Purchase Tips for a Gibson ES-175 1959 Reissue

[jzucker]

I've *NEVER* had a mahogany neck split. EVER. And I've been buying and playing guitars with super heavy strings for 35 years. Yes, mahogany tends to crack or split if you drop the guitar but I don't lean my guitars against the wall so I've never experienced the problem.

And don't get me started about skarf joints.

On neck wood:

I love mahog' necks. I mean real mahogany, as well as sapele, khaya, and many of the open grain mahogany-oids out there.

While there are many fantastic maple neck guitars out there, I do notice the attack (indeed less chirpy to my ears) and sound of a mahogany neck.

Same for lighter tuners vs. some of the real piles of metal out there.

The part I can not at all 'explain' is the effect the neck and tuners often have even when playing well up the neck.

The big disadvantage of mahogany over maple is in the fragility of the neck in the nut area. Mahogany is just very prone to splitting on the short, run-out grain as you make the left-hand turn from neck to headstock. (Assuming no scarf-joned headstock,...)

Chris

[Patrick2]

Thanks Chris. That is very useful information that I appreciate. Actually, I appreciate everyone's responses as there is always something to learn and/or think about. It's a little weird to me how some responses are directed to me, and then in the following sentence they will be directed about me or what my obvious thought process is. Perhaps that's the psychology of the internet forum and the limitations on the written language. Still, I choose to just focus on the substance of the responses and thank everyone for taking the time to share their thoughts.

Nothing weird at all about responses directed at you . . then about you or your thought process. Sometimes, for effeciency, a reply to you in your post (or anyone else in their post for that matter) . . the reply may go on to address some of the things that were mentioned by others in their replies. I guess we're assuming that everyone who posted is still looking in on the thread. Anyway, that's the reason I do it. No disrespect intended.

Regarding the substance of it .. I think it has all been substantive.

[Franz 1997]

The volute has no effect on sound and they didn't even make the maple neck versions until late '73. The maple neck makes a huge difference. On numerous occasions I have compared 70s 175s with maple and mahogany necks and there is a huge difference in the attack. The maple has a definitive chirp on the attack which is very *UN* hall/metheny-like.

If it was all body/pickup placement the epi and the eastman 371 would sound like a 175. THEY DON'T!

Of course the volute makes no ***** difference. A bit of irony there..anyway your directness and strength of opinion are most refreshing. I must listen harder for the huge difference.

[jzucker]

Of course the volute makes no ***** difference. A bit of irony there..anyway your directness and strength of opinion are most refreshing. I must listen harder for the huge difference.

i actually like the volute for the reason that gibson put it on there. It strengthens the weak spot of the headstock

[jzucker]

OMG - The '59 reissue is $4699 from musicians friend. Ummmm...nevermind...Sometimes I wonder about these online forums.

[Hammertone]

OMG - The '59 reissue is $4699 from musicians friend. Ummmm...nevermind...Sometimes I wonder about these online forums.

Ebay right now, under $4K - these guitars are all essentially new:
Gibson ES-175 VOS 59 - 1-pickup SB - BIN $3,195.00 #321285727548
Gibson ES-175 VOS 59 - 2-pickup SB - BIN $3,759.20 #191016296925
Gibson ES-175 VOS 59 - 2-pickup SB - BIN $3,759.20 #190992742896
Gibson ES-175 VOS 59 - 2-pickup SB - BIN $3,250.00 or Best Offer #161172279224
Gibson ES-175 VOS 59 - 2-pickup SB - BIN $3,750.00 #201004391575
Gibson ES-175 VOS 59 - 2-pickup SB - BIN $3,395.00 #161168236270

[GNAPPI]

i actually like the volute for the reason that gibson put it on there. It strengthens the weak spot of the headstock

I agree, I have no problem with a volute at all.

[maggles55]

PSA - Musician's Friend just listed a bunch of 1959 RI ES175's starting at under $3K on ebay. I noticed they did this 2 weeks ago also, but the auctions were pulled before end(??)

Andy

[pez_espada]

NOooooooooooooo - Why would you get a brand new 175? The earlier ones are so much better. Why do folks feel like they have to have these shiny, new toys?!?

Neither I buy this stupid hipster "vintage is always better" bulllshit. Those guitars were NOT vinatge at the time they were recorded and yes, they were "shiny, new toys" at that time as well. I have a 2011 Sadowsky Jim Hall model with the beautiful tone one could find only in the best ES175s from the 50s, and the Sadowsky will even have the edge here.

If those 1959 reissues ES175s are well built and care has been taken in the quality control by Gibson, I think they are a better bet than hunting in the vintage market.

[Archie]

In regards to the OP.

What if, you could get a better made, sounding and playing guitar, for half that used price?

If money and the careful use of it, is important to you, why are you buying an Es-175 59 re-issue?

With all this in mind, get the one that plays the best and stop worrying about the money :-))

Or wait another 6 months and grab one for $2500. your entering a reasonable busy period in the online second hand market, wait till January ;-)

[pingu]

Well I've been patiently cultivating my guitar fund over the past few years while shopping/researching brands/types of guitars. I've settled on getting a two-pickup ES-175 1959 RI and am finally in a position to make a purchase.

My first choice would be a blonde, although I like the sunburst well enough. Last month, I drove up to L.A and played a couple new ones, a blonde and a sunburst. They were both great, but the sunburst was just better - better note separation, but better blend as well. It just felt and sounded right. The new ones, though, are about $1000 more than mint used ones available on-line. To me, new or used they are both expensive purchases.

so, my question is would you pay that much more for a guitar that you played and was a proven winner, even if the color was a slight compromise. Or, would you simply buy used, sight unseen, and hope for the best, but still expecting a great guitar. Thanks.

I'd just play lots of guitars till you find
a nice one , they're all different , its the wood
you know ....

I wouldn't recommend buying an axe you
haven't played ....
It should feel nice and sound good
doesn't matter about the colour much to me
you can always paint it a different colour

[Jazz_175]

you can always paint it a different colour

Would a luthier be able to repaint a guitar such that it wouldn't be possible to distinguish a repainted guitar
from a Gibson original?

[Hammertone]

Would a luthier be able to repaint a guitar such that it wouldn't be possible to distinguish a repainted guitar from a Gibson original?

Yes.

[Patrick2]

Hammertone must still be very busy trying to figure out that new 18" guitar he just got. His answer was very short . . but also very accurate to your question. While the answer is yes, as Hammer indicated . . it is possible. If your question was "is it probable?" . . well, that might draw a totally different answer.

Now, here's the rest of it;

In order for your Gibson ES175 1959 reissue guitar to be refinished and totally undetectable as having been refinished, it would need to be totally stripped down to the point of what they call, white wood. Then, it would need to be finished in the same shape of the shading . . and the same color shading that Gibson used on the ES 175 1959 reissue (unless you are going with a solid color). If it has a mahog neck, and I'm pretty sure it does . . that might require a sealer. If it does, then that too would need to be the same one that Gibson uses.

Anything less than the total process explained above would more than likely be detectable under a black light inspection.