The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    Despite being considered one of the iconic jazz boxes, the ES-175 doesn’t seem to appear on a huge number of recordings from the classic jazz guitar era, at least by my recollection. Of course there are the famous Joe Pass Virtuoso sessions, and Pat Metheny’s early records, although calling that a classic jazz sound is a stretch.

    But Barney Kessel, Johnny Smith, Kenny Burrell, Tal Farlow, George Benson, Grant Greene, etc. all used different guitars.

    I was wondering if anyone could point toward some other great jazz records made exclusively with the ES-175?

    Here’s a taste of Joe tearing up the fretboard—one of the reasons I more or less gave up guitar in the 80’s, cause I realized I was never gonna play like this...(don’t worry, I picked it up again, but my 1980 ES-175 is long gone).


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  3. #2

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    My first JP album was Live at Montreaux. Pretty sure that was his ES-175, the old one with the mahogany back & sides. Sounded pretty good to me.

  4. #3

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    OK I just realized that Jim Hall is of course associated with the 175–he started out with an LP, but got a 175 in 1956 and played it until he got his first D’Aquisto. There are a lot more pictures of him with the D’Aquisto than the 175.

    Anyway, here he is playing live:





    I would imagine most of his late-50’s-60’s recordings were with the 175, including the ones with Bill Evans. I think he played the 175 through the 70’s as well.

  5. #4

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    I believe Wes’ ‘The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery’ is 175, before he switched to the L5.

  6. #5

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    Herb Ellis

  7. #6

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    i think i remember reading somewhere that 'Incredible Jazz Guitar' was
    actually cut with an L-4 that belonged to Kenny Burrell, but i can't remember
    the source. The L-4 looks quite similar to the ES-175 (including the parallelogram
    fingerboard inlays), but has a carved top like the L-5.
    But then, you all knew that bit already...

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by christianm77
    Herb Ellis
    Well Herb Ellis was associated with the 165–slight quibble I know. I don’t know if he played a 175 per se much?

    Classic Gibson ES-175 Recordings-6d9a5b53-ca33-4231-b913-933e6bec9ec2-jpeg

  9. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff
    Well Herb Ellis was associated with the 165–slight quibble I know. I don’t know if he played a 175 per se much?

    Classic Gibson ES-175 Recordings-6d9a5b53-ca33-4231-b913-933e6bec9ec2-jpeg

    He did.

    The 165 was his sig and only debuted in 1991 as basically a reissue of the single pickup 175.

  10. #9

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    Joe Pass's For Django and Joy Spring were done with ES175. Most of his recordings from about 1964 to the Ibanez deal were on the ES175.

  11. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by dogletnoir
    i think i remember reading somewhere that 'Incredible Jazz Guitar' was
    actually cut with an L-4 that belonged to Kenny Burrell, but i can't remember
    the source. The L-4 looks quite similar to the ES-175 (including the parallelogram
    fingerboard inlays), but has a carved top like the L-5.
    But then, you all knew that bit already...
    Pickup placement if the same guitar most likely indicate a 175 and with a P90 at least on that picture :

    An L4 would have the pickup directly by the neck

  12. #11

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    Herb Ellis played the same 1953 175 till his Herb Ellis 165 came out in 1991 and he still played his '53 on the side after that.

  13. #12

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    All those guys were short. Joe, Herb, Jim, Wes. The ES-175 was logical.

  14. #13

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    Jimmy Raney used a Norlin 175 at some point, could be on some of his later recordings possibly.

  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jazzstdnt
    All those guys were short. Joe, Herb, Jim, Wes. The ES-175 was logical.
    Not sure I get your point. I’m 6’4” and prefer a full sized hollow body over my GB10. Guys with shorter stature/arms usually complain about the fatigue of playing with a 17 or 18” body. What would have been the alternative, a super 400? A 330 would be more comfortable for someone with shorter reach, I would think.

  16. #15

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    He's being quite 'sentimental', is Mr. Hall.

  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by vinlander
    Pickup placement if the same guitar most likely indicate a 175 and with a P90 at least on that picture :

    An L4 would have the pickup directly by the neck
    i looked into it a bit more, and Wes did play an L-4 with a CC pickup at one point apparently...
    but the story i'm thinking of was actually this:
    Wes Montgomery played a Gibson L-7 on the recordings of The Wes Montgomery Trio (1959).
    The L-7 was loaned to him by Kenny Burrell, together with a Fender Deluxe amp.
    (from How To Play In The Style of Wes Montgomery)
    The same source states categorically that IJG was done with the ES-175.
    Sorry to muddy the waters... my apologies.
    Last edited by dogletnoir; 07-04-2019 at 12:45 PM.

