Billy Beans 1964 Gibson ES-175

[Easy2grasp]

I got outbid in the auction for Herb Ellis’s guitar by our friend ThatRhythmMan. I am very happy for him and his wife. I had no idea it was one of our own I was bidding against. and I can’t say I wasn’t a little disappointed I lost the auction. Ironically, about a week later a backdoor deal to purchase Billy Bean’s last guitar fell in my lap. I drove 8 hours to Philadelphia to buy it from his nephew who graciously agreed to sell it to me. He warned me it was missing a lot of the original parts. This guitar was erroneously thought to be a Gibson ES-125C in Dr. Seth Greenberg’s book, “Billy Bean: The Life and Music of a Guitar Legend”. Billy Bean was hard on guitar necks. In this case, he was hard on the whole guitar. His lifelong battle with alcoholism led to multiple falls and broken instruments. With this particular instrument, he “literally fell into the guitar and awoke with it in pieces” per Seth Greenberg. A mutual acquaintance of Greenberg’s and Bean’s had the guitar in Philadelphia and took it to get an estimate for repairs which were very high. Seth Greenberg intervened and had it sent to California luthier, Matt Levonian, after Matt reviewed photos and agreed to take on the project. Unfortunately, at some point before it reached Matt, many original parts had been removed, including the PAF humbucker that Billy said it had. Also the tuners had been swapped out, the tailpiece exchanged for a chrome one, and the knobs had been removed and replaced out with vintage-incorrect replacements. Matt spent a couple of years meticulously gluing the guitar back together. The guitar previously had been modified at Billy Bean’s direction with the humbucker being moved closer to the neck. In the Billy Bean book, Billy stated in an interview that he had the pickup moved because it was right under the spot at which he liked to pick. This made it necessary to cover part of the original pickup cutout. The repairer made a rough cover out of tortoiseshell celluloid, which I found in the case pocket. While Matt Levonian had the guitar, he fashioned a better cover made out of a thin sheet of maple and tinted it to match the smoke-stained burst finish. It is incredible, from the appearance of the repair, that he was able to reassemble the guitar. The neck was reset perfectly and it plays like a dream. Kudos to Seth Greenberg for rescuing this guitar and paying for its repair on behalf of Billy Bean. This is a picture of Billy Bean on the day he got the guitar back.

Photo by Dr. Seth Greenberg

It took me awhile to ascertain the serial number to date it. The label is smudged and faded. I speculate that it was exposed to spills from alcoholic drinks from time to time and it took its toll. The orange label is nearly unreadable where it states the model of guitar. I can see how the guitar may have misrepresented itself as an ES-125 - one can nearly make out what appears to be a “2” and a “5”. But with further scrutiny it is a handwritten “E” and an “S”.
I discovered it is S.N. 162614. The guitar is a 1964 Gibson ES-175. It has a multi-ply top binding and no evidence of having a P90 mounted on it, so it can’t be an ES 125C. The guitar has a cherry burst finish that is heavily smoke-stained, and that gives it a beautiful amber tone. As Billy said in an interview with Seth Greenberg, the neck was replaced. The neck has an ebony fretboard with split parallelogram markers - all ES-175’s have rosewood fretboards. The neck is 1 5/8” wide at the nut. It is now a 25 1/2" scale instead of 24 3/4". The neck replacement was likely a factory repair since the headstock is not stamped or inked as it would normally have been in the mid-60’s. The headstock is wider than my 1957 ES-175, and at the 14 degree pitch that would indicate that the repair was done after 1966, but before 1969 when the pearloid logo would have been a pantograph instead of the hand cut logo and also taking in account the hand cut crown motif that is present. The crown motif is located between the tuners for the “A” and “B” strings, indicating after 1965, also. My research tells me the hand cut “Gibson” logo with open “b” and “o” as on Billy’s guitar neck is from pre -1968. There is no dot over the”i”. So in summary I think we are looking at a factory neck repair done between 1966 and 1968. There is also a cream/amber colored celluloid end cap on the neck by the body, another feature not seen on ES-175’s necks.
The non-vintage parts include a unlabeled chrome covered humbucker style pickup (very decent sounding) that at some time replaced the nickel PAF humbucker that Billy said he had. All tuners have been replaced by late 60’s or 70’s Gibson Deluxe single ring tulip plastic tuners, where the originals would have been Kluson Deluxe double ring tulip tuners. The original nickel zig zag tailpiece was replaced with an vintage-incorrect chrome zig zag tailpiece, also. The nickel foot for the original pickguard and the original pickguard were in the case pocket. Lastly, the control knobs were replaced with non-vintage-correct, non-reflector capped gold bonnet shaped ones where the originals would of had the reflector caps that say “Tone” and “Volume”.
I want to restore the guitar to its vintage specs, except for the modifications that Billy authorized (like the pickup moved forward by the fretboard). I will of course keep the custom neck and amber tint of the cherry burst. I do not even want to remove any possible DNA from the guitar. So everything that is on the undersurface of the pickguard will stay and not be wiped off, etc.
It seems at sometime during the evaluation of the broken guitar, it got cannibalized of its vintage parts. I am going to rectify that. Yesterday I purchased a 1965 single pickup ES-175 with all original hardware in great shape. It will be the donor guitar for Billy’s missing vintage hardware. Then I will put the hardware from Billy’s guitar (except the pickguard) on the 1965 guitar and resell that donor guitar. Billy’s guitar won’t have a PAF humbucker anymore but at least it will be a nickel patent number pickup, a nickel zig zag tailpiece, correct knobs, and correct double ring Klusons.


