information on my ES-175SP

[rae]

I'd like to get more information about my guitar.

 

I've sent emails to both Customer.Relations@gibson.com and service@gibson.com with photos of full front, back, headstock (front/back), inside sticker, full serial number and questions but received no reply for some reason.

 

It's an ES-175SP, with serial number 1xxx2xxx (hence, 2012).

It has a Certificate of Authenticity and Gibson Custom case.

 

I'd like to know:

- was this a special order?

- why isn't this model on the Gibson website?

- what is the exact model? is it a reissue? a special issue? etc.

- what are the construction details? is the fretboard a single piece? or laminate?

 

any additional info is greatly appreciated.

It's an excellent guitar and I'd just like to learn more about it.

 

-RE

[jdgm]

SP = Single Pickup? Very nice too!

 

A special order would surely be made by the Custom Shop?

 

Herb Ellis model was the single pickup 165...

[lblack]

Probably from a run for a particular distributor. The tailpiece is different from the standard ES-175 and the single pickup would have most likely been a special run.

 

Did you buy it from a dealer? Maybe the dealer could tell you if they had a special run exclusive to them.

[rae]

Probably from a run for a particular distributor. The tailpiece is different from the standard ES-175 and the single pickup would have most likely been a special run.

 

Did you buy it from a dealer? Maybe the dealer could tell you if they had a special run exclusive to them.

 

The dealer I bought it from is not an authorized Gibson dealer so I doubt it was a special run for them. I did ask them about it - where they got it and so forth, and they didn't offer much information. Though I don't question or doubt their reputation.

 

I was actually hoping Gibson might be able to offer more information, but as I've said - they don't seem to answer emails sent to the addresses listed above.

 

Does anyone know of any other addresses that might yield better results?

 

-RE

[JimR56]

I used google and found an answer in a matter of seconds. Read this: http://www.archtop.com/ac_06ES_175SP.html

 

Sometimes modern-day special runs of guitars (in this case, apparently produced in small numbers) quickly become somewhat obscure in terms of gathering information about them.

[rae]

I used google and found an answer in a matter of seconds. Read this: http://www.archtop.com/ac_06ES_175SP.html

 

Sometimes modern-day special runs of guitars (in this case, apparently produced in small numbers) quickly become somewhat obscure in terms of gathering information about them.

 

 

Thanks for the info and the link. That kind of makes me curious about how many such special runs are released by Gibson, but are never mentioned on their website. I was actually very happy to get this guitar because it was exactly what I wanted it, but the only one that was similar on the website was the 1959 single pickup reissue, so I was actually wondering if this was some sort of in-between model.

 

But anyway, thanks again for the information!

 

-RE

[AlanC]

I'd like to get more information about my guitar.

 

I've sent emails to both Customer.Relations@gibson.com and service@gibson.com with photos of full front, back, headstock (front/back), inside sticker, full serial number and questions but received no reply for some reason.

 

It's an ES-175SP, with serial number 1xxx2xxx (hence, 2012).

It has a Certificate of Authenticity and Gibson Custom case.

 

I'd like to know:

- was this a special order?

- why isn't this model on the Gibson website?

- what is the exact model? is it a reissue? a special issue? etc.

- what are the construction details? is the fretboard a single piece? or laminate?

 

any additional info is greatly appreciated.

It's an excellent guitar and I'd just like to learn more about it.

 

-RE

 

Looks very similar to mine. Mine was a special order. I waited about 15 months to get mine. I asked for gold hardware. Otherwise very similar. I'm sure yours plays great Mine does.

 

Btw I changed the volume knobs. Mine were initially the same as yours but I preferred the vintage ones.

 

 

 

[AlanC]

175SP's were not made for some years and that's why I ordered mine from the Custom shop.

 

More recently Gibson released the beautiful '59 reissue ES175SP. I think they are VOS. I've played one and they seem great. But I already have an SP so I personally was not interested. Still the '59's seem really special.

 

I also have an ES165 and it has the same tailpiece.

[rae]

175SP's were not made for some years and that's why I ordered mine from the Custom shop.

 

More recently Gibson released the beautiful '59 reissue ES175SP. I think they are VOS. I've played one and they seem great. But I already have an SP so I personally was not interested. Still the '59's seem really special.

 

I also have an ES165 and it has the same tailpiece.

 

 

Thanks for posting photos of your guitar - it does look a lot like mine - and yes, mine plays very well.

Btw, I thought about changing the knobs to the gold ones as well. I think it looks much better.

 

Re: the '59 reissue, I have seen that and it is a beautiful guitar, but I'm very happy with the one I have, so I think I'll keep it ;-)

[SamBooka]

175SP's were not made for some years and that's why I ordered mine from the Custom shop.

 

More recently Gibson released the beautiful '59 reissue ES175SP. I think they are VOS. I've played one and they seem great. But I already have an SP so I personally was not interested. Still the '59's seem really special.

