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I love my current 175 but I really miss the vibe of my old '89 and I'm hoping this one lives up to it's predecessor, plus I'm partial to blondes...
Looks like it won't ship until monday though. If all goes well, I'll be selling my 2013 which has served me well...
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04-02-2024 06:01 PM
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.....Just when I thought that Jack's recent purchase of that L-4 finally meant the - - -
Should'a known...... : )
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One great thing about guitars is you got to love them because there is no rule about adultery. You can play many of them and never let up. Really though a blond and sunburst in stable is fine, keep them both.
Originally Posted by jzucker
I love my current 175 but I really miss the vibe of my old '89 and I'm hoping this one lives up to it's predecessor, plus I'm partial to blondes...
Looks like it won't ship until monday though. If all goes well, I'll be selling my 2013 which has served me well...
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Congrats in advance JZ. A good 175 is really all you need. There are fine 175's from all eras and sadly plenty of duds from all eras as well. Here's hoping that your incoming is one of the good ones!
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Yep, my current one is very nice but I really miss the '89 I had. Hopefully it sounds similar to the one that got away. I need to employ your philosophy and just keep them instead of being regretful all the time, lol... Originally Posted by Stringswinger
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Originally Posted by jzucker
Maybe this needs a separate thread Jack, but I always hoped someone would suggest / convince you to ' write the book ' on 175's. How many you've owned , which you liked, which you didn't, which you kept, which went away, and why, etc etc.
Regardless, good luck with this one. I found an '89 L-4 once, since traded, and it makes me wonder about my good luck and good luck others had with Gibsons from that particular year .
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Creamy blond delicious, congratulations!
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I did do this video about 175s a while back... Originally Posted by Dennis D
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I always really liked the look of the blonde 175 with the rosewood back. Beautiful combo, and if it's got the sound you seek, a win on all fronts. Hope it sings for you.
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It's actually a relatively dark stained mahogany. Originally Posted by skiboyny
There is something special about these...you wouldn't think a different flavor of plywood would make much of a difference, and maybe it's not the thing that's actually making the difference, but these particular years of 175 are really good.
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Yes I did know that and misspoke. They are said to be warmer. I have not played one. I think it all counts when it comes to wood. Even the same model while having a similar personality, can sound different. Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
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Not that I've played an '89 175, but I've heard a lot of LP players say that '88-'93 were the "really good" wood years, and you often see that reflected in used Les Paul prices.
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I just got a 2005 sunburst ES-175, which I've been enjoying lots. Great neck. I swapped the rattly wired ABR-1 out for wireless Kluson with nylon saddles- much quieter with no distracting noises and I like the reduced twanginess. Enjoy the '89!
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I've had two from that era. Both were '88. One was perhaps my favorite 175, the other badly needed a fret job and fingerboard planing so I was unable to evaluate it. Hopefully this one is as good as the original one. Originally Posted by jim777
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Congrats on the buy, Jack. Excited to see what you think and to hear it in your hands. I miss a blonde 175 I sold too. It was perfect in almost every way except it had the fattest baseball-bat sized neck profile. I could barely get my hands around it. Had to let it go, but boy did it sound great. All the best to you!
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I got my '85 ES175D new and I still treasure it. It looks a lot like yours.
Even if it does have the mahogany back and sides ... with lots of checking.
I hope this one works well for you.
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@Jack Zucker...Congratulations on scoring a beautiful '89 175. Yours looks amazingly clean...even the case is in great shape.
My first and only ES175 is also a blonde '89 with Mahogany back/sides that I found about four or five years ago...and I love it!
For some reason it makes me work harder than other guitars. But it rewards the extra effort with wonderfully warm, punchy notes.
I dig the Shaw pickups Gibson used during that era. They're perfect for this model.
Looking forward to your review and video.
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thanks for commenting. Why do you have to work harder? Higher action?
Originally Posted by Gitfiddler
@Jack Zucker...Congratulations on scoring a beautiful '89 175. Yours looks amazingly clean...even the case is in great shape.