  18. #17

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    Jonathan Kreisberg- almost all of his recorded output is with the ES-175.

    I believe that the ES-175 Wes used for his first album actually belonged to Kenny Burrell, who loaned it to him for the recording along with an amp.

  19. #18

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    I think ‘Jim Hall Live!’ was on a 175, there’s a photo of it on the additional CDs which were released recently (Vol 2-4):
    Attached Images Attached Images Classic Gibson ES-175 Recordings-dfb37062-cb67-4158-8afc-290f7eb12bec-jpg 

  20. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by yebdox
    Not sure I get your point. I’m 6’4” and prefer a full sized hollow body over my GB10. Guys with shorter stature/arms usually complain about the fatigue of playing with a 17 or 18” body. What would have been the alternative, a super 400? A 330 would be more comfortable for someone with shorter reach, I would think.
    My point is that the ES-175 is a smaller guitar. Smaller body with shorter scale length, as compared to the L5, Johnny Smith, and especially the Super 400.

    Short players tend to have smaller hands, fingers, arms, torso, legs. Taller players the opposite.

    So generally speaking, smaller body guitars are more comfortable for smaller body humans.

    Is the opposite true? To an extent it is, yes. For example, I have long fingers so playing those "bunchy" voicings in the middle the higher regions of the fretboard on a shorter scale guitar is unnecessarily difficult for me. A longer scale gives my fingers more breathing room. And a small body guitar tends to make me hunch over for it, while a larger body guitar influences me to sit up straight.

    But people vary in size, and that's one big reason why guitars are made in 14', 15', 16', 17', and 18' lower bouts, with scale lengths of 23.5", 24.5", 25', 25.25", 25.5" etc.

    My point is that the ES-175 was/is played by guitarists for reasons other than sound and feedback resistance.

  21. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jazzstdnt
    My point is that the ES-175 is a smaller guitar. Smaller body with shorter scale length, as compared to the L5, Johnny Smith, and especially the Super 400.

    Short players tend to have smaller hands, fingers, arms, torso, legs. Taller players the opposite.

    So generally speaking, smaller body guitars are more comfortable for smaller body humans.

    Is the opposite true? To an extent it is, yes. For example, I have long fingers so playing those "bunchy" voicings in the middle the higher regions of the fretboard on a shorter scale guitar is unnecessarily difficult for me. A longer scale gives my fingers more breathing room. And a small body guitar tends to make me hunch over for it, while a larger body guitar influences me to sit up straight.

    But people vary in size, and that's one big reason why guitars are made in 14', 15', 16', 17', and 18' lower bouts, with scale lengths of 23.5", 24.5", 25', 25.25", 25.5" etc.

    My point is that the ES-175 was/is played by guitarists for reasons other than sound and feedback resistance.
    Likely also cost was a factor. The ES175 was the lowest price "pro-level" guitar Gibson produced at the time, aimed at the work-a-day electric guitarist.

  22. #21

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    Philip Catherine is another 175 lover.

  23. #22

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    and Joe Diorio too.

  24. #23

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    This is classic:

    The entire album sent me out for a 175/Polytone.

  25. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by Greentone
    This is classic:

    The entire album sent me out for a 175/Polytone.
    Don't the liner notes actually describe Joe and Herb sitting close with their ES175 guitars? Seems like I remember that from one of their recordings.

  26. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jazzstdnt
    My point is that the ES-175 is a smaller guitar. Smaller body with shorter scale length, as compared to the L5, Johnny Smith, and especially the Super 400.

    Short players tend to have smaller hands, fingers, arms, torso, legs. Taller players the opposite.

    So generally speaking, smaller body guitars are more comfortable for smaller body humans.

    Is the opposite true? To an extent it is, yes. For example, I have long fingers so playing those "bunchy" voicings in the middle the higher regions of the fretboard on a shorter scale guitar is unnecessarily difficult for me. A longer scale gives my fingers more breathing room. And a small body guitar tends to make me hunch over for it, while a larger body guitar influences me to sit up straight.

    But people vary in size, and that's one big reason why guitars are made in 14', 15', 16', 17', and 18' lower bouts, with scale lengths of 23.5", 24.5", 25', 25.25", 25.5" etc.

    My point is that the ES-175 was/is played by guitarists for reasons other than sound and feedback resistance.
    I do find chording quite difficult on mine, especially with the silly skinny 60s neck.