 

I also have an ES165 and it has the same tailpiece.

Hi Alan

If you had to pick nits what do you find the difference between the 165 and 175 is in terms of body and neck. I haven't found much of a difference between the pre-floating 165s and the 175 aside from the headstock laminate.

[AlanC]

Hi Alan

If you had to pick nits what do you find the difference between the 165 and 175 is in terms of body and neck. I haven't found much of a difference between the pre-floating 165s and the 175 aside from the headstock laminate.

 

Hi Sam,

 

The ES165 is basically an ES175 but with a floating pickup and no tone control, Also the volume control is on the pick plate. My ES165 which I purchased new, had lots of problems. The pickup was faulty, the guitar had a buzz and the tail piece broke about a month after I purchased the guitar. I also fitted Schaller strap locks. My 175 on the other hand, was perfect in all ways.

 

I had my 165 fixed. I changed the pick up to a floating Benedetto S-6, installed a new tailpiece which Gibson supplied free of charge, replaced the pick plate, put in a new bridge that didn't buzz, and put a wheel volume control underneath the new pick plate.

 

My view is that the quality control on the production of the 165 was not nearly as good as the quality control carried out by the Custom shop in the building of my ES175SP which was a special order. Also the '57 Classic pickup in the 175 is really silky sweet and I regard it as one of the best sounding 57 classics I've ever heard.

 

Playing wise the 165 is loud cos nothing touches the sound board and it therefore can reverberate really well. It's a great guitar to play when you can't plug into an amp. It feels and plays very similarly to the 175 and in fact I had the same the set up applied to both guitars.

 

Given both are now really good I still prefer the ES175SP cos the sound is great unless I am playing without an amp. Playing wise both are almost identical with the same basic next shape.

 

I hope that this has been helpful.

[AlanC]

Sam I should say that above I've described the features of my ES165. I think that I can recall seeing other ES165's which have other features. As I recall it, some have a non floating pickup and I think have a tone control. Mine was purchased brand new in 2006 and I must say was very cheap and much less costly than my ES175SP.

 

Here's a pic before I did the mods.

 

[SamBooka]

Thanks Alan!

I have a mid90s 165 with a set HB and bodymounted T/V controls.

My Tailpiece also met an untimely demise.

 

Fit and finish on mine seems about the same as the 175s I have seen that are about the same age give or take.

I just think they cut corners on the hardware (althought the tuners are Gibson branded Grovers)

 

I have never understood the sizable difference in price between the165 and 175 (but it works in my favour since I could actually afford a 165 lol)

[southrun]

Nice guitars to both of you!

Wish I could swing one of those right now. Recently retired and sorting through some "lifestyle" changes, but one thing I promised myself was to pick up the guitar again........it's been probably 30 years!

Started out with a 1967 ES 335TDC and a 40's-50's something J45..........both long gone.

 

I did get the poor mans version of what you guys are enjoying....the EPI version called the Zephyr Regent.

Love the mahogany body's sound and with a few upgrades including a SD SH-1 59 pickup it does me just fine for now.

Maybe if I get further along with the playing I'd look at a "real one" but I wonder if I could wait 15 months through the custom shop?

 

This one will have to do for now. BTW my very experienced luthier told me it had about the best neck he's seen on an import in some time.

When I was picking mine up from the shop there was an older pro player in there with a new EPI ES 175 (two p/u's) that was going to get a setup and same rework done. The man could play! ( big band jazz ) He told us that his would be used on the gigs and that the real one stayed safely at home.

It was nice feeling to be 'back in the club' after all these years.

[AlanC]

Nice guitars to both of you!

Wish I could swing one of those right now. Recently retired and sorting through some "lifestyle" changes, but one thing I promised myself was to pick up the guitar again........it's been probably 30 years!

Started out with a 1967 ES 335TDC and a 40's-50's something J45..........both long gone.

 

I did get the poor mans version of what you guys are enjoying....the EPI version called the Zephyr Regent.

Love the mahogany body's sound and with a few upgrades including a SD SH-1 59 pickup it does me just fine for now.

Maybe if I get further along with the playing I'd look at a "real one" but I wonder if I could wait 15 months through the custom shop?

 

This one will have to do for now. BTW my very experienced luthier told me it had about the best neck he's seen on an import in some time.

When I was picking mine up from the shop there was an older pro player in there with a new EPI ES 175 (two p/u's) that was going to get a setup and same rework done. The man could play! ( big band jazz ) He told us that his would be used on the gigs and that the real one stayed safely at home.

It was nice feeling to be 'back in the club' after all these years.

 

Cant beat a jazz box. They are just gorgeous to play. I have a couple of good acoustics and a couple of Les Pauls but for more than 95% of the time I just play a jazz box. Luv em!!!