miDnIghtEr20C Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 First of all.. thanks for checking out this thread and answering for anyone who does. I can't figure out the Year of this classic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 First I have to say that your ES-175D is a beautiful guitar and seems to be in a very good condition. In accordance to http://www.gibson.com/Files/downloads/bluebook/GibsonSERIALNUMBERS.pdf it could have been made in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974 or 1975. I know these problems since tracking down the serial number of an L6-S of mine leads to three possible years of manufacturing in my case. I haven't scrutinized until now by the numbers engraved on potentiometers which allow for a more exact dating sometimes, i. e. leading to a statement "not before ..." which could be possible for your ES-175D, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miDnIghtEr20C Posted September 25, 2013 Author Share Posted September 25, 2013 thank you so much for that info. Ya, my Gramps was a jazz musician in Vegas back in the day, and played all over southern cali here. The guitar is in great shape and that's the original case with it too. my uncle, his son took the Guild 150, and I inherited this Gibby. Again thanks for taking the time to school me on this. I couldn't figure out at all the codes on the main page of dating your Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miDnIghtEr20C Posted September 25, 2013 Author Share Posted September 25, 2013 just for the heck of it...here's a couple other pictures of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 First, my condolence for your Grandfather having passed away. Sorry, my English is not that good, I didn't know if something passing down to you would say that he died or not, so I didn't dare to express my empathy. As for the codes, there is disorder in the Gibson serial numbers prior to 1976, and even years later there may appear several guitars of different models with the same serial number. Moreoever, it can happen with Gibsons and Fenders that two number and partially character codes were applied overlapping, or with Fenders that old decals in stock were used up and so tell a year prior to that of manufacturing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 just for the heck of it...here's a couple other pictures of it. Looks really great. I think when you replace the missing E1st it is recommendable to restring it completely new. It would be best I think to read the string gauges, and pull up some of the same or similar gauges at first. As far as I can see there's a wound G3rd which would say that there are medium to heavy gauge strings on it - very sensible for a hollowbody guitar to achieve a fat and rich tone. They look like flatwounds to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 it could have been made in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974 or 1975. The photos clearly eliminate 4 of these years. From the photos and information given, this guitar was most likely manufactured in the first half of 1970. Let's do the math... ASSUMPTION: It was Grampa's guitar, so it is NOT a reissue with an orange label. Orange Label: mid-1970 or earlier Orange Label with a 626,XXX serial number: the 6XX,XXX were used in 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 74 & 75. The orange label eliminates 71, 72, 74, 75. The documented serial numbers from 66-69 only go to 606 so clearly excludes 626 (even in '68 they started 700,000 numbers). So the least common denominator is 1970. To confirm or deny this, you will have to get the potentiometer codes, which is not an easy task inside an f-hole archtop. PS: I believe that finish is what Gibson called (for some unknown reason) Argentine Grey, and the Grover Imperial tuning machines are not original to the guitar (or at least not the Imperial buttons). Also, headstock volute or not, the above math still holds up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miDnIghtEr20C Posted September 25, 2013 Author Share Posted September 25, 2013 First, my condolence for your Grandfather having passed away. Sorry, my English is not that good, I didn't know if something passing down to you would say that he died or not, so I didn't dare to express my empathy. As for the codes, there is disorder in the Gibson serial numbers prior to 1976, and even years later there may appear several guitars of different models with the same serial number. Moreoever, it can happen with Gibsons and Fenders that two number and partially character codes were applied overlapping, or with Fenders that old decals in stock were used up and so tell a year prior to that of manufacturing. Ya thank you. It's been a couple years. He made it to 95! But I just couldn't figure out at all the Year this could be. And then found the boards here. So thought I'd ask. :) Looks really great. I think when you replace the missing E1st it is recommendable to restring it completely new. It would be best I think to read the string gauges, and pull up some of the same or similar gauges at first. As far as I can see there's a wound G3rd which would say that there are medium to heavy gauge strings on it - very sensible for a hollowbody guitar to achieve a fat and rich tone. They look like flatwounds to me. Found a bunch of strings of his that were in some hidden compartment in the neck area of the case. He has a whole bunch of strings in there. I'll have to look at the names of them. Not sure, but I'd imagine old strings wear out a bit over time in there. But hey, maybe I'm wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miDnIghtEr20C Posted September 25, 2013 Author Share Posted September 25, 2013 The photos clearly eliminate 4 of these years. From the photos and information given, this guitar was most likely manufactured in the first half of 1970. Let's do the math... ASSUMPTION: It was Grampa's guitar, so it is NOT a reissue with an orange label. Orange Label: mid-1970 or earlier Orange Label with a 626,XXX serial number: the 6XX,XXX were used in 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 74 & 75. The orange label eliminates 71, 72, 74, 75. The documented serial numbers from 66-69 only go to 606 so clearly excludes 626 (even in '68 they started 700,000 numbers). So the least common denominator is 1970. To confirm or deny this, you will have to get the potentiometer codes, which is not an easy task inside an f-hole archtop. PS: I believe that finish is what Gibson called (for some unknown reason) Argentine Grey, and the Grover Imperial tuning machines are not original to the guitar (or at least not the Imperial buttons). Also, headstock volute or not, the above math still holds up. Hey thanks a lot for this post. I've seen a bit on the Orange label being from an earlier model, but still couldn't figure out anything with the serial number. ya, 6 digits. It also has the print in wood on the back of the head of the guitar, says Made in the USA with the number underneath. It's not a sticker, but imprinted on there. I'll get a pic up of that tomorrow if it helps. Thanks for the info on the finish of the guitar. He must of modded some of the buttons then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 The finish doesn't look like Argentine Gray to me. Argentine Gray looks like this: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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