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Here are some pics of my 51 Es175 for comparison. It has been re-necked in the sixties. At least that is my guess as it has a skinny neck profile. The A- four digit serial number stamped on the headstock is the same as on the paper inside the body. I think that was common practice with factory repairs of this kind. I am not sure about a refin on this guitar....everything looks equal worn and crackled. The Bridge, Tailpiece, tuners and pickguard are non original and might have been changed when the repair was done in the sixties - these parts all look period correct for the sixties (except maybe for the tailpiece?). Pickup and pots are oroginal fifties. For me it`s a fantastic player with outstanding playbility! I bought it about 4 or 5 years ago and played several recordings and lots of gigs with it. It delivers all the classic sounds I want and I do not have to worry at all taking it to any gig! I payed less than 2000€ for it (about 2300$) as I said four or five years ago. I will never sell it:-)
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10-22-2021 04:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Greentone
Fnish on both neck and body looks legit to me, might be original - you would need to blacklight it and look for signs of overspray to say for sure, but I can show you an example of original '59 175 natural finish that you would probably flag as refin, but it is not - just some touchups. It lived a tough life and was left for dead after it was gutted by pickup trolls
The pickguard looks correct with the exception of the screw - I would think this was a quick fix, it is just a bit misaligned - the shaft that goes into the fretboard is not fixed, just goes into the hole.
At least one of the tuners was replaced, but if so a long time ago - I think they started to put “Kluson …” name markings closer to the end of 56.
Tailpiece hinges were breaking all the time, so replacements were not that uncommon.
Number of frets puzzle is interesting - don’t know what to make out of it, but there is a 1957 L5 for sale in the US with 24 frets (it was a custom order, but still)
Visually i don’t think there is anything there that would put me off - not a museum piece, but I would consider it if I was on the market for an instrument like this.
Structurally - who knows, always a can of worms.
Regardless, I don’t think it’s a 6K instrument - more like, maybe, 4K, but I am no expert by any means. Just my 5 centsLast edited by aborodya; 10-22-2021 at 05:50 AM.
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Originally Posted by aborodya
Everything you say seems fair but for:
1) I cannot find a neck that colour or even close and although others have stated they have seen one, they have failed to provide any evidence thus far. Of course I'd love to see it.
It could be that the camera has picked up the lighting in a funny way and that is changing the colour but that doesn't happen on 100% of the other pics online.
2) There is still the issue with the wrong amount of frets.
I'm thinking about going to have a look at the guitar. It's not too far from me.
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At that price, I would just look and walk the other way.
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Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven
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Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven
The pickguard on the one of interest extends above the 19th fret, but they don’t seem to do that on ‘49-52s. None I’ve seen has the tip of the guard above 19. Another poster thinks that’s the proper guard, which would mean that the neck and guard are not sitting correctly against each other. I think that guard is the wrong one and is both too big and with the pickup cutout too low. If it is the proper guard, that neck is probably wrong. But I don’t think that the case. All 175 necks are interchangeable AFAIK. I could easily be wrong.
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Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
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Originally Posted by aborodya
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late 58 FON / early 59 serial
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Found a good resourse on vintage specs, and Klusons in particular. I might've been wrong, if there is no second hole for the shaft, the "named" tuner might be original.
Kluson Deluxe Tuners 1940s to 1960s used on Fender and Gibson Guitars - Vintage Guitars Info
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Originally Posted by aborodya
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Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven
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Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
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Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven
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Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven
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Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven
AS-NEW REMINGTON (PRAMBERGER) BABY GRAND PIANO - ONE OWNER! FREE...
Last edited by Woody Sound; 10-22-2021 at 11:59 AM.
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Relevant pix of a '55 ES-175:
-19 frets
-light mahogany
-no serial # on back of headstock
and so forth.
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Originally Posted by Hammertone
20 frets, light mahogany (also seen on 58's but not yet on earlier models).
p.s Nice guitar.
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Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven
20 fret neck is simply not right.
That, combined with the pro-looking alteration to the guard, and the swapped tailpiece, suggests that the guitar has been rebuilt. I'd buy it as a player (if it is a good-playing/sounding guitar) for a lot less than the asking price, or move on.
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Originally Posted by Hammertone
Although I'd still love to see a 49 to 55 with that colour neck
Do you think the body has been re-sprayed?
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Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven
It's possible to swap in a new board without refinishing a guitar - I've had it done several times.
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Originally Posted by Hammertone
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Originally Posted by Woody Sound
Stress cracks, neck finish wear are to me like grey / silver hair on an older woman... elegant. To me there's nothing more elegant than a black piano or git. That Remington piano is a beauty though.
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Originally Posted by GNAPPI
Getting rid of our baby grand, which my fiancee played occasionally but which was always having tuning or pedal issues, was a godsend and gave me much more space in our music room for guitars. LOL… We got $2500 on consignment for it—a Baldwin subbrand in mahogany—which we considered a pretty good deal.
We replaced it with a Yamaha Clavinova, and neither of us have regretted it at all. Never out of tune. No need to humidify. Plus the Clavinova has Bluetooth and will play my iRealbook accompaniment for when I practice jazz guitar.
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Originally Posted by Peter C
I’m into midcentury furniture myself, and it’s impressive how much some of those pieces are going for…many thousands of dollars.
Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah (Christian Scott)
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