1963 Gibson ES-175D

[Geechnyc]

Thanks, JW, also for the gear references.

I'm fortunate to have no such back pain, and prefer the footstool as it offers me a simple portable solution to establishing the same instrument as well as body positioning no matter what seating may be available.

[Tal_175]

I played a 1967 last weekend. Although I wasn't shopping for an ES 175 (I already have one), I almost bought it. I didn't buy it because it had a narrow nut and slightly flattened top. I was surprised how much I liked it because I though I didn't like the sound of light laminate archtops. I tried 50's ES 175's as well as recent VOS's in the past. I find them a bit too bright and acoustic sounding when amplified. But this one had a full and warm sound although it was light and acoustically lively. I guess not as light as 50's models. These 60's models (although this was 67, not early 60's) are the perfect balance between heavy and light built in my opinion. Now I have to get a 1963 or 1964 ES 175 (because of the neck profile preferences). Mine is a 2013 model. I love it but it's different.

[lawson-stone]

Not too much love expressed here for the thin neck on these guitars. Perhaps that is why they have never been reissued. I have a ES-335DOT reissue that has the so called "slim 60's neck" and it is not as thin as the neck on my 63 175. I played a 1960 Les Paul Standard that also had the super thin neck. That is a super rare bird as it was only made in one year.

I can adapt to thicker necks, but my preference is for the thin ones (with a full size nut).

I guess for me, Gibsons from 1960-1964 are the Golden age.....

Odd thought... the Epiphone ES175 Premiums have the lighter build, more like my VOS 1959 ES175, and the slimmer neck. Subjectively, I like the acoustic dymamic of the Epi Premium. Not saying equivalent of course, but maybe the inspiration of the Epi Premium was the era you describe?

[lawson-stone]

I played a 1967 last weekend. Although I wasn't shopping for an ES 175 (I already have one), I almost bought it. I didn't buy it because it had a narrow nut and slightly flattened top. I was surprised how much I liked it because I though I didn't like the sound of light laminate archtops. I tried 50's ES 175's as well as recent VOS's in the past. I find them a bit too bright and acoustic sounding when amplified. But this one had a full and warm sound although it was light and acoustically lively. I guess not as light as 50's models. These 60's models (although this was 67, not early 60's) are the perfect balance between heavy and light built in my opinion. Now I have to get a 1963 or 1964 ES 175 (because of the neck profile preferences). Mine is a 2013 model. I love it but it's different.

Actually I bet you'd like my VOS 1959. I bought it solely because I got an incredible deal on it. But it has become my go-to archtop. And that's a tough position considering all the Gibson archtops sitting around my house.

[Stringswinger]

Odd thought... the Epiphone ES175 Premiums have the lighter build, more like my VOS 1959 ES175, and the slimmer neck. Subjectively, I like the acoustic dymamic of the Epi Premium. Not saying equivalent of course, but maybe the inspiration of the Epi Premium was the era you describe?

I eventually sold my 1963 175 as I did not bond with the stainless frets I had installed (live and learn) and also because my subsequently purchased 59 VOS sounds so good, that my 63 became superfluous. I do prefer the thinner neck and I also see the 60's 175's as being less acoustic than the 50's, but less electric than the 70's onward.

These days, the thicker neck of the 50's Gibson seems to be in style. But styles change.....

[Tal_175]

Actually I bet you'd like my VOS 1959. I bought it solely because I got an incredible deal on it. But it has become my go-to archtop. And that's a tough position considering all the Gibson archtops sitting around my house.

It's possible. I guess one has to take judgments based to playing guitars in stores with a grain of salt

[rpguitar]

[Edit: This is a pointless post, since my posts from 2015 are visible in the thread - I just didn't go back to read all of it... oh well]

I actually have a 1963 single pickup 175, it weighs 5 lbs 12 oz and has a lot of acoustic character, which is usually my preference. The neck is quite slim from back to front but with a normal 1 11/16" nut width, just barely. I had it re-fretted with medium jumbo frets and a new nut. I find the neck profile really nice, similar in some ways to a Fender (radius not withstanding).

[Stringswinger]

It's possible. I guess one has to take judgments based to playing guitars in stores with a grain of salt

I almost did not buy my 59 VOS due to some negative comments on this forum from well respected forum members, but the deal was so good that I pulled the trigger. It is an incredible sounding guitar, but I presume that not all of them are. Play before you buy. And yeah, playing in a store rarely gives you the full picture.....

[lawson-stone]

Wow. All you have to do to witness the special nature of the 1960-1964 "generation" of ES175 is look at prices on Reverb. The guitars from this era run $7000-10,000 and more, while on either side the prices are a step down. That's only with instruments carrying original pickups and wiring, of course. Must be something in the demand, because there is definitely an "early 1960's price hump."

[Tal_175]

For 1964 prices don't seem to be higher than newer used ES 175's (I'm not sure if these are prices for guitars with original pickups):
Gibson ES-175D 1964 Sunburst Price Guide | Reverb

[jads57]

175 Guitars are great Workhorse Jazz guitars. But for me there are so may other options available that offer more versatility. Benedetto Standard comes to mind at least for me.
There is a great Bambino Deluxe for a reasonable 3k inthe for sale forums at the moment!

