Gibson ES-175

[ESCC]

Thank you Elamberth!

But those were rush shots. I'm a mirror less digital fan. I use a Fuji XT-1 body. Those shots were taken with a Fuji 56mm f/1.2 lens. In natural room light I generally shoot with the aperture wide open at 1/125 handheld. I should have stopped down the aperture for a tighter focus.

I liked the shallow depth of field in the photos, it highlighted specifc elements nicely.

Now back to guitar talk.

[BigMikeinNJ]

​Very nice inde d 2B !!!

[2bornot2bop]

Greg you are like a friggin blood hound. I wish I had your nose. Congrats my friend.

It's pure luck Vinny. You happen to be on the computer looking when something is available at a decent price. I only buy used so it's a random thing. Or destiny, as I prefer to think.

[Ray175]

Bought my first in 1974 (a 1958 model) and sold it on some years later. Picked up this one in 1991 - it's a 1961 model and has been worked hard, but plays like a dream.... aaaaaaaaah, the PAFs! the PAFs !

[boatheelmusic]

Congrats!!

Your new Blonde looks just like my '06!!

How do you like it with the new Henriksen vs other amps?

[2bornot2bop]

man, you guys go through guitars like I go through bottled water!
back when I was buying I don't think I ever bought more than one or two a year.
can't say I'll never buy another guitar, there's only a couple left on my bucket list and if they don't pop up I'll be cool.
but hey, if ya got the means, by all means, gopher it.

my fingers are getting tired of all the NGD congrats around here!

Yeah, well you left out the part where you had the opportunity to buy so many good guitars at a time when they were by todays standards "cheap." Some of us are struggling just to own ONE real decent guitar.

Congrats!!

Your new Blonde looks just like my '06!!

How do you like it with the new Henriksen vs other amps?

Honestly, I'm still trying to dial the amp in with the guitar, so the jury is still out...but the guitar looks nice. I did a string change to TI Swing 13's so that was a step in the right direction.

[neatomic]

the little epi that could!!



haha

cheers

[2bornot2bop]

the little epi that could!!



haha

cheers

Best buy I've ever experienced. To get one of those for $500 or less is nuts. Big upside with that guitar. Oddly enough, once the Gibson arrived I discovered the neck wasn't noticeably thicker than the Epi Premium's neck.

[neatomic]

Best buy I've ever experienced. To get one of those for $500 or less is nuts. Big upside with that guitar. Oddly enough, once the Gibson arrived I discovered the neck wasn't noticeably thicker than the Epi Premium's neck.

i think that's the best type of quote you can ever find here..coming from someone who has had experience with many great & $$$$$ guitars...for the guy looking for a good budget type archtop..(which is really probably the majority of viewers who lurk here)..that kind of honest appraisal is so helpful

good for you 2bop

cheers

[2bornot2bop]

i think that's the best type of quote you can ever find here..coming from someone who has had experience with many great & $$$$$ guitars...for the guy looking for a good budget type archtop..(which is really probably the majority of viewers who lurk here)..that kind of honest appraisal is so helpful

good for you 2bop

cheers

edit - I never forget my guitar roots. And, I still have a place in my heart for less expensive guitars that truly produce a smile in the heart of its player.

gotta be honest and call it as I see it. I could lay on more superlatives but the point is, henceforth I'll chuckle when I see the proverbial thread that asks for input on a 'what to buy' for under $1500 electric guitars. That Premium takes on all comer's and then some. And I'm not a fan of thinner necks, but the more expensive Super Eagles with thinner necks prepared me for the Epi Premium. The neck size really isn't a deal breaker for me, for there are far too many positives to mention, and the tone being tops on the list.

[Frank67]

Welcome to the world of ES-175 2b! This looks like a particularly nice one - nice find! I hope that it lives up to your expectations. it certainly is a nice complement to your collection of high end guitars.

Actually it inspired me to take out my ES 175 today and play it a bit. It reminded me how nice these guitars are, how smooth they sound and how easy to play they are. I personally still prefer the sound of a carved top but there is a reason why the ES 175 is such an iconic design. I also feel that the extra depth adds a lot to the tone. I don't think that L5's play better or sound 'better', just 'different'.

Incidentally, I was at a Jam session in NYC a little while ago and the guitar players played all kinds of guitars from solid body, semi-hollow, L5 etc. They all played through the same Princeton reverb amp and with the same rhythm group. The guitar that stood out sonically was clearly the ES 175. It just sat perfect in the mix, sounded full and round and mellow and warm while yet it was still cutting through like butter. It certainly helped that the player was amazingly good and was playing right in the pocket with authority and confidence while his colleague at the L5 was so nervous that he hardly hit any note.

That just reminded me what a wonderful design the ES 175 is. Certainly a working musicians instrument - perhaps a 'lucky punch' on Gibson's behalf that the design hit home with the musicians of the era - and ever since.

So, I hope you enjoy this beauty for a long time to come!

Cheers,
Frank

[whiskey02]

Damn that is a gorgeous guitar. Enjoy.

[2bornot2bop]

Hi Frank!

It's a heckuva world as I'm finding out this weekend. I think J-Dub nailed it when he said "Sometimes, I wonder why we bother with anything else."

How prophetic.

I'm taking a liking to this guitar, and I don't care for blondes.

Thanks for sharing your jam session story!

