Epiphone ES-175 Owners Club

[lawson-stone]

Double post (thanks ATT and iPhone....)


The wiring harness I made...

Cheers!


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What cap value did you use? I'm thinking of re-doing mine.

[Brian B]

.022UF Sprague Vitamin Q is what I used.


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[JPG]

Hi guys,

I'm catching up with this thread again (I'm the OP) - wonderful posts, guitars and photos here since my last visit.
So far I think the count is on 21 guitars
...and I agree with Lawson-Stone, would be great to see more vids with'me being played!

In this meantime I bought a Gibson 175 (one from the early CME deals) a figured one; My Epiphone got a new set of tuners - Gotoh M330 in black with tulip pegs. And also a new pickguard with a "creme" ply, to go with the binding. This is just cosmetics as the other mods I already gave account on previous posts.

So, comparing it with the Gibson ES-175:

They're two different beasts. The Gibson is amazing but the Epiphone is also. The Gibson is brighter and huge sounding, the Epi is warm and reflects clearly the laminated construction. The Gibson's neck is thicker and super comfortable; the Epiphone neck is thinner but also comfortable and does not compromise, at all, the guitar stability.
The bodies are very similar (with some slight differences in their curves) and both comfortable, too. Maybe there's something about the neck angle that makes them still feel different, though.. will have to investigate.
The Epiphone, roughly a year after, seems to be "aging" very well, the sound seems to reflect the passing time. I play it a lot, always.

Whenever I'm playing one of them I don't think about the other and they both deliver; in their own way each one is the best loads of fun, always time playing each one!

At this point I'm selling many of my guitars (I'm moving to a new town, new house, and need to take just the essential for space reasons. I sold many guitars and will sell quite a few still, if I can - but no way I'll be selling the Epiphone just because I have the Gibson now. For someone that may not afford to buy a real Gibson 175 I would even more quickly speak great things about the Epi.

Basically I feel the exact same thing I did before: with a few mods this is a guitar for life and wouldn't embarrass any professional who wouldn't mind to spot an Epiphone logo on the headstock

[2bornot2bop]

So for those of you who own an Epi Zephyr and an Epi Premium 175, how do the neck dimensions compare? Does the Zephyr have a fuller, more rounded neck than the notoriously thin and often criticized neck of the Epi Premium 175?

Be careful, you're feeding my gas for a Zephyr now

Here's my Premium. I'm considering a Zephyr to drop a VVCC humbucker into.

[JPG]

Be careful, you're feeding my gas for a Zephyr now

Here's my Premium. I'm considering a Zephyr to drop a VVCC humbucker into.

Wow, that red Epi just had the same effect on me. What a beauty.

[Brian B]

Be careful, you're feeding my gas for a Zephyr now

There's two on Reverb right now as I type....

(Ain't I a stinker? .... XP )



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[2bornot2bop]

There's two on Reverb right now as I type....

(Ain't I a stinker? .... XP )

lol! I actually saw it before posting. But I've no incentive to buy a Zephyr until I know the neck is fatter than an Epi premi

[advid]

....A few days ago I met a guy who I came across who has a nice guitar collection....Went round to his place to look them over and play and jam bit.... Gibson, Epiphone, Washburn, Guild and a nd quite a few more...all nice archtop jazz type guitars....He showed me his latest purchase - A brand new Gibson ES -175 - curly maple top blonde....I played it and ---- YUCK --- what a monster....hardly any acoustic tone and a neck as thick as a trunk....not for me....£3500 he paid for it...My 2008 Epiphone knock spots of it.....

[pcpicker47]

Does an ES165 clone count ? Here is my new one that I just got last week and bought off a fellow forum member and I absolutely love it...great finish, easy to play and sounds great...what more could I want ?

[lawson-stone]

Does an ES165 clone count ? Here is my new one that I just got last week and bought off a fellow forum member and I absolutely love it...great finish, easy to play and sounds great...what more could I want ?

I vote "YES!"-the Zephyr Regent Re-issue (I have one as well) is amazing. The mahogany body I think tells a different story from the maple.

[Brian B]

Does an ES165 clone count ? Here is my new one that I just got last week and bought off a fellow forum member and I absolutely love it...great finish, easy to play and sounds great...what more could I want ?

I think it counts, but then I (and Larson too, I suspect) are a wee bit impartial with these ZepRegs. Looks great, and thanks for posting the pix...answers the question for me of how that tailpiece looks on one.

