Difference between new ES-175 and new ES-175 reissue?

[Sofaplayer 1]

Does anybody know if there's a difference between the ES-175 reissue models and the 'normal' (?) ES-175 models?

 

Just look at the ES-175s at Thomann

 

Thre are 2 Vintage sunbursts with different prices, one is a reissue model, the other one isn't. And now there's a new wine red nickel hardware ES-175 for 400,- Euros less than the ES-175 WR NH reissue did cost earlier. So I wonder if there's a difference.

[Pepper 1]

As far as I can see at Thomann's web site:

 

Gibson ES-175 Reissue VS (vintage sunburst)

curly maple top

rosewood fretboard

nickel hardware

 

 

Gibson ES175 VSB GH (vintage sunburst)

laminated flamed maple top

palisander fretboard

gold hardware

 

 

Gibson ES175 Reissue WR GH (red wine)

laminated flamed maple

palisander fretboard

gold hardware

 

 

Gibson ES175 WR NH (red wine)

laminated flamed maple

palisander fretboard

nickel hardware

 

400 euros for gold hardware! Real gold?

[Sofaplayer 1]

Until recently the WR NH was only 100,- cheaper. Now the price has gone down. Did they change something on the guitar or is it just a price deduction?

[brundaddy 56]

WTF is palisander? There were never any flamed or figured tops before they re-issued the 175 so I'm curious about a re-issue with a curly maple top also.

 

Gibson uses el cheapo gold plating and it rubs off in a big hurry so I wouldn't lose any sleep over missing out on gold hardware.

[Robin Nahum 2]

Don't know.

 

If I was looking at buying one I'd be checking out each for playability, tone and build quality.

[Sofaplayer 1]

Palisander is German for Rosewood.

 

I still wonder why the NH version is 470 Euros cheaper than the GH. And it's about 370 Euros chaeper than it has been before or still costs in other shops. That's why I thought there might be a new edition of the 175.

[Sofaplayer 1]

Now there are more pics on the Thomann site:

ES-175 WR NH

 

It looks like the guitar does not have a glossy finish but more like a satin VOS finish. According to Guitar dater project (enter the serial) the guitar was built at the Nashville plant. I thought that the ES-175 was built in Memphis. Could it be that there is a new series of ES-175s coming from the Nashville Custom Shop, with a slightly different color, a different finish and a lower price? I'm just trying to understand this guitar here...

[powerwagonjohn 5]

I thought palisander is a colored or dyed wood. Thanks john

[Pepper 1]

 

The left one was built in 1988, the blonde in 2010 - definitely not the same kind of rosewood.

[Sofaplayer 1]

Nice pair! Which one do you think is the better guitar? I'd appreciate a few comments on the differences...

[Pepper 1]

I prefer the '88 over the '10. It produces a more mellow tone (because of mahogany back and sides) and it's neck is a bit thinner, but that is just me.

It is purely a matter of personal preference, they are both great guitars with excellent build quality.

[Sofaplayer 1]

Congratulations, it really is a lovely pair. I imagine you're glad that both have their own character.

[AlanC 4]

I prefer the '88 over the '10. It produces a more mellow tone (because of mahogany back and sides) and it's neck is a bit thinner, but that is just me.

It is purely a matter of personal preference, they are both great guitars with excellent build quality.

 

Love both your 175's. They are awesome. How do you know that the 1988 has mahogany back and sides? I thought that it was unusual for 175's to have mahogany back and sides!

 

I have an '08 L4 CES that has a mahogany top, sides and back. Really nice guitar but to get the sound I wanted I swapped the pickups to Benedetto A6's. I find that the quality of pickups in archtops can be variable. The worst examples are where you have to turn the tone done to 2 or 3 to get a half decent sound. I like to be able to use the full range of the tone controls.

 

 

 

[Pepper 1]

Hi Alan,

All ES175 made between 1983-1990 have maple top and mahogany back and sides: a perfect combination, at least for me. Please check out this thread where you can also see a photo of ES175's mahogany back.

 

I've never played an '08 L4 CES, but I'm sure it's a great guitar.

[AlanC 4]

Hi Alan,

All ES175 made between 1983-1990 have maple top and mahogany back and sides: a perfect combination, at least for me. Please check out this thread where you can also see a photo of ES175's mahogany back.

 

I've never played an '08 L4 CES, but I'm sure it's a great guitar.

 

Interesting about the 175's made between '83 & '90. I'd like to play one just to hear the impact of the changes.

 

Here's my L4 CES. Just the same as a 175 but with ebony and mahogany.

 

 

 

 

[SamBooka 2]

Dont get mad at me. I wont appologize.

 

A couple of years ago I played (unplugged) a new ES175 next to a new Epi 175 next to a new Epi Zephyr Regent.

 

The two 175s were quite similar in terms of tone.

 

The zephyr regent (a single pickup 175 with mahogany lam. back and sides) was from another planet.. Soooo warm and mellow.

 

I didnt buy it because I wanted a 17in and I was worried the guitar might be too dark. Two years later a) I am playing a single pickup 16in so I should have bought it while I had the chance and b)I know it would NOT have been too dark.

[Pepper 1]

Generally speaking, mahogany back and sides produce a more mellow sound than other tone woods, so I'm not surprised that you fell in love with Zephyr.

 

I play an Epiphone ES175 (maple) on regular basis. It's a great guitar for the money with surprisingly rich and warm tone I wouldn't expect from a $500 guitar, but Gibsons are from another planet.

 

Trust me, if you ever try a Gibson ES175 with mahogany back and sides you'll forget a Zephyr :)

[Pepper 1]

Here's my L4 CES. Just the same as a 175 but with ebony and mahogany.

 

What a beautiful guitar!

 

Did you have any issue with feedback?

[AlanC 4]

What a beautiful guitar!

 

Did you have any issue with feedback?

 

 

Hi Pepper, No I don't have a problem with feed back because I'm not playing that loud and I play thru a Polytone 90 watt. Regards,