Hollow HB Thinline Options - ES-275?

**HighSnows** · 09-25-2020, 12:15 PM

What's your pick for a guitar with: humbuckers, ~2" depth, neck joined in the 14-16 zone, sub $3K? I've been eyeballing the ES-275 for awhile which matches all the criteria but a little hesitant based on mixed write-ups (and none found locally to try). ES-330 in the zone but P90's.

**MHoranzy** · 09-25-2020, 12:25 PM

Just picked up an Es-135 with humbuckers for under 2k. It’s got some quack in the sound that makes it sound cool. Sounds in between a full archtop and a 335, I dig it.

Other options are Eastman jazz elite, Eastman t146, epiphone emperor regent from the 80s, daquisto jazz line jr, Gibson Howard Roberts, Eastman er4 el ray. Some others.

the question you want to be asking yourself is whether you want a thin guitar with a centerblock or without. Fully hollow vs one with a centerblock will affect it more than the depth.

**HighSnows** · 09-25-2020, 04:25 PM

Interesting I thought those 135's were all P-100's but not so. What's the deal with the balsa center block? Does that mean they are 'less than semi-hollow'?

**Joeontheguitar** · 09-25-2020, 04:45 PM

Eastman Romeo...

**GuitarJay** · 09-25-2020, 05:25 PM

I quite like my recently acquired ES-275 hollowbody with humbuckers. So much so that I hope to add the P90 version if I find one at the right price and condition.

**HighSnows** · 09-25-2020, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by GuitarJay

I quite like my recently acquired ES-275 hollowbody with humbuckers. So much so that I hope to add the P90 version if I find one at the right price and condition.

Good to hear! You just missed a deal on the P90 version at Guitarchimp.com, had a couple VOS models I was looking at that sold fast.

**Gitfiddler** · 09-25-2020, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by HighSnows

What's your pick for a guitar with: humbuckers, ~2" depth, neck joined in the 14-16 zone, sub $3K? I've been eyeballing the ES-275 for awhile which matches all the criteria but a little hesitant based on mixed write-ups (and none found locally to try). ES-330 in the zone but P90's.

ES-275's are great. However, take a look at PRS Hollowbody guitars also. Domestic or import, they are overlooked for jazz, but highly competent.

**MHoranzy** · 09-25-2020, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by HighSnows

Interesting I thought those 135's were all P-100's but not so. What's the deal with the balsa center block? Does that mean they are 'less than semi-hollow'?

I think the balsa is just lighter. Can’t say I’ve done an AB test, but I’d love if someone did. Guessing the difference is slight if any.

**friendofjaco** · 09-25-2020, 09:55 PM

Hamer Newport Pro! Hollow body, Seth Lover buckers. Great guitars! I regret selling mine.

**HighSnows** · 09-25-2020, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by MHoranzy

I think the balsa is just lighter. Can’t say I’ve done an AB test, but I’d love if someone did. Guessing the difference is slight if any.

Have you had opportunity to play an ES-330? How would you compare to ES-135?

**MHoranzy** · 09-25-2020, 11:05 PM

Originally Posted by HighSnows

Have you had opportunity to play an ES-330? How would you compare to ES-135?

havent had the chance. I typically don’t care for P-90s so I wouldn’t seek out the opportunity. I’m guessing it wouldn’t sound too dissimilar from a 135 with P-90s, which are easy to come by.

**HighSnows** · 09-25-2020, 11:08 PM

Originally Posted by MHoranzy

havent had the chance. I typically don’t care for P-90s so I wouldn’t seek out the opportunity. I’m guessing it wouldn’t sound too dissimilar from a 135 with P-90s, which are easy to come by.

I also prefer HB's but I've heard some say their ES-330's are somewhat "mellow" - so just curious if anyone else here has made that comparison?

**GuitarJay** · 09-26-2020, 09:59 AM

I’ve owned a PRS hollowbody two times. Great guitars but didn’t deliver jazz tones as easily as I’d have liked. I think the pickups were pretty hot. This would have been in the early 2000s; they may have different pickups now.

**arielcee** · 09-26-2020, 10:28 AM

I believe the older Greco SA700s, with trapeze tailpiece, were mostly, if not fully, hollow and had humbuckers.

**Herbie** · 09-26-2020, 12:38 PM

I had a ES-137 for years and loved it. Specially with Seth Lovers. Then I started to think that it is heavy. It wasn't more than 3,6 kg but at the end I sold it.

I had a ES-135 for a month. That one was lifeless although I changed the P100's to Lollar P90's. At the end I sold it.

Last summer I had a ES-275. Perfect guitar! Perfect feeling! Perfect sound! But I chose to have a ES-175, so at the end I sold it too.

I hope this helps...!

**Jim Soloway** · 09-26-2020, 12:41 PM

There's a really nice 1981 Epiphone Emperor TH on the For Sale board right now.

**HighSnows** · 09-26-2020, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by Herbie

I had a ES-137 for years and loved it....

Last summer I had a ES-275. Perfect guitar!...

LOL... Any regrets selling those?

Gravity is pulling me to the ES-275, Eastman T146, or Eastman Elite. A little hesitant about the 1-3/4 nut.

Why does the T146 seem to get more forum love than the ES-275, value proposition?

**Herbie** · 09-26-2020, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by HighSnows

LOL... Any regrets selling those?

I am not missing the ES-135, but maybe it was just bad example of that model. I could easily try another one if one comes close.

I hope I succeeded to sell the ES-275 before I bonded with it... If I had any more musical activities I could easily have justified to have it too. But now it is too silent times for having three jazz guitars, two (ES-175s) is just enough... (smiley here?)

**Wildcat** · 09-26-2020, 07:29 PM

I owned 2 ES275. I was very high on them with the lower bout size of 15". I owned the Montrex burst and the cherry finish. Bottomline is $3000 for the Gibson ES 275 Montrex burst with figured veneer top just seemed too much for veneer top. The neck was a les paul neck. Nothing special.

$3000-3500 puts you in the carved top range. I these regards the PRS JA-15 is a beautiful hand carved guitar for the price and size. I can not say enough good things about this guitar. Smaller body archtop in bout and rim width.

(Remember also that the ES 275 was driven by the Japanese market for a smaller Gibson archtop.)

Originally Posted by HighSnows

LOL... Any regrets selling those?

Gravity is pulling me to the ES-275, Eastman T146, or Eastman Elite. A little hesitant about the 1-3/4 nut.

Why does the T146 seem to get more forum love than the ES-275, value proposition?

**lammie200** · 09-07-2021, 11:41 AM

Gibson ES-330 2018 Limited Edition | Bob's Guitars | Reverb

Just saw this this morning. Good price. Not affiliated.

**chp** · 09-07-2021, 12:44 PM

I think Eastman is a good suggestion. I’m a die hard vintage Gibson guy, and I have been really impressed with the Eastmans I’ve tried. I also have an Eastman mandolin that I really like.

Other options would be a Heritage 575 (solid top version of a 175!), or possibly even an early 70’s ES150D.

I used to own an 1969 ES150D….it is a 3 inch deep, fully hollow 335 style guitar. From the front it looks like a 335, but once you see how deep it is, you realize that it is a very different guitar. They are a bit brighter than a 335, but sound very good, and are reasonably priced compared to 335’s, 330’s, and 175’s of the same era. Some guy’s love them, some don’t.