It looks pretty good...

What year is yours?

B.


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[pcpicker47]

Brian
It is a 1998....I just got it back from guitar tech last night who put on my favorite strings (D'Addario Chromes 12-52), tweeked a few things, adjusted the trust rod slightly...set the action low where I like it, filed a fret edge here and there...he was really impressed with it and so am I...this guitar is just what I was looking for at a reasonable price. I cant believe the volume and sound it has acoustically...it really projects and I can feel the resonance thru my body when I play it...I am a very very happy camper ! I owned a "real" ES165 a number of years ago and I feel this is a better guitar. I had a ES175 that I bought used in 1969 and I think it was an early 60s model...to be honest that was so many years ago, I really cant recall much about it, but I know I liked it and played it until about 1985, when I traded it in on a Johnny Smith model.

[Brian B]

A couple of thoughts;

Brian
It is a 1998

As is mine. As I keep looking at these, I seem to find that if it's a blonde, it's early production. All of the later built ones I find are all sunburst.

....I just got it back from guitar tech last night who put on my favorite strings (D'Addario Chromes 12-52)

Chrome 11s on mine, but I got a set of 12 for the next change. Far far and away different than my lifetime obsession of roundwound 9s...LOL

tweeked a few things, adjusted the trust rod slightly...set the action low where I like it, filed a fret edge here and there...he was really impressed with it and so am I...this guitar is just what I was looking for at a reasonable price.

I got mine for a song. I routinely see these on Reverb around the $600 price point, which I think is very fair.

I cant believe the volume and sound it has acoustically...it really projects and I can feel the resonance thru my body when I play it...

I was blown away with how loud acoustically mine is. For a laminated archtop, it kept up pretty well with my good friend's flattop when we hung out and jammed for a bit over the holidays...

I am a very very happy camper ! I owned a "real" ES165 a number of years ago and I feel this is a better guitar.

That is some high praise for it indeed. I've never owned one myself (or an ES-175), but I do know that it amazes me as well. It's a keeper.

I had a ES175 that I bought used in 1969 and I think it was an early 60s model...to be honest that was so many years ago, I really cant recall much about it, but I know I liked it and played it until about 1985, when I traded it in on a Johnny Smith model.

I wouldn't mind picking up a 2nd one of these someday...right now I've got my heart set on a mid '50s Harmony H1214 next... My Mom had one as a teen growing up back then, and it was the first guitar I'd ever tried to play (back in the '80s). I've (sadly) no idea what became of Mom's old guitar...

B.

[Greco]

Someone in this thread stated that, in their opinion, the early Epiphone ES-175's were not "as good" as the more recent ones. I can't find the comment in order to quote it.

I might have an opportunity to purchase a USED 2006 Epi. ES 175 in approximately the end of September. It is a long and complicated story. I have not seen this guitar and I won't be able to see it until that time.

There seem to be very few of these in the stores here and they are about twice the price of the used one I am hoping to see.
I'm wondering what it is about the newer ones that might be considered to be "better" than the earlier models.

Thanks for your help.

Cheers

Dave

[wmachine]

Someone in this thread stated that, in their opinion, the early Epiphone ES-175's were not "as good" as the more recent ones. I can't find the comment in order to quote it.

I might have an opportunity to purchase a USED 2006 Epi. ES 175 in approximately the end of September. It is a long and complicated story. I have not seen this guitar and I won't be able to see it until that time.

There seem to be very few of these in the stores here and they are about twice the price of the used one I am hoping to see.
I'm wondering what it is about the newer ones that might be considered to be "better" than the earlier models.

Thanks for your help.

Cheers

Dave

That may have been me. We're talking about the circa 2014 "ES-175 Premium" vs the previous "ES-175" (non Premium) By "as good", the main thing is the Premium has Gibson '57 Classic/Classic+ pups. Also a lacquer finish. Don't remember if there is anything else different.

[Greco]

That may have been me. We're talking about the circa 2014 "ES-175 Premium" vs the previous "ES-175" (non Premium) By "as good", the main thing is the Premium has Gibson '57 Classic/Classic+ pups. Also a lacquer finish. Don't remember if there is anything else different.

Thanks for your response.

Were the pickups on the early (i.e., 2006) models regarded as being substantially inferior?

