Blind Test - Ibanez 2355 M (1977) vs GIbson ES-175 (2012) sound comparison

[jazzkritter]

Hi and thank you for doing a same string compare!
I also think I hear a rounder fuller sound in #2. Interesting that the attack on both seemed to me similar, punchy, but less so on the #2 axe. I might have expected the Super 58s to be markedly different from Gibson HBs.
With experience on both brands, I’m finding it hard to pin down who’s who. But, my WAG is #1 175, #2 Ibanez.
Thanks again for your efforts!
jk

[deacon Mark]

I guess I have no ears they sound exactly the same to me. Just attacking string different can change sound but these…..no same guitar. Play the one that you like.

[hotpepper01]

I have owned both at the same time also. Both were great guitars from the 70s and the biggest difference is not in the sound. In my opinion, the biggest difference is in the feel. The Ibby has a skinnier neck compared to the Gibby. Another big difference is the price/value.
Both aspects (feel and price) can not be captured in a soundclip. Let me tell you that the Gibson was in my stable for quite some years and the Ibanez stayed for only a couple of weeks.

[rpjazzguitar]

I focused on the second pair of clips - after the string change.

They don't sound exactly the same. The second one sounds like the treble is rolled off just a little more than the other. Which tone I'd prefer probably depends on the tune and, tbh, how my perceptual processes are functioning at the moment.

If I had the ability to adjust each treble control to my personal taste, I think they'd be so close that I like them equally.

I have no idea which is which.

[tomassplatch]

Hi and thank you for doing a same string compare!
I also think I hear a rounder fuller sound in #2. Interesting that the attack on both seemed to me similar, punchy, but less so on the #2 axe. I might have expected the Super 58s to be markedly different from Gibson HBs.
With experience on both brands, I’m finding it hard to pin down who’s who. But, my WAG is #1 175, #2 Ibanez.
Thanks again for your efforts!
jk

The 2355 has Ibanez Super 70 pickup, is seems it has alnico 8 magnets according to this source: Super pickups | Ibanez Wiki | Fandom

To my ears, it has more output and seems to compress the tone a little (makes it fatter?)

[tomassplatch]

Hello,
so here are the results, perhaps surprising for many.

Guitar 1 : Gibson ES 175 (2012), bought in April 2022 for 2500€. The price was quite lower than average where I live (France), because the previous owner was left handed and made dots to the down side of the neck binding and the nut also had to be changed. Otherwise it is pretty immaculate, no scratches, no dings.
Guitar 2 : Ibanez 2355M (1975). I bought the guitar from UK in 2012 and sold it in April 2022 for 1500€ (very good state, 2 dings on the front and some light scratches on the finish on the back of the body).

Some very subjective comments, sorry, I am not an expert and I lack the proper vocabulary : Upon hearing the recordings, I was pretty surprised about how close the both sounded. Of course, it is not the greatest quality recording (I don't have a high quality microphone) and of course the room ambience colours the clips.

To my ears Ibanez 2355M sounds "meatier", sounds less bright (more compressed?), maybe because of the hotter pickups (Super 70). It also has a more electric sound, especially in the highs. Sometimes you can also hear metallic sound / overtones / fret buzzing (The guitar was refretted in 2019). In terms of the feel, the guitar plays well, the neck profile is more shallow than on the Gibson (same nut widht), but the heights sometimes can feel icy and in general there is a sens of a more rough, less refined electric/metallic sound when playing.

The Gibson ES 175 - the heights seem brighter on the recording, but the sound seems more "refined", less metallic, with a more acoustic quality to it. In the mids and lows it has a distinct "Gibsonesque" quality (almost country/rockability) when strumming closer to the bridge (a good example of this in this video:

). In terms of the playability, the neck has a more pronounced profile and Ibanez was more confortable for me in this regards (maybe just a question of habit).

The strings used were JIM DUNLOP NICKEL PLATED STEEL 12-60.

In terms of the finish, the Ibanez 2355 was very nice, top notch finish and binding, beautiful flame. The neck was directly glued to the body which looked weird, whereas the Gibson 175 fretboard has a small space underneath and does not sit directly on the body for the last couple of frets.

The finish on the Gibson ES 175 is a little disappointing concerning its price and the fact that asian-made archtops manage to be flawless. The binding on the front of the body is a little irregular (the thickness of the white/black stripes is not homogenous all along), the wood is plain and with two dark spots that look like dings from far. There are thin hairline cracks in the binding along the fretboard. Moreover, the tailpiece was rusty and broke when the strings were taken off and had to be changed, unfortunately, the new part from luthier's catalogue doesn't look exactly the same. The headstock Gibson logo looks almost like a sticker, it must have been protected with a sticker when applying the last coat of finish and it doesn't look good (see photos).


Here are some photos of the interior (bracing and kerfing):
Ibanez 2355


Gibson Es 175


The thickness of the laminate seems to be the same (quite thick). Acoustically, they sounded very similar, the Ibanez maybe a little brighter.

As you can see, I decided to keep the Gibson. I did not have the opportunity to compare this specimen with others, but despite the qualities of the Ibanez, I prefer the feel of the Gibson. And also having a Gibson ES 175 has been my dream for years, so I finally rewarded myself for my coming 40ties

Thank you for all your comments and don't hesitate to ask any questions about these 2 guitars (although I unfortunately don't have the Ibanez anymore).

[Tal_175]

I think the difference in tone between the two guitars can also be due to the pickups on the Ibanez being hotter. I wonder if that's the case?

[tomassplatch]

I think the difference in tone between the two guitars can also be due to the pickups on the Ibanez being hotter. I wonder if that's the case?

Thanks, yes, it seems to be the case. The Ibanez 2355 has the Super 70 pickups, apparently with Alnico 8 (Super pickups | Ibanez Wiki | Fandom). The pickup sounds very different from Gibson pickups, it seems to "compress" the sound a little and makes it fatter ? Does anyone have experience with these pickups ?

[tomassplatch]

Anyhow, I wonder what makes the difference between the Ibanez copy and the modern Gibson 2355 so small. Is my Gibson a dud ? If so, how can I know it ? What is your experience with new Gibsons ? How would one identify a bad speciman ?