TinyBabyBrandon Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 so I was just letting the old head clamor around in the clouds for a bit here at the office place and I got thinking about the ES-175 Steve Howe and how I'd never seen a post about it on here. So anyone have any opinions, any big issues on this that they need to get off their chests? any devout lovers or ardent detractors? Steve Howe is one of my favorites of all time, and I did get to play the 175SH once, but it had a poorly done headstock repair which is never a good thing and so it was not that great, but I know Steve himself does use them so they must be pretty good, right? I've also played a number of early to mid 60's 175's and if they're anything like Steve's original 64 then I'm sure Steve has some very high standards which would be saying a lot since he uses his signature on tour. It's also Gibson USA from the look of the inside stickers I've seen on these and I did think that all 175's were custom shop. Anyone know anything on this? Ok, DISCUSS!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Robertson Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 I bought one for my collection, only played it maybe 5 times. Less than 12 hrs for sure. The other day I took it out to play it and the bridge pickup is weak and distorted! Switches and pots all good! Warrantee is only good for one year! You would think Gibson would help out in this case. Not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 (edited) 3 hours ago, Tim Robertson said: I bought one for my collection, only played it maybe 5 times. Less than 12 hrs for sure. The other day I took it out to play it and the bridge pickup is weak and distorted! Switches and pots all good! Warrantee is only good for one year! You would think Gibson would help out in this case. Not! Play it some more. Lots more. That's a nice guitar. Has to be a wiring problem. Dry joint? I have an ES175, but it's not a Steve Howe one. 🎸 Edited February 23, 2020 by jdgm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 (edited) Only played on ES-175 at a place called Alpha Music. There nice but at 5k back when Gibson was making them, they can keep em. Steve is one of the reasons I play. Saw him 3 times. One time with GTR and twice with Asia. Never got to see him with Yes (who are one of my favorite bands). I was too young to see them when they were good, now the stuff they do, to me is garbage. Edited February 24, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 I had one for several years (not a Steve Howe, just a standard). I don't think they were ever made in the Custom Shop, unless it was a true custom model with fancy fretboard/headstock markers etc. I believe most ES models were made in Memphis, and since that plant closed Nashville. When I had mine I played in a pretty loud band, and in order to avoid feedback I had to compress the signal so much it lost the flavor of the big hollow body. My bass player could just hit a note, and in no time my guitar would be feeding back 😱. Great jazz tones at lower volumes, and plenty twangy on the bridge pickup with some reverb. Pretty normal Gibson neck, but the wide body is not the most comfortable to play unless you have pretty long arms. I ended up trading it for a CS336 which I found to be way more versatile and practical. I have since acquired an L5 for the true jazz experience - but I play it sitting down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01GT eibach Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 I have seen Steve with Asia once and with Yes many times, starting with the Union tour in the round, and may times in the 1990s and 2000s. Yes was always good. Their "theater tour" in the late 1990s was particularly awesome with the 20-minute "The Revealing Science of God" (side 1 of TFTO) in the setlist being a near religious experience. The last time I saw them was 2013 in Scottsdale with Chris Squire still there, along with the new singer (Jon Davison) -- without Jon Anderson, I was not sure what to expect, but they were surprisingly excellent. Jon Davison can faithfully sing Yes music like Anderson, so you kinda forget for a second that Jon Anderson is not even there. Of course, my attention is almost always on Steve and Chris, anyway. The one nice thing about Jon Davison is you get those awesome songs from the Drama album which Jon Anderson would never sing. I love Yes ... I am a huge fan. I think we should just be happy that we still have the opportunity to see Howe, Wakeman, John Anderson, and others in a live setting ... albeit, not the same live setting (LOL). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 Remember right now Yes is a band with 0 original members. Drama was it for me. I did see them on 901245664 and Big Generator and Talk. It was ok, but not the Yes I love. Listening to Close To The Edge is damn near a religious experience for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01GT eibach Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 9 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Remember right now Yes is a band with 0 original members ... LOL ... Oh, come on, bro ... They got Steve Howe, Alan White, and Geoff Downes. And the singer sings the stuff REALLY well. That is a very respectable lineup. To me, I will likely not see them again unless they come to Colorado Springs because I have seen them so many times. I will severely miss the great Chris Squire, though. If you want to throw stones, look at Kansas ... they got the original drummer and the secondary guitar player, and a bunch of fill-ins. No Livgren. No Steve Walsh. No Steinhardt (I will probably get ripped a little for that "secondary" comment, but Kerry Livgren was the primary Kansas guitar player to me and the key to their late 70s/early 80s greatness). Not arguing ... just an opinion ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 (edited) 5 hours ago, 01GT eibach said: LOL ... Oh, come on, bro ... They got Steve Howe, Alan White, and Geoff Downes. And the singer sings the stuff REALLY well. That is a very respectable lineup. To me, I will likely not see them again unless they come to Colorado Springs because I have seen them so many times. I will severely miss the great Chris Squire, though. If you want to throw stones, look at Kansas ... they got the original drummer and the secondary guitar player, and a bunch of fill-ins. No Livgren. No Steve Walsh. No Steinhardt (I will probably get ripped a little for that "secondary" comment, but Kerry Livgren was the primary Kansas guitar player to me and the key to their late 70s/early 80s greatness). Not arguing ... just an opinion ... Howe, Downes and White are not original members. I know you know that. I know members will come and go, but to me Yes are terrible now. I don't want to listen to a Jon Anderson clone. Loved the Drama line up and wished they made a few more albums. Just like when Moraz was in the band. Relayer was killer. But the 80's comeback was really sad. (IMHO). I went to see them cause it was Yes. Now I'm scared forever. Big Generator - Moving to the left. Oh lord just kill me. That was the best you guy got. I saw Kansas when Steve Morse was in the band at an amusement park. I went due to I liked Kansans and Steve was in the band and I love The Dixie Dregs and saw then once and Steve solo a few times. When you play and amusement park, note to the band your career is over. I am a recovering music snob and have high standards. Listen to Close To The Edge or Fly From Here? What to do - what to do? I'll take Close The Edge all day long. Edited February 28, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01GT eibach Posted February 29, 2020 Share Posted February 29, 2020 You mentioned Fly from Here -- that album had yet another singer, Benoit David, and is actually very good album. The real clunker is the Heaven and Earth album made with the current singer, Jon Davison ... a very bad album. As I said before, I only saw Yes once without Jon Anderson, and I was not sure what to expect. Davison pulled it off pretty well though ... I was pleasantly surprised. The biggest difference, honestly, was the between-song patter, where Jon Anderson is so personable, funny ,and super talkative to the crowd. Jon Davison said nothing to the crowd the whole night with Howe and Squire talking to the crowd. It was so nice to hear them rip on Tempus Fugit from Drama ... it ended up being a very good show . And, yes, Close To The Edge is my favorite Yes album, too. You mentioned seeing Asia ... were you at their premier San Francisco gig at the Warfield theater? I was ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted March 2, 2020 Share Posted March 2, 2020 (edited) I know they ripped the vocals off Fly From Here and called it Fly From Here Return Trip and Trevor sang (I think he was the producer too), and is kind of a Drama reunion, but it was just the same bad album with a different but Yes alumni singer. After Drama I checked out. Tormato had a few good songs like Silent Wings Of Freedom, Future Times/Rejoice, and Don't Kill The Whale. Onward and Madrigal are just awful. UFO and Circus Of Heaven are okay. Going For The One back to The Yes Album was top shelf. Oceans did not need to be 4 songs each on a side. To much filler. There is good stuff there, but like I said digesting 4 - 20 minute songs is tough. Great album cover. Edited March 2, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vandine Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 Brings back some great concert memories. Saw them open for Jethro Tull in 1971. They played the entire "The Yes Album." I was hooked, Steve Howe blew me away! And the vocals were amazing. Attended their next 2 US tour concerts. Finally, saw them on their last tour here before Chris Squire passed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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