The finish is of little concern to me.

Thanks again.

Dave

[lawson-stone]

Thanks for your response.

Were the pickups on the early (i.e., 2006) models regarded as being substantially inferior?

The finish is of little concern to me.

Thanks again.

Dave

It's mainly the pickups, and perhaps also the pots & caps. But pull the stock pickup(s) and replace with Seymour Duncan Seth Lovers and you'll have a very nice playing and sounding guitar for very little money. I have the 90's era Zephyr Regent which is the 175 with only neck pickup; I put a good pickup in it and I love it.

[wmachine]

Compare for yourself:
Epiphone ES-175

Epiphone ES-175 Premium

[Greco]

Thanks to everyone for your comments and support.

The links to compare the models were very helpful. I was not aware that the "original" (Epi) version was know as the "Reissue". I'm now feeling embarrassed that I didn't find it for comparison.

It is a relief that the electronics are the primary area of concern, as pickup swaps, pots, caps etc are all items that I can do myself.
I do guitar electronics for friends as a hobby. I have made and replaced many wiring harnesses, etc. including several 335 rewires/repairs. The phrase "building a ship in a bottle" comes to mind.

Again, thanks for the help and support.

Cheers

Dave

[wmachine]

Thanks to everyone for your comments and support.

The links to compare the models were very helpful. I was not aware that the "original" (Epi) version was know as the "Reissue". I'm now feeling embarrassed that I didn't find it for comparison.

It is a relief that the electronics are the primary area of concern, as pickup swaps, pots, caps etc are all items that I can do myself.
I do guitar electronics for friends as a hobby. I have made and replaced many wiring harnesses, etc. including several 335 rewires/repairs. The phrase "building a ship in a bottle" comes to mind.

Again, thanks for the help and support.

Cheers

Dave

You're quite welcome. I've done a lot of digging for info in the past, and there is no reason someone can't benefit from it. When it comes to a lot of things, I know nothing. I just know where to find the information.
"At some time in the past, I knew nothing, and have made little progress since then"

[sparkhall]

I'm edging very close to joining this club! I've seen that the Epi 175 in Black is available reasonably local to me. However, before I pull the trigger I wanted to check that there isn't anything odd about the black ones. I notice they seem to be in the minority. I'm fine with black cosmetically, but I would like to know if they have a thicker finish and don't sound as good as the natural or anything similar.

Probably being paranoid but I thought I would check with the considerable collective wisdom out there!

[Brian B]

I'm edging very close to joining this club! I've seen that the Epi 175 in Black is available reasonably local to me. However, before I pull the trigger I wanted to check that there isn't anything odd about the black ones. I notice they seem to be in the minority. I'm fine with black cosmetically, but I would like to know if they have a thicker finish and don't sound as good as the natural or anything similar.

Probably being paranoid but I thought I would check with the considerable collective wisdom out there!

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[JSP737]

I'm edging very close to joining this club! I've seen that the Epi 175 in Black is available reasonably local to me. However, before I pull the trigger I wanted to check that there isn't anything odd about the black ones. I notice they seem to be in the minority. I'm fine with black cosmetically, but I would like to know if they have a thicker finish and don't sound as good as the natural or anything similar.

Probably being paranoid but I thought I would check with the considerable collective wisdom out there!

I don't know about the black, but the Wine Red finish is very, very thin.

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[Longways to Go]

My first encounter with one of these Epi 175 premiums was a black one at GC in Oklahoma City a few years ago. I was instantly in love -- it was like "Hey, here's a 175 I can actually afford?" I would have bought it right then, but THE WIFE was with me at the time, so that kinda spoiled the moment. I later ordered a natural finish and greatly enjoyed that guitar for a while. But I must confess that I did eventually move on to a Gibson . . .

But I liked the black Epi a lot. I think the thin finish is part of the mojo. However, one small warning about the finish. The back of the neck won't stay matte or satin looking for very long. Mostly likely that spot where your right arm rubs won't either. Never bothered me a bit, but if you are super OCD about a pristine looking guitar, that could become an issue.

If you can get one of these for a good price, why not go for it ! They are cool guitars.

[M-ster]

Does an ES165 clone count ? Here is my new one that I just got last week and bought off a fellow forum member and I absolutely love it...great finish, easy to play and sounds great...what more could I want ?

Wow, I'm jelly. That's beautiful, pcp!