Magnum821 Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Hey all, first time poster and potential Epiphone purchaser. This will be my first electric guitar - playing a 6 string cutaway for a couple of years and want to expand. I play in a Praise Band, but love classic rock and jazz. I do not anticipate doing any recording or playing for $ in a band (although that would be sweeeeet), so I cannot justify a Gibson. At the Guitar Center I played Strats & Telies but when I played the Epi LP I think I fell in love with the sound. Then I tried a semi-hollow and hollow - Ibanez AF95 sounds great, nice wood (flamed Maple) but I just do not like the reach to the upper frets. Its like they didn't finish the cutaway. So, enough background, here I go. Steve Howe was probably the most influential guitarist to me - although I really enjoy Al di meola, Pat Metheny, etc. Therefore, I am looking more closely at the Epi ES-175 but I have seem most of the posts regarding the ES-175 but I have a wood question. It is hard to tell from the "stock" photos here or other vendors what the maple laminate really looks like (I wish they made a flame maple but then $$$) and am having a very hard time finding the 175 to play and look at in person. Do any of you fine people know if the wood will be "blotchy" or "cheap looking"? Many thanks for any opinions, Mag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabar Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I've seen several Epi ES-175's in stores, the maple on them all looked like perfectly normal plain maple -- not flamed, not fancy, but certainly not blotchy or "cheap" in the sense of obvious flaws, knots, voids, stains, etc. Basically similar maple to what the standard (non-Elitist) Casinos or Dots use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muskank Sally Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I would be wary of a gluey putty gutted cheap foreign guitar from the likes of Sam Ash or somewhere. Not Knocking Ash, but some of those 'house' guitars look like grandads attic inside complete with mudd dobber appearance and putty stains. Glue Too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arobatto Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Magnum821, I bought an ES-175 last October and have been very pleased with the sound of the guitar. The wood, well I can't help but think the inside of the guitar looks like luan - in my case with glue stains. The grain outside looks fine with one area that has a very small knot. It has the thick "looks like it was dipped in plastic poly" finish that stands out! The sides are a bit chinsy in thickness though. I experienced this when, after a month, I discovered checking around the jack hole. I added a jack plate to reinforce the area and, to my surprise, found that the thickness of the laminated sides were quite thin. In fact, as I was enlarging the jack hole, I could almost flex the wood. Mind you, I'm also comparing this to recently aquired Guild X-170 and X150. This is probably not a fair comparison since the Guilds are twice to three times the cost of the Epi. You do get what you pay for - especially with archtop guitars. However, I enjoy very much playing the ES-175 and, surprisingly, it has great tone that stands up to my Guilds. Combined with Di Addario flatwound chromes, it really has sweet action too! Oh, and I'm a fan of Al Di Meola and Pat Metheny too. I read that Pat Metheny has a Gibson ES-175 but doesn't take it on tours anymore. As you well know, Steve Howe is a long time ES-175 player. In fact, in his website, he sells some of his guitars! I've had the privilege of seeing all these fine guitarists in concert at one time or another. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear222 Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Hey Magnum, I agree with you about Steve Howe, I've been digging him for 30 odd years and he still surprises me. ES-175 wood? Thats probably what Howe wakes up with every morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnum821 Posted February 22, 2008 Author Share Posted February 22, 2008 LOL!!!! I left you a nice one there Bear. Arobatto, thanks for the detail there. You are correct with you get what you get pay for. I really should not be that picky. So glad you are happy with the 175. I just can't find a place that caries them - even the three Guitar Centers around me do not have one (1)!! I am thinking that if I get it I would look at swapping out the Pick ups for the Gibsons - maybe the rest of the hardware as well. Thanks for the info all!! Mag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arobatto Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Mag, I couldn't find any at GC or Sam Ash at the time either (SA wasn't an Epi dealer last year). I finally bought mine from Musician's Freind. I too replaced the pu's, but with Seymour Duncan's Seth Lover. The change in tone was worth the extra $200.00. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lerxst1281733995 Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 perfectly normal plain maple -- Basically similar maple to what the standard (non-Elitist) Casinos or Dots use. Plain like this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunriver Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Hello all, I recently purchased an Epi Zephyr Regent which is very similar to the ES-175. It was made in Indonesia by Samick, at least that is what I was told by the seller. It has an SI letter designation in the serial number. The quality of construction is very good, with the usual heavy poly finish that is typical of Epi's. The finish is flawless, as far as I can tell, without any runs or blemishes. If I may ask, what is the serial number of your ES-175? If it was made in Indonesia, is the finish pretty nice? I have been contemplating changing out the pup (it only has one) with a Gibson Classic 57. I would probably change out the pots and input jack as well, as they seem to be less substantial that my older Epi's. Those sound clips of the pup swap are very informative. Thanks for posting them. Has anyone tried to buy Gibson pups from Ebay? Do you think the best way is to bite the bullet and buy new one(s)? I don't know what you would get with used pups from Ebay. Anyway, thanks for the great info on ES-175's! Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnum821 Posted February 23, 2008 Author Share Posted February 23, 2008 Alex, Thanks man. I am kind of bumbed about the fact that I can't try one out prior to purchase. Musician's Friend also has the Epi hard case for $60, which is $30 less than other places I have found. Lerxst, nice axe indeed. I could live with that - I just wanted some distinguishable grain patterns (hard with the Sunburst I know), rather than a plain piece of wood. Swapouts are a good idea - sounds like all around too. Thanks Rich Should I immediately swap out the strings when it arrives? I know very little about eGuitar strings. Thanks all. Mag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arobatto Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Sunriver, I'm not sure if you're asking me for the serial number. My ES-175 is Indonesian, ser. no. SI 07030854. Finish is typical of polyurethane - very glossy, but well done. There are no visible flaws. However, a very slight check has developed at the neck joint running right down it - this after 4 months. The rest has held up fine. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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