Getting a Gibson ES-175 from CME - Memphis or VOS 59?

**73Fender** · 02-08-2018, 05:04 PM

Resistance is futile. Its now or never. I have read all I can find on the two. It would be sight unseen. The Memphis is less expensive which is a factor for sure. I appreciate any input. The 59 has a fatter neck I believe and smaller frets. Sorry at work on cell phone. Short of time as well. Thanks.

**gggomez** · 02-08-2018, 05:15 PM

The sound is quite different to my ears.

I hear the 59 being a woodier joe pass Jim hall sound and the other more like Kenny Burrell and very much like Herb Ellis on the Thank You Charlie Christian album, before he went for the rolled off tone sound.

I have small hands and the 59 neck was too much for me. The Memphis is also slightly too much but after 3 or 4 years and I only have one guitar (and man oh man I love it) it now feels like home.

Oh mine is a VOS but not a 59 VOS. Made in 2012 not sure if a current non VOS is the same. I think VOS on mine just meant aged binding and a Saturn top coat maybe upgraded tuners, don't think it would change the sound that much but definitely very different sound to the 59.

**rolijen** · 02-08-2018, 05:30 PM

They’re both wonderful. And they’re both Memphis made. If you want a vintage look, feel and sound, go VOS. Or a more modern sound? Go Modern. You can’t go wrong in this choice in that good examples of both are phenomenal guitars. If you like big tall frets, go Modern. If you prefer a meatier neck, go VOS. If you like the aesthetics of figured wood, go Modern. If you like the plain wood look with vintage finishes, go VOS.

I have both and love both. But, if I could only have 1, I’d go VOS. If I could only afford the Figured, I’d still buy it. Again, assuming you don’t get a dog, both are really great guitars.

Hope that isn’t too much of a ‘playing both sides of the fence’ answer.

Roli

**SkipBurz** · 02-08-2018, 08:38 PM

I absolutely love the Memphis Figured I recently purchased from CME. I got a great one! With some 12 gauge Thomastiks, the acoustic tone is wonderful and plugged in, it's a dream. Just go with the one you can afford...You won't regret it!

**Toddep** · 02-08-2018, 08:38 PM

I have a VOS 59 I just got from CME, and a L4 from ‘01. The VOS is very light and acoustical. I would love to get a modern figured, but that would be overkill huh? I think I lucked out with my VOS. I suppose you could get a figured, and if wasn’t very good, send it back with a bit of extra, and get a VOS. I have a love/hate thing with Gibsons. Love the way they play and sound when it’s done right.... hate the ones that you gotta do a lot of work to get them good..or not

Getting a Gibson ES-175 from CME - Memphis or VOS 59?

.. it is my hunch that CME has more VOS models than the modern, though I could be wrong. Good luck to you and happy hunting!!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

**73Fender** · 02-08-2018, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by gggomez

The sound is quite different to my ears.

I hear the 59 being a woodier joe pass Jim hall sound and the other more like Kenny Burrell and very much like Herb Ellis on the Thank You Charlie Christian album, before he went for the rolled off tone sound.

I have small hands and the 59 neck was too much for me. The Memphis is also slightly too much but after 3 or 4 years and I only have one guitar (and man oh man I love it) it now feels like home.

Oh mine is a VOS but not a 59 VOS. Made in 2012 not sure if a current non VOS is the same. I think VOS on mine just meant aged binding and a Saturn top coat maybe upgraded tuners, don't think it would change the sound that much but definitely very different sound to the 59.

Thanks very much for the reply gggomez. I wonder if the "woodier" sound is in some part due to the wooden bridge? I was wondering about the regular model's neck carve. It sounds like it is still decent sized if somewhat less chunky than the 59. And if one day I want to experiment with a wooden bridge on a regular model I guess that would be doable.

Originally Posted by rolijen

They’re both wonderful. And they’re both Memphis made. If you want a vintage look, feel and sound, go VOS. Or a more modern sound? Go Modern. You can’t go wrong in this choice in that good examples of both are phenomenal guitars. If you like big tall frets, go Modern. If you prefer a meatier neck, go VOS. If you like the aesthetics of figured wood, go Modern. If you like the plain wood look with vintage finishes, go VOS.

I have both and love both. But, if I could only have 1, I’d go VOS. If I could only afford the Figured, I’d still buy it. Again, assuming you don’t get a dog, both are really great guitars.

Hope that isn’t too much of a ‘playing both sides of the fence’ answer.

Roli

Thanks Roli. Big tall frets you say? I'm guessing nothing too crazy. I'm leaning towards the standard model. It's somewhat less expensive and should be fine for my needs. I'm pretty sure positive I'm going to go with the standard model. I do have a set of amber vintage type knobs around here and maybe I'll get an amber switch tip and go for the classic look on the cheap.

I've been to Gibson's site and the specs listed there are not too specific. I'm especially curious about the neck carve of the standard model. I'll look around some more.

Thanks again for the replies.

**rhoadsscholar** · 02-08-2018, 08:57 PM

I wrestled with the same decision and like you waited til the last minute (had to sell off some stuff), in the end, I went with the Standard Sunburst. Quite a bit cheaper and for me, the fret size makes a big difference.

A wooden bridge should help get you close but I actually like the sound of the tuneomatic (intonation is not over rated IMHO).

I used the difference in price to aquire one of those overly priced Quilter 2 8 cabinets (my back is quite happy. They are wonderful).

Good luck on your quest. you can't go wrong either way but they are almost out of both choices per my last conversation. Don't wait too long. Come join the party. In person, the figured sunburst is quite beautiful.

