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Yes, now going back to 011s and the drier wood (I'd assume kiln-dried wood is not used for Epi guitars) and the nut/bridge combo got this guitar to where I'm starting to really like it... It's a nice open sound and that translates through the pu's as well.
Thank you for reminding me about the sound post solution - I've read about that, and I will definitely give it a try and report back - I will put back 012s for that experiment.
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01-08-2019 11:05 AM
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Oh, yes, I did reshape the headstock - for some reason, even though I like Epis and have two of them (175 Prem and the 339) - I can't get used to the, for me, unbalanced, oversized (they size invokes a paddle resemblance in me) look of the "dove wings" - so I did that to both of these, refinished the ends, looks nice - they are now "sea-gull wings" :-) or open book shape. Obviously this is just a personal preference. More space in the case for cables etc too ;-)
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I would also suggest you pop that cheap plywood top off of it and get yourself a carved top off of some abandoned L4c, refinish the rest of the guitar to match the L4c top. I bet you could also locate a set of mahogany back/sides as well.
Originally Posted by blujazman
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The guitar of Theseus
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I guess I did go a little overboard with all the mods - that's one of my problems - when practicing/playing doesn't go well, I go tinker with project guitars. Originally Posted by lawson-stone
If I could find an abandoned L4c, I would immediately set to learning about and restoring it, without further compromising and violating this Epi 175 Premium's beauty ;-) - and I love playing it, the neck/frets are now perfect for me. And as everyone agrees the pus are already the ones to have.
You are right, I've been browsing spruce-top archtops (no plywood), I've played a used Campellone Special - now, wow, that's a beautiful and ever more sounding archtop - that's a solo performance guitar for a Joe Pass... I'm not there (yet ;-).
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I am seriously thinking about covering my Loar LH650 into a 1-pickup L4ces. It's solid carved spruce top, carved maple back/sides, mahogany neck. I have the L5 style tailpiece, I need to buy the gold tuners, and then rout and install the humbucker at the end of the fingerboard, then find a bridge base with the bow-tie inlay and a tune-o-matic saddle... Originally Posted by blujazman
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Oh, I like the Loar LH650 specs and looks, never tried one, though amazon.ca makes it look very enticing as one can return it of course if something's not right... Everyone seems to be praising that guitars acoustic sound which I think matters the most. (and it has vintage sized frets - yay!) That's a very doable project! Originally Posted by lawson-stone
(now you got me thinking... gosh, I don't need more guitars and projects especially ;-)
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I've never been a proponent of "acoustic matters most." I see electric and acoustic as two different things, each with their own demands. One of my best sounding archtops has a totally dead acoustic sound but amplified it sounds like a 1960's L5ces. I don't find the Loar acoustic sound remarkable, just good. But amplified it's nice, and I'd like to bump it into "mini L5ces" territory which is what the L4ces is. Originally Posted by blujazman
Hardest part is finding that inlaid bridge base!
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I seriously thought about installing a set-in humbucker in my latest Wu. That was the original plan when I commissioned it. But I put a DeArmond Rhythm Chief 1100 on it to use while I was deciding what to do, and now I've decided to abandon that plan. The Rhythm Chief sounds great, and I play the guitar unamplified a lot, so I don't want to deaden the acoustic sound. My ES-175 has been living in the closet lately. I like the sound and playability, but not the thick body. In fact, I've cleaned things up and haven't been playing any of my other guitars for some time. The Rhythm Chief isn't cheap, but I really recommend giving one a try before doing the irreversible and routing into the top of a guitar. If you still don't like it, you shouldn't take a huge loss by reselling it.
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Please keep me in mind if you ever come across a source for these... And if I come across some I'll let you know as well. Originally Posted by lawson-stone
Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
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I've got a Gibson inlaid bridge base. But it came from a Super 400. Too wide for your Loar? Originally Posted by lawson-stone
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As I stated in one of my original posts, I have three 175s (and a Peerless made Sorrent) which is very similar in some ways to my Korean 175 - and not at all like some of the historical Sorrentos i’ve tried).
I’ve used D’addario chromes (12s) on them (and sometimes Thomastik Swing 12s on the premium). With the same sort of set up and amp settings, etc. they all sound very different.
I would love to know what the membership of this group know about the characteristics of various factories they are produced at.
