RockinB23 Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Does anyone know? They seem the same to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 The 137 is just the newer version, I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToddS Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Not sure what other differences there are, but the 135 has a trapeze tailpiece, whereas the 137 has a stop tailpiece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Nahum Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 Bound neck, inlaid headstock - the 137 just looks better finished. The 137 has regular humbuckers as stock whereas the 135 generally has P100s. RN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesburst Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 Hi RockinB23 There is a huge difference, they really are chalk and cheese! Apart from the cosmetics already mentioned, the gulf between the 2 is the centre block. It's chromyte (balsa) in the 135 and mahogany in the 137. The 135 feels and plays more like a traditional semi-acoustic where the 137's like a big fat ballsy Les Paul. Both are great guitars, it will come down to personal preference. I had a 135 which went back due to a buzz that couldn't be fixed, it was replaced (after my OK) with a 137. My 135 had 57 Classics (outstanding combination) but the 137 (Classic Model) had 490/498 combo which in my opinion sounded stifled. I put a Burstbucker 1 & 2 set in. Much better!!!! If guitar weight is an issue, then the 137 may not be the one. If you want a real rocker, then it's the one. Pull back a notch into bluesy stuff, then the 135 is the choice. Either way, you'll get a great guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmartem Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 I have a ES135 from 2003 that has a solid mahogony center ,not cromite,classic 57's ,stop tailpiece,Grover keystones,F holes and a pickguard.It has a fat neck and it's a great guitar.Guitar center was blowing these out that year.I've heard that some were trainwreaks(breaking in the new Memphis factory) but mine is the best Gibson I've ever owned.The following year it had the same specs with no f holes or pickguard.They went to the ES137 the year after that(2005?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunBlues Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Does anyone know? They seem the same to me. 137 Has nicer inlays and (imho) a better finish job... Most 135's have a chromyte center block which I don't like.. I really like the mahogany center block on my 137... I use my ES-137 primarily for Jazz big band and Jazz combo... It has a great jazz sound... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 I own em both. They both have 3-ply body binding, '57 HBs (I know some 135s have p90s tho... mine has no pg but some other 135s do... I guess specs were loose). The 135 has a long tailpiece (as opposed to a stopbar) and the lighter centerblock, 50s neck, unbound rosewood fingerboard with dots and unbound headstock with gold decal logo. A gunboat not a showboat. 135 has big, tall fat, rounded frets. 137 has equally tall, but somewhat narrower frets or maybe less rounded (the 135 is way, far smoother on legato runs- 137 frets feel bumpy on legato, but with both both having tall frets you can bend the **** out of the strings on either the 135 or 137). 137 has 6-way vari-tone switch, stopbar tailpiece mounted into the heavier centerblock. Bound ebony FB with split diamond inlay, 5-ply binding on headstock with inlaid logos & 5-layer pickguard. Neck profile is somewhat less rounded than the 50s neck on the 135. 137 is heavier, like a Paul, but 135 sounds fatter to me, even with the vari-tone on the 137. Both are great and totally versatile-- I've played both in rock, punk, metal, jazz, & blues settings (135's been covered in blood 5 or 6 times... the 135's black finish always polishes nicely but the chrome has corroded from the blood -- 137's gold plate has corroded from sweat but that's it cuz I baby it more, & the vari-tone is fun with jazz or blues). I was expecting the 137 to be a custom version of the 135 and I was disappointed... but the 137 is a different animal with its own vibe and tricks & I appreciate it for that. I also have a 175, and though it obviously isn't, the 135 plays, feels, and sounds like a no-frills thinline 175. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesburst Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 They went to the ES137 the year after that(2005?) ES137's started production in 2002, I have an early one, May 9th 2002 build to be precise. I got mine as a warranty replacement for my originial 135. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunBlues Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 ES137's started production in 2002' date=' I have an early one, May 9th 2002 build to be precise. I got mine as a warranty replacement for my originial 135.[/quote'] Mine is a 2002 also.. I put a 57 classic in the neck (mine is a 137 Classic)... And I use it for my jazz band... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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