Two cigarette burns on neck


I am humbled to be in charge of this guitar’s restoration and care. I feel in a way that the guitar itself is a reflection of Billy’s life - a rare bird with distinct features that was ultimately shattered and down and out, only to be rescued (as Billy was by his nephew), and then having a period of quietness and rest, as Billy had a comfortable end life under his nephew’s care and did not want to play guitar anymore, so the guitar remained silent, as well.
Ted

[Stringswinger]

Excellent story and research. Congrats on becoming the caretaker for an instrument owned by a special player in the history of the jazz guitar.

[entresz]

I bet that guitar has some stories to tell. What an amazing piece of history.
My personal opinion is that the Es-175 should have had the pickup right at the neck, seems that Billy Bean thought similarly.

[coolvinny]

Wow. Just wow. Arguably the greatest bebop player on any instrument (other than Bird himself) if you ask me. He didn't use the Gibson on his "The Trio" album but from I understand he used it on his recordings with John Pisano and those are also incredible. Congrats on a rare and wonderful NGD.

[citizenk74]

What an amazing story! Kudos to you for taking on this labor of love. Congratulations, and play it in good health!

[TOMMO]

Talk about an instrument that has a history! Glad that it is in a player's hands again. Now you excuse me while I have to check who Billy Bean was....

[TOMMO]

Now you excuse me while I have to check who Billy Bean was....

Listened to a couple of tracks of "The Trio" on youtube - fantastic - CD ordered! Thanks!

[Cavalier]

I think I'd keep the one in good shape stock for a player and use already parted pieces or repros on Billie's guitar. The body has been through enough that the main value seems historical.

[goldenwave77]

Billy Bauer was a seriously good player.

I started listening to jazz long before I ever thought about playing the guitar, or even listening to much jazz guitar.

My loss...Bauer was down the road apiece (about 15 miles on LI), and then again in Westchester Co., north of NYC....Chuck Wayne was about 4 miles away.

Makes me wish I had taken it up earlier.


PS: Just re-read my post and realized I was talking about the wrong guy....Billy Bauer instead of Billy Bean. Both before my time, and both good bop players, who kind of fell out of the spotlight.

Bean was a Philly guy....amazing how certain places produce a lot of great players ....Philly and guitarists....Detroit with a lot of everything. My bad, I apologize.

[BigMikeinNJ]

Wow, what an amazing find and story. I LOVE knowing the provenance of an instrument - like adopting a dog or cat you wanna know how it came to be...

A very interesting week of NGD's coming I believe (chuckle)...
Play it in good health... A big score for you.


Big

[ThatRhythmMan]

Great story! I’m really happy that we BOTH ended up with these amazing pieces of jazz history.

Thanks for sharing the findings of your research. I learn so much from the members of this forum!

[M-ster]

Great story, photos, and intent, Easy2! Good on ya, and thanks for sharing. Billy was an incredible player.