I know, it is the player, and I have played for 49 years (and still produce a rather too middle of the road jazz sound - unless I really use my ears, and close my eyes and hear early Jim Hall in my head - then the colours start to happen!)... but still the four guitars sound different - It doesn’t matter if they one out of production line in a big factory or it, all archtop guitars have differ t characteristics - the dryness of the timber, the variations in the spraying/ drying of the varnish - especially the very heavy, plexiglass-like Korean varnishes! The way various component happen to fit or not fit together.... These all make the player have a different feeling about an instrument, which in turn makes the player hear or conceptualise a different sound on a given instrunent. If this idea does not ring bells, the think about an exaggerated version of it:if someone puts a small bodied, lightly strung western-swing guitar on your lap with a light nylon pick in your hand, would you instinctively want to play the Wes Montgomery’s version of Round Midnight on it? Or reverse the example: an L5 with 13s, going through a Polytone...? A player’s finger/brain/ear activity ends up producing a different level of tone within their area of timbre choices.
Has anyone else noticed distinct differences in feel and tone of various years an factories of the 175s (Epi, of course —-My Gibson 175 from 1985 January, again, sounds or feels like no other 175 I’ve ever come across!)
Happy new year to all (the year started for me with the happy incident of the purchase of a very cheap Epi 335 Dot: unbelievable quality for the price! A true joy, even though 335s have never been my scene at all!)!
S.
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Small guitar with thin strings does not define western swing guitar. IME most use heavier strings, and a wide range of guitars. L5s are not uncommon, nor are other Gibson models. Anything goes, depending on the player's choice, just as it does in any other jazz genre.
Differences in guitars is a common and well-known phenomenon. No two guitars, even if the come consecutively off the same factory line, sound exactly the same, and from different factories in different countries, from different decades, even moreso. I would be amazed to find two hollow bodied guitars of different ages from different factories that sounded the same. Even two from the same factory, same year.
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175D's are also great for funk...
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Just ask Jimmy Nolen.... Originally Posted by christianm77
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Leo Noncentelli
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Hello guys,
I’ve got my ticket for this topic
bought in Normandy, France... two days ago
Last edited by Room135; 02-27-2019 at 07:45 PM.
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Really liking my '07 VS after a proper set-up, replacing the neck pup with a Stew-Mac Golden Age PAF, rewire and Chrome 11's. Still hate the zig-zag tail piece, though. Besides my Squier CV Tele, this has to be my favorite budget buy in a long time.
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Hello all,
I took a shot and ordered an Epiphone ES 175 sunburst. it should be here in a few days. After reading through the thread (getting some good ideas on what I'm going to upgrade/change) I had a question pop in my head that I can't find the answer to anywhere online. When were the years of production for the Epiphone es 175? I've heard about some dating back to 2008 and as recent as 2014/2015. I have no idea what year the one I purchased is and I'll take a look at the serial number when it arrives but it's not a premium so I'll definitely be upgrading pickups, pots, wiring, nut, etc. Just curious to know if anyone out there knows the production years of these wonderful guitars. Will post pics of guitar when I get it!
Cheers
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I've been shopping for an ES-175 Premium and noticed the back and heel of the neck on almost all the ones being sold are shinier than the corresponding matte bodies, regardless of finish color. I have observed this in another matte guitar I own (Steinberger Synapse) - the back of the neck and the corner spot on which the right forearm rests are decidedly no longer matte. Originally Posted by Longways to Go
Is there a way to lose this unintentional shine and restore the original matte look, for cosmetic and maybe even playability reasons? It would seem a satin neck would let your palm slide around with less drag, and in any event that is how the neck looked when the guitar left the factory. Steel wool won't work - it adds shine instead of removing it. Would 3M high-grit (1200-2000) polishing cloths work? Wet or dry?
Thanks for any thoughts.
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Here's mine. Bought it used about two years ago. The wine red ones are getting hard to find in decent shape and aren't stamped "second" or "used." Really great guitar that sounds and plays well. Eventually getting the nut replaced and a set up. Previous owner replaced the tuners with single line Klusons. I've tried a lot of budge hollow bodies. This is as close as you're getting to a 175 under a grand.
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You can say that again!!! Originally Posted by WillsJazz
This is as close as you're getting to a 175 under a grand.
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And IMO it's pretty close.
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Actually, if it weren't for the slim neck, playing my Epiphone ES175 blindfolded, I might not be able to tell it wasn't my VOS1959 ES175. It's lighter than the standard current ES175. It sounds great, and actually the slimmer neck plays very easily.
The "real" Gibsons have a feel that I think I could detect even blindfolded. They remind me of a car that's really made well, that's "tight." My Gibsons, at least, all have that solid-as-a-tank feel. Maybe it's not worth the 3x price difference...
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Where can I find an ebony bridge to replace the TOM that came stock on my 2014 Epiphone ES-175?
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