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Could somebdy who owns 175VOS shed some light on wiring / electrics: do they still use shielding cans for the pots and jack? What pickups do they put in? Did anybody feel the urge to mod it to improve the sound / shielding / bringing it closer to the original?
Many thanks!
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05-28-2021 06:12 AM
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I remember Lawson once posted pictures of the inside and the electronics of his 175 VOS!
Originally Posted by aborodya
Could somebdy who owns 175VOS shed some light on wiring / electrics: do they still use shielding cans for the pots and jack? What pickups do they put in? Did anybody feel the urge to mod it to improve the sound / shielding / bringing it closer to the original?
Many thanks!
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I had a 2013 ES-175 VOS 1PU and it did not have shielding cans. I had to change a failed volume pot so I know. I didn’t have any problems with shielding, no buzz, no hum. Originally Posted by aborodya
Could somebdy who owns 175VOS shed some light on wiring / electrics: do they still use shielding cans for the pots and jack? What pickups do they put in? Did anybody feel the urge to mod it to improve the sound / shielding / bringing it closer to the original?
Many thanks!
It had a 57 Classic pu in it. I tried several pickups in it – and ended to the stock pickup.
From 2014 on they had the MHS humbuckers in them.
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Is there a better or worser year of the ES-175 1959 VOS? I owned one from 2015 which was figured sunburst. No matter which strings i put on it felt like rubber bands. It sounded nice through the amp, but i was to much noise from the frets. I changed frets to medium jumbo, but still nothing happend. Coulden`t do hard picking on ot before the tone was flat. Thats not the case with my ES-175 from 1980. That one rings more out. I really like to have a VOS 59 again, but what year should i go for?
Best
Bård Norway
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Hi Bård! Greetings from Finland! Originally Posted by brdjazz123
I have played only 2 or 3 59VOS’s and I am afraid it is not the year but an individual instrument. The wood is always a bit random material.
But of course it is possible that the overall structure of the 59RI VOS is not for You. I had one for over five years and beside the smaller frets it had thinner top than my other ES-175s.
All those years I had it I searched The 175 Sound but to my ears couldn’t get it. So I sold it and now I have a 1984 Mahogany version and a 1954 Reissue from 2000s and couldn’t be happier.
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Heja Bård!
Mine is a 2014, by far the most pleasant archtop ever, and I've had a few. I believe they made some period-correct adjustments in beveling etc. for 2015. Also period-correct is the kerfed bracing. My endoscope reveals that the longitudinal top braces have been cut about halfway. Perhaps, here's another source to some unit-by-unit sponginess variance. BTW, I really don't care about the guitar's acoustic properties, as I've been in love with the 175 as an electric guitar from, I guess, 1959.
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I have been looking at the '59 Es-175 VOS for many years now. I've always wanted to pair it with my figured 2010 Es-175, which I play a lot and like very much. So I found out that a very well know music shop in my country had a USED blonde '59 Es-175 selling for almost 4300 euros in (according to the shop) MINT conditions. I thought about it for a few days, then I decided that I could not buy sight-unseen at such a price, so I took the train and traveled more than 400 km because I wanted to try the guitar and, possibly, buy it. When I arrived and I was given the guitar, I looked at the guitar, played just a few notes and my immediate reaction was that I didn't like that guitar. I don't know what it was: old strings, an old mediocre amp, some cosmetic issues, generic sound. I kept playing it but I really could not bond with it. Having made such a long journey just to try a guitar, I asked if I could try some other guitars, so I played an Ibanez JSM (Scofield model), which I liked, and also a '64 Gibson 335 (Custom Shop), which I also liked very much, and I might have considered purchasing it if the guitar had not had a Bigsby, which I do not use. Eventually I also tried some really expensive acoustic guitars (Martin 000 price ~ 7000 euros).
So, to my disappointment for the 175
, I did not buy it, took the train and went back home. Overall, it was an instructional experience, a bit expensive for the train ticket.
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Sweet guitar. Enjoy it! It’s hard to believe Gibby isn’t making the 175. I can’t believe this doesn’t reverse soon……of course, I could be dead wrong.
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I don't blame you. When I got mine, it was not love at first play, but a switch to a TOM bridge made it a GREAT guitar for me! That, and a little magic to deal with a slight neck hump and twist. Now, it's what I always wanted in a 175. Too bad you couldn't take it home to mess with for a few days... might still have been a dud, but who knows? Originally Posted by Jazz_175
I have been looking at the '59 Es-175 VOS for many years now. I've always wanted to pair it with my figured 2010 Es-175, which I play a lot and like very much. So I found out that a very well know music shop in my country had a USED blonde '59 Es-175 selling for almost 4300 euros in (according to the shop) MINT conditions. I thought about it for a few days, then I decided that I could not buy sight-unseen at such a price, so I took the train and traveled more than 400 km because I wanted to try the guitar and, possibly, buy it. When I arrived and I was given the guitar, I looked at the guitar, played just a few notes and my immediate reaction was that I didn't like that guitar. I don't know what it was: old strings, an old mediocre amp, some cosmetic issues, generic sound. I kept playing it but I really could not bond with it. Having made such a long journey just to try a guitar, I asked if I could try some other guitars, so I played an Ibanez JSM (Scofield model), which I liked, and also a '64 Gibson 335 (Custom Shop), which I also liked very much, and I might have considered purchasing it if the guitar had not had a Bigsby, which I do not use. Eventually I also tried some really expensive acoustic guitars (Martin 000 price ~ 7000 euros).
So, to my disappointment for the 175, I did not buy it, took the train and went back home. Overall, it was an instructional experience, a bit expensive for the train ticket.
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When I got my 59 VOS ES 175 in the CME sale around 2016 I considered getting a 2nd bridge with a TOM as an additional option to use. I had originally ordered a Memphis Figured 175 that had issues and I returned. I had liked it though. I never heard of anyone else actually doing it until now. Originally Posted by yebdox
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What kind of issues did it have?
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I have a pair of 2016 175’s; a ‘59 VOS with a rosewood bridge and TI flat wounds and a Figured with the ABR bridge and TI round wounds. Makes for 2 very different guitars.
Is the TOM bridge different from the ABR?
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Two terms for the same thing! Originally Posted by Betz
(TOM = tune-o-matic)
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Of course it is!
Thanks!
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Got more clarity and sustain out of it. Slightly less old school tone, but my L5 has a TOM, so figured why not try it, plus Metheny, Kreisberg, lots of others use them. Paid off for me, taking it from slightly lifeless to a much fuller frequency spectrum. Cheap and reversible upgrade, try it! Originally Posted by 73Fender
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And ABR = Adjustable Bridge. Originally Posted by Little Jay
The original ABR-1 had the notorious wire which causes odd buzz and grey hair for guitarists.
Modern versions (Faber, KMS, Callahan, ABM etc) of ABR-1 don't have the buzzing wire, which is nice.
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I just might. There are nice aged ABR’s out there that would match. Although last night I was playing my 59 VOS through a 5E3 Fender Deluxe build with a Topanga reverb pedal and that woody thunk, which recently has grown on me, may make me keep it as is. I have other guitars for that metal bridge vibe. Originally Posted by yebdox
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Tokai ES-175 Custom Shop
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