used to that sound. I ended up putting an MHS in the neck position of the 2003. Now the 03 sounds great too.

Guitars are different.

Where did You get a MHS humbucker?

**Stringswinger** · 07-27-2017, 04:51 AM

My 97 175 is one of the finest sounding guitars I have ever played.

**ThatRhythmMan** · 07-27-2017, 06:44 AM

Originally Posted by Herbie

Guitars are different.

Where did You get a MHS humbucker?

I bought it on Reverb. It came out of an ES-Les Paul.

**Herbie** · 07-28-2017, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by ThatRhythmMan

I bought it on Reverb. It came out of an ES-Les Paul.

Congrats! They are rare birds.

I bought one from Ebay. It was from an ES-175. In fact I don't know is it a 'real' MHS pickup – its dc is about 8,2; too high – but the seller confirmed that it should be a real deal. Maybe some transitional version? But anyway: I like it a lot better than my ES-175 VOS's stock pu Classic 57.