Epiphone ES-175 Premium

[Jx30510]

The bridge must be far east size because the own I had came from a made in Japan Washburn J5..
I suppose Ibanez has the same size, so you should look for these parts.
I totally agree with previous post, it has greatly enhanced the quality in sound and feel
A better TOM bridge should also be a noticable upgrade.

[OldGuitarPlayer]

I'd love to have one of those but in the natural finish. Congrats!

[joaopaz]

The bridge must be far east size because the own I had came from a made in Japan Washburn J5..
I suppose Ibanez has the same size, so you should look for these parts.
I totally agree with previous post, it has greatly enhanced the quality in sound and feel
A better TOM bridge should also be a noticable upgrade.

Hi guys,

It happens I have a Washburn J6 (a few other archtops) so I may very well try one of their bridges on the Epiphone. Also, looking online I found this one at Thomann.. is their best seller, though they don't have many options - but it looks nice and since its unslotted it may be easier to solve the strings to pickup alignment.
Göldo HW155 - Thomann Portugal

One other thing: what do you think would be the best distance from strings to the neck pickup?

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[joaopaz]

I'd love to have one of those but in the natural finish. Congrats!

I was close to buy that one..! Perhaps on the next GAS attack, ... to try a P90 ... that would be cool! That's a valid reason to have another one, right? ;-)

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[sgosnell]

The ideal distance from the pickup to the strings depends on the strings, the pickup, and the tone you prefer. I don't know of any set rules for it. I just adjust the pickup until I get a tone I like. I tend to have around 4 or 5 mm from the pickup to the strings, with the polepieces generally a little higher, but truthfully I had never measured it before I did it for this reply. It's different on different guitars.

[jasaco]

Didn't know what you were talking about with the squared sunburst so I googled up some images and thought others might like to see too... Looks kinda like the way sunlight might be thrown onto the guitar through a window, with the straight-edge of the window blocking it at one side...

[Mellow-G]

Can't get hold of Rosewood anymore so had to look at Mahogany which is also scarce and either too expensive for an experimental guitar. Stripey Sapele or stripey quarter cut African Mahoganyare not appealing. However the chap in your neighbourhood was advertising some on eBay, a set of crown cut African that looked nice and at a good price. The top will be Western Red Cedar that I will add a touch of colour to achieve a pleasing contrasting match with the mahogany. A small 15" (380mm) lower bout and just 2&5/8" (60mm) deep with a (fixed neck only) tonerider AC2 pickup. If it comes out o-k and sounds I will be pleased, if not it will just have to be firewood.
Good luck with fine tuning your ES175 and thanks for your interest in my wood buying.
Graham

[joaopaz]

The ideal distance from the pickup to the strings depends on the strings, the pickup, and the tone you prefer. I don't know of any set rules for it. I just adjust the pickup until I get a tone I like. I tend to have around 4 or 5 mm from the pickup to the strings, with the polepieces generally a little higher, but truthfully I had never measured it before I did it for this reply. It's different on different guitars.

I usually start with them flat - same height on both sides - then adjust the polepieces for an even volume across all strings (I use Audacity as a visual aid for that) and then go from there.
I was wondering if there was any particularly established concept for getting closer to a vintage tone.

I just searched and came across this article which mentions Gibson recommendations; currently is 2.4mm for the neck pickup... as a startup point.
Mod Garage: Humbucker Height Adjustment | Premier Guitar

[sgosnell]

In general, the closer the pickup is to the strings, the more electric the sound, and the further away, the more acoustic the sound. Further away also seems to give a little more definition to the notes. Which is better is entirely subjective.

[abelljo]

I had a blonde one, great sound but hated the size and the position of the f holes. OCD? maybe

[Oneofthe]

I just found your post so I am late to the conversation. I just bought an ES-175 Premium Epiphone about three weeks ago but in natural (wanted the sunburst but the natural was the only one they had used).

I agree a hundred percent with everything you wrote. The tone knobs are the best, really sturdy, quality and very responsive. The tuners are an issue, playing for a few hours I go sharp by almost a hole step. Everything else you wrote is spot on, but that is what stood out when I played the guitar.

Something else to know about the Epiphone ES-175 is the neck is really playable. Coming from a thin telecaster neck with 9's, I'm already chording without difficulty with this neck with 10's adjusting after only a few days. I'm planning to add Flatwound 11's and then move up to Flatwound 12's. With a setup I don't think I'll have much difficulty with this guitar making the adjustment.

Really grateful Epiphone did this, really worth it. It will never happen, but the only reason I would buy another archtop is if Epiphone made an L5 with Gibson Pickups. It will never happen so this one is a keeper for life.

[lawson-stone]

....

Really grateful Epiphone did this, really worth it. It will never happen, but the only reason I would buy another archtop is if Epiphone made an L5 with Gibson Pickups. It will never happen so this one is a keeper for life.

Actually the Broadway makes for a pretty nice L5ces clone. Pop a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover in the neck spot and you've got your poor-man's L5ces.

Of course, it isn't as close to the L5ces as the ES175 is to its Gibson source, but the Broadway, esp. with that pickup switch, is a very fine 17" archtop with a big sound and the longer scale.