Welcome to the world of ES-175 2b! This looks like a particularly nice one - nice find! I hope that it lives up to your expectations. it certainly is a nice complement to your collection of high end guitars.

Actually it inspired me to take out my ES 175 today and play it a bit. It reminded me how nice these guitars are, how smooth they sound and how easy to play they are. I personally still prefer the sound of a carved top but there is a reason why the ES 175 is such an iconic design. I also feel that the extra depth adds a lot to the tone. I don't think that L5's play better or sound 'better', just 'different'.

Incidentally, I was at a Jam session in NYC a little while ago and the guitar players played all kinds of guitars from solid body, semi-hollow, L5 etc. They all played through the same Princeton reverb amp and with the same rhythm group. The guitar that stood out sonically was clearly the ES 175. It just sat perfect in the mix, sounded full and round and mellow and warm while yet it was still cutting through like butter. It certainly helped that the player was amazingly good and was playing right in the pocket with authority and confidence while his colleague at the L5 was so nervous that he hardly hit any note.

That just reminded me what a wonderful design the ES 175 is. Certainly a working musicians instrument - perhaps a 'lucky punch' on Gibson's behalf that the design hit home with the musicians of the era - and ever since.

So, I hope you enjoy this beauty for a long time to come!

Cheers,
Frank

[plasticpigeon]

2B,

You are forgiven for not coming over today, instead, choosing to be there when your blonde babe arrived. She is definitely better looking than me, so I understand completely. You already know that I've owned a Gibson 175 since 1972. She's definitely a prize, and I love everything about her. Welcome to the club! There is nothing that sounds like this guitar. I bought her after seeing Joe Pass played one, and I couldn't believe anyone could sound that great, so I though I'd give it a try. She's still here after all those years. You'll love it.
Attachment 35306

I have an L-5 from the same era. I think the early Norlin ones are nice especially as they went back to the 1 11/16 wide nut around 1970. The red burst isn't everyones cup of tea, but I've grown to love it. I like the walnut stained sides with the cherry burst on the 175, it makes it quite distinctive. I'd love to buy a 175 like yours, but how can a less than average player like me justify and L-5 and a 175!!!

[fabienlag]

Wow! 2b that is an exceptional beauty! You must be in heaven.

To paraphrase the fox from La Fontaine: if its voice matches its looks... (sorry! French literature reference here)

skykomishone's one looks great too. Looks like the same finish as Carlton's 335.

I bought one new around 1982, because of Pat Metheny, Joe Pass and Steve Howe and indeed I could nail Metheny's and Pass' round tone and Howe's rich woody agressive and unique tone. If only I could have nailed their playing too!

They are indeed pretty deep. That participate to the tone but I didn't find it confortable. The resonating body against your chest is great but playing position is a bit extreme. I prefer the 2"1/2-3" depth of many of the current guitars like Eastmans, Guild Savoy, Ibanez PM's.

I eventualy sold it to a friend round '90 and he still has it. Even proposed to sell it back to me.

But those two guitars in this thread are by far more beautyfull than mine was, a plain sunburst.

[mr. beaumont]

There's really not much like a good 175.

It always amazes me that almost NO other archtop goes that extra 1/2" with the depth...

[2bornot2bop]

I have an L-5 from the same era. I think the early Norlin ones are nice especially as they went back to the 1 11/16 wide nut around 1970. The red burst isn't everyones cup of tea, but I've grown to love it. I like the walnut stained sides with the cherry burst on the 175, it makes it quite distinctive. I'd love to buy a 175 like yours, but how can a less than average player like me justify and L-5 and a 175!!!

the "justification" is because you can buy them.

[Ray175]

Great choice and a great looker. You'll love it
My first was a 1958 and my current one 1961 which has been worked very hard
Try to leave it alone a for a few minutes now and then so you can keep in touch with the forum

[Little Jay]

It was september 2016 when he got that... old thread :-)

[lawson-stone]

I have an L-5 from the same era. I think the early Norlin ones are nice especially as they went back to the 1 11/16 wide nut around 1970. The red burst isn't everyones cup of tea, but I've grown to love it. I like the walnut stained sides with the cherry burst on the 175, it makes it quite distinctive. I'd love to buy a 175 like yours, but how can a less than average player like me justify and L-5 and a 175!!!

First... to whom must we "justify" our decisions about what guitar to have or play?

But still... I'm a middling player. Give me a mediocre guitar, and my mediocrity is multiplied. A less than stellar player needs a great guitar so that the ONE time I get it right, the guitar won't let me down. Give Kenny Burrell a box of rocks and he'll make it sing. But I"m no Kenny Burrell. I need the best guitar I can manage to make the most of my middling talents.

Hope that helps and we see you with an ES175 or L5 real soon!

[jzucker]

congrats. Normally I hate figured maple tops but it looks amazing with the amber tint of that guitar. Welcome to the fold.

[2bornot2bop]

congrats. Normally I hate figured maple tops but it looks amazing with the amber tint of that guitar. Welcome to the fold.

took me awhile huh!
This gorgeous '175 sold to another forum member who also bought my L4CES 'hog. I'm on the hunt for a sunburst, my fav fin.

[rolijen]

Congrats on your new blonde 175! I love mine too. I love my other guitars, but when I pick up my 175s, they just make me smile. Yours is beautiful. Enjoy her!

Roli

[nikotro]

Congrats with a beautyful blonde.