335 or 175? I cannot decide!!

[zigzag]

I can definitely identify with your dilemma. I often need and want that jazzbox sound. I have an ES-335 and would love to have a 175 or a 125. Much of that jazzbox sound comes from having a wooden bridge, rosewood or ebony. You can get much more of a jazzbox sound out of a 335 by lowering the pickups as far as they'll go, using higher gauge flatwound strings (12s minimum), rolling back the treble on your amp, rolling off some of the tone on your pickups, playing from the neck pickup, and using a thicker pick. I've actually put Thomastik-Infeld Swing flatwound 11s on my 335, and it sounds great! I'll never put roundwounds on that guitar again.

 

Rather than buy a 175, you might also consider buying an ES-335 (or Heritage H535/555 or even a Carvin SH550) and spending less on a Joe Pass Epi or even an Ibanez Artcore AFJ model. Or consider a Godin 5th Avenue CW Kingpin II.

 

Remember, too, that while it is difficult to get a traditional jazzbox sound out of anything but a hollow bodied guitar, jazz can be played on any guitar, and as you probably know, most of your tone is in your fingers and your brain.

[jazzrat]

My two favorite guitar designs...I'd love to have both and maybe someday I will.

For now it has to be the 335 for the mix of playing I do.

Yet, when I need that big box tone I have to have it so I have a less

expensive guitar that covers those tones.

There are lots of budget archtops out there mine is an Eastman AR403-CE.

With it's laminated construction and my upgrades to a 57 Classic and

Tune-o-matic I'm in 175 territory for short dollars.

 

[jimmyl51]

I own both a '59 historic reissue ES-335 and a reissue single pickup ES-175. Also bought one of the Ibanez AFJ91 models. To be honest with a single pickup in the neck position which can be had for $600 this is a real good deal! This guitar sounds and plays great IMHO. jim in Maine

[powerwagonjohn]

I have to agree about the L-4CES, it a lot more guitar for the same price as a ES175. The L-4 has a sound the ES175 can't come close to but the L-4 can do most anything a ES175 can do. It would be hard to live with out a ES335 but my 1973 Guild Starfire IV helps keep the ES335 GAS away at half the price. Good luck, it's a win win situation.

Thanks John