[joaopaz]

I just found your post so I am late to the conversation. I just bought an ES-175 Premium Epiphone about three weeks ago but in natural (wanted the sunburst but the natural was the only one they had used).

I agree a hundred percent with everything you wrote. The tone knobs are the best, really sturdy, quality and very responsive. The tuners are an issue, playing for a few hours I go sharp by almost a hole step. Everything else you wrote is spot on, but that is what stood out when I played the guitar.

Something else to know about the Epiphone ES-175 is the neck is really playable. Coming from a thin telecaster neck with 9's, I'm already chording without difficulty with this neck with 10's adjusting after only a few days. I'm planning to add Flatwound 11's and then move up to Flatwound 12's. With a setup I don't think I'll have much difficulty with this guitar making the adjustment.

Really grateful Epiphone did this, really worth it. It will never happen, but the only reason I would buy another archtop is if Epiphone made an L5 with Gibson Pickups. It will never happen so this one is a keeper for life.

This is incredible....
I noticed the sharp thing too! Since I bought it, when I pick it up for the first time on the next day is incredibly sharp! Close to half a tone, yes... it is really strange as I have so many guitars and never came across something like this!
Other than that I totally love this guitar.
The thruth is - close to what you said - I believe any pro player could build a serious career with a guitar like this.

In the meantime, join us here if you wish!
Epiphone ES-175 Owners Club

[joaopaz]

At least they sprayed the three burst colors all around the guitar body. On the Epi it looks like only the upper most part of the upper bout got the darkest finish.

In real life the guitar looks a lot more like a tobacco sunburst, but with direct sunlight you see the colors clearly and yes, the bottom gets less dark paint... but I've seen that on the real 175s.

Not to mention that was the craze this year at NAAM :-) the sunbursts with colors fading from bottom to top (or the other way around)

[Jx30510]

Contrary to most of you I have zero tuning issues (and I do heavy bends once in a while). However, I haven't talked much about this yet, but I find the volume pot on the bridge pickup very strange.. If I use both pickups, the volume pots bring the volume from zero to almost max volume very abruptly, not very far from a switch effect.. I doubt this is normal.
And the three way switch is already getting really scratchy, and cuts the signal more and more often.

The jack input is getting loose very quickly, and the finish around the hole is cracking very quickly.

I am going to swap all the electronics (except for the pickups of course).

Are the pots supposed to be CTS on the Premium?
Maybe I'm going to create a subject and hear of those who have already opened the guts of the electronics

[joaopaz]

Contrary to most of you I have zero tuning issues (and I do heavy bends once in a while). However, I haven't talked much about this yet, but I find the volume pot on the bridge pickup very strange.. If I use both pickups, the volume pots bring the volume from zero to almost max volume very abruptly, not very far from a switch effect.. I doubt this is normal.
And the three way switch is already getting really scratchy, and cuts the signal more and more often.

The jack input is getting loose very quickly, and the finish around the hole is cracking very quickly.

I am going to swap all the electronics (except for the pickups of course).

Are the pots supposed to be CTS on the Premium?
Maybe I'm going to create a subject and hear of those who have already opened the guts of the electronics

Yep, same here.

Juts to clarify the tuning thing, the guitar tunes great but tends to go sharp overnight... though I must say that these past couple of days I didn't noticed it as much.

About the things you mentioned:
I went checking mine. Jack screw is slightly loose though the finish is perfect around it. I tightened in ... let's see for how long it holds.
About the volume knobs, yes... the bridge pickup knob does little along the whole course (does more to tone that to volume, actually) while the neck pickup volume works as it should.
Also, compared for instance with my Ibanez AFJ95 it's more noisy...

Keep us posted with any upgrades you do to your Epi!

[sgosnell]

It is winter in the northern hemisphere (soon to be spring, but still...) and the temperature does have an effect on tuning. If the guitar gets a good bit colder overnight, the tuning will go sharp, but it should return to near normal after being played for awhile. Due to friction and other factors, the strings may not all come back in tune though. Humidity changes also have an effect, although not nearly as much as temperature changes.

[lawson-stone]

Really? That's worth a couple grand, at least!



Of course. And get a squared burst on a Super 400 too, and those run north of 10k.
Nothing but silly criticisms to me. Can't believe how much bandwidth get taken up by such trivial nonsense. Sorry, I don't mean to offend anyone. If the satin finish keeps one from buying one and getting a truly great instrument for the money, then have at it.
I'd get one, but the EPI sticker inside is crooked.

Really this is about what people like and don't like, what they would prefer not to spend even a modest amount of money on. Mocking it as "silly" is really ill tempered and not calculated to introduce you well to your new forum acquaintances.

If someone doesn't like the squared off sunburst, that's their preference. Bandwidth? It's just electrons, and you wasted a good many introducing yourself to us by knocking our preferences.

I suggest a post where you say hello, tell everyone your general background, musical interests, what guitars you like, and what you hope to gain and to contribute to the forum.

Then post some clips of your own playing, offer some positive and helpful information where someone needs it, and get yourself identified as a reasonable, generous person.

Otherwise you just end up on people's "Ignore" lists.