My first and only ES175 is also a blonde '89 with Mahogany back/sides that I found about four or five years ago...and I love it!
For some reason it makes me work harder than other guitars. But it rewards the extra effort with wonderfully warm, punchy notes.
I dig the Shaw pickups Gibson used during that era. They're perfect for this model.
Looking forward to your review and video.
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The action is low and I'm using D'Addario Chromes. Compared to my Ibanez GB and Heritage archtops, it takes a song or two to adjust to the 175. Originally Posted by jzucker
My take on this adjustment is due to this comparison. The 175 is an old, time-tested design of Gibson that hasn't changed much since its 1949 introduction. Even the ES165 I owned many years ago had a similar feel. That's not a criticism, it's just how this guitar's design feels to me.
Ibanez and Benson worked to 'improve' the design for faster, more fluid playing for many styles. Their archtops simply allow me to play a bit faster. I can't put my finger on the specifics of why this is the case.
That said, the 175 brings that 'old school' feel to the table as well as that distinctive sonic "thunk"...and that's a good thing. When practicing I grab the 175 first. It makes me slow down and be more precise. That is my definition of 'work harder'. With more modern designed archtops, I can simply pick em up out of the case, plug em in, and I'm off to the races.
I believe the ES175 has made me a better player...not a great player, but better.
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Originally Posted by Gitfiddler
The action is low and I'm using D'Addario Chromes. Compared to my Ibanez GB and Heritage archtops, it takes a song or two to adjust to the 175.
My take on this adjustment is due to this comparison. The 175 is an old, time-tested design of Gibson that hasn't changed much since its 1949 introduction. Even the ES165 I owned many years ago had a similar feel. That's not a criticism, it's just how this guitar's design feels to me.
Ibanez and Benson worked to 'improve' the design for faster, more fluid playing for many styles. Their archtops simply allow me to play a bit faster. I can't put my finger on the specifics of why this is the case.
That said, the 175 brings that 'old school' feel to the table as well as that distinctive sonic "thunk"...and that's a good thing. When practicing I grab the 175 first. It makes me slow down and be more precise. That is my definition of 'work harder'. With more modern designed archtops, I can simply pick em up out of the case, plug em in, and I'm off to the races.
I believe the ES175 has made me a better player...not a great player, but better.
I'm wondering if it's the neck; finish and shape.
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The chromes will slow anyone down! I can get along with the sound they make but the tension is way over the top. Are you using the same strings on your other guitars?
Originally Posted by Gitfiddler
The action is low and I'm using D'Addario Chromes. Compared to my Ibanez GB and Heritage archtops, it takes a song or two to adjust to the 175.
My take on this adjustment is due to this comparison. The 175 is an old, time-tested design of Gibson that hasn't changed much since its 1949 introduction. Even the ES165 I owned many years ago had a similar feel. That's not a criticism, it's just how this guitar's design feels to me.
Ibanez and Benson worked to 'improve' the design for faster, more fluid playing for many styles. Their archtops simply allow me to play a bit faster. I can't put my finger on the specifics of why this is the case.
That said, the 175 brings that 'old school' feel to the table as well as that distinctive sonic "thunk"...and that's a good thing. When practicing I grab the 175 first. It makes me slow down and be more precise. That is my definition of 'work harder'. With more modern designed archtops, I can simply pick em up out of the case, plug em in, and I'm off to the races.
I believe the ES175 has made me a better player...not a great player, but better.
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Could be the ergonomic differences between the 175 and the other archtops. Each guitar type has its pluses and minuses. It took me a long time to accept the skinny shape of Strats back in my early playing years. Since then I've grown to love their sexy, ergonomic shape, long scale and overall feel. Originally Posted by Sleeko
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Each of my five archtops have identical D'A Chromes. Originally Posted by skiboyny
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I would suggest looking close at the nut. It's amazing how cutting them down a bit loosens the feel up. Ibanez does a much better job from factory than gibson. That said the GB is a really fast playing guitar by design. Originally Posted by Gitfiddler
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