[skykomishone]

Ted, thanks for this post. It's really a seriously great story and effort on your part and I greatly appreciate you sharing it. I've restored several almost lost causes, but none with that kind of story to go with them. Happy NGD!

[Greentone]

GREAT STORY! Good luck with the restoration and conservatorship of the instrument. Billy Bean was a quiet force.

[wintermoon]

I haven't read the book, when did he get the 175?
major undertaking to get that thing playable again.
btw, in a '64 ES175 it would have been a patent # not a PAF so the pickup you're putting in is correct.

I have been listening to Billy a lot recently again. I think I have all of his recordings.
an astonishing player that was as good as anyone that ever played jazz guitar.
I saw an interview w/bandmate pianist Walter Norris and he said he never heard Billy make a mistake
well, I've heard a few but they are few and far between.

[vinlander]

Awesome, I wonder if its the guitar heard on the '80s Billy Bean Bootleg

[wintermoon]

Awesome, I wonder if its the guitar heard on the '80s Billy Bean Bootleg

I'd say there's a very good chance, he probably wasn't buying guitars @ that point

[Easy2grasp]

I think I'd keep the one in good shape stock for a player and use already parted pieces or repros on Billie's guitar. The body has been through enough that the main value seems historical.

I can see your point, but I think the guitar deserves to have the same vintage hardware that it had when Billy allowed it to be sent off for repair. His nephew concurs, and it was a shame someone ripped off pieces of an old drunk guy's guitar - probably not even knowing who Billy Bean was. So when the body was glued together, it was only partially restored, in a sense.

I understand having a player around. I am a little infatuated with historic ES-175's right now and the 1965 donor guitar will join a '56, two '57's, and Billy's 1964 guitar. I am fortunate to have this problem of too many ES-175 players.

When I sell the 1965, it is going to be a good bargain. That chrome humbucker sounds really good - whatever brand it is - I can't find any markings. It will have relatively newish Gibson tuners that match the screw holes, and a chrome tailpiece that is only a little younger than the jazz box itself. I hate to pirate a nicely preserved original, but it is for a good cause and I would never do it except to aid in a historical restoration.

[Easy2grasp]

I haven't read the book, when did he get the 175?

In an interview from the book, Billy remembered getting the guitar "around 1966". This is about the same time he moved back into his parent's house in Philadelphia around the age of 32. He then mostly played sporadically in the Philadelphia area with this guitar until his retirement around 1986.

Unfortunately, the book is temporarily out of print. Seth Greenberg is working on some revisions and it hopefully will be available again soon.

in a '64 ES175 it would have been a patent # not a PAF so the pickup you're putting in is correct.

Billy stated in an interview in Seth Greenberg's book that it was a PAF that he had someone work on and had him move it closer to the fretboard. He may have been mistaken or even perhaps this is when the pickup got ripped off. I agree that one would expect a 1964 to have the patent # nickel plated pickup. The donor guitar from 1965 apparently is early enough as to not have transitioned to chrome yet!

[Little Jay]

Too bad the pics won't load on my apple-devices... :-(

*edit: ah, but they do on my laptop. Wow!

[Archtop Guy]

Great story,Thanks for saving this special piece for all of us and for the future players and lovers of the music created by this guitar and of course Mr. Bean.

[Easy2grasp]

Awesome, I wonder if its the guitar heard on the '80s Billy Bean Bootleg

It is reported that Billy learned nearly all of Charlie Parker's solos. Additionally, he felt that one should know them in 4 different keys to really know them well, presumably with different fingerings. He was a savant and probably would be categorized in the Autism Spectrum nowadays. I think he started out with a guitar fixation/addiction that gradually became replaced by alcohol. He lived his final years comfortably under the care of his nephew and seldom was inclined to pick up the guitar anymore. He seemed to associate guitar playing with his former days and that was all in the past to him.

[destinytot]

Congratulations - and enjoy!

[jazzbow]

Wow

[silverfoxx]

Easy2grasp
Congratulations on the history and restoration of Billy Bean's Gibson
I was only aware that he used a Gretsch, but a true Giant of jazz
and bebop. I only became aware of Billy.s genius via Neatomic
who posted some time ago lauding his early efforts with The Trio.
which folded after only a short existence sadly. All three musicians
were Stellar players, if they were around today I suggest they
would be greatly acknowledged for their undeniable genius.