The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
Reply to Thread Bookmark Thread
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Posts 26 to 36 of 36
  1. #26

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Stringswinger
    While I would bet that your LPC is a 72 for sure, I would also bet that your 175 is probably a late 75 or a 76. The pot codes will answer that (assuming original pots). Gibson serial numbers from the early 70's cannot be relied upon. That said, pulling the pots on a 175 is a major pain. Unless you are selling the guitar and want to be totally accurate in your representations or something is wrong with the pots, don't do it!
    Here is a link to a 1974 ES-175 that was for sale. Notice that it does not have a volute:

    Gibson ES-175 1974 Sunburst | Distinguished Collection | Reverb

  2.  

    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #27

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Stringswinger
    While I would bet that your LPC is a 72 for sure, I would also bet that your 175 is probably a late 75 or a 76. The pot codes will answer that (assuming original pots). Gibson serial numbers from the early 70's cannot be relied upon. That said, pulling the pots on a 175 is a major pain. Unless you are selling the guitar and want to be totally accurate in your representations or something is wrong with the pots, don't do it!
    I know the LP is a ‘72 as I bought it from the original owner. Well, he said it was a 1972, and I’ve had that in my mind since 1974, so to me, it’s a ‘72 no matter what.

    It seems I was told the wrong year by the vendor when I bought my ES-175 then. It was sold to me as being a 1972, which I wanted so it would match my Les Paul. Oh well, I graduated from high school in 1976 so it’s still a significant year for me.

    I actually pulled the pots tonight and they have the metal cans around them. I’m not going to desolder one just to check.

    Looking at ES specs, mine has the volute and the 3 piece maple neck which indicates a 1976. It also has a wooden bridge, which was earlier but is easy to change. The pickups have the patent number stamped into the back, but no inked date on them, which would be consistent with being a ‘76.

    But what still throws me off is that it is a 6-digit serial number and doesn’t follow the pattern that Gibson says it should. Their site says a 1975 should start with 99 and a 1976 should start with 00. Mine starts with 96. So what are your thoughts on that?

  4. #28

    User Info Menu

    I’m not dating my LeGrande, we’re just getting together late at night.

  5. #29

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by coryB
    I know the LP is a ‘72 as I bought it from the original owner. Well, he said it was a 1972, and I’ve had that in my mind since 1974, so to me, it’s a ‘72 no matter what.

    It seems I was told the wrong year by the vendor when I bought my ES-175 then. It was sold to me as being a 1972, which I wanted so it would match my Les Paul. Oh well, I graduated from high school in 1976 so it’s still a significant year for me.

    I actually pulled the pots tonight and they have the metal cans around them. I’m not going to desolder one just to check.

    Looking at ES specs, mine has the volute and the 3 piece maple neck which indicates a 1976. It also has a wooden bridge, which was earlier but is easy to change. The pickups have the patent number stamped into the back, but no inked date on them, which would be consistent with being a ‘76.

    But what still throws me off is that it is a 6-digit serial number and doesn’t follow the pattern that Gibson says it should. Their site says a 1975 should start with 99 and a 1976 should start with 00. Mine starts with 96. So what are your thoughts on that?
    It is my understanding that Gibson reused a lot of serial numbers in the mid 70's and that you can find 6 digit serialization along with 8 digit serialization in the same year. Don't believe anyone's website as being certain. In the 70's, Gibson serialization is almost always approximate until the late 70's when things got standardized. I have also found that Gibson makes changes at various times. When January 1 happens, the guitars do not all of a sudden change. Sometimes the change has to wait until older materials/parts are used up.

    I had a 1982 ES-175 that had single ring plastic tuners, no volute, a mahogany neck and maple sides and back. Most 82's had either the features of mine with mahogany sides and back or they were like the late 70's examples with the three piece maple neck, metal tuners and a volute. Mine was clearly a transitional example (and I regret selling her to this day).

    Gibson abandoned the wooden bridge saddles in early 1976, used three piece maple necks and patent stamp, T-top pickups (a 72 would have patent sticker T-tops). It sounds to me like yours is an early 1976, and I have played some fine examples from that year (I had a 1977 that I regret selling myself). May she continue to inspire your playing for many years to come!

  6. #30

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Donplaysguitar
    I’m not dating my LeGrande, we’re just getting together late at night.
    I think I speak for everyone here when I say that I hope you are being gentle with her.

  7. #31

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Stringswinger
    Here is a link to a 1974 ES-175 that was for sale. Notice that it does not have a volute:

    Gibson ES-175 1974 Sunburst | Distinguished Collection | Reverb
    That one looks identical to mine which I believe is from late 1969 or early 1970 based on the research I've done. Same sunburst, no volute, 1 11/16 neck, orange label, no embossing on pickups, 6XXXXX serial number.

    Notice the title says 1974, but the text says it's a 1969. Looks like a great deal!

  8. #32

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by RobbieAG
    That one looks identical to mine which I believe is from late 1969 or early 1970 based on the research I've done. Same sunburst, no volute, 1 11/16 neck, orange label, no embossing on pickups, 6XXXXX serial number.

    Notice the title says 1974, but the text says it's a 1969. Looks like a great deal!
    I had an early 1970 ES-175 with that same cherry sunburst, another guitar that I regret selling.

  9. #33

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by starjasmine
    Sigh. I can't un-see this. Now I think that my neck pickup holder is, in fact, backwards, thought the PUP itself is positioned correctly. Are these PUP holders positioned correctly? i.e. the thicker side of the "wedge" towards between the two PUPs.
    This comes up periodically, and I think nearly every ES-175 owner notices this sooner or later. I had a '70s model with a volute, and that's what they looked like. I have an '04 that looks like that. I rotated the pickup rings to get the pickups more level, purely to satisfy my notions of correctness. I needn't have done so; vinnyv1k has discussed this with the Gibson guys and they maintain that the pups are arranged that way on purpose, and I believe them. It stands to reason that if the pups are tilted, the sound of the pickup will favor the sound of the coils closer to the strings, giving almost a single-coil sound, or at least nudge it in that direction. The result is a bit more clarity -not a P-90, exactly, just a tad more upper-mids maybe. I'd let it be, and I'm going to return my'06 to its original state when I can.

  10. #34

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by citizenk74
    This comes up periodically, and I think nearly every ES-175 owner notices this sooner or later. I had a '70s model with a volute, and that's what they looked like. I have an '04 that looks like that. I rotated the pickup rings to get the pickups more level, purely to satisfy my notions of correctness. I needn't have done so; vinnyv1k has discussed this with the Gibson guys and they maintain that the pups are arranged that way on purpose, and I believe them. It stands to reason that if the pups are tilted, the sound of the pickup will favor the sound of the coils closer to the strings, giving almost a single-coil sound, or at least nudge it in that direction. The result is a bit more clarity -not a P-90, exactly, just a tad more upper-mids maybe. I'd let it be, and I'm going to return my'06 to its original state when I can.
    OK, this is the guitar as I bought in 98. Was only pointed out to me now that bridge pickup is upside down, which precipitated this thread. You saying it was set up this way at the factory?
    Dating my Gibson ES-175D-175-jpg

  11. #35

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by mmuller
    OK, this is the guitar as I bought in 98. Was only pointed out to me now that bridge pickup is upside down, which precipitated this thread. You saying it was set up this way at the factory?
    Dating my Gibson ES-175D-175-jpg
    He was referring to the pickup surrounds, not the pickups themselves. Your bridge pickup is backwards.

  12. #36

    User Info Menu

    Fixed. thanks