**73Fender** · 02-08-2018, 09:20 PM

^^ Hi rhoadesholar, I just read your post on the Heritage forum (I'm hfan over there) congrats on the new H150.

I'm thinking the same way, the sunburst is for me. And I think I read it is an ABR bridge mounted to the wood base.

I found some specs, I was surprised to find that Gibson used real MOP for the inlays. The Music Zoo had one with actual neck measurements. Kind of chunky at least on the one they measured.

.890" Neck Profile at Nut
1.000” Neck Profile at 9th Fret

**Mark 63** · 02-08-2018, 09:46 PM

I have the 59VOS and agree it has a very woody Joe Pass sound. It’s a very musical sound when you dig in.
The wooden bridge has a big effect on the timbre. This past weekend I switched it with a copper Compton bridge from my Gretsch Country Gent, and the sound did change. I switched back to the wooden bridge that same day.

**73Fender** · 02-08-2018, 10:04 PM

OK, I just placed my order, got a nice offer from the salesman who posted here recently. I've wanted a 175 for a long time, this may be my best chance. The waiting begins, hope I get a good one..
And here is the page from Gibson with complete specs if anyone else is interested, I didn't find it right away.

ES-175 Figured

**BigMikeinNJ** · 02-08-2018, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by 73Fender

OK, I just placed my order, got a nice offer from the salesman who posted here recently. I've wanted a 175 for a long time, this may be my best chance. The waiting begins, hope I get a good one..
And here is the page from Gibson with complete specs if anyone else is interested, I didn't find it right away.

ES-175 Figured

If you got it from CME and don't like it you can send it back. What's not to like about that deal ???

**rhoadsscholar** · 02-08-2018, 10:32 PM

Good for you (and thanks for getting the H525. You have the best of both worlds). I would have been in a world of trouble trying to sneak that one in (although they are both brown sunburst guitars

). The figured finish is quite striking.

Contrats

Originally Posted by 73Fender

^^ Hi rhoadesholar, I just read your post on the Heritage forum (I'm hfan over there) congrats on the new H150.

I'm thinking the same way, the sunburst is for me. And I think I read it is an ABR bridge mounted to the wood base.

I found some specs, I was surprised to find that Gibson used real MOP for the inlays. The Music Zoo had one with actual neck measurements. Kind of chunky at least on the one they measured.

.890" Neck Profile at Nut
1.000” Neck Profile at 9th Fret

**rolijen** · 02-08-2018, 11:07 PM

Fingers crossed for you, 73Fender! Welcome to Club 175. Hoping you love your new guitar!

Roli

**73Fender** · 02-08-2018, 11:20 PM

^^ Thanks, fingers crossed on my end too. Hope I didn't sit on the fence too long. I just got some good news career wise (been a long time coming too) that enabled it some or I would have jumped in sooner. I was actually considering an Epi 175 Premium which also look nice. I had been looking for a used one.

rhodes, the 525 is wonderful, I get why they get so much love now. It even hum cancels in the middle position.

And yes the return policy is nice but I hope I don't have to use it.

Edit to add: I just saw this spec for the neck carve ("Rounded C") and it is much thinner than the specs from the one on The Music Zoo: I doubt these are accurate, say it ain't so ha ha.

Details
Truss Rod:	Historic
Profile:	Rounded "C"
Thickness at Fret 1:	16.13 mm / .635"
Thickness at Fret 12:	19.81 mm / .780"

**gggomez** · 02-08-2018, 11:49 PM

How good does a ES175 sound!

I think Kreisbergs is a 1975 he bought for $500, something like that. In person it sounds way better, of course, but I think it sounds super sweet on this new release:

ORGAN LEGEND DR. LONNIE SMITH TO RELEASE NEW LIVE TRIO ALBUM "ALL IN MY MIND" ON JAN. 12 | News | Blue Note Records

**Longways to Go** · 02-08-2018, 11:56 PM

How exciting!

I absolutely love my CME sunset burst 175! I hope you do too.

My fingers are tired from playing it all night

**citizenk74** · 02-09-2018, 12:26 AM

Here's hoping all goes well!

**73Fender** · 02-09-2018, 08:17 AM

For you guys who got a 2016 175 Figured, which tuning keys did it come with? The Gibson site for 2016 shows Tulips, Reverb shows metal Grovers. Reverb's are all 2016s from what I was told.

How would you describe the Rounded C neck carve? Sorry for all the questions. I picked the right model for me from what I can tell from a distance.

The salesman said they had more than one and the Reverb site shows them still in stock after my purchase. Hope they pick a nice one.

The anticipation is setting in, "the waiting is the hardest part".

Ummm..purdy..:

**Longways to Go** · 02-09-2018, 11:12 AM

my CME 175 is dated 2017. It's got the grover tuners. Neck is pretty darn thick -- it's perfect IMO.
Also, the burst on my guitar has a lot more red than the photo above. Really beautiful

**fireglo** · 02-09-2018, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by 73Fender

For you guys who got a 2016 175 Figured, which tuning keys did it come with? The Gibson site for 2016 shows Tulips, Reverb shows metal Grovers. Reverb's are all 2016s from what I was told.

How would you describe the Rounded C neck carve? Sorry for all the questions. I picked the right model for me from what I can tell from a distance.

I have a 2016 175 figured from CME. It came with Grovers.

This is my first archtop, so I don't know what is typical for this model. But I would say that it does have a very comfortable chunky C shape. I've owned 335s and LPs and it is probably the thickest neck that I've had on a Gibson. I've had no trouble adjusting to it.