[lawson-stone]

For 1964 prices don't seem to be higher than newer used ES 175's (I'm not sure if these are prices for guitars with original pickups):
Gibson ES-175D 1964 Sunburst Price Guide | Reverb

I just went to Reverb and searched for ES175s in the 1960's and it seemed to me the 1960-1964 models, with original pickups, were going for $8000-$12,000+ while the same ones with replacement pickups were a notch lower. The neighboring periods seemed to me to be running 2000-3000 less, especially later. Lots of variables, of course, but I think it's fair to say the prices fro 60-64's are notably higher. I don't trust "price guides" but like to review actual instruments offered for sale.

[Stringswinger]

I just went to Reverb and searched for ES175s in the 1960's and it seemed to me the 1960-1964 models, with original pickups, were going for $8000-$12,000+ while the same ones with replacement pickups were a notch lower. The neighboring periods seemed to me to be running 2000-3000 less, especially later. Lots of variables, of course, but I think it's fair to say the prices fro 60-64's are notably higher. I don't trust "price guides" but like to review actual instruments offered for sale.

There are a lot of overpriced instruments on Reverb and EBay. Asking prices mean little to me, selling prices mean a lot. 1960-1962 175's will have PAF's. The Pups alone are work 5K. 1963 and 1964 models will have early Patent sticker PUPs (worth about 2K).

I sold my 1963 with 57 classics and stainless frets (a plus to some, a minus to some) and non original neck binding and replaced inlays for $4500 last year. Now that 175's are no longer in production I presume it might sell for a bit more today.

[Tal_175]

I think vintage archtop prices are a bit lower in Canada than the US. With the new customs regulations on rosewood, used guitar markets of US and Canada have been largely separated.

[Greentone]

Resurrecting this thread has me missing my old ES-175. It wasn't '60-'64 (it was a '68), but it was an exceptionally nice guitar. Not that I don't regret selling _every_ guitar (I do), but this one was special.

[wintermoon]

I just went to Reverb and searched for ES175s in the 1960's and it seemed to me the 1960-1964 models, with original pickups, were going for $8000-$12,000+ while the same ones with replacement pickups were a notch lower. The neighboring periods seemed to me to be running 2000-3000 less, especially later. Lots of variables, of course, but I think it's fair to say the prices fro 60-64's are notably higher. I don't trust "price guides" but like to review actual instruments offered for sale.

Lawson, the late '57-'60 models bring the highest prices, big factor being that people routinely strip them of their parts, especially the PAF pickups (twin pickup models bring more of course)
The parts are mainly used to restore Gibsons of that era and they sell for astronomical prices.

I had a just about dead mint '59 175D that I could have parted out and made alot more in the sale, but it never was a consideretion for me, I always find it sad when I see a nice old Gibson that has parts replaced. The only good that does is maybe make a vintage guitar more affordable for someone that doesn't have 10k+ to spend.

p.s the guy that bought it from me intended to strip it but the guitar was so nice he couldn't bring himself to do i

[lawson-stone]

Lawson, the late '57-'60 models bring the highest prices, big factor being that people routinely strip them of their parts, especially the PAF pickups (twin pickup models bring more of course)
The parts are mainly used to restore Gibsons of that era and they sell for astronomical prices.

I had a just about dead mint '59 175D that I could have parted out and made alot more in the sale, but it never was a consideretion for me, I always find it sad when I see a nice old Gibson that has parts replaced. The only good that does is maybe make a vintage guitar more affordable for someone that doesn't have 10k+ to spend.

p.s the guy that bought it from me intended to strip it but the guitar was so nice he couldn't bring himself to do i

Naturally I defer to your expertise. I just had gone onto Reverb and looked at the pricing and noticed a kind of hump for the 60-64 range. Maybe confirmation bias rearing its ugly head!

[wintermoon]

A good gauge is sold listings, not asking prices.

[Tal_175]

Actually I bet you'd like my VOS 1959. I bought it solely because I got an incredible deal on it. But it has become my go-to archtop. And that's a tough position considering all the Gibson archtops sitting around my house.

I found this video in another thread (nice playing BTW). To me ES 165 sounds a bit fuller and more electric then 175 VOS which was my experience with VOS's that I tried in the past. That's despite the fact that 165 is single pickup and perhaps even brighter then modern 2 pickup ES 175's. I think VOS sounds good in it's own right but my preference is the electric sound of the modern design. What impressed me about the 60's model I tried was that, it was more in between the moderns and 50's models. May be your 165 with a single pickup is in that spectrum as well.

[lawson-stone]

This is actually a better sample of the guitar's tone, though it might still be too woody for you. I find it really grew on me over time.

[Tal_175]

This is actually a better sample of the guitar's tone, though it might still be too woody for you. I find it really grew on me over time.

Yes it's woodier than my ES 175 (2013), but it's a good sound. It's actually closer to the sound of ES 175's in many classic records than mine is. Block chords also sound closer to L5 than modern ones.
It's becoming increasingly clear to me that I need one of each.

[lawson-stone]

Yes it's woodier than my ES 175 (2013), but it's a good sound. It's actually closer to the sound of ES 175's in many classic records than mine is. Block chords also sound closer to L5 than modern ones.
It's becoming increasingly clear to me that I need one of each.

That's the spirit!

[garybaldy]

Thought I'd add mine to this old thread!