Help me choose a Gibson ES-175

[ah.clem]

I've recently spent a few hours playing the Heritage H575 at my LGS. I thought it was a very nice sounding instrument for the money and had really good fit and finish. A friend came in and took an ES 175 off the wall so we could jam together and I didn't like it enough to justify the cost differential just to have Gibson on the headstock. I'm just playing as many different instruments as I can, wherever I am, to try to get a better feel for the cost/benefit ratio on all these different offerings. OTOH, the gentleman I study with has a couple of old 175s and they sound great, but I suspect it's mostly his ability to get the sounds out of the guitar; I imagine I would not get the subtle sounds he gets from them. I think it's more about the mileage on the player than the name on the headstock. Of course, just my opinion.

[lawson-stone]

Lawson, thanks for posting the video. I liked the 165 better but part of that may be because it sounds like the E & B strings on the 175 may be a bit closer to the fretboard, but the 165 also sounds a bit deeper.

Boom!

Shortly after making that clip, I actually raised the treble side of the bridge some and it definitely changed the tone for the better. A huge difference--no more "spank" just thick clear tone.


-Lawson
"Behavior that's admired is the path to power among peoples everywhere."-Beowulf

[AlsoRan]

Nope, I live in Dallas and there's not a single dealer around here where a 175 can be found. GC has pretty much caused almost all of the independently owned music stores to go out of business.

Try these places, although they would probably all want top dollar:

I believe in Carrolton (North Dallas) - Van Hoose Vintage Guitars
Van Hoose Vintage - Inventory

in Midlothian Texas, around 40 minutes south - GBrat's Guitars
https://gbratsguitars.com/products/1/ in Midlothian Texas, around 40 minutes south

If you want to follow Greentone's advice, try guitar shows like this one at the end of July, the Ft. Wrothj Guitar Show (I have not been to one of theirs):
Fort Worth Guitar Show - Home

In October, here is a guitar show in Arlington, Texas. This is a good bet to try one. They have a hell of a whole lot of guitars everywhere, and I saw several ES-175s, both used and new.
Arlingtond Guitar Show

And you are right, there are no Gibson ES-175s listed in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, although there is one in Oklahoma City, and I think it is "used."


Good Luck!

[Naquat]

Thanks AlsoRan. Unfortunately I'll be in the UK when the Ft. Worth Guitar show is going on. I'll check the other sites you linked to.

[Greentone]

The Ft Worth guitar show is really something. I have a good friend who sells and buys there every year. Lots of vintage guitars on display there. Lots of archtops.

[Naquat]

Greentone: True and a dealer/seller who has a table/booth gets first crack at other dealer's guitars before the doors ever open to the public. I've seen some good pricing and also a lot of crazy offerings like sellers who think that a Harmony student guitar from the 60's, that probably cost $24 new, is somehow now worth $600 just because it's old. LOL

[Jabberwocky]

Hill Country Guitars Hill Country Guitars - Guitar Details. Not an ES175 but close enough.

[Naquat]

Nice, but a bit over my budget Jabberwocky.

[Jabberwocky]

Naquat, someone is selling a Tokai FA245 in For Sale. It looks pretty good to me. Tokai makes pretty good ES-175 copies, true to the form. I don't know if you'd like to take a punt on it. Maybe make him an offer? It may have an African Mahogany neck instead of Honduran. African Mahogany is not a true mahogany but is a very good substitute for Honduran.

[vanschoyck]

Have you considered the Eastman AR371CE?

[Naquat]

Tokai has a great rep but $1700+ might be risky on an import I can't play until I get it and if I don't care for it may or may not have the resale timeframe a Gibson or Epi might have.

I believe the Eastman's are all 1 3/4" and I prefer 1 11/16".

I've read some reviews on this site that rave about the Epi ES-175 Premium as being as close as it gets to the Gibson.

Any thoughts from the hard core Gibson sect that may also own the Epi Premium???

[Encinitastubes]

I posted a 175 thread a few years ago when I was looking for one. I recall that it had page after page bashing new 175s (boat anchor was the popular reference); '80s with mahagony backs; '70s with multi-piece necks; and Historic models. I listened and went through a few '60s models before I realized they didn't feel and sound the way I liked. For me, having a big neck was important factor. Now, I have a 175 VOS that works for me, but my absolute favorite is my 2006 production model. A bit heavier than many, but sounds like an old Cadillac.

[Naquat]

Encinitastubes: I'm just the opposite. I don't have large hands and a chunky neck hinders my playing big time. I'm much more comfortable with a thin neck that's 1 11/16".

Each player needs to find their own comfort zone. If I purchased an Epi I wouldn't care if I had to shave the neck a bit, as long as it wasn't a vintage guitar, but I wouldn't want to do that to a US made Gibson.

So, which models/years have slim necks???

[jbucklin]

Naquat, you probably wouldn't be comfortable with the VOS then, since the neck is quite chunky. I've always heard that the 80s 175s are great but can't comment on neck size since I've never played one.

[jbucklin]

This looks very interesting:

1977 Ibanez 2355M Japan Lawsuit ES 175 Flamed Blond Maple with Case EXC | eBay

[Jazz_175]

Encinitastubes: I'm just the opposite. I don't have large hands and a chunky neck hinders my playing big time. I'm much more comfortable with a thin neck that's 1 11/16".

mmm....are you confusing neck shape and size with nut width?

[Naquat]

Jazz_175….Sorry for the omission but no, perhaps I should have said thin neck AND a nut width of 1 11/16".

[Longways to Go]

My Epiphone ES 175 Premium is a very nice guitar. Cheap enough, not at all disappointing.
But sadly, it hasn't quenched my lust for a Gibson version.

the only things standing between me & a Gibson 175 are funds and availability

[Greentone]

Get this one:

or maybe this one:

[Naquat]

Greentone…..unless Gibson had a reissue of a 175 with a P90 fat chance of that happening any time soon. LOL

Anyone take an ES165 with a floater, remove it and install a P90?

I like Hall's sound on "The Bridge"

[Greentone]

Interesting idea Naquat.

[jbucklin]

Interesting idea Naquat.

I concur. That's really the only way to retrofit a P90 onto a 175 (or 165). No way to do it with a 175 that's routed for a humbucker. You'd have to drill a hole for the lead though.

[Bluedawg]

This thread inspired me to grab my '85 ES175 Gibson and noodle around a little bit ..

Plugged it into a nice sparkly Twin setting on the ole Mustang III and toned down the treble a hair


Sometimes it makes me wonder why I bothered getting an L5 ... LOL



Not that I'm ready to dump the L5, mind you .... but if all you can muster is the cash for a 175 or one of the better copies you will have a lot of guitar on your hands

Good Luck

[Herbie]

I concur. That's really the only way to retrofit a P90 onto a 175 (or 165). No way to do it with a 175 that's routed for a humbucker. You'd have to drill a hole for the lead though.

Well, it is possible without making holes in the instrument but You have to do one piece of custom piece of wood between the gtr and pu. And then saw a little off the corners of the P90. Nothing impossible but a bit of a struggle.

[Naquat]

I concur. That's really the only way to retrofit a P90 onto a 175 (or 165). No way to do it with a 175 that's routed for a humbucker. You'd have to drill a hole for the lead though.

True, and I doubt the ES165 will be a collectible guitar so installing a P90 probably